Pixel Joint Forum: color count problem

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   Hi everyone I am new here :) I hope this is in the right forum...

Anyway I submitted this http://www.pixeljoint.com/pixelart/27710.htm and the color count is showing up as over 5000 colors. I used Photoshop (which I know you're not really supposed to do but I am kinda new to this and that's how I learned it) so I know I used a lot of colors but I'm pretty sure it's not 5000. The other thing I submitted for the Joint is coming up as way too many colors as well.

I was told by jolanso to make a topic here so... is it a problem with my software or just me being dumb and not knowing that I should count my colors?

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aubrey Seaman Joined: 19 December 2007 Online Status: Offline Posts: 7	Topic: color count problem Posted: 22 December 2007 at 2:18pm
	Hi everyone I am new here :) I hope this is in the right forum... Anyway I submitted this http://www.pixeljoint.com/pixelart/27710.htm and the color count is showing up as over 5000 colors. I used Photoshop (which I know you're not really supposed to do but I am kinda new to this and that's how I learned it) so I know I used a lot of colors but I'm pretty sure it's not 5000. The other thing I submitted for the Joint is coming up as way too many colors as well. I was told by jolanso to make a topic here so... is it a problem with my software or just me being dumb and not knowing that I should count my colors?
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Monkey 'o Doom Commander Joined: 24 September 2005 Online Status: Offline Posts: 2994	Posted: 22 December 2007 at 2:30pm
	It actually has 2082, but that's still far beyond the general 256 limit, and even farther beyond what you SHOULD be using. I would post an image showing the colors but the program I have that does that (mtPaint) only supports up to 256 colors for that feature. I should probably write myself one that works for any number of colors.
	RPG is numberwang.
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greenraven Commander Joined: 08 September 2016 Online Status: Offline Posts: 2598	Posted: 22 December 2007 at 2:46pm
	As a rule of thumb: If it can't be done in MSpaint, it's likely not pixel art. (The only exception to that is transparencies.)
	"pwnage comes with patience, practice and planning." ~ Jalonso
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surt Commander Joined: 30 December 2015 Online Status: Offline Posts: 413	Posted: 22 December 2007 at 2:46pm
	That's what happens when you use blending tools (translucency on water, soft brush on plants). Blending tools are not allowed here on PJ.

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Larwick Commander Joined: 18 July 2024 Online Status: Offline Posts: 4015	Posted: 22 December 2007 at 3:49pm
	It's happening at the bottom of the waterfall and by the plants on the bottom left. You will have to re-pixel these areas, because it is ruined by blur or some sort.

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aubrey Seaman Joined: 19 December 2007 Online Status: Offline Posts: 7	Posted: 22 December 2007 at 7:25pm
	OK thanks, I'll try to go back and fix those parts. How did you get 2082 colors and why is PJ saying there are over 5000?
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Monkey 'o Doom Commander Joined: 24 September 2005 Online Status: Offline Posts: 2994	Posted: 22 December 2007 at 8:33pm
	I used the color count feature of Irfanview (www.irfanview.com), and I'm not sure why there would be a discrepancy between the two. I'll write a quick program to count colors and see which it think is right. EDIT: A quick color-counting program says 2082 like Irfanview. Edited by Monkey 'o Doom - 22 December 2007 at 8:48pm
	RPG is numberwang.
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jalonso Admiral Joined: 29 November 2022 Online Status: Offline Posts: 13537	Posted: 22 December 2007 at 8:57pm
	I use Photoshop and there is NO problem with using it. To make pixelart with Photoshop use the pencil tool only with the 'tolerance set to 'zero' always. To verify your colors before saving either use the color count thingy or 'save for web' and using the gif or png8 settings you;ll see your colors there. I think its most likely the tolerance on your tool setting thats the problem here. Again, Photoshop is ok for pixelart. I use it exclusively. EDIT: Sorry I had to send your pixel back for now. Reports on the color count just keep coming. As soon as you fix this we'll add it again, k : ) Edited by jalonso - 22 December 2007 at 8:58pm
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aubrey Seaman Joined: 19 December 2007 Online Status: Offline Posts: 7	Posted: 22 December 2007 at 9:24pm
	Alrighty, I was not aware there was a limit on colors or even a way to count them. If I am using Photoshop is there a way to make sure I don't use too many? Like set it for web colors only or something? Also it seems like transparencies would cause that to happen too, but most people have said transparencies are OK. (Sorry if that's too many questions, I did read the rules/FAQ and didn't see anything)
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surt Commander Joined: 30 December 2015 Online Status: Offline Posts: 413	Posted: 22 December 2007 at 9:54pm
	There isn't a limit on colours but each colour should be meaningful and hand selected. When you have thousands that is not practically possible. When tools are making those colours they aren't hand selected. For a single piece of clean pixel are you should rarely need more than about 32 colours. PixelPlajer's colour count does get it wrong sometimes.

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jalonso Admiral Joined: 29 November 2022 Online Status: Offline Posts: 13537	Posted: 22 December 2007 at 10:00pm
	In photoshop what I do for color is every time I get a new shade I add it on a seperate layer. As I add colors then when coloring I pick from there using the eyedropper. If you ever lose a pixel then you can easily use the wand with 'use all layers' go through all the colors on that palette layer. Anything not selected is a stray. As for color limits. Gif has a 256 limit, png8 also has 256. Since Pixeljoint only accepts gif and png files we kinda do have a limit. Most png files in the gallery are png24 which supports millions of colors. Because most here know about color usage its hardly ever a problem. You are using png24, so all the extra colors are counted. Its for this reason that pixels with 256 colors are considered 'iffy'.
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aubrey Seaman Joined: 19 December 2007 Online Status: Offline Posts: 7	Posted: 22 December 2007 at 10:21pm
	OK thanks I am learning a lot :P The only time I used anything other than pencil was in those 2 spots, the splash of the water and the plants, which I am in the process of fixing, but even when I took those layers out the image still had 300 something colors. I guess I always got the impression that you are supposed to use a lot of different shades for details and textures and whatnot, so it doesn't look cartoony. So I guess I have a lot to learn still :P Sorry if I am being noobish... Edited by aubrey - 22 December 2007 at 10:21pm
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aubrey Seaman Joined: 19 December 2007 Online Status: Offline Posts: 7	Posted: 23 December 2007 at 8:11pm
	Alright I got it down to 296 colors, and without the transparent water there are only around 160. Should I submit again or is that still too many?
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jalonso Admiral Joined: 29 November 2022 Online Status: Offline Posts: 13537	Posted: 23 December 2007 at 8:13pm
	Post it here to see. Use www.tinypic.com if you need.
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aubrey Seaman Joined: 19 December 2007 Online Status: Offline Posts: 7	Posted: 23 December 2007 at 8:16pm

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jalonso Admiral Joined: 29 November 2022 Online Status: Offline Posts: 13537	Posted: 23 December 2007 at 8:31pm
	My Photoshop is still showing 256 colors possibly more. As you already know when you made the opacity layer on the waterfall it generated all those crazy new colors. They don't even show so it was a bad idea. I've colored in pink the trouble area. You left just a few strays in the flowers too. Using the magic wand in photoshop (with tolerance set to ZERO) click around to find those pesky colors. EDIT: I was looking at the rest and the iso aspects of your scene and you did a very good job. I know its in spanish and one day I will translate this but it may help anyways. Its a setup for photoshop pixelarting Edited by jalonso - 23 December 2007 at 8:40pm
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aubrey Seaman Joined: 19 December 2007 Online Status: Offline Posts: 7	Posted: 23 December 2007 at 8:46pm
	Thanks! I fixed those pixels and made the water opaque, now it says 219 colors
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jalonso Admiral Joined: 29 November 2022 Online Status: Offline Posts: 13537	Posted: 23 December 2007 at 8:48pm
	Don't use transparencies like that anymore ok. Remember that it may take a little longer but you can do anything using opaque colors.
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skamocore Admiral Joined: 07 April 2021 Online Status: Offline Posts: 3866	Posted: 23 December 2007 at 11:10pm
	okies I had my go at highlighting some of your unwanted colours...I got it down to 93 colours...there's still a lot to go though... Like Surt was saying there really shouldn't be any reason why this should have more than 32 colours Edited by skamocore - 23 December 2007 at 11:10pm
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Metaru Commander Joined: 03 February 2020 Online Status: Offline Posts: 3305	Posted: 24 December 2007 at 1:16am
	tthis is your 219 colors palette. this way will make reducing colors more easily and eficient, as you only need to pick one and use your "replace color" tool to wipe them out one by one. as you can see, there's almost 20 colors per tone Edited by Metaru - 24 December 2007 at 1:17am
	I ate leel's babies
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