Ok I have 2 paint programs and they are Pixia, which I think is hard to use( especially the line tool) and I have MSPAINT which I like cause I can make better rooms. But the problem with MSPAINT is that it doesn't shade good(well for me) and I can't seem to make a character that will be easy to see. The walking views are the hardest for me. I can't make him look like he's walking. So any suggstions would be fine.
DGMacphee are ya happy that I didn't use caps? >:(
You could try using the freeware painting program The Gimp. The url is http://www.gimp.org . The program is very similar to Photoshop, and it has some nifty options. You can also work with layers, and shading should be able too. The Gimp was originally made as the standard drawing program for Linux, but they have made also a windows version of it.
About the walking animation... I suggest, post the animation you have made in critics lounge, to show them, so other people can give you advice on how to improve it. I myself don't know much about animating. The longest character animation I have done was 3 frames, so I should learn it too ;)
I made a game with paint... all graphics... not advertising, just see it at http://www.agsforums.com/games.php?action=detail&id=275 for reference about what can be done. And shading is easy, unless you are looking for a very realistic gradient shade... You just need patience and the eye dropper :P
sorry, i meant to move this to the critics lounge
Lol :D