Thread:Akkaviv/@comment-28562632-20170508212638

 If you’ve been on the wiki for a while, you’ve probably seen some sprites. If you don’t know how to sprite, or you are just learning, this is a good place to start. Note: this guide focuses mainly or cylinders and spheres, not cubes or prisms.



 First off all, you probably need a good pixel – art tool. I recommend using Piskel, as you can create animated gifs and resize your sprite. If you are creating a larger sprite, you can go to the resize tab (on the bottom right), and resize the sprite parameters to your will. You can add frames and change the FPS (frames per second) to create an animated sprite.



 Outlining:



 Just about every sprite needs an outline, usually in black. This helps create boundaries and are a good place to start for beginners.

 First, draw or at least have a good idea of how your outline needs to look like. Then, start spiriting in pixels. For now, copy the outline of the image below:





 Of course, you can create your own outlines, but for now, use the outline above so that it is easier to follow the next steps. If you got it, and it looks like the picture, you are ready to move on to the next step!



 Coloring:



 The basic coloring is somewhat easy. Get an idea of what color you want, and color it! Remember, don’t use highly contrasting colors in the same shape, or it looks bad, and it may be harder to create a gradient. A very dark purple is good for a mysterious theme, while grey makes a more metallic theme. (I used a color scheme of grey and red, because that’s what I usually use, but you can use other colors.) After you are done, your object should look something like this:



<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt">

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"> Now, for the next step!

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt">

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"> Gradients (simple):

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt">

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"> This is actually not that hard. A gradient is where a color gradually fades into a different shade or color. For a basic sphere gradient, start from the outer edges, and make them darker (still the same hue, but darker) than the color you picked. Now, slowly work inward with a brighter and brighter shade of your color. Use shades that are close to the previous color, but not too close that you can’t see the difference in brightness. For non-spheres, use a linear gradient (dark on one side, and slowly brighter till you reach the other side). If you are still using the image from step one, your sprite should look something like this:

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt">

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt">

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"> If it does, you’re ready to move on to the final step!

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt">

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"> Gradients (complex):

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt">

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"> These gradients are a little harder. For these, imagine if the light source was not directly in the center, but more towards one side. This makes the sprites look a lot more complex and detailed. In order to do this for a sphere, pick a random spot on the sphere that isn’t too close to the edges or the center. That is where your sphere is closest to the light source. For the side further away from the light source, you should use darker shades that slowly become brighter as they reach the light source. For the side closer to the light source, do the same thing, but use brighter shades that are close to the color of the light source (still darker, though). You can repeat these steps for any curved object. Gradients don’t need to be brighter after each line. Two lines next to each other could be the same color! This is actually a good idea, as you don’t need to manage as many colors.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt">

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"> If you got something like this, congrats! You have successfully created a complex sprite!

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt">

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"> Other objects:

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt">

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"> For cubes and rectangular prisms, remember that you can’t see more than three sides, so if you can, you probably did something wrong. Color the three sides all one color, and makes each SIDE (not line) a different shade, with the brighter shade being the side facing the light source.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt">

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"> Remember, you probably aren't going to get this on your first try, but eventally you'll be able to do it. Good Luck! <ac_metadata title="Spriting Guide!!"> </ac_metadata>