Choosing a colour palette for pixel art can be a tricky task, but with the right guidance and understanding, you can create beautiful works of art. Pixel art is a form of digital art that uses single-coloured squares to create an image. As such, the choice of colours used for your artwork is extremely important.
When choosing a colour palette for pixel art, the best place to start is by deciding what mood or atmosphere you want to portray in your artwork.
This will help you determine which colours will work best with one another. For example, if you are creating an underwater scene, then blue and green tones may be most suitable. On the other hand, if you are creating a bright and cheerful scene then bright primary colours could be used.
Once you have decided on the overall mood or atmosphere of your artwork, it’s time to start looking at specific colours. When selecting individual colours for your palette, it’s important to consider the hue (the colour itself), saturation (the intensity of the colour) and value (the lightness or darkness). Choosing both light and dark shades within each hue will allow you to create depth and contrast within your artwork.
It’s also important to consider how many different shades of each hue are needed in order to give your artwork subtle variations in tone. Too few shades can make an image look flat and two-dimensional, whereas too many can make it look overly busy or cluttered. Aim for around 4-6 shades per hue if possible.
Useful Tips
- Start With A Limited Palette: It’s often easier to start with a limited number of colours and then build up from there as needed.
- Create A Colour Swatch: Creating a colour swatch will help you keep track of which shades are being used in your artwork.
- Experiment With Gradients: Using gradients can add depth and detail to an image so don’t be afraid to experiment!
Conclusion
Choosing a colour palette for pixel art requires careful consideration in order for the artwork to be successful. By understanding how hues, saturation and values interact with one another, as well as experimenting with gradients and creating swatches, artists can create stunning works of art with ease.