Tutorial Lesson 02!

LiNeArT
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What is it? Who needs it?-

Well if your asking the second question, then i don't know what to say, cause that's jsut kind of a weird question, but- What is it? Well lineart is the basis for all of your pixel art. Just like a human it, is the pixeling skeleton. This lineart is then colored and finally shaded to get that great pixel art effect! But what is your picture if there is great shading and coloring, but pathetic lineart? Then it's not great yet ;) but that's what i'm here for :) in this tutorial i will help teach you the basics of how to make your lineart and then the rest is up to you! And please remember, before reading on, that this tut will give you tips, strategies, maybe a few examples, and such, but it WILL NO DRAW THE LINEART FOR YOU! This comes with time and practice. You can not achieve great pixeling greatness, in just a day's time. You will need to practice, practice, and practice. Just because someone says your piece of art doesn't look that good, doesn't mean you quit. Keep trying, and someday you will be good (if you work hard, and try to achieve it). So let's begin with the real stuff:

More explanation of lineart:
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Like stated before, lineart is the frame of your work. Without a good frame, you have nothing. So what is lineart? Well everyone uses that term all the time, but you still have no idea what it is! So i'm going to explain it. Lineart is that black and white fram that you start out at. It ONLY uses black and white to draw the lineart. This so that you have guidelines for later on when you're coloring and shading.

Tip #1
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Ok, i'm going to start off with a few tips before the other stuff. Tip #1 is the use of right angles. Here is an image of what this tip is:


Tip #2
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Do detail, but not to much. All the small details of textures can be done with shading. But also remember, you have to have more than jsut a few lines. At the very LEAST, you need to have the outline of your image done in lineart. And remember, you can always come back and change stuff ;)

Tip #3
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Look at something if you need to! There's nothing wrong with having to look at something for inspiration or reference. BUT when you get better, you will do it less and less, because you will be coming up with things of your own, but you can still use things around you. As an example of this, think of GM (i think most of you use it, maybe not though, but you can still get the jist of this). When you were just beginning, you used to use D&D ALL the time. But now, as you get better, with using GML and all, you still sometimes go back to that D&D for reference or usage. There's nothing wrong with this!

Ok, well you may be thinking "Ok, well Matt, those are all great and stuff, but you didn't teach me how to make lineart?!?!?!" Well that's the hard thing about lineart. There isn't really anything you can teach about specific lineart on a GENERAL basis. Yes, you can make specific tutorials on RPG characters, cars, machines, etc... but on a general basis there is no real way to teach it. EXCEPT there is ONE WORD i can pass on to you, to get better at your lineart... PRACTICE! that is the only thing that can truly be done. Look at some others' work and then make your own variation. This takes time and alot of PRACTICE, but if you work hard, and try your best.... you will NOT be displeased with your final results of your pixeling experience...


ASSIGNMENT: Okay, pixel some form of transportation. I want you to pixel it in side view. Also, its best to use a reference photo of some kind, so post the ref photo u use. I will mostly be looking for a good lineart

Okay, remember, if you want any tips or something about your drawing, pm me!

Have fun! :)
~matt~ and CMR


EDIT: Sorry, i forgot to say in that big long tut, that it is ok to use the "sharp edge" for more things ;) it wasn't meant to dis the sharps, but the other way will give more flow to your pixel art, if that's what you want ;)

EDIT2: Almost forgot...cleaning up lineart:

Its best to clean up your lineart before you start to color or shade.

Credit: Mattman

well i got a nice lineart going, wondering what you guys think

So we have to have a reference? (XP)

No.

There's my outline for a car, and here's the reference.

Err, im not sure if I'm even allowed in this, but I figured I may aswell post. Heres some lineart based on exactly what my character looks likein World of warcraft.

Lookin good sk8
nice car monkeys

droftrah...thats not really transportation...maybe pixel your mount! ;)

a future car
im not very happy bout it so ill post something new tomorrow




edit:
just found out you only had to post lineart (XD) , well mine is kinda simple if you take out the colours so ill make somethin else tomorrow

*gurgle*

I've deducted you, or someone close to you plays WoW. Because you have seemed to deduct that I am high enough level to ride a mount, and being a dwarf - I have the hardest mount to pixel.

A giant riding ram!

no it has to be coloured, i wanted some c+c on my lineart

Spaceship, ready to be coloured!

*stares* (O_O) *mouth drops open* (D=) *blows out brains (XP)
nice spaceship

(D=) Why don't you teach? (D=)

Okay, here is my car:



It's not that good... but... oh well. Maybe later I'll make a better one. XD

i felt like coloring the lineart from the first post, hope no one minds, heres what it ended up looking like, couldve used more contrast in a few places but meh. if anyone hates me for posting this sort of off topic, simply delete the post, i just wanted to show it
the orange one is my fav

Meh I felt like it. It's my friends YZ. Oh yeah, no touchy.

Well heres mine sonsha's inspired me to draw my bike (Gary Fisher Marlin) (XD)

Hello,

Here's mine, I didn't use any reference picture.
Let me know what you think :D




Gaming4JC

Turns out Internet Explorer 7 is incompatible with pixel...

So I've gone Mozilla!

Anywho, I didn't actually sign up, but I've talked a bit and I've decided to participate anyway.

So here's my Apocalyptic rocket!

Enjoy!

It's a rocket (transportation), no ref because I think a reference pictu

what do u mean incompatible? its working fine for me...

wimp.. try a mechano. anyways... I quit few months ago? hows that dark crusade or something like that...

MeNtOs its Sohashu. It doesn't take that long to actually look at a name.

Ive redone my future car
hope u like it ^_^

okay, i'm not amazingly pleased with this, but:



I couldn't be bothered to finish the wheels though... No reference.

Okay, I've made this because I'm bored, and because I needed the practice.
It turned out better than I expected so please critique it :)

It's Wallace & Gromit in the Wrong Trousers- Trousers! ~ renamed on purpose in the drawing lol!

Gaming4JC

Well, it's okay, the position of the legs (where they join the body) looks a little strange, but apart from that there isn't much wrong with it.. not amazing shading though.

A mechano strider WOULD be easier. Its the Burning Crusade. Im planning on leaving when it comes out.

Level 42 Dwarf hunter, Teremein Thunderbrew, Paladin of the Light!

Anyway, yeah - I can't pixel anything for a while anyway.

Heres a submarine I made.
I used a little toy submarine for reference so... Yea, its my second try at pixeling and I think it came out pretty good.

Good, but try making some distinction between the difernt parts of the subamrines. Currently, the whole thing looks like one blob of metal. Try experimenting with diferent colors. Good line art.

Damn!

I missed the first lesson because of family problems but am I still allowed to do lesson 2?
I will edit with my wip if I'm allowed to...

Regards
MindtrickGaming

EDIT: Ok...well I decided to do a coupé style car... here's my attempt tell me what ya think to it! :)

Edit.

I Am Uh, just for your information, it is supposed to be a pixel of some transport. ;)
Unless the pencil is magic, I fail to see how one could use it as transport.

-DM

thats what a submarine is. 2000 tons of metal lol. Ok. I'll try some new colors.

Oh sorry didnt see that.(huh) ill make another.:)

Here we go. B-)

Ok heres my form of transportation:
(Only organic transport :P )

I made a futuristic transport vehicle. If I have time i'll color it ;) .

hehe that looks like the assult rifle from halo

Lookin nice everyone. Im sorry i have been rather busy wit homework, so ill get to your pix that u pmed in a bit. Sorry.

Regards,
~CMR~

What host site do you use that doesnt blur images? up until now I have used photoshop, and you can't really show someone lineart with it.