Creating sprites for games?

[cassandra1]

I just started dabbling in a 2D game creator called Construct 2. This is my first time experimenting on game creation and while most of the features are covered in tutorials, the main problem I'm having is creating sprites. I know I can find and download many sprites from existing games but I'm hoping to create something original, not steal someone else's work. Right now the only option I'm aware of (other than downloading a sprite and editing it to look different) is to draw one with Paint.net, one pixel at a time, which takes all day to complete just one frame of animation. Other frames may only require a little editing of the first frame but it's still time consuming. I'm aiming for 16 bit sprites or somewhere close to it, no tiny characters.

I'm not sure if anyone here has created animated sprites before but if there is someone here more experienced, I would like to know if there is any software or method that makes drawing sprites easier. Besides using stick figures, of course.

 

[Toaster]

If you have access to Adobe Flash, that should work. Just animate the character movements in Flash and export them as an image sequence.

Alternatively, you can place the different limbs on individual layers in any image editor, and rotate/move them around to create simple animations.

 

[cassandra1]

I don't have Adobe Flash but using multiple layers may work. Thanks .

 

[Rox_My_Sox1]

If you nee custom sprites made, try this person: http://abysswolf.deviantart.com/

I'm not sure if he's available right now for commissions though. Hope this helps. ^_^

Glad to meet a fellow female gamer. (huggles and DOESN'T LET GO) ^_~

 

[Smoten]

Personally, I'd use Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator.

Here is a handful of handy dandy tutorials relevant to your interests. You should definitely check out "So you want to be a pixelartist?"

I hope this was helpful for you.

 

[cassandra1]

Thank you for those links, guys . You have been very helpful indeed. :thumbsup

 

[Rox_My_Sox1]

Thank you for those links, guys.

and gals hun. :cool

 

[cassandra1]

:rolleyes Ah, of course. But "Thank you for those links, guys and gals." sounds awkward since we are the only two ladies in this thread and I'm the one thanking you all. Let's make it "guys and gal".

I'm glad to meet another female gamer too. We are actually more common than most male gamers think. It's just that on gaming forums everyone tends to use names that don't indicate their gender. Or names that are so fancy, you don't pay attention to their gender.

 

[Rox_My_Sox1]

I'm glad to meet another female gamer too.

WOOT! GIRL GAMER POWAH! ^_^

We are actually more common than most male gamers think. It's just that on gaming forums everyone tends to use names that don't indicate their gender. Or names that are so fancy, you don't pay attention to their gender.

Heh, more so than you know. I had a male super hero on City of Heroes who was dressed like a circus clown mixed with a man who had escaped from an asylum. His name was, "I_Am_Fancy"!