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Flamie
11 Mar 2006, 08:03
Hey guys, I'm in desprate need of some pixel artists. I'm currently making a worms mmorpg browser based. (Its entirely graphical tho, not text based).
I currently have 1 very hard working and VERY talented artist named Mablak doing the current art for the game, but there's multiple cities, quests areas, weapons, items, clothings etc to be drawn.
I'm not looking for someone who will draw 1 sword and go away, if you wish to help us out, we need you to work on a "whole set" so the art matches, for exemple you can draw an entire city (houses, npc's, main map etc). Or Design all the weapons for a specific race, or all the clothings for a specific race. Stuff like that.

The game has a lot of progress on it and I am willing to show if you are a serious artist honestly willing to help.
So if you're intrested, just add me on msn and we'll talk. Thanks!

A screenshot of me wondering around the 1st city at midnight :)
http://www.laene.nl/Marc/images/Screenshots/6.png

wormies
12 Mar 2006, 20:30
Hey guys, I'm in desprate need of some pixel artists. I'm currently making a worms mmorpg browser based. (Its entirely graphical tho, not text based).
I currently have 1 very hard working and VERY talented artist named Mablak doing the current art for the game, but there's multiple cities, quests areas, weapons, items, clothings etc to be drawn.
I'm not looking for someone who will draw 1 sword and go away, if you wish to help us out, we need you to work on a "whole set" so the art matches, for exemple you can draw an entire city (houses, npc's, main map etc). Or Design all the weapons for a specific race, or all the clothings for a specific race. Stuff like that.

The game has a lot of progress on it and I am willing to show if you are a serious artist honestly willing to help.
So if you're intrested, just add me on msn and we'll talk. Thanks!

A screenshot of me wondering around the 1st city at midnight :)
http://www.laene.nl/Marc/images/Screenshots/6.png
well from the screenshot the game doesn't look that bad, could improve on the graphics though, search isometric pixel art on google and try to learn from that.

M3ntal
12 Mar 2006, 20:35
He's asking for *other people* who want to help.

Xinos
12 Mar 2006, 22:21
Uhm, I'm sorry, but that's really bad.
The shadows on buildings arn't even going in the same direction..
And one rooftop has a horizontal shadow, as another is angled. What's with that? And most objects liket the sign doesn't even have a shadow.

Basicly, pixel art isn't something you just make quickly, and it's not an efficiant art form for games sinse it will take more time than anyone is willing to put into it.

http://browse.deviantart.com/digitalart/pixelart/?view=1&order=9&limit=24

I feel so cruel now =/

AndrewTaylor
12 Mar 2006, 23:26
The trouble is, nobody on this forum knows what pixel art is.

The first thing you have to realise is that it's not a flowing, organic artform like an oil painting or a cartoon. It's a form of technical drawing, and as such requires precision and consistency. Anything else is just pictures with thin lines and bright colours in them -- which there's certainly nothing wrong with, but calling it "pixel art" is like calling a store dummy a statue. (Also it has a habit of looking as if it's trying and failing to be pixel art, most often because it is.) And it's something you have to learn to do. You can't just launch into it and call it a "style", because there's suddenly such a thing as Wrong.

Flamie
12 Mar 2006, 23:57
indeed, I didnt ask for you guys to try and teach me what pixel art is, nor to tell me Mablak cant draw cause tbh you can go die if you think that way, specially after looking at 1 screen shot. (not because your opinion is dead wrong, but because mablak is taking the time and effort to do this, and I think its great).
I'm didnt ask "HAI WAT U THINK OF GRAPHIX" did I? I'm looking for people who wanna help.

M3ntal
13 Mar 2006, 01:15
Uhm, I'm sorry, but that's really bad.
The shadows on buildings arn't even going in the same direction..
And one rooftop has a horizontal shadow, as another is angled. What's with that? And most objects liket the sign doesn't even have a shadow.

Basicly, pixel art isn't something you just make quickly, and it's not an efficiant art form for games sinse it will take more time than anyone is willing to put into it.

http://browse.deviantart.com/digitalart/pixelart/?view=1&order=9&limit=24

I feel so cruel now =/I think the whole point of this thread was for Flamie to find more artists. Maybe i missed something that you didn't...

SupSuper
13 Mar 2006, 09:31
Flamie: I suggest you go look in Art forums and not in Worms forums, I doubt you'll get much help here.

Flamie
13 Mar 2006, 09:35
I thought of that but why would some random artist I dont know, and he doesnt know me, want to help me make a mmorpg about worms ;? hehe

Paul.Power
13 Mar 2006, 12:58
Yeah, but you're probably more likely to find a pixel artist who quite likes Worms than a Worms fan who's quite good at pixel art.

I've dabbled in pixel art, but nothing of any great use: http://paulpower.deviantart.com/gallery/digitalart/pixelart/

MtlAngelus
13 Mar 2006, 15:43
I think the whole point of this thread was for Flamie to find more artists. Maybe i missed something that you didn't...
It's more of a suggestion to not go into that direction in the graphics area, cause that can make the game a lot less appealing. It's important that if you're making a game, you try to make the best of it, not stick with the first thing you can get.

Also, a lot of people seem to lack an observational skill to determine what's good and what's not when they are in charge of it, so other people usually feel compelled to comment on that to try and help, even if the person didn't ask them to.

wormies
13 Mar 2006, 18:42
He's asking for *other people* who want to help.
DUH! i'm just saying that it really needs work and the form of it is well, wrong.
the shadows are in the wrong places, the color's are preety bad and well it has to improve in ALOT of places.

here:

READ THIS (http://www.pixelfreak.com/tutorial/) it's a great tutorial to isometric pixel art.

LOOK AT THIS (http://art.fsu.edu/london/photos/albums/userpics/10001/normal_eboy-london1.jpg) this made my eyeballs pop out of my sockets! this is the great form of isometric pixel art how it should be, this is truly amezing and u can learn from it, upload it in ms paint, zoom in and look at the structure and try to learn.

people (http://www.guerillaone.com/feature_artists_02_19/images/12.gif) here are acouple of people in isometric pixel art.

EBOY (http://hello.eboy.com/eboy/index.php) got through this website and look at their pictures.

pixel art takes patience and is alot of work.
may the pixel be with you! :p
(after looking at that i realised how horrible my pixel art really is)

Plasma
13 Mar 2006, 18:49
The trouble is, nobody on this forum knows what pixel art is.

The first thing you have to realise is that it's not a flowing, organic artform like an oil painting or a cartoon. It's a form of technical drawing, and as such requires precision and consistency. Anything else is just pictures with thin lines and bright colours in them -- which there's certainly nothing wrong with, but calling it "pixel art" is like calling a store dummy a statue. (Also it has a habit of looking as if it's trying and failing to be pixel art, most often because it is.) And it's something you have to learn to do. You can't just launch into it and call it a "style", because there's suddenly such a thing as Wrong.
Technically, pixel art is any art made using individual pixels instead of tools, such as the tool for making curved lines in MSpaint.
You're just mixing us up with good pixel art.

And replace 'learn' with 'practice'. Again, anyone can take a bunch of dots and make a shape out of them.

And Flamie, Im one of the few pixel artists that is concerned with colouring individual pixels.
But I would reccomend you look here (http://forums.gamemaker.nl/index.php?showforum=14), its the graphics section of the GameMaker Community. You might find someone there.

Edit: Wormies, why would he care about isometric art?

AndrewTaylor
13 Mar 2006, 19:25
Technically, pixel art is any art made using individual pixels instead of tools, such as the tool for making curved lines in MSpaint.
Well, arguably. But if I made a 1600x1200 photorealistic image by carefully colouring each pixel that wouldn't be pixel art. The English language is a tad flexible on that point, I think.
And replace 'learn' with 'practice'.
No. It's technical drawing and as such has to be learnt.

You can be self-taught, certainly, but you need to obey the Rules. If you practice without ever being told what's Right and What's wrong then you'd better have damn good spatial awareness, because otherwise likely as not you'll only be practicing doing it Wrong.

That's my point -- if you're doing a cartoon worm picture then there's no such thing as Wrong -- you can do what you want and call it a "style" (though there's still such a thing as Bad) -- but in pixel art you can do it Wrong very easily, especially if you don't know what you're doing.

Xinos
14 Mar 2006, 07:53
I think the whole point of this thread was for Flamie to find more artists. Maybe i missed something that you didn't...

Yeah I know... but I just need too whine about stuff for some reason.
There's no need to to take notice of my opions..

Flamie
14 Mar 2006, 10:46
well thanks for everyone who told me where to look.

Paul.Power
14 Mar 2006, 11:51
Well, arguably. But if I made a 1600x1200 photorealistic image by carefully colouring each pixel that wouldn't be pixel art[/I].

That and it's perfectly legit to do pixel art using line and fill tools (saves a bit of time, too...).

wormies
16 Mar 2006, 02:32
Edit: Wormies, why would he care about isometric art?

sorry for ressurecting this thread:
Plasma, if u even knew what isometric pixel art was you would probably know why he would care, first of all, the buildings that he drew are a form of isometric pixel art, even though it is wrong, isometric pixel art is basicly 3D shapes and firgures drawn using pixels. and he clearly need to learn that if he wants to make a succesfull game using pixel art. if would change the prespective and view of his game (let's say make it a side scroller) than he wouldn't need to learn isometric pixel art.

Plasma
16 Mar 2006, 10:25
sorry for ressurecting this thread:
Plasma, if u even knew what isometric pixel art was you would probably know why he would care, first of all, the buildings that he drew are a form of isometric pixel art, even though it is wrong, isometric pixel art is basicly 3D shapes and firgures drawn using pixels. and he clearly need to learn that if he wants to make a succesfull game using pixel art. if would change the prespective and view of his game (let's say make it a side scroller) than he wouldn't need to learn isometric pixel art.
1: IIRC Isometric isnt simply anything drawn in 3D. It has to be at a particular angle.
2: If he were to make a different perspective and view of his game, he'd be pretty much making a new game.

wormies
16 Mar 2006, 17:04
1: IIRC Isometric isnt simply anything drawn in 3D. It has to be at a particular angle.
2: If he were to make a different perspective and view of his game, he'd be pretty much making a new game.
1: i realise that and that is why i put up that tutorial for him.
2: well than good because those building need ALOT of work.

Flamie
17 Mar 2006, 01:14
you guys really need to lay back a bit, smoke a j or two and relax. Who cares if shadow A is 10 degrees more inclined than shadow B, its all just for fun, I'm not gonna ask IGN to review the game, and even if they did and rated it 0 I wouldnt give a rats ass cause I'm still having fun making it.

Paul.Power
17 Mar 2006, 14:02
you guys really need to lay back a bit, smoke a j or two and relax. Who cares if shadow A is 10 degrees more inclined than shadow B, its all just for fun, I'm not gonna ask IGN to review the game, and even if they did and rated it 0 I wouldnt give a rats ass cause I'm still having fun making it.Sooo... why did you come on here asking for pixel artists, then?

MtlAngelus
17 Mar 2006, 15:45
you guys really need to lay back a bit, smoke a j or two and relax. Who cares if shadow A is 10 degrees more inclined than shadow B, its all just for fun, I'm not gonna ask IGN to review the game, and even if they did and rated it 0 I wouldnt give a rats ass cause I'm still having fun making it.
Well, you might think it doesn't affect it that much, but people are way too perceptive on the graphics aspect and won't be able to stop staring at the mistakes, which will probably ruin the gameplay experience a bit.

Flamie
17 Mar 2006, 23:38
Sooo... why did you come on here asking for pixel artists, then?


ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME???????????
Yes.. I DID come here asking for pixel artists, and what did I get instead? A buncha people trying to teach a programmer what isometric art is. Thats exactly my point Mr Paul.Power, I came here asking for pixel artists, not a complete critic of the current art and art lessons from random people. Gee....

Plasma
18 Mar 2006, 11:00
ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME???????????
Yes.. I DID come here asking for pixel artists, and what did I get instead? A buncha people trying to teach a programmer what isometric art is. Thats exactly my point Mr Paul.Power, I came here asking for pixel artists, not a complete critic of the current art and art lessons from random people. Gee....
Thats what happens when an Engeneer/Programmer tries to talk to normal people.

Plutonic
18 Mar 2006, 14:36
so true...

As a programmer you realy need to be able to take constructive critisism...

M3ntal
18 Mar 2006, 15:00
I saw no criticism in regard to the programming.

He posted a thread asking for artists. Lots of people criticised the artwork. Conclusion; he needs artists. Nothing anyone has posted has actually helped him yet.

Flamie
18 Mar 2006, 21:01
Liam is the only one here who actually understands it seems ;o What you tell me about the art, I really dont care, I cant do anything more then open and save in paint. I came here looking for artists as M3nt says, but all I got is art lessons, which tbh I dont want/need.

Plutonic
18 Mar 2006, 21:15
I never said there was critisism about coding, i said that as a coder he needs to be able to take critisism.

That aside, he got his answer first, people said they couldn't help but offered him suggestions both on where to ask for help and, if he can't find any help, how to improve on what he has.
He might not concider it the answer he was looking for, but then again, very few of us will ever get the answers we are looking for.
We just have to do the best with what we get.

If I had loads of time I would probably sit down and give it a go, although I have never tried pixel art... but like most people here, I dont have a great load of time, which is probably why no-one has actually offered you any help.

Run
18 Mar 2006, 22:05
THREAD SUMMARY:

Flamie: my art skills are lacking, so I need pixel artists! anyone wanna help?
wormies: google
M3ntal: READ THE DAMN THREAD, WORMIES
Xinos: ur art sux
AndrewTaylor: Pixel Art and You
Flamie: stop commenting on the screenshot, i'm looking for pixel artists, fachrissakes!
M3ntal: READ THE DAMN THREAD, XINOS

[...]

wormies: here's some unhelpful links!
Plasma: [semantics of pixel art]
AndrewTaylor: [semantics of pixel art]
Xinos: [bullshít excuse for not reading the thread]
Flamie *gives up*
PaulPower: [semantics of pixel art]
wormies: [obnoxious comments]
Plasma: [rubuttal in fancy-shmancy list format]
wormies: [counter-rebuttal]
Flamie: RELAX GUYS IT'S NOT IMPORTANT
PaulPower: [obnoxious comment]
Flamie: stfu
Plasma: [obnoxious comment]
Plutonic: [even more obnoxious comment]
M3ntal: READ THE DAMN THREAD, THE LOT OF YOU
Flamie: amen!
Plutonic: [essay on pessimistic fatalism]

Plasma
18 Mar 2006, 22:33
About time for this thread to be locked, mabye?
Unless people here will stop posting unless they are willing to help or know where other people are willing to help.
I know that includes me too, but I did put up a link to a better place to look on post#17. Its not an excuse, I just wanted to point it out for those that missed it

AndrewTaylor
18 Mar 2006, 22:52
Who cares if shadow A is 10 degrees more inclined than shadow B
Pixel artists care. In fact, pixel artists wouldn't use a 10 degree angle anyway if it could possibly be avoided, because it looks jagged.
I DID come here asking for pixel artists, and what did I get instead? A buncha people trying to teach a programmer what isometric art is. Thats exactly my point Mr Paul.Power, I came here asking for pixel artists, not a complete critic of the current art and art lessons from random people. Gee....
That's the point: if you get a pixel artist on board, the first thing he'll do (judging by the screenshot) is demand you rework all the existing graphics and the second thing he'll do is leave in a huff. The graphics you have aren't bad -- well, they are by industry standards, but that's hardly a fair comparison -- they get the point across and they're not distracting or ambiguous and I'd happilly play a game with them if it was a good game, but (as Xinos rather bluntly stated) if you judge them by the exacting and highly specific standards of pixel art they're rubbish, in much the same way that if you judge a painting by the standards of technical drawing it's rubbish. The projection is all wrong and the fine detail is unclear.

You don't want a pixel artist. Stop asking for one. You want someone who can draw. That's why you got an art lesson -- because you're asking for the wrong thing.

Good luck with the game, by the way.

Flamie
18 Mar 2006, 23:07
lol!
/me hits f12 f12 space.

edit: And RunForYourLife wins :D

M3ntal
19 Mar 2006, 15:15
Haha, gg Run.

Paul.Power
20 Mar 2006, 00:51
I think Andrew's last post deserves an honourable mention, too.

And apologies for the obnoxious comment, I get a bit like that sometimes against my better nature. Please don't take it personally.

Good luck with the game, but as AT says, you don't want a pixel artist, you want someone who can draw.

Flamie
17 Jul 2006, 23:09
Thought I'd post some updates for those we were intrested in seeing where this is going ;o
Again, please dont bother telling me the art isnt isometric. I know that already :p

The 1st 3 pics are random places in the 1st city:
http://www.wormsrenegade.com/worms/images/Screenshots/1.PNG
http://www.wormsrenegade.com/worms/images/Screenshots/2.PNG
http://www.wormsrenegade.com/worms/images/Screenshots/3.PNG
Thats the weapon shop menu after you talk to a salesman in the weaponshop:
http://www.wormsrenegade.com/worms/images/Screenshots/4.PNG
A demonstration of the "NPC chatting" eventho it looks quite different now (thi is an old screenshot, couldnt be bothered to make a newer one)
http://www.wormsrenegade.com/worms/images/Screenshots/5.PNG
The earliest screenshot of a battle :x
http://www.wormsrenegade.com/worms/images/Screenshots/6.PNG
A sneak preview of the 2nd city (again very early screenshot of it, it actually looks different now)
http://www.wormsrenegade.com/worms/images/Screenshots/7.PNG
ya ya I know I have like -12312412 health, but thats because it was while I was coding the battle engine and I had to test it over and over and over and over again before I could actually attack, therefor the rats kept bitting me and taking damage off ;o But that being said, its an step up for the 1st battle screenshot thats featured, you can see the Hud is different. and it shows the selection of enemy to attack (using the skill previously selected)
http://www.wormsrenegade.com/worms/images/Screenshots/8.PNG
Yay, 1st enemy defeated (had to take a screenshot after I'v ebeen getting a serious beating from them for the previous couple of weeks hehe)
http://www.wormsrenegade.com/worms/images/Screenshots/9.PNG
The next 2 pictures are pics of the player menu
http://www.wormsrenegade.com/worms/images/Screenshots/10.PNG
http://www.wormsrenegade.com/worms/images/Screenshots/11.PNG
Worm receiving a blood shot :P
http://www.wormsrenegade.com/worms/images/Screenshots/12.PNG
Next 3 pictures show a few features of the "live" weather system
http://www.wormsrenegade.com/worms/images/Screenshots/13.PNG
http://www.wormsrenegade.com/worms/images/Screenshots/14.PNG
http://www.wormsrenegade.com/worms/images/Screenshots/15.PNG
Yep, wouldnt be right if worms cant get drunk at the bar ;) (this is a "medium" level of drunkness, it can get a lot worse and can be weaker if you drink less)
http://www.wormsrenegade.com/worms/images/Screenshots/16.PNG

Again, the "way" the game is coded is a bit restricted on a few things due to:
1) it runs in a browser, so less colors can be used to minimise the bandwidth cost (more colors = bigger png size)
2)is fully coded in PHP, MySQL, Ajax, and some flash (for music and soud FX)

Plasma
18 Jul 2006, 00:01
Why are the two cities in different perspective? In the first city, you see two sides of the building; but in the second city, you see the buildings from the front only.

Flamie
18 Jul 2006, 00:02
Again, please dont bother telling me the art isnt isometric. I know that already
10 characters

Plasma
18 Jul 2006, 00:05
10 characters
I'm not complaining that it isn't isometric, I'm complaining that you dont keep the same perspective throughout the game.

Flamie
18 Jul 2006, 00:08
I'm not the one doing the art, if it really bugs you and you need to know why the 2 cities (made by 2 different artists) dont have the same perspective you can always go to www.wormsrenegade.com and PM the artists on the forum with your enquiry, they'll be delighted to answer you lol

Lex
18 Jul 2006, 03:12
Plasma, haven't you ever played Earthbound?

Plasma
18 Jul 2006, 12:16
Plasma, haven't you ever played Earthbound?
Never heard of it.

Lex
19 Jul 2006, 00:07
/me cries.