From OHRRPGCE-Wiki

[edit] Advice from James

How about an art class? You might not think that learning to draw with pen and ink would help you draw better with mouse and pixels, but it really does make a difference.

When drawing small pictures, like sprites, try using the keyboard instead of the mouse. It is much easier once you are used to it.

A good way to practice pixel-drawing is to draw a picture by hand on graph paper, and then fill in the squares that correspond to your lines.

Pick (at least) two shades of each color in the picture, one light and one dark. For example, pick two shades of brown for hair, two pinks for skin, two greens for the shirt, two blues for jeans. Then mix the two colors in the picture. You could use light on one side and dark on the other for a cast-sunlight effect, or you could use light in the center and dark on the edges for a "depth" look.

Reserve one space in your palette for a black, or some really dark color. Lots of pictures look better if you add a black or dark outline around them, or between their parts. Its hard to draw black areas because the transparent color is also black, but if you temporarily change your non-transparent-black into a dark purple while you are working on the picture (or, in later versions, change the transparent-black into something other than black), and then change it back when you are done, you will find it much easier.

Use the whole box! If you look at the graphics in the Final fantasy 1-6 you will see that they had even smaller walkabout pictures than the OHRRPGCE (16x16 and later 16x24) and they filled them all the way to the edges. When you are dealing with small pictures like that, always go for cartoon-like over realism. Go ahead an make peoples heads take up half the space-- it makes them bigger and easier to draw :)

Most importantly, just practice. The more you draw the better you get. It's that simple.

[edit] Advice from Anonymous

It would also help if you got many shades (as said before) at least 2. I use 18 different shades for most of my pictures and they turn out great. It also helps if you actually get an idea of what you are drawing. You could use another drawing program to test it first and see how it looks, then you could transfer it, or redraw it on O.H.R.RPG.C.E . Some people just can't draw, that's life, but even if you're not gifted, you can still use the many tools available to you, like the oval tool and the airbrush. With time you will learn to make better pictures just practice.

[edit] See Also

• Gnostic Kathar-sys's Pixel Art Tutorial
• Graphics Utilities
• Spriteart.com
• So You Want To Be A Pixel Artist? (click on the "Tsugumo" link in the sidebar.) (old mirror)
• Pixel Tutorials on Deviantart
• Pixel-Arts Pixelation Forums
• Mark's Pixel Art Tutorial
• SA Pixel Tutorial: RPG Enemies