Basic Shapes *Noob Warning*
Printed From: Pixel Joint
Category: Pixel Art
Forum Name: WIP (Work In Progress)
Forum Discription: Get crits and comments on your pixel WIPs and other art too!
URL: https://pixeljoint.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9373
Printed Date: 16 December 2025 at 5:56pm
Topic: Basic Shapes *Noob Warning*
Posted By: SweetLeaf
Subject: Basic Shapes *Noob Warning*
Date Posted: 06 November 2009 at 10:11am
Alright guys, I've just recently decided to get into pixel art, and I'm not getting myself into anything crazy just yet so these are just some basic shapes, trying to get the idea down.
Let me know what you guys think. 
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Replies:
Posted By: A.B. Lazer
Date Posted: 06 November 2009 at 10:43am
Buy a set of ping-pong balls (~$1).
Get a cup (~$0 - it's in the kitchen).
Unplug the speaker of your stereo.
Turn on the lamp.
Look.
Draw.
Compare to those already drawn and you will need no thoughts of others.
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Posted By: Hatch
Date Posted: 06 November 2009 at 10:54am
This is a great way to start! Too often people start with something way beyond their ability and get frustrated :(
Here's what I'd work on:
- Colors
Right now your colors are very simple and primary. Mix it up with more interesting base colors. Also remember that it's generally more visually appealing to slide up and down the hue range rather than just brightness. It's particularly true of yellow ramps. Take a look at this edit:
When you just shift brightness without hue, it tends to make things look flat and, in the case of yellows, sickly.
- Light source/shading
Your cylinder and sphere are lit head-on. This can lead to pillowshading, where you start with a bright color in the middle and get progressively darker towards the edges. In most cases this is completely incorrect, and even when it's not it looks really uninteresting. Try picking a more dramatic direction for your light source, or if you're feeling really daring, try multiple light sources of different colors. And as A.B. Lazer suggested, look at references like crazy. Draw from life.
- Outlines
You should eliminate as many internal black outlines ass possible. Remember, things in real life don't have black lines all over them--they're defined by shading. In particular, you should ditch the outlines on edges. Edges grab the most light and so are usually very bright, maybe even glinting with specular reflections, so to have them black is backwards.
- Dither
Don't. Best to just focus on proper shading right now. Dithering is a very advanced technique and it's important to remember that dither DOES NOT EQUAL shading. Dithering is a method of color conservation. If your shading is correct, you can dither or not and it'll look fine, but it's best for now to be able to just quickly revise your shading without fussing over all those individual pixels. And always remember that pixel art is something you learn in addition to traditional art skills, not in place of them. Don't get discouraged if you don't suddenly becoming a rocking pixel artist right off the bat if you've never had any art experience. It just takes patience and practice. :)
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Posted By: SweetLeaf
Date Posted: 06 November 2009 at 12:05pm
Here's another attempt at a cube.
Didn't use any black outlines and picked a more secondary colour. 
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