/ic/ - Artwork/Critique

>>4603569
>>4606361

OP actually did a better job animating compared to me so ignore my lazy wag.

Terms I will be using:
AA = anti-alias
Shadow shape = a general mass and shape defined by an area in shadow
Pillow shading = an undefined light source, specifically used for lighting done from the side of the camera/viewer

Alright lads here we go. I'm not just gonna touch on use of gradients, and use my dog-redo as a jumping board to touch on a variety of topics. First let's establish what pixel art is good for and what sort of goals you should have and how to achieve them. Pixel art, in most cases, is the down-sizing of a subject that requires simplicity to achieve readability. Some rules that apply in painting and character design apply here too. Your first goal is to be readable. This can be achieved in various ways. Contrast, colour, silhouette, and for pixelart specifically, outline. Sometimes context can also be important. Think for example of a table in terraria. Without the background with different furniture or a house the sprite itself might simply read as a square.

There's a couple of key things in pixel art that are very important. Because you're working on a small size you want your design to be readable. Don't be afraid to exagerate and play around with proprtions and really push your design. The goal of pixel art isn't to be eealistic. What OP did with the gradient is much closer to something you'd see irl. It makes his sprite look flat, especially because he hasn't created a light source. There's two key things you can use to make your sprites pop. Your colour, and your shadow shapes. Not all succesful sprites use these extensively but it's an easy way to make your work pop and be readable and fun to look at. Start thinking of your palletes and colour choices in terms of complementaries. Use gradiation sparingly and preferably in backgrounds, and try and keep your contrasts sharp so the sprite doesn't become muddy. (1/2)