what programs do people use for their backgrounds/sprites

[nads]

hey,

I was just wondering what kind of programs that you guys use to create your backgrounds/sprites with?

[Ryan Timothy B]

Photoshop for both.
Been playing around with animation programs (with onion skinning) for the character animations - nothing really concrete yet.

[nads]

have you used Pro motion yet?
any animation programs you rate yet/enjoy so far?

[Ryan Timothy B]

I've tried the demo versions of Toon Boom Studio and Anime Studio Pro.  I even downloaded Pencil (the freeware program), but never got around to testing it out. 

Toon Boom Studio seems more like Adobe Flash (not a big fan of drawing with Adobe Flash. but never did look around to figure out how to turn off the 'predictive' drawing shapes in Toon Boom, or whatever that function is called.  Like you try to draw a rounded square, and the program redraws it sometimes totally different from what you had first drawn.  Less rounded, more rounded, etc.  Just like Flash). 

Anime Studio Pro uses 'bones' for the characters animations.  You draw the limbs, body, and head, then assign bones to them.  Then when it comes to animating the character, you rotate the bones around, and they stay connected to the other bones (and you can assign limits, so the knee only bends so far, etc).  The program is designed for 2d only, but it is capable to import 3d characters with freeware program called Wings 3D (or other 3d software).  I haven't played around with the 3d aspect of it yet, but I'll give it a go sometime this week.

[Domino]

See this link below....

http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/yabb/index.php?topic=32234.0

[nads]

Ryan: - yeah i was reading about anime studio pro. that sounds pretty good, might check out that demo down the track, while i was looking up 3d modeling programs (character creation programs, like poser) and i came across that and was pretty interested in checking out that program.

Domino: - i read that before, I just wanted to know what people used/recommended

i use photoshop myself, but i wanted something that can animated abit easier (ie like using onion skins and stuff) i mean the sprite in my display picture I made about a month ago and i did it with photoshop and i used the brush tool instead of the pencil tool so there is all a light colour outline around most of the character. so instead of going through each frame, im just going to start from scratch can i dont mind the animation in it but the character I dont know, it can be better,

[Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens]

Not the place for this.  Moving to general.

[Domino]

Full version of NeoPaint. It's not the greatest by far, but it gets the job done.

I really can't figure out PhotoShop. Don't know why.

Domino

[skitzo]

I use GIMP, MSPAINT and a small portion of Inkscape. Once I fully learn it I will be GIMP dependent.
MSPAINT would be the best to start with if you are really a newbie with graphic design.

One thing I suggest would be to learn shading, how shadows would fall on certain object, clothing shading, ect...
This kind of thing can be done in MSpaint but it's very basic.
2. Make sure if you download a graphic program that you stick with it for more then a couple hours or days, really learn what everything does before you completely discard it.
I've had this problem with GIMP but a few tutorials on how to achieve the most simple task really got me interested in keeping the program and using it.


Good luck and have fun out there.


- Skitzo

[Ghost]

Graphics Gale is quite popular, and has some of the best "onion skinning" implementation I've ever seen- worth checking out.

[Minimi]

For pixel art i use: Graphics Gale, and finish it with PhotoShop
For 3D Art i use: Wings3D, Bryce, Poser and photoshop

[BOYD1981]

i use a combination of Paint Shop Pro 7 and Animation Shop, i just do all the frames for an animation in PSP as layers, save as a PSP file and when you load it in animation shop each layer becomes a frame which is rather handy.
also, mspaint and occasionally dpaint2 (or if i'm feeling funny i'll load up dpaint4 in an amiga emulator).
i'd like to try Pro Motion, but i'd want all the features and i don't really feel as though it's worth paying for the full version (or even the lite) when i've already paid for PSP7 and it basically has all the features i use on a regular basis, but ProgZmax pretty much swears by Pro Motion and he's awesome so i really should try it out more (as i've just realised that i have actually used the trial version and remember it feeling strangely similar to dpaint but different enough for it to feel weird...)

[Oliwerko]

ArtGem for backgrounds, GraphicsGale for characters and ImageReady for animations.

[nads]

cool, thanks for your comment, i have some programs i must try out, i had a quick go at pro motion, i dont mind it haven't got right into. I'm going to start some rough sprites for some characters tonight, might post them up. keep your eyes out for them.. they will suck, lol.

[Nagania]

indeed graphics gale is worth checking out.
although... it never really grabbed me.... this topic helps ME because i STILL havn't chosen my program to use.

although i just got a tip to check out something called Deluxe Paint.  maybe you should check it out to.

[rock_chick]

indeed graphics gale is worth checking out.
although... it never really grabbed me.... this topic helps ME because i STILL havn't chosen my program to use.

although i just got a tip to check out something called Deluxe Paint.  maybe you should check it out to.

Do you want something easy to learn or do you mind a bit of a learning curve for a more robust program?
Are you willing to spend money on a graphics program or just ones that are free?
Do you plan on doing much animation work?
What bit graphics do you want to draw in, 8, 16, 24 or even 32 bit?
Do you want to use a 2D program only or use it with a 3D program?
What type of drawing style are you going for, pixel art, realistic looking images, somewhere in between?
What screen resolution do you want or are making your game(s) in?
Yeah that was a lot of questions but armed with that information recommending ideal programs or a program for you will be much easier. And I don't mean just me recommending any, I mean any other's willing to help you choose the ideal graphics tool(s) for you.