Restarting the Spriting Academy?

[SassySnivy]

What do you guys think? Would anyone be interested in participating in activities or help set it up? It would be in a similar format as Corru's, except maybe some changes here and there. People would be able to sign up at will to learn or teach, and can list what they can teach.

So would anyone be interested in participating? I could have posted this in the staff forum, but I wanted to see what the rest of the members think. :3

[Caite-chan]

I would I think it would be fun.

[Pokemon Trainer Sarah]

What if the sprite academy was basically a set of tutorials for different methods that gained in difficulty as they went? Each tutorial would have a different thread. Anyone who is a 'teacher' could make tutorials. So students start with the basic ones and have to complete them first, by posting a sprite following the tutorial and having it graded by a teacher. If you pass, you can move onto the next set of tutorials and so on. They could all have different levels, like you need to complete all the level 1 tutorials before you can do a level 2 one. And we can give out tokens for completing levels.
Completing the whole school would let you become a teacher. That way it is always around for whenever someone wants to join in, but lack of activity won't kill it. Plus we could maybe put the tutorials up on the site eventually.

This sort of set up would make it a kind of challenge for anyone interested in spriting and even experienced spriters may like to do it just so they can get the tokens and recognition.

[Caite-chan]

I also think we should post them on the site as well. I think it would be good and hopefully draw more people in.

[SassySnivy]

What Sarah said about tutorials was exactly what I was thinking. You'd need to have a tutorial completed for whatever it is you want to teach.

Yeah, I think maybe some things should definitely be tiered. I don't plan on having this anywhere near as complicated as my initial idea over a yeAr ago.

Additionally, it would also be wonderful if someone did an art academy thread as well. This thread provides a wonderful example of how it could be done:
https://pokefarm.com/forum/thread/8440/Bobby-s-Drawing-School?page=1

Maybe I'll post that in the general art discussions though. Because it would be just as awesome to have a drawn art academy too.

What about those that already know how to do a prerequisite, though? So you guys think we should require them to have to "grind" until they get up to the level they want? Or maybe those classes can be short and sweet assuming the person knows how to do them.

[Pokemon Trainer Sarah]

Well I figured the level one classes would probably be quite basic and easy anyway. If you already knew how to do it, you would just whip up something quickly and post it to get certified. You could also have maybe "Elective" classes at each tier which you didn't need to do to move on to the next tier, but which you could do if you wanted. Like say tier one classes are something like this:

Tier One
-Basic Recolouring [Core]
-Splicing [Core]
-Basic Shading [Core]
-Pillow Shading [Elective]
-Chocolate Pokemon [Elective]
-Neon Pokemon [Elective]

Tier Two
Must have completed Tier One Core Classes, plus 1 Elective
-Blah
-Blah
-Blah
-Blah


I made up those names but yeah, you get the idea. xD If there are electives, that leaves room for heaps of different kinds of tutorials for different teachers to make up, including recolouring with different palettes or shading in different ways or whatever. Stuff that might not be a necessary skill to move on, but could be fun, different techniques to learn.

There could also possibly be an option to skip tiers maybe, like for first tier there would be a final exam that involves creating a sprite using techniques learned in first tier classes. You could still try it if you hadn't completed the classes maybe? I dunno. I kind of like the idea of having to complete all the classes to move on, but yeah. xD

An art one sounds good too, but it might be best to focus on one at a time. Once the spriting one is up and we have worked out all the kinks, it could be expanded to other sections. :)

[SassySnivy]

We definitely shouldn't lose sight of the tiering. Thanks for helping me get this started. That actually motivated me to keep the list going xD

Maybe in order to take certain electives, we can have certain cores be required. And actually that I think about it, splicing might not be a bad idea. It'd get people into understanding how to make parts on their own.

So this is what I've got so far, continuing from your thing:

Beginner Tier (Parenthesis is what's required)
Recoloring
Splicing [Copy + pasting with some editing mixed in there]
Shading
*Glow (http://i.imgur.com/5gHRHS6.png) (Recoloring)
*Hologram (http://i.imgur.com/vg5NiMH.png) (Recoloring)
*Silho (http://i.imgur.com/DIWDWzO.png)uette (http://i.imgur.com/cALRDTR.png), aka anti-aliasing (Recoloring)
*Disguise recolor (http://i.imgur.com/uK9Wqci.png) (Recoloring, editing)
*Pillow-shading (Recoloring)
*Minimalistic Pokemon (http://i.imgur.com/0GEoMk5.png) (Recoloring)

Intermediate Tier (All cores, 1 or more electives)
Hue-Shifting
Fusions
Intermediate Shading
Anti-Aliasing
*Elective
*Elective (every time I see this word I see "Electivire" and it's driving me totally nuts)

Tier 3


I'm thinking that 3 tiers will definitely be enough for now. But I could totally be wrong! Also I provided examples for those elective ones so I'm not confusing anyone xD
Maybe also that instead of having an exam after EVERY SINGLE course, we can group the cores together in one final test. Each elective would have their own test to take, of course. I do think for recoloring, though, we should really only have them make 1 or 2 recolors since it's such a basic thing. x]

And by completing the classes needed to get to the next tier could act like...by meeting the requirements, you're more like, unlocking that tier. You won't be forced to jump straight into it, and you can always jump back and forth. If you already know a technique taught by a core class, then you can tell everyone that in your application and the mentor will act accordingly. I think "prior experience" may be a list item on a student application.

This should also be at one's own pace. Students shouldn't have to be rushed in any way, shape, or form to complete a course. They should be able to basically come and go as they so wish. x] After all, it should be fun, not a chore! 8D Thanks for the cool suggestions / examples. Really got the gears in my head turning. xD

[Pokemon Trainer Sarah]

Glad I could be helpful! Having cores required for certain electives is also a great idea. I think what you've got so far is awesome and that the fact it can be left and returned to at any time is really what is going to make it work with our activity levels. :D I can't wait to see how it all goes. If you need help with anything at all, don't hesitate to ask! :D

[SassySnivy]

Beginner Tier (Parenthesis is what's required)
Recoloring
Lines
Splicing [Copy + pasting with some editing mixed in there]
Shading
*Glow (http://i.imgur.com/5gHRHS6.png) (Recoloring)
*Hologram (http://i.imgur.com/vg5NiMH.png) (Recoloring)
*Silho (http://i.imgur.com/DIWDWzO.png)uette (http://i.imgur.com/cALRDTR.png), aka anti-aliasing (Recoloring)
*Disguise recolor (http://i.imgur.com/uK9Wqci.png) (Recoloring, editing)
*Pillow-shading (Recoloring)
*Minimalistic Pokemon (http://i.imgur.com/0GEoMk5.png) (Recoloring)

Intermediate Tier (All cores, 1 or more electives)
Hue-Shifting
Fusions
Intermediate Shading
Anti-Aliasing
*Ditto Pokemon (http://i.imgur.com/3WOaYGv.png)
*XD001 Shadow Pokemon (http://i.imgur.com/C0q6HDP.png)
*Lineless Pokemon (http://i.imgur.com/v8RFkAw.png)
*Plush Pokemon (http://i.imgur.com/HgS1BsX.png)
*Revamps (http://i.imgur.com/a17zhG0.png)
*Chocolate Pokemon (http://i.imgur.com/4XsEqaK.png)
*Pokemon Snow Sculpture (http://i.imgur.com/BLcC68E.png)
*Pokemallow (http://i.imgur.com/qPGx9Kt.png)
*Devamps (http://i.imgur.com/D77CQWH.png) (every time I see this word (Elective) I see "Electivire" and it's driving me totally nuts)

Advanced Tier
"Blocking" and Line Art
Advanced Shading (Textures, Stylization, etc)
Custom Pixel Art
Pixel-Overs
*Hi-Res
*TCG Pixel Overs
*Custom Devamps
*Re-Types
*Low-Res Pokemon Sprites
*Gummi Pokemon (http://i.imgur.com/uXuKa3s.png)

Here's what I got so far. All those electives are just examples.

[Pokemon Trainer Sarah]

They all sound awesome Speed! I am really excited about this. :D

[SassySnivy]

If you guys don't mind, I'm going to post all my progress on the tutorials for the core classes here. This is just to show everyone that yes, I'm working on it! 8D Also, if you have any comments, suggestions, questions, etc. then feel free to post them!


Recoloring and Color Theory

As you probably know, recoloring is one of the simplest things you can do in pixel art...besides scribble. Therefore I won't take much time to explain the execution of a recolor and I'll take more time to explain some basic color theory and terminology. Believe me, it helps.



How Do I Recolor?
Throughout this guide, I'll be using some example images to help illustrate my points. I'll be enlarging some images to make it easier on your eyes, but make sure that when you do this, you do not enlarge it in any way. It just...overcomplicates things. I also won't be using any transparent backgrounds in my examples. I'll also assume that you know the ins and outs of whatever program it is you're using.

With this being said, let's start with something simple: Persian from HGSS. It won't be too complicated because of how few colors it has.


http://i.imgur.com/C7MgLdQ.png
Since I'm assuming that you're new to this--and if you're not, feel free to skip down to the juicier stuff--you'll want to start out by figuring out what colors Persian has and making a color ramp beside your workspace for reference.


http://i.imgur.com/rBT3jhd.png

ProTip: It's also not a bad idea to make a copy of the original sprite just in case you make a mistake.

Figure out what colors you want to use and where. For this example, I'll be using a blue for the inside of the ears, a pink for the fur, and a green for the gem. I know, I know: that is NOT a good color scheme. At all. In a minute, though, you'll understand why I chose to do this.

Lighten or darken the colors in correspondance to the lighter and darker areas of the sprite.


http://i.imgur.com/M0nlVQN.png
Do this with the rest of the colors until the recolor is complete.


http://i.imgur.com/vuOoabk.png
And look, we're done! ...But, wait. Why is there a weird pink pixel on Persian's nose? That's supposed to be blue, right? Which leads me into...


--------------------------------------------

Common Pitfalls
Oh no! We've got a bit of a problem on our hands, don't we? There are two things you can do in a situation like this; however, for the sake of this tutorial let's only go over one.

You see, the reason this happened is because the color for the inside of Persian's ear is actually different from its fur color...by a teeny, tiny bit. One of those colors from its ears are used beside its nose, hence the pink pixel there. The easiest thing to do in situations like this is just to change that pixel or group of pixels to match the rest of the surrounding colors. Look, because this also happens in the inside of the ears:


http://i.imgur.com/cc3gXk6.png
Another way to fix this problem is much more complicated: sometimes, you need to play with your colors a little bit in order to get things right. We'll go over this in a later guide.


--------------------------------------------


Color Contrast
Oh, what's this? I've never heard of that before. What's contrast?

Contrast is how vast or how small the visible difference is between colors. There are three different kinds of contrast: hue, saturation, and value. For now, we'll only go over the value.

As you can see, there are little to no problems with the contrast in my example...well, not big ones, anyway. However, let's take a look at what can go wrong.


http://i.imgur.com/c1Ea92E.png
In this example, the contrast is way too low. It's difficult to differentiate the shades unless you really squint at it. You'll want to avoid this as much as possible. However, keep in mind there is also another extreme:


http://i.imgur.com/hoH0aUu.png
Look at this! The contrast here is wayyy too high. Sure, you can distinguish the colors better than with the last one...sorta. But this is just as hideous as the last one.

The key is moderation. You may have to play with your colors a little bit until you get it just right.




Color Theory
You're about to find out why my color choice there was absolutely horrid...maybe. The thing is, there's a thing called color theory. Let's go over the basics of it.

First of all, color schemes tend to be based on how the colors used relate to each other on the color wheel. The first, and simplest one is:


--------------------------------------------


Complimentary Colors
Complimentary colors are two colors that "compliment" each other. They are opposite to each other on the color wheel. For example: red and green, blue and orange, purple and yellow.

Complimentary colors make each other stand out when put side-by-side. However, strictly using red and green together can be a bit of an eyesore, because while they have a lot of contrast in hue, basic green and basic red have barely any contrast in value. All of that will be explained in a later lesson. For now, just remember that complimentary colors can be used as accents to make one color pop; just don't overdo it.



Analogous Colors
Analogous colors are colors (usually 3 of them), that are side-by-side on the color wheel. Analogous color schemes are usually very aesthetically pleasing because of their similarities: it looks very harmonious. These colors seem to go together perfectly.

Examples include: red, orange, and yellow; yellow, lime green, and cyan; blue, purple, and cyan.



Triadic Colors
Triadic colors are three colors that, when located on the color wheel, form a triangle when lines are drawn from each point. The most classic example is the three primary colors: red, yellow, and blue. Other triads include purple, green, and orange; and yellow, magenta, and blue.



Tetradic Colors
As the name may suggest, tetradic colors are four colors that form a square when viewed on a color wheel. Tetrad color schemes can include blue, fuschia, orange, and yellow; or red, green, yellow, and blue.



Further Reading
Worqx (http://www.worqx.com/color/index.htm) has a great guide on basic color theory.

Paletteon (http://paletton.com/#uid=72U1k0kvGuXjBC3oUwRxFofDmj0) is a great website that allows you to generate color schemes based on different schematas. I encourage you to toy with it a little to further understand what I've explained.




Conclusion

I will most likely edit this tutorial as I see fit. However, as of now I think I've got the basics down pretty well...and I don't want to unload too much, or else it will seem overwhelming. Just a little bit at a time....

For your assignment, I want you to do the following:
Recolor a sprite (preferably from either Gen III, Gen IV, or Gen V) of a Pokemon that has no more than just one color. This will show that you understand how to recolor.
Recolor a sprite (preferably from either Gen III, Gen IV, or Gen V) of a Pokemon that has no more than two main colors. Make sure that the colors you use are complimentary.
Recolor a sprite (preferably from either Gen III, Gen IV, or Gen V) of a Pokemon that has no more or no less than three hues (colors). Make sure that the colors are analogous.

Send these completed sprites to me via PM, and I'll grade them accordingly! They'll be judged based on your understanding of recoloring and your understanding of basic color schemes. You may or may not have to complete a few more assignments based on how well you do. Don't fret, though! Work on this on your OWN time.

Next Tutorial: Splicing. This one should be significantly shorter than this one.

How I plan to do things is to have these tutorials posted in the main thread, along with two or three basic assignments that help me (or whoever the teacher is) see what the student does / doesn't understand about the things explained in the tutorial. I think for assistant teachers (I'm looking at you, Nekomata ;3 ), I'll just have them try to keep me updated on their student's progress throughout the lesson. Or something like that! I'd at least like to have a before and after image for each lesson in the OP. :D

I'm gonna guess that the shorter tutorials will be Splicing, Hue-Shifting, and Anti-Aliasing; while the ones I KNOW will be long are Shading, Fusing, Intermediate Shading, and Custom Pixel Art. This could take me a long time to do. But I'd rather have all the guides done before posting the thread up! :D

If anyone wants to contribute with tutorials, guides, ideas for tutorials, and the like of cool spriting-things, feel free to speak up!

[Pokemon Trainer Sarah]

Awesome tutorial! I was thinking maybe even a basic/tips tutorial for MS Paint or GraphicsGale For Spriting could be useful. Like I know in paint if you select the colour you want as the background and the colour you're replacing as the foreground, you can right-click over your picture with the eraser tool to replace all of a colour at once. I'm sure there are other tricks people might like to know. They probably don't need to be classes though, just extra references.

I think it would be cool if the sprites for the assignments and the grading were posted in the tutorial thread. That way later members would be able to see not only the tutorial but lots of examples along with critique from the grading which may be helpful. Plus any teacher could then claim it for grading, which would reduce wait times and prevent inactive teachers being an issue. Of course if people did not want their sprite publicly graded, they could just PM you.

[ZrowNoodles]

.u. Animation!