Pixel Joint Forum: How to get into pixel art?

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   Hi, I'd really like to get into pixel art (Video game pixel art), but I don't know where to start. Anything I try either seems impossible, or too easy to the point where it becomes boring. Does anyone have any simple projects that might help me improve? Thanks!

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SpeedyTurtlez Seaman Joined: 23 December 2017 Online Status: Offline Posts: 4	Topic: How to get into pixel art? Posted: 24 December 2017 at 5:12am
	Hi, I'd really like to get into pixel art (Video game pixel art), but I don't know where to start. Anything I try either seems impossible, or too easy to the point where it becomes boring. Does anyone have any simple projects that might help me improve? Thanks!
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eishiya Commander Joined: 04 August 2022 Online Status: Offline Posts: 1109	Posted: 24 December 2017 at 7:19am
	What do you already know, and what do you struggle with? It's difficult to give suggestions without knowing what you need. Pixel art is like any other 2D art, and requires largely the same knowledge - colour theory, anatomy, some understanding of perspective (even if you're doing game art that uses a parallel projection, knowing the basics of perspective helps in making the art look less "weird" to viewers/players), composition. If you struggle with these things, you may want to practice them in a medium already familiar to you, then try in pixel art when you're more comfortable. If you struggle with pixel-specific techniques such as dithering, anti-aliasing, pixel-isometric projection, then that's different, and the exercises to try depend on what you'd like to practice.
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king_bobston Midshipman Joined: 21 October 2019 Online Status: Offline Posts: 54	Posted: 24 December 2017 at 1:03pm
	I'll tell you some things I started with and some ideas I have, hopefully there will be something for you! Look for sprites of games that you like and study them and then try to make your own (or other) characters as close to that style and quality as you can. Look for a simple object around you and pixel it as realistically as you can! (This was the first thing I uploaded to the wip forum here and then to my gallery back in 2011, I can only recommend doing it!) Another great exercise is mentioned in the ramble thread on pixelation (great read btw). Chose some simple images like these and re-make them in both 2 colors and 4 colors in the sizes of 16x16, 24x24 and 32x32 each. Some are more difficult than others, I recommend doing the two portraits and the skull. Make some simple longterm project. There's a lot of people who improved insanely fast by working for a game. Now that might not work for everyone but a no-stress project that you don't mind to ever finish would still be a good way to get into pixel art. Personally I made a bunch of gameboy graphics, just adding a couple everytime I felt like it. I think each of these give opportunity to learn a lot about pixel art in an interesting way! Also post wips in our wip-section so we can help giving feedback!
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Hapiel Rear Admiral Joined: 30 June 2023 Online Status: Offline Posts: 3266	Posted: 24 December 2017 at 3:55pm
	That pixelation thing is a fun idea I hadn't heard of before! I might try that out too :)
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CritiqueMyWork Midshipman Joined: 12 May 2025 Online Status: Offline Posts: 56	Posted: 02 March 2018 at 12:38pm
	Have a look at this thread http://pixeljoint.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=24744
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