how to draw my own units

[Hearold]

wut program do i use to draw my own units? and wut are some tips for drawing them?

[Monkey]

this is the gimp, it's good and it's free
http://www.gimp.org/

[turin]

I think posts like this should from now on be ignored. Seriously, any search using any engine should get you a good program to use, and to get tips just read the art forum.

[Jetrel]

This'll teach you how to make pixel art, although some of their comments are a bit misleading, in dangerous ways:

http://pixeltutorial.cjb.net/

I suggest learning how to draw the hard way. It ain't easy, but the payoff is much, much more real.

[Monkey]

Jetryl, how do you find these websites?

[Sangel]

I think posts like this should from now on be ignored. Seriously, any search using any engine should get you a good program to use, and to get tips just read the art forum.

Better idea: A sticky topic giving details of good programs to use (on all three platforms), along with useful tips and hints for Wesnoth units, plus maybe some links to pixel-art tutorials. Then if anyone is silly enough to ask, we can point them to a single topic full of the required info.

Though I have to agree with Jetryl - the best way to learn is to jump right in and start pushing pixels.

[Jetrel]

Though I have to agree with Jetryl - the best way to learn is to jump right in and start pushing pixels.

No - it's not - I got in trouble for being coarse the last time I tried to drive this point home, but that's the "easy way out".

The correct, and, IMO, only way to properly learn how to make pixel art is to learn how to draw the normal way. Doesn't it seem somewhat more than coincidental that all of our best pixel artists have also been able to draw (and in ways that reflect the character of their pixel art, no less)?


If you can't do that, you are limited to cut and paste compilations of other units (with the occasional color change), or flopping around like a fish out of water. I mean, occasionally, cut and past mixes will come out nice, and achieve a useful purpose, but the key word here is limitation. You're forced to take the scraps other people drop, rather than forging your own.

Learn to draw the real way. Normally there would be some sweet tutorials here, but right now, they aren't up: http://www.red7ine.com/

Good luck, it may take some work - being able to draw well is slightly less difficult than being able to program well.

[Sangel]

There is no doubt in my mind that "physical" artistic talent is a huge boon when doing pixel art. However, I don't believe that it is absolutely vital. What you need to develop is a good artist's "eye", and while the best way to develop that is through sketching, there are other ways.

The vast majority of my early units were tired rehashes of other people's units. However, after enough time pushing other people's pixels around, you do learn a thing or too. Some of my more recent work, such as the Tyrant, has been almost purely my own creation. And, while it certainly isn't accompanied by glorious halo effects, it stands fine on its own two feet.

[turin]

Same here. I started (as some might remember) by animating the paladin in a very cut-and-paste manner. It didn't look good, IMHO. My most recent creation is the Elvish Mariner (see avatar), which was done basically from scratch, with the elvish lord for reference. Still not great, but an improvement.

[mage.of.light]

that guy doesn't look very undead

[turin]

that guy doesn't look very undead

IIRC he's not undead he just leads undead.

[mage.of.light]

that guy doesn't look very undead

IIRC he's not undead he just leads undead.

that makes perfect sense

[Hearold]

Man, turin, why are you in such a bad mood? I'm only a beginner...
No offense, but try not to be so hard on stupid people who ask stupid questions. We have feelings too!

Besides, it takes one to know one...

[LibrarianBrent]

I think posts like this should from now on be ignored. Seriously, any search using any engine should get you a good program to use, and to get tips just read the art forum.

I think if you continue to waste time with your pointless elitism, your posts should be ignored.

[turin]

I think posts like this should from now on be ignored. Seriously, any search using any engine should get you a good program to use, and to get tips just read the art forum.

I think if you continue to waste time with your pointless elitism, your posts should be ignored.

I know that if you continue to waste time with your pointless anti-elitism, your posts WILL be ignored.

I was addressing what I see as a real problem. At the time I posted that, we were getting many requests about how to make unit graphics. I think we should just post a sticky about making graphics and ignore people who i gnore it, instead of saying the same thing to everyone who wants to know how to make graphics.