Colours - Maximum 12.
Transparency - No.
Animation - No.

The forum will have a template of all 12 months for you to use as a reference.

You may use a template for your entry or make your own version, but it must stick to the template size.

Anyone creating all 12 calandar pages will be awarded with a 'gold star' in their profile, in addition to the ribbons (quality and effort counts).

The challenge thread will have all the challenge updates. The thread is also a great place to post your WIPs.

Both Mistress-Jaeden (Pixel Joint gallery) and armaina have become the new Gallery Directors for pixel art over at deviantART.

Congratulations to them both.

The following pixel artists produced Pixel Joint's top rated pixel art for February 2009. Many thanks go out to this month's top pixel artists and all the members who took time to rate.

Clockwork Whistler by iLKke

Robot wants to play by ptoing

Digger by big brother

A Dragon and His Princess by MashPotato

Tei by Panda

Secret Santa by Fool

4Billion% Horsemen by probertson

Golden Suprise by jamon

Clouds by Panda

Executioner pondering where he put his nose by ptoing

Challenge winner Calv challenges you to create a new video game character by melding two or more existing characters together. You can use any character from any game, but be as creative as possible. You can do it as a portrait, a sprite, a scene or however you want.

Some examples; Mario wearing Master Chief's outfit about to race in an F-Zero machine or Sonic mixed with Blanka.

Make sure you tell us who your characters are and what games they are from.

Canvas Size- Unrestricted.
Colours - Max 36.
Transparency - Optional.
Animation - Optional.

EDIT: If anyone is found using existing sprites and editing them for the challenge, they will be banned. Tracing an existing sprite is also frowned upon and will be considered ripping.

The challenge thread will have all the challenge updates. The thread is also a great place to post your WIPs.

This week you're challenged to create the front packaging for a new breakfast cereal called "Pixel Crunch".

Make sure you're not using any existing fonts.

Canvas Size - Exactly 100 (width) x 150 (height)
Colours - Max 48.
Transparency - No.
Animation - No.

This week you are challenged to create something using the controversial pillow shading technique.

Canvas Size- Exactly 400 x 100.
Colours - Unrestricted. Because pillow shading can often require a large number of colours, we recommend saving your work in the .png file format this week, as .gif can only handle 256 colours.
Transparency - No.
Animation - No.

If you are having trouble with this technique have a look at this handy video tutorial.
 

The challenge thread will have all the challenge updates. The thread is also a great place to post your WIPs.
 

 APRIL FOOLS!

Yes, it is a bit early for an April Fools joke, but this is something that we thought would work better by pulling it off at the start of a challenge week.

Happy (almost) April Fools Day everyone! =)

Well it's that time of year again...

Go to another member's PJ gallery, study their pixels, and fool us into thinking that that person made it.

No copies, only 100% original work.
Think style, technique and artistic sensibility.
You must name the pixel artist in your submission.

No real rules this week but find the parameters set by the artist you choose.
This applies to general size, color choices and don't forget to pay attention to preview icons.

Also have a look at the previous two April Fool's Gallery Challenges [1] [2]

(Yes, this is the real Weekly Challenge!)

As most of you would know, the same few artists have been dominating the Hall of Fame for a while now and we believe that this is unacceptable. Therefore we will be removing all of the artwork on the first page of the hall of fame within the next few days. This will hopefully level the playing field a bit and allow for other artists to get the recognition they deserve.

The artists to have their work removed are as follows: 

Snake
Jaeden
Riva
Fool
lief
buloght
Morganne
neota
Helm
big brother
ryan-gfx
jalonso
ThereIsNoCure
-DE-
robotriot
Wayuki
Tremulant
Gas13

We apologise deeply to the artists who will have their work removed, we hope you understand our position. This was a very difficult decision for us to make. If you are one of the members listed above and feel as though you want to resubmit your artwork after the 'clean-up', then you may do so. But please do not all resubmit them at once, as it may cause the weekly showcase to get a bit clogged.

-Regards, the PJ administration.
 

 APRIL FOOLS PART 2!

Create an image depicting an Easter Island Moai statue using the palette below.

Canvas size - Unrestricted.
Colours - Max 16. use only colours from this palette:



Transparency - No.
Animation - Optional.

This week's challenge is to make a recipe. You must not only create the dish in pixelart but must have a written recipe included in your description. The recipe does not need to be real or even edible.

Canvas Size - Max 180 x 180.
Colors: Max 32.
Transparency - Optional.
Animation - No.

Last week was the 20th anniversary of the release of the Game Boy in Japan. To celebrate we want you to create your own original Classic Game Boy game. This means an original game that did not exist.

Your challenge entry must include the title screen and at least one in-game screen. You may include extra in-game screens if you want.

Canvas Size - 160 (width) x 144 (height) per screen. Make sure you submit all of your screens together on the same canvas. Minimum 2 screens.
Colours - Use only colours from the provided palette (you may also use transparency between screens):



Transparenecy - Optional. Only use transparency between your screens, as stated above.
Animation - No.

 NO DEMAKES

Nintendo's Original Gameboy used 4 levels of grey only. This challenge is a celebration of the Gameboy. The palette is 'look and feel', some screens are yellower, others realm into ochers and browns. Just work with this green, k.

The challenge thread will have all the challenge updates. The thread is also a great place to post your WIPs.

The following pixel artists produced Pixel Joint's top rated pixel art for April 2009. Many thanks go out to this month's top pixel artists and all the members who took time to rate.
 

Tank vol.4 by 4tochkin

Cat and Mouse by big brother

world's worst navy: austria by tomic

Hide and Seek by Dex

Wonder Boy portraits by Crylar

Fighting Angels Mockup by Kaiseto

About PM by YOYOGiGi

LB-RPG Enemies by nvision

Violet by (:3)

UPDATED: A Wild BOULDERGEIST Appears! by Badassbill

 

This week you're challenged to create both a male and a female from your own fictitious species. You may create a background if you wish, but it is not required. Place your male in the left box and your female in the right box.

Only your own original creatures. This means no Pokemon, no existing animals, no creatures of lore, etc...

No humanoid creatures.

Information about sexual dimorphism (physical gender differences within a species)

Canvas Size - Use Template:

The challenge thread will have all the challenge updates. The thread is also a great place to post your WIPs.

You are invited to revisit our Tales from the Future cyberpunk challenge and pixel a mock up game scene based on both the palette and the title theme from the 3 winners of that challenge.

Your options are as follows:

Future W with this palette:


Failsafe with this palette:


Helldriver with this palette:


Each palette is attached to its own title and you are only allowed to use that single palette. Fewer colours may be used but no more than are listed.

You are encouraged to be original, whilst still invoking the spirit of cyberpunk classics such as Shadowrun, Syndicate, Beneath a Steel Sky, and other purely awesome games from days of yore.

Remember that "cyberpunk" is the main theme here.

Canvas Size - Exactly 320 x 240.
Colors - As listed above. Use as many colours from your chosen palette as you like.
Transarency - No.
Animation - Optional.

Challenge winner cocefi challenges you to pixel a scene showing the grand doorway to the other world. The scene must contain an entrance gate or doorway of some sort.

A lone staircase leading up to the sky or down to darkness doesn't count (but the door to your brother's hellish room does!).

Canvas Size - Unrestricted.
Colors - Maximum 32.
Transparency - No.
Animation - Optional.

Create an image that shows some kind of a mysterious glow. Remember, this challenge is basically about lighting.

edit: it seems a lot of people are misunderstanding the term 'mysterious'. From dictionary.com: "3. of obscure nature, meaning, origin, etc.; puzzling; inexplicable." Light sources from generally known and explainable circumstances do not constitute mysteriousness!

Canvas Size - Min 100x100.
Colours - Unrestricted. But must contain BOTH black (#000000) AND white (#ffffff).
Transparency - Optional.
Animation - Optional.

The challenge thread will have all the challenge updates. The thread is also a great place to post your WIPs.

From challenge winner Kaiseto comes this week's challenge. Create either a 1/2 body or a 3/4 body portrait of a character that could be used during a dialogue sequence in a game. Some examples of this are shown here (Clockwise from top left: Disgaea, Disgaea 2, Prince of Persia: The Fallen King, The World Ends With You). Remember, the bottom-right image is an example of what not to do.

The character can be anything as long as it is capable of speech. The pixel art should be the character only. Everything outside the character should be fully transparent.

You are to make a portrait that can be used with multiple dialogs; the expression must be suitable for all three of the dialogues listed below:

• I have lost my crystal, will you find it and bring it to me? 
• We don't have much time left to save the princess.
• I am thankful for your help in my quest.

Canvas Size - Max 180 x 240.
Colors - Max 32.
Transparency - Required.
Animation - Optional.

The challenge thread will have all the challenge updates. The thread is also a great place to post your WIPs.

The following pixel artists produced Pixel Joint's top rated pixel art for June 2009. Many thanks go out to this month's top pixel artists and all the members who took time to rate.

Scratch my back, would ya'? by Fool

Book's covers by Fool

Hobo Heaven by Peach

open your eyes by alkaline

Team Fortress 2D by Gas 13

MMX9 Concept mockup by Snake

toof fairy by st0ven

Elk's Ark by Elk

Nostalgia's Mirror by Elk

Our best pilot is a pig?! - Weekly Challenge by JinnDEvil

This week you are to create an animated avatar. The subject matter can be anything you want.

Canvas Size - Exactly 64 x 64.
Colours - Unrestricted.
Transparency - No.
Animation - Required. At least 16 frames; each frame must be unique. The animation should loop seamlessly.

The challenge thread will have all the challenge updates. The thread is also a great place to post your WIPs.

Last week was the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 crew returning back to Earth.

Therefore, we want you to create a scene showing what happened on the moon during the Apollo 11 mission while the cameras were off; what did we not see? What did the astronauts not tell us about?

Be creative - your scene does not need to be entirely realistic (in fact it can be downright ridiculous if you want). For example, you could pixel a scene where Neil Armstrong is sitting on the moon's surface with a laptop and logging onto Pixel Joint.

Don't forget to check out the Apollo 11 Wikipedia article for further information on the moon landing.

Canvas Size - Max 120 x 180. Either horizontal or vertical.
Colours - Max 36. Use only colours from the palette provided below, you may use transparency. Colours are taken from this image.



Transparency - Optional.
Animation - Optional.

The challenge thread will have all the challenge updates. The thread is also a great place to post your WIPs.

Create a caricature of one of the current world leaders listed on this page. As it is a caricature you should be trying to emphasise and de-emphasise certain characteristics in order to depict your chosen leader. It does not have to be the leader of your own country. Also, please make sure to tell us in your description who your leader is.

Bonus points for not doing Barack Obama*
*not really.

This piece by Jalonso may give you inspiration for this challenge.

Canvas Size - Max 128 x 128.
Colours - Max 32.
Transparency - Optional.
Animation - No.

The following pixel artists produced Pixel Joint's top rated pixel art for July 2009. Many thanks go out to this month's top pixel artists and all the members who took time to rate.

Say no to booze by Fool

Onward, Gustav! by Dex

Seeder by Fool

Bad Company by Kaiseto

the king of puppets by Syosa

Ledali II -The Crystal Egg by jalonso

Mockup #003 - Coffin Joe by -DE-

Are you gonna believe it fisherman ? by Ergg

Shall We Go For a Swim? by LadyHazy

Weekly - Got haemorrhoids but still on the road! by asukicco

Challenge winner asukicco challenges you this week to pixel a musical band comprised entirely of animal characters. You must name the band, the musical genre and every single instrument the members play in the description.

Be creative, like "Quack Punk", "Pig in Japan" or "Winged Sisters". The scene can be a photo for a magazine or a photo taken at a concert, but in both cases all band members must hold their instruments (if you chose the first one, a potential drummer can simply hold his sticks).

Instruments can be fake, and even hybrids between animal and instrument are ok.

Canvas Size - A square canvas; max 200 x 200.
Colours - Max 64.
Transparency - No.
Animation - No.

The challenge thread will have all the challenge updates. The thread is also a great place to post your WIPs.

Lollige challenges you to create a logo using your Pixel Joint username. Your logo must be legible. No pre-existing fonts.

Some logo examples:
[1] [2] [3]

Canvas Size - Height - Max 100; Width - Unrestricted.
Colors - Max 32.
Transparency - No.
Animation - No.

Design your own fictional creature that makes the sound of the Wilhelm Scream. Try to really think about how the Wilhelm Scream sounds and consider what kind of creature would/could make that noise. The creature must be original and non-humanoid. You may add a background to your image, but it is not required.

For reference, some samples of real life animal noises can be found here and here

Edit: note that the purpose of this challenge is to depict a creature that makes the sound of the Wilhelm Scream (for example, the way a pig would oink or a cow would moo - see links above relating to animal sounds) as oppose to depicting a character who is shown as making this noise because they are in agony.

Canvas Size - Max 256 x 256.
Colours - Max 32.
Transparency - Optional.
Animation - Optional.

The challenge thread will have all the challenge updates. The thread is also a great place to post your WIPs.

Depict a conflict between two characters.

For example: A tennis match between rivals or a brother and sister having an argument etc...

Canvas Size - Max 140 (width) x 80 (height).
Colours - Max 32. Must include pure red (#ff0000).
Transparency - Optional.
Animation - No.

All you have to do this week is create a full body image of yourself...but the twist is that has to be done as if you were the opposite sex! ie. Mirre making Mr. Mirre or Jalonso drawing Grandma Jalonso...it can be funny, beautiful, gruesome, or however you see yourself as the opposite sex! It is preferred that you provide a reference image for this challenge, but you do not have to.

Canvas Size - Max 250 x 250.
Colors - Max 32.
Transparency - Optional.
Animation - Optional.

The challenge thread will have all the challenge updates. The thread is also a great place to post your WIPs.

The following pixel artists produced Pixel Joint's top rated pixel art for August 2009. Many thanks go out to this month's top pixel artists and all the members who took time to rate.

Swagga by big brother

dude, get yourself a ferry ticket! by tomic

Thus Have I Heard (MSX palette attempt) by Skurwy87

Explorer Mockups by Dex

Battle Car vol.2 "Burning Sunset" by 4tochkin

Victory and Defeat by TheInquisitor

The Deep by Opacus

Deeper and deeper within the ocean... by Ergg

The Final Battle by Kaiseto

Butterfly by Ergg

The following pixel artists produced Pixel Joint's top rated pixel art for September 2009. Many thanks go out to this month's top pixel artists and all the members who took time to rate.

Happy Birthday GraFX2 by iLKke

a writer & a dragon by Syosa

[UPDATED] Screamin'! by Dex

Womanly Me by Xion Night

Resting Robot by Calv

Too Many Cooks in Hell spoil the Broth by Elk

Alice by Syosa

The Cheshire Cat by Syosa

With a Staff, I Guess? by Kaiseto

western characters by Scruffs

Challenge winner (:3) challenges you to use the photograph template below to pixel a scene where zombie(s) are friendly and not menacing. For example, a Polaroid picture of a person and a zombie playing football or video games together.

Canvas size - Use Template:

Colours - Unrestricted.
Animation - No.
Transparency - No.

The roguelike Dwarf Fortress has been given a pixel make-over in the form of Stonesense, a third-party visualiser for the game which is currently in its third alpha release. Stonesense takes the original ASCII-based graphics and converts them into isometric visuals.

The open source mod is being developed by "Jonask" and "Solifuge" with graphics currently being created by members of the Dwarf Fortress community. Check out the official thread here.

Also, head over to TIGSource for more info, a screenshot and a video of Stonesense in action.

Pick one of Arachne's linearts shown in the challenge thread and colour it (don't forget, colouring also means texture/shading etc... too!). Also, make sure you give your newly coloured creature a background.

Links to challenge lineart - [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

Canvas Size - Maintain the original canvas size. You may flip/rotate the canvas 90° if you like.
Colours - Unrestricted.
Transparency - No.
Animation - No.

The challenge thread will have all the challenge updates. The thread is also a great place to post your WIPs.

The following pixel artists produced Pixel Joint's top rated pixel art for October 2009. Many thanks go out to this month's top pixel artists and all the members who took time to rate.

Warrior by Vital

Wrath Be My Name by DawnBringer

Nvisionary Shambler by nvision

Bannière by Ergg

Moonlit Massacre by Dex

Rio de Janeiro after people by Victor Rojo

Battle Car vol.3 "In mountains after rain" by 4tochkin

LEVEL GET! by .Anubis.

Trying Something New. . . by Skurwy87

Dragon by metalidol

Challenge winner DawnBringer wants you to pixel a scene of something that you think would or could give you a heart attack! The artist may put him/herself in the image, but it's not a requirement.

Canvas size - Max 200 x 200.
Colors - Max 16. Use only colors from this palette:

Please make sure you double check your entry fits the color restrictions before posting your submission!!!

Transparency - No.
Animation - No.