Summary
As this is the first ArtLog, let me start by saying that you should check out my Instagram! Self-advertisement aside, you can actually get a good idea of what I’ve been up to there, as I keep posting my pictures when they are ready. I’ve been wondering if I should do that on Pinterest as well since that’s my go-to search engine for inspiration.
Anyway, I have been learning to do pixel art for a while now. I am in the process of completing a set of challenges I set for myself after finishing this course in Udemy. The challenges are related to different textures, and my current one is about all things leafy. Wood was supposed to happen later on but alas, when one starts making a massive project with 3 massive trees… So that’s where I am currently at, making the Forest Pond-type piece.
Keeping things in separate Layers
As much fun as drawing straight onto a canvas or paper is, the convenience of splitting and splicing your digital art is something divine. Is that bush a little off? No worries, just drag it over! Monster’s legs wonky? No problem! Just tweak a little bit here and there, no need to start fixing up the whole creature!
With animation, layering becomes even more relevant, and then double that when putting your art into engines like Unity. Goodbye frame-by-frame animation, let me just rig my dude up and make it into a puppet! Tech is amazing, let me tell you.
But even with all the tech, we still have to know what we are doing.
Theory of Art
I’m not one to shirk from the studies and think everyone should learn about the basics of color theory. Could save you some wardrobe mishaps in the future! As a game maker, it’s also important to learn about the interaction of different colors for clarity. I don’t know about you but I’d hate to have to keep squinting to find where my Player Character is no matter how detailed and gorgeous the view is otherwise!
Simplicity is something I am still learning since I have the habit of over-drawing things. If you look at some of my older pieces, the Dithering Curse is strong in them. But making clean things is so hard for me, I can’t understand it. Just a little bit of that sweet interpolation… A little dot here and there… Surely I can get away with it? *Insert a huge mess of colors and blur here*
Details, details
Would you believe me that at the beginning of this project, it was all just one block of color next to another? The current stage is also like that, but a bit more detailed. The problem now is that it has too much noise! I must clean it out. I’m tempted to leave the Guardian looking like this dotted stick figure so I won’t spoil it with too many details.
I’m still looking for my style, too. I want it to be something simple enough so I can make assets in a nice pace and yet have them look amazing. And then there is this learning phase. I mean. That grass! *facepalm*
What’s next?
After the Guardian, I will go through the various details again. Work on the trees, the grass, the water, and so on. The bushes at the front and back will also be touched up.
Then it’s time to adjust the colors and add some light and shadow. One more round of polish and voila! It’s off to the races for my little pond in the forest! See you in the next ArtLog!