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Pixel art, the retro-style digital art form defined by its simplicity and limited color palette, has been making a huge comeback in recent years. Amazing pixel art can be seen everywhere from top-selling indie video games to cool NFT projects. The great news is, you can start making incredible pixel art yourself using the Procreate app on your iPad!
In this ultimate guide, I‘ll teach you everything you need to know to become a pixel art pro in Procreate. Whether you‘re a total beginner or a seasoned digital artist, you‘ll find plenty of helpful tips and tricks to take your skills to the next level. Let‘s dive in!
Step 1: Create Your Own Custom Pixel Art Brush
While Procreate doesn‘t have a dedicated pixel art brush, it‘s pretty easy to create your own from scratch. Here‘s how:
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Open a new canvas and set the dimensions to 1×1 px. Tap the brush icon, select a basic round brush, and duplicate it.
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Open the brush settings. In the Stroke Path section, turn spacing all the way up. Set Jitter and Fall Off to 0%.
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In the Shape settings, select a square shape. Set the Angle to 90 degrees.
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Under Grain, select the 1×1 px canvas you created. Turn Grain Scale all the way up.
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In Dynamics, turn everything off. You want the brush to look the same no matter how much pressure you apply.
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Adjust other settings like Opacity and Flow as needed until you get a crisp, square brush stamp.
Voila, you‘ve now created your own custom pixel art brush! Feel free to make a few variations with different sizes for detailing. Save them as a set for easy access.
Step 2: Set Up Your Pixel Art Canvas
Now that you have your pixel brush ready to go, it‘s time to create a canvas. Here are some best practices:
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Keep the canvas dimensions small, between 32×32 to 256×256 px. This will keep your artwork looking sharp and pixelated.
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Set the DPI to 72. This is the web standard and ideal for pixel art.
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Turn on the Drawing Guide and set a Grid size to 1 px. This will help you see each pixel as you draw.
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Work in RGB color mode for the widest color range.
Once your canvas is set up, you‘re ready to start drawing! But first, let‘s go over some pixel art techniques.
Pixel Art Tips and Techniques
The key to great pixel art is keeping things simple. Stick to these tips for the best results:
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Use a limited color palette. Pixel art traditionally uses just a few colors, so limit yourself to 4-5 shades maximum.
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Keep your lines and shapes clean and geometric. Avoid curves and aim for a blocky, 8-bit style.
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Shade with dithering techniques. Dithering is a way to create texture and depth using patterns of pixels. Try different dithering styles to add interest.
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Play with perspective. Use dramatic, skewed angles for a retro-style look.
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Don‘t skimp on the details. Even at a small scale, adding special details will make your art pop. Think things like cracks, scratches, highlights.
Most importantly, embrace the limitations of the medium! The charm of pixel art comes from its simplicity.
Pixel Art Inspiration
Need some inspiration to get your creative juices flowing? Check out these amazing pixel art examples:
[Images of great pixel art here]
As you can see, there‘s no limit to the cool things you can create with pixel art. From portraits to landscapes to animations, go wild and have fun!
Frequently Asked Questions
Still have some burning pixel art questions? I‘ve got you covered:
Q: Can I make pixel art in Procreate Pocket?
A: Yes! The steps in this guide will work for both the regular Procreate app and the Pocket version.
Q: What if I don‘t want to make my own pixel brush?
A: No problem, you can find tons of great pixel art brushes online. Simply download and import them into Procreate. Bonus – buying brushes is a great way to support other digital artists!
Q: How do I export my pixel art from Procreate?
A: Just tap the wrench icon, select Share, and choose your desired file type (PNG or JPEG). You can even export GIFs or MP4s if you‘ve created an animation!
Go Forth and Pixel!
You now have all the knowledge you need to become a pixel art master in Procreate. Creating pixel art can be a fun challenge and a great way to flex your design muscles.
Remember, the best way to improve is to practice, so dedicate time to honing your skills. Participate in pixel art challenges, study the work of pixel art legends, and most importantly, don‘t be afraid to develop your own unique style.
I can‘t wait to see the amazing pixel art you create. Feel free to reach out and share your creations with me. Now go forth and pixel!