Graphics for non-Graphics Designers

Question

Are there resources for programmers with little to no graphics design talent, but still want to make good-enough graphics for their own programs? I'm interested in both 2d and 3d computer generated graphics techniques, as well as free graphics repositories.

Answer 1

You just need to read this: http://www.lostgarden.com/2007/12/how-to-bootstrap-your-indie-art-needs.html

Answer 2

If you have the money, invest in yourself: buy a drawing tablet. Personally, I am a terrible artist, I just can't make good graphics, but it sure didn't help that I was stuck trying to do things with my mouse, sloppily drawing lines or clicking pixel-by-pixel. I can at least roughly sketch something that works, and my Wacom Intuos4 is amazing for that (but surely overkill if you ask a professional). The Wacom Bamboo tablets are "entry-level" consumer models with slightly less accuracy, but they start at $69 (Wacom store; you want one with a pen, not the $49 touch model) and would be just great. So if you are able to somewhat draw things by hand, try getting a tablet - it won't improve your art skills unless you work at it but it can at least make it easier for you to make crappy programmer art. :)

Answer 3

Seems to be a little vague.
You have 3 main options, I think.

1. Learn. The best idea in the long term.
2. Get someone to do it for you. The most flexible idea.
3. Get free off the net. The quickest idea.

1 is probably the best if you have plenty of time. It gives you an advantage for any future projects you do, and gives you a wider skillset.

2 is better if you need them to be higher quality, but exactly what you want. May take a while to find someone, without paying them.

3 is the quickest by far, but it isn't great because you have to make do with what you find.

Answer 4

If the game is good enough and web-based, you can release it without "proper" graphics and no-one will complain.

Desktop Tower Defense is a good example of this.

If it makes enough money you will be able to hire a team of professional artists to revamp it. But you might find the users still prefer the original version.

Answer 5

For 2D I know there are people that use existing spritesheets and pixel over their own graphics. Whether it's ethical is a debate in its own, whether your pixeling skills will make it look halfway decent is another, but you at least got your animation cycles covered.
If you do know any artists it sometimes works too show them a prototype with programmer art - it'll hurt their eyes so much that they actually offer to pixel you some assets.
A third option for 2D is to use a 3d model and render it with cartoon rendering. But there's still a lot of artistic skill involved getting the models looking and animating the way you want to. Not aware of any real shortcuts in that area.
A fourth option, that seems to work well is to go for a decidedly abstract or amateur look. Milk the fact that you can't draw and make it the theme of your game. The hard part is to be consistent in your chaos, which makes it a skill again.
I feel your pain - I can't draw my way out of a paper bag.

Answer 6

Here is a good discussion on such resources on StackOverflow - http://stackoverflow.com/questions/143050/where-to-get-sprites-tilesets-for-2d-games