(Where) Can I learn to create art for my 2D games?

Question

I'm currently bad at drawing. If I want to create something looking acceptable, it usually takes me hours and hours to fiddle around just to get the basic looks right.

I think that I'm not completely skill-less, I just lack simple drawing techniques..

• Am I a hopeless case?
• Where is a good place to start out in drawing for 2D games? I'd like to be able to create acceptably good backgrounds, terrains / tilemaps, characters and weapons

Answer 1

You could try starting with pixel art by taking some graph paper and never violating the golden rule of "one colour per square." The alternative to using graph paper is a graphics editing application like Adobe Photoshop and it's "zoom" feature.

With practice, you can keep reducing the total number of different colours used and still make really nice images.

I've included two contrasting examples of pixel art below, the first one being a very simple one of some cherries, and the second one being an amazingly complex one (to see it in detail, you may need to right-click on it and choose "Open"). For more examples of pixel art, use Google's Image Search: http://images.google.com/images?q=%22pixel+art%22

Answer 2

Programming generally involves thought processes located in the left-hemisphere of the brain that handle logic, linear sequencing, and predictability. Drawing utilizes thought processes dealing with space, patterns (visual or otherwise), shapes, color, etc located in the right.

You probably got some instruction on the thought processes required to create a program. You will probably need some instruction on the the same for creating artwork.

I recommend first Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards to learn what the thought processes used by artists are; how they work; and importantly, how they feels. If you ever recognize being in the flow where your ability to code just continues effortlessly you have a sense of the way thinking can feel. The spatial and coordination thought processes required for drawing are not often used by programmers who develop using typical conventional practices and languages, and you can feel the difference when they're employed.

The second text I recommend is Kimon Nicolaides' The Natural Way to Draw. Different drawing techniques, exercises and intents will also help develop your innate ability to draw. And everyone has the ability to draw well once they understand how to draw.

Answer 3

My biggest piece of advice for this is that acceptable art isn't good enough to create a successful game.

That said, if you can create something that looks right to an honest 3rd party after hours of fiddling then you're not a hopeless case, you just need practice.

There are three things I suggest you do for practice:

• Find a local art school, if you can, and take a basic drawing class to learn basic techniques
• Practice drawing real scenery and objects to scale and in full
  • Try to practice on larger paper (11"x17" or larger), and fill the page
• Find pieces from artists you like and try to replicate them

The more you practice with real scenes, the less time it will take you to create acceptable results. There's no easy way out of this, unfortunately. Furthermore, the more art styles you can absorb, the more stylistic tools you will have to apply to your game.

In terms of specific tools for 2D game art, you can't go wrong with Adobe Photoshop, or the GIMP if you're on a budget. Generally you can either scan a real-life drawing and work with that as a basis, use a graphics tablet system to draw directly into Photoshop, or a combination of the two.

Answer 4

A great place to start learning is by modifying existing artwork rather than starting from scratch. Find something that's sort of what you want, and modify it to be what you want.