Recommended mediums?

[FamousAdventurer77]

Pixel is my favorite, particularly for sprites and inventory items, but my "grail" graphics would be those Sierra-style backgrounds that were obviously hand-drawn/painted with bright interact-able objects and sprites that were pixellated.

Since I finally have some downtime, I'm dying to pick up some kind of art supplies.

What kind of mediums would work best for emulating that handpainted style? (Aside from actual paint, I'm fairly broke and was never good with paint. Pastels, Caron D'Asche, and basic pencil maybe though.)

[Armageddon]

If I remember correctly they said they drew those background with markers and pencil outlines to start.

[Khris]

Are you talking about this style?


(hand-painted)

Or this:

(bright)

(Btw, strictly speaking the Critics Lounge isn't the right place for this, it's exclusively to showcase and comment on existing works of art.)

[Chicky]

would be those Sierra-style backgrounds that were obviously hand-drawn/painted with bright interact-able objects and sprites that were pixellated.

Surely the first? 

FA77, try using pencil to sketch then colour in photoshop?

[Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens]

Since you're asking for advice emulating one of these styles, I'll allow this thread.  Why don't you take one of your favorite backgrounds and use it as a reference for a unique background you have in mind and post it here so we can give you tips on how to closer follow the style you're interested in (in this case, Sierra)?

[FamousAdventurer77]

Definitely more along the lines of KQ5/6 where the backgrounds have more detail than the sprites and objects one can pick up. For instance:



I was actually looking for the cliff base first but think this is a better example, as you can see how bright and pixellated both Alex's and the not-really-an-old-lady's sprites are, same with the nightshade bush, as you can interact with it.
Whereas the rest of the scenery is notably less pixellated, with nice depth of field with the catacombs entrance right in front there and the large mountains in the distance.

Pencils are more in my budget range ATM but I'm wondering what sort of paper would be best-- Bristol? Marker rag? (Man I haven't done this in YEARS!) I always liked the Bristol texture as it's sturdy but if I recall correctly, bright colors (especially marker) didn't come out the best on it.
I loved using art markers!

[Buckethead]

A tale of two kingdoms had a similiar style and if I remember correctly they drew the sketches on paper, than scanned them in and Photoshopped over them.

[FamousAdventurer77]

ATOK had beautiful artwork throughout-- seriously a Sierra-quality game start-to-finish. I think my favorite backgrounds from that game are the entrance to Thierna na Oge, and the forest crossroads. The crossroads totally harken back to something out of King's Quest or Quest For Glory.