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Benjamin Anderson

This course teaches the basics for creating video game pixel art. Students will learn about shapes, values, edges, color theory, creating a basic palette, and animation.

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This course teaches the basics for creating video game pixel art. Students will learn about shapes, values, edges, color theory, creating a basic palette, and animation.

If you are new to art or pixel art and want to create better art for your indie games then this course is for you.

It will take roughly 8 hours to complete this course.

This course contains step by step video lectures, quizzes for important section information, and challenges to help students improve their pixel art outside of the video lectures. Practice is key in art and you will get a good amount of practice as you complete this course.

This course will strengthen your foundations in art and pixel art. It will build your confidence in your art and give you the information you need to continue improving your pixel art even after completing the course.

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What's inside

Learning objectives

  • Use shapes, values, and edges to create form
  • Create a basic palette using color theory
  • Animate their art using key frames, big motions, little motions, and motion blurs

Syllabus

You will become familiar with the instructor and the course structure.

You will be able to run and navigate the free pixel art editor: Piskel.

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You will understand how to create pixel art using some simple techniques and Piskel.

You will learn about the different pixel art programs used in this course and will we able to choose from some other pixel art programs as well.

You will have access to a list of popular pixel art editors.

Students will be able to identify shapes, values, and edges in any piece of artwork.

You will be able to understand the important role that shapes play in pixel art.

You will be able to understand the important role that values play in pixel art.

You will be able to understand the important role that edges play in pixel art.

Students will be able to create their own complex shapes using basic shapes and negative space.

You will be able to use basic shapes to create more complex shapes. Using this technique you can create any shape.

You will be able to clean the rough shapes created from your basic shapes. This will solidify your complex shapes and hide the fact that they were created from simple basic shapes.

You will be able to recognize negative shapes and use them to improve the fidelity of the shapes in your pixel art.

You will learn to use shape sizes to create depth, scale, and perspective.

You will be able to use basic shapes, complex shapes, and negative space more effectively.

You will have a strengthened understanding of the concepts taught in the shapes section.

Students will be able to use values to show lighting and depth in their pixel art.

You will be able to create a simple palette using only different values.

You will be able to use different values to represent light. You will also be able create light sources and use them to help prevent pillow shading.

You will be able to use values, combine with scaling, to create vast sense of depth.

You will be able to better use values in your pixel art.

You will have a strengthened understanding of the concepts taught in the Values section.

Students will be able to clean up the edges in their pixel art.

You will be able to clean up the lines of your pixel art. This will give it a polished and professional feel.

You will be able to use anti-aliasing to smooth the round edges of your pixel art.

You will have a strengthened understanding of the concepts in the Edges section.

Students will be able to create interesting palettes using color theory, hue, saturation, and value.

You will be able to use your new understanding of the color wheel in your pixel art.

You will be able to use your understanding of warm and cool colors to create more realistic colors.

You will be able to use your understanding of complimentary colors to create more interesting color palettes.

You will be able to create different colors by altering the hue of the color.

You will be able to create different colors by altering the saturation of the base hue.

You will be able to create different colors by altering the value of the base hue.

You will be able to use value, saturation, and hue shifts to build an intriguing palette.

You will have a strengthened understanding of hue, saturation, and value.

You will better understand the concepts in the Colors section.

Students will be able to create simple game mock-up scenes using shapes, values, edges, and colors.

You will be able to use shapes to start creating a pixel art mock-up for a game.

You will be able to use values to improve your pixel art mock-up for a game.

You will be able to use colors to finish your pixel art mock-up for a game.

Students will be able to use key frames, big motions, little motions, layers, and motion blurs to create fluid animations.

You will be able to create new frames in Piskel.

You will be able to use key frame references to improve the quality of your animations.

You will be able to use the animation techniques from the previous lectures to create a smooth run cycle animation.

Animating a Rough Run Cycle Part 2
Run Cycle Cleanup

You will be able to use one of several methods to get the pixel art editing program, Aseprite.

You will be able to use Aseprite to create a basic swordsman in an attacking stance.

You will be able to use Aseprite to color the swordsman created in the last lecture.

You will be able to create frames of "Big" movements in Aseprite.

You will be able to connect the "Big" movements with "Small" movements and motion blurs to finish up the animation for your sword character.

You will be able to use Aseprite to create an idle animation for your swordsman. You will also know how to use animation tags in Aseprite.

You will be able to use layers to separate a sprite into individual pieces to make animation easier.

You will be able to use frames combined with layers to create more complex animations with lots of moving pieces.

You will have a better understanding of Frames, Key Frames, Big Motion vs Little Motion, Motion Blurs, and Layers.

You will have a strengthened understanding of the concepts in the Animations section.

Students will be able to create various different sprites for different game styles using Aseprite.

Students will be able to create a semi-isometric wooden house using Aseprite.

Students will be able to share their work and get feedback on it from me.

You will know how to post art to the discussion board and how often I will review it.

Bonus Lecture: Tileset Pixel Art Coupon

Good to know

Know what's good
, what to watch for
, and possible dealbreakers
Covers basic pixel art techniques that are essential for game development
Provides hands-on practice and challenges to reinforce learning
Builds a strong foundation for beginners in pixel art
Designed for learners with no prior art experience
Offers clear explanations and step-by-step video lectures
Covers essential concepts such as shape, value, color theory, and animation

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Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Learn to Create Pixel Art for your Games with these activities:
Review fundamental art concepts
Before diving into pixel art, take some time to review basic art concepts such as composition, color theory, and perspective. This foundation will greatly enhance your ability to create visually appealing pixel art.
Browse courses on Art Fundamentals
Show steps
  • Read books or articles on art fundamentals.
  • Study classic works of art to understand how they utilize these concepts.
  • Practice applying these concepts in your own sketches and drawings.
Show all one activities

Career center

Learners who complete Learn to Create Pixel Art for your Games will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Sprite Animator
Sprite Animators are responsible for creating the animated sprites that are used in video games. This course can help you develop the skills you need to create pixel art sprites, which are a common type of sprite used in video games. The course covers the basics of pixel art, including how to use shapes, values, edges, and colors to create form and depth. It also covers how to animate sprites using key frames, big motions, little motions, and motion blurs.
Game Artist
Game artists are responsible for creating the visual assets used in video games, including characters, backgrounds, and objects. This course can help you develop the skills you need to create pixel art, which is a common art style used in video games. The course covers the basics of pixel art, including how to use shapes, values, edges, and colors to create form and depth.
Pixel Artist
Pixel artists are responsible for creating pixel art, which is a type of digital art that is made up of small squares called pixels. This course can help you develop the skills you need to create pixel art for video games, websites, and other digital projects. The course covers the basics of pixel art, including how to use shapes, values, edges, and colors to create form and depth.
Character Designer
Character designers are responsible for creating the characters used in video games, movies, and other forms of media. This course can help you develop the skills you need to create pixel art characters, which are a common type of character used in video games. The course covers the basics of pixel art, including how to use shapes, values, edges, and colors to create form and depth.
Indie Game Developer
Indie game developers are responsible for creating and developing video games independently. This course can help you develop the skills you need to create pixel art for your indie games. The course covers the basics of pixel art, including how to use shapes, values, edges, and colors to create form and depth.
Web Designer
Web designers are responsible for creating the visual design of websites. This course may be useful for web designers who want to learn how to create pixel art for their websites. The course covers the basics of pixel art, including how to use shapes, values, edges, and colors to create form and depth.
Graphic designer
Graphic designers are responsible for creating visual content for a variety of purposes, including marketing, advertising, and branding. This course may be useful for graphic designers who want to learn how to create pixel art for their projects. The course covers the basics of pixel art, including how to use shapes, values, edges, and colors to create form and depth.
User Interface Designer
User interface (UI) designers are responsible for designing the user interfaces of websites and apps. This course may be useful for UI designers who want to learn how to create pixel art for their user interfaces. The course covers the basics of pixel art, including how to use shapes, values, edges, and colors to create form and depth.
Art Director
Art directors are responsible for overseeing the visual design of a project. This course may be useful for art directors who want to learn more about pixel art and how it can be used in their projects. The course covers the basics of pixel art, including how to use shapes, values, edges, and colors to create form and depth.
Creative Director
Creative directors are responsible for the overall creative vision of a project. This course may be useful for creative directors who want to learn more about pixel art and how it can be used in their projects. The course covers the basics of pixel art, including how to use shapes, values, edges, and colors to create form and depth.
Marketing Manager
Marketing managers are responsible for developing and executing marketing campaigns. This course may be useful for marketing managers who want to learn more about pixel art and how it can be used in their marketing campaigns. The course covers the basics of pixel art, including how to use shapes, values, edges, and colors to create form and depth.
Product Manager
Product managers are responsible for the development and launch of new products. This course may be useful for product managers who want to learn more about pixel art and how it can be used in their products. The course covers the basics of pixel art, including how to use shapes, values, edges, and colors to create form and depth.
Project Manager
Project managers are responsible for planning and executing projects. This course may be useful for project managers who want to learn more about pixel art and how it can be used in their projects. The course covers the basics of pixel art, including how to use shapes, values, edges, and colors to create form and depth.
Software Engineer
Software engineers are responsible for designing, developing, and testing software. This course may be useful for software engineers who want to learn more about pixel art and how it can be used in their software. The course covers the basics of pixel art, including how to use shapes, values, edges, and colors to create form and depth.
Data Scientist
Data scientists are responsible for collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data. This course may be useful for data scientists who want to learn more about pixel art and how it can be used to visualize data. The course covers the basics of pixel art, including how to use shapes, values, edges, and colors to create form and depth.

Reading list

We've selected eight books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Learn to Create Pixel Art for your Games.
Useful resource on color theory, which is important for pixel art.
Includes several case studies demonstrating the use of pixel art in practice.
Classic text on animation, and contains many principles which are relevant to pixel art animation.
Provides a broad overview of animation, which would be useful for users of this course who are unfamiliar with the topic.
Similar to the previous item, this textbook is useful for providing a comprehensive overview of game development, which is useful for understanding the context of pixel art.
Beginner-friendly guide to creating pixel art. It covers all the essential techniques, from creating basic shapes and lines to adding shading and color. It great resource for beginners who want to get started with pixel art.
Beautifully illustrated guide to pixel art creation. It covers the history of pixel art, as well as the techniques and tools used to create it. It great resource for pixel artists of all levels who want to improve their skills.

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