What software do you use? Electronic device you draw on? I'm trying to figure out what to invest in & what programs would you suggest be best to use for animation, etc? Any advice would mean the world to me!!!! 🐲💓💫
Hi, anon! What program you use really depends on what you want to do. I’ll first list some options for software and devices and then describe my current setup.
You can use any raster graphics software for pixel art so long as you set a 1 pixel brush. Here are some common ones used for pixel art. They’re organized from least expensive to most expensive, and almost all of them have animation capabilities.
Piskel is an online software specifically made for pixel art. It’s simple and easy to use, and it’s best suited for small sprite animations. Good for beginners.
GraphicsGale is a desktop software specifically made for pixel art. It also recently became freeware! I haven’t used it myself, but I’ve seen some stunning work done with it. It has onion-skinning and other tools.
GIMP is an open-source image editor. It requires a bit of setup to make it suitable for pixel art, and I’m not too fond of its animation setup (layers for frames) and default UI. However, since it is open-source, you could always go into the source code and code your way into a better setup.
Aseprite’s a desktop software also tailored towards pixel art. Out of all the pixel-focused software I’ve seen, Aseprite has the most tools and the largest user base. Aseprite, like GraphicsGale, has onion-skinning abilities. It also has the ability to create brushes, which helps a lot when dithering, and some other options I’ve had yet to try out.
Pyxel Edit’s a desktop software in the same vein of GraphicsGale and Aseprite. It uses a tiled setup and has some great color options, which help a lot when starting out. It also has some onion-skinning capabilities.
Paint Tool SAI ($$) & Clip Studio Paint ($$)
These are two programs designed for digital painting, but they can be set up to make pixel art as well. The advantage of using these is that they can be used for other types of digital art besides pixel art. The disadvantage of using these is that you lack the easy layout and setup of pixel-focused software.
The art industry standard. Photoshop is very expensive, but it is certainly not lacking in any features. In fact, it has more than enough features to make pixel art. If you get it, you should probably use it for other stuff in addition to pixel art.
Wacom is currently the industry standard for tablets. However, companies like Huion and Monoprice offer similar tablets at much lower prices. From what I have heard, these other companies tend to have less reliable customer service and guarantee of quality, although my Huion tablet has been working perfectly fine so far.
III. My Setup and Closing Thoughts
Like I mentioned above, I’m using a Huion H610 Pro. It’s been a good tablet, but it also has more features than I need for pixel art haha. I purchased it intending to use it for other kinds of digital art besides pixel art.
For pixel art, I’m currently using Aseprite. I prefer Pyxel Edit’s UI, but Aseprite simply has more utilities and is making my current project a lot easier than if I used Pyxel Edit. Pyxel Edit’s also more in a developmental stage at the moment with fewer updates. For other kinds of digital art, I’m using Paint Tool SAI, although I’m considering using Clip Studio Paint. I lack the money for Photoshop and the patience for GIMP.
Above all, don’t be too concerned with the software and hardware you use. At the end of the day, software and hardware are just tools. A good quality setup will increase the ease of creating art, not the quality of your art. Art quality is most dependent on the artist. So use whatever you want–whether it’s software best suited for your current skill level or for where you want your skill level to be.
You can’t go wrong if you’re continuing to make art.
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