Jaluna's First Screwy Pixels

[JRolik 24]

I admit, I've dabbled in pixeling once or twice- in my entire life- and recently, looking at all the cool stuff I see makes me want to try it. So, after reading somewhere that tilesets require 48x48 pixels, I thought to use that to try to make random items with a set size.

 

And, if my bad pun of a title wasn't enough...My first attempt ended up  being a screw and a screwdriver. Somehow I'm actually fairly okay with them, but I can tell they're flat. Any input on how to make them less, well...Flat? I can't figure out how to shade the screwhead especially...

 

 

Input, criticism and comments welcome. Note, I did this randomly in MSPaint. 

My next goal [besides awkward flatness fixing] is...er...making logical shapes, I think.

[xoferew 261]

Nice start!  Metal generally has a lot of contrast.  Look at the RTP bars of silver and shovel and such.  If you are using mostly RTP then put your creations into a map along with RTP stuff and look at how those things are shaded with a light source from the upper left, often with a shadow around the base.  Is your screw standing on its end, or lying down?  Are the details easy enough to see?  With such tiny graphics we often have to sacrifice what it would actually look like so we can tell what it is supposed to be.

 

Many people start by altering existing game graphics rather than starting from scratch. 

[JRolik 24]

I've never used items from RTP [unless that's what is just built into the program?]. But that's a good idea- editing probably would have been way more logical than going with no base at all. *wishes she'd thought of that*

 

And okay...So....Focus on the general shape rather than specifics, and focus otherwise on the general details? *just double checking she gets it because she's slow*

[xoferew 261]

I'm kind of wondering, does your game have giant screws in it?  If so, great, but if not, why not work on a plant or a rock or a bench or something that you will be able to use?

[JRolik 24]

I was originally working on something I could use like a derpy battler based on an eyeball...But then it looked really screwy to me, so I was like "let's just use the pun and make a screw".

 

Maybe a rock or a bench would be better next? Bench might be easier...I don't know how to make a rock look like a rock. It'd just look like a weird ball or a balloon. Maybe I should make a water balloon!?

[lonequeso 1,921]

You make a rock look like a rock by coloring it like a rock.   What always helps me is trying to duplicate an existing image.

Try reproducing the RTP rocks. Bench should be easy. Simple wood and metal textures are pretty easy. Especially wood.

You definitely want to use something better than MS Paint. A lot of people seem to use GIMP cuz it's free, and close to what Photoshop can do. Tinker around with different brushes filters to get a feel for the program. There's plenty of online tutorials too.

[JRolik 24]

I have Photoshop on another computer and JASC PSP on this one but...This computer is really sucky and laggy so opening bigger art programs tends to break it.

And the rock issue for me is more making it the shape of a rock. I would probably make a plain circle. xD

And seriously need to look at the RTP stuff. Is it the same as what's built into Ace or?

[lonequeso 1,921]

Yeah RTP generally refers to all the assets that come with RPG Maker.