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Unit 1: Introduction to creative media methods and skills
Unit 2: Introduction to production techniques in creative media
Unit 3: Understanding an audience in creative media production
Unit 4: Contextual research for creative media production
What we're doing, how we're doing it and why we're doing it
What we're doing, how we're doing it and why we're doing it
Intent: Create a sprite sheet and animate character movements.
Implementation: Through research, experimentation and practical skills.
Impact: Practical experience in creating sprite sheets and animating character movements for games. Understand the importance of timing and keyframes in creating convincing animations.
Soft skills: Creativity, attention to detail, problem-solving, patience, communication, adaptability.
Industry: Pixel art is a common art style in the game industry. Character design and animation are relevant skills for game development. Walk cycles are also considered a right of passage in some animation communities.
SMSC: Creativity, importance of attention to detail, engage in social interactions through peer reviews and explore the cultural significance of pixel art in gaming history and various game genres.
Task 1 - Context
Task 1 - Context
What is animation?
What are pros and cons of pixel art animation? Why is this useful knowledge to have?
What is animation?
What are pros and cons of pixel art animation? Why is this useful knowledge to have?
On your google sites:
Context questions answered in YOUR OWN WORDS. Any research supporting your argument must be appropriately linked and referenced.
Task 2 - Keyframes
Task 2 - Keyframes
What do I do?
Watch the video. Gain an understanding of keyframes in animation. Strong keyframes and timing is all you need for good pixel art animation! Especially if your going for a retro feel.
Find some examples of strong keyframes
Open Aseprite from my drive, unzip it and use the tutorials to get animating, you can import your files from last week
Start thumbnailing your character's walk, consider how your character will move. Walks tell us so much about someone!
On your google sites:
Explanation of keyframes
Examples
Thumbnails, you want 4 strong keyframes for your characters walk
Going further:
While your developing your keyframes have the Skullgirls GDC talk on, it's one of the best video game animation talks out there.
Task 3 - Animate
Task 3 - Animate
What do I do?
Use Aseprite. Take your favourite/best 32x32 character from previous and animate them walking. If you didn't make a character with arms and legs last week, make one first. Keep it simple, we're focusing on the movement!
Start with a 4 frame walk and experiment with the timing. If your keyframes are strong enough, it will look good.
Export and upload
Reflect
On your google sites:
Development: screenshots, gifs, videos, etc of your character's walk
Exported gif of your finished walk
Reflection
Going further:
Choose either -
More frames for your walk. Learn to inbetween. Where you choose to inbetween will change how the walk feels. Experiment with a 6 or 8 frame walk
or
Complete your spritesheet:
Walk
Idle
Jump
Defeat
TIPS!
Embrace the limitations, this will force you to consider the key elements of your character
Strong keyframes will do the work for you!
The scale of your character will dictate the scale of your whole game. Two pixels for eyes, or eight each will make a huge difference!
Limiting your colours will help you consider cohesion and what colours work well together
Task 4 - Spritesheet
Task 4 - Spritesheet
What do I do?
Explain what a spritesheet is, with examples
Use Aseprite. Export your sprite sheet
Reflect on your work:
How to you feel about creating pixel art?
How do you feel about animating?
How do you feel about doing this as a potential career?
On your google sites:
Your explanation of a spritesheet. Examples of spritesheets
Your spritesheet exported (it's ok to have a separate spritesheet for each animation)
Reflection on your work this week
Animation checklist for this week
Animation checklist for this week
Context questions answered with links/pictures of research gathered:
What is animation?
What are pros and cons of pixel art animation?
Why is this useful knowledge to have?
Keyframes
Explanation of keyframes
Examples (links, pictures, videos, etc)
Thumbnails, you want 4 strong keyframes for your characters walk
Animation
Development: screenshots, gifs, videos, etc of your character's walk
Exported gif of your finished walk
Reflection
Spritesheet
Your explanation of a spritesheet. Examples of spritesheets
Your spritesheet exported (it's ok to have a separate spritesheet for each animation)
Reflection on your work this week
Reflection:
Reflection:
- What happened?
- How did you feel?
- What were you thinking?
- How did things go?
- What might have helped?
- What might have hindered?
- What else could you have done?
- What have you learned?
- What can you change in the future?
- If the situation arose again what would you do?
- Anything you need to know or improve?
Going Further
Want to develop your pixel art skills further? Excellent! There's a wealth of resources available. The best way to improve is through a combination of practice and study. Try tutorials, look at artists work you admire and try making pixel art using all manner of sprite sizes and palettes. Good luck!
Tutorials
Derek Yu's (Spelunky) has a fantastic pixel art tutorial, I've pinched some of it wholesale for this.
There's loads of tutorials on places like YouTube and twitch. Take everything taught with a pinch of salt, there's always exceptions to rules and not everyone making tutorials always has the experience or knowledge they claim but it's worth exploring and experimenting. Below are a couple I'd recommend:
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