Pixel Art Class - Top Down Style Analysis & Tutorial
Ғылым және технология
Heya Pals,
In this style analysis video, I'm covering the distinct ways top-down games control visual features like contrast and noise to achieve aesthetically pleasing and readable styles, focusing on environments.
Also, this features the return of my tutorial segment, for those of you who like to follow along :)
If you're interested, I'd be happy to go into more detail about buildings, objects, characters in this style in future videos. Let me know!
Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction
00:27 - Analysis Overview
07:39 - The Role of Contrast
11:25 - Preserving Interest without Contrast
14:00 - Preserving Style without Palettes
18:00 - Eastward Example
20:24 - Environment Practice Tutorial
20:41 - Terrain Draft
29:14 - Terrain Details
30:52 - Buildings
37:41- Tree Texture Details
42:56 - Outro
Music: MeowMeow & BowWow - Dj CUTMAN
Screenshot Credits (right to left, top to bottom):
- Final Fantasy (Squaresoft)
- Secret of Mana (Squaresoft)
- Chrono Trigger (Squaresoft)
- Pokemon Blue (Gamefreak, Nintendo)
- LoZ A Link to the Past (Nintendo)
- Stardew Valley (@ConcernedApe)
- Original art (@NostalgiaTree)
- Battle Axe (@pixelhenk)
- Original art by (@Namatnieks)
- Pokemon Mystery Dungeon (Spike Chunsoft)
- Zenonia (Gamevil)
- Cadence of Hyrule (@BYG_Vancouver)
- Moonlighter (@DigitalSunGames)
- Eastward (@pixpilgames)
- Eldest Souls (@Fallen_Flag, art by @yes_i_do_pixels)
- Hyper Light Drifter (@HeartMachineZ)
- Garden Story (by @picogram_art)
----
This video features clips from my stream. Catch it live: Mon, Tues, Thurs and Fri 1-6pm AEST.
Twitch: / adamcyounis
Twitter: / adamcyounis
Discord: / discord
Become a Patron at / adamcyounis
Download assets and games from the stream at uppon-hill.itch.io/
Later, pals!
Пікірлер: 288
it cannot be overstated how valuable ur analysis and tutorial series are for inexperienced artists. all the work and love and effort put into these are very very appreciated!! 💛
@mrzenox9835
2 жыл бұрын
I Couldn't say it better
@DrWolves
2 жыл бұрын
Absolutely agree. I'm not even really an artist and I so highly value his work.
This guy is the bob ross of pixel art. Calming voice and the art begins "okay, drawing some shapes, I got it". Look away for a few minutes, look back "HOLY CRAP IT'S A POKEMON OR ZELDA BACKSPLASH"
every time i watch adam's videos I crave to improve my pixel art... i really really really love both the systematic approach to art and of course the insane level of skill he demonstrates on every video
@tristangonzales3589
Жыл бұрын
How is your art going? Maybe you would like to join the creative competition of Faketown that is going weekly. The NFTs will be in the UGC collection on rarible and its possible to be minted for the game.
The weirdest thing about this perspective to me is the characters. The world is usually drawn at an angled view, but the characters tend to be full side or front views. I think that is one of the trickier things to make work.
@ledumpsterfire6474
Жыл бұрын
It's weird. Like the older Pokemon games are a great example, because when characters are facing up (away from the camera), they're almost always angled in a way where you can see part of the top of their head. When they face down (towards the camera), you have a full frontal. You aren't seeing any part of the top of their heads. It's odd that it somehow looks so natural that people don't question that more, but it's basically achieving experientially consistent FEELING perspective by having different objects in the game using objectively different perspectives. When you really sit with that, it doesn't seem like it should work. When you sit and stare at it from that frame of reference, it can start to look like it doesn't work. But when you just take it as it is without questioning too much, it works just fine.
@Azeveco
Жыл бұрын
Couldn't agree more. For my eyes, it just doesn't fit. Eastward is beautiful, but the characters are side scrolling. Weird. Yeah, I know this is the standard, but it shouldn't be.
@smillbag97
3 ай бұрын
I didn't really notice this until recently, when I replayed Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap. Interiors in this game to me seemed like an extreme example of what you're saying
@EpicMugenBattles
3 ай бұрын
wouldn't work the way you think is right, just stop lol
@EpicMugenBattles
3 ай бұрын
why not? do you really think it'll work the way you think is the right? do a game yourself and let's see how it goes@@Azeveco
These style videos are so awesome. I love the comparison of art styles. I've been waiting for someone to do this kind of thing as I'm too lazy to analyse it all myself.
- Randomly searched "Unreal 5 top down pixel tutorial", found this 6 vids down - Skimmed a few chapter titles, clicked "The Role of Contrast" - Saw your magnificently 'Explain Like I'm 10" graph - Listened to your easy, informative, dulcet tones for 10 seconds - (I wrote this because creators tend to like the steps someone took to join their audience) You're my 103rd subscription. Don't even need to see the rest of the channel. Whether I get into game dev or not, your work is fantastic to listen to. Awesome stuff dude, you're engaging and super informative. Best of luck with your ongoing work
Thanks Adam, this tutorial helped me so much in identifying the environmental aspects of my game that weren't quite clicking yet. Huge help!
I really appreciate how wonderfully organized your videos are. Really fantastic job articulating information. I got so much value out of this!
This is absolutely fantastic! You are an incredible artist! Thank you for sharing your thought processes and techniques to help me understand. This is just a hobby for me, but I really appreciate being able to get help from someone so skilled. Thank you thank you thank you!
Please keep this series going. I don’t know any other channels like this.
Your sense of perspective is amazing! Those houses and their roofs are so cool
Pure gold right here. This breakdown is fabulous.
This is the best! So much info in here. I'll probably rewatch sections of it a few times as I go. This is invaluable for the game I'm working on. Thank you!
I can't thank you enough for your channel. You've helped me so much on my journey. Your ability to speak plainly about complex topics is incredible.
This video was so helpful and informative, thank you so much! I've been trying to get into top down pixel art for game development and information like this is invaluable. I know top down isn't your go to, but I hope you consider doing more of these videos in a top down style. Character frames are especially challenging for me right now. Would love to see a video discussing that.
Thanks a lot for these kinds of tutorials! I'm currently making maps for a D&D campaign I've been wanting to run for years, and I'm having a bit of a creative block with my tileset. The main principles you established on top down style are pretty easy to follow, and they give me an idea on what I could make!
Another great video, thank you! Yes, please continue with additional Top-Down specific content, character design, etc. if at all possible. It would be greatly appreciated!
You are a saint for posting this video and breaking down how these things are made. I'm at the very beginning and overwhelmed by ART. So. Thank you.
Yes please! More like this! I love top down and you've given me a huge headstart and inspiration! Would love to see how you would then go from this to a tileset! My artistic capability is lacking so I need to catch it up to my programming level :P
As somone learning art for this first time seriously. I cannot say how absolutely invaluable this commentary is to me!!! Thank you so so much for making this masterpiece of content and knowledge
This is amazingly helpful, as someone who has always been more of a traditional artist that wants to begin making my own games especially in a pixel art style, this is so helpful in explaining the artistic side in terms I can understand like contrast etc. I feel much less intimidated now! Thank you!!
yay! So excited you're getting into top down stuff. I love your tutorials and find them so helpful, and am personally making top down games.
One of the most important things as well, in making pixel art for top down games, is the direction from which the light is traveling. So you would create a theoretical light source, and make sure that the lighting is all coming from that direction, and casting shadows from that direction. Love the video, thanks so much for the tutorial and analysis. I feel like I learned a lot about contrasting for the different reasons you pointed out. Thanks so much for the video!
Man, I've been waiting for a video like this to pop up on youtube. Thanks a lot, Adam!
Adam you are awesome you have no idea how long I've been waiting for you to do a top-down pixel art tutorial😆 I know you've done a few top-down things, and that there are other teachers who do top-down tutorials but your art style has a professional quality that I have really been wanting to emulate. Keep up your awesome videos thank you so much!
really love watching your tutorials mate!!! amazing job :)
This is such an amazing series! Thank you!!!
Your videos are very inspirational and pedagogical. I've learned a lot from the them. Love the minute detail focus in everything, whether it comes to application of different techniques, composition, or how to approach all the different kinds of challenges one can be faced with. Basically: getting a glimpse into how you think when creating pixel art. Thank you.
Man I love your channel, you explain the topics of the channel so well and expertly. Thanks so much Adam! You definitely deserve all subscribers both Twitch and KZread Subscribers you get!
Thank you for this! I have been working on a top-down tileset and I really needed some pointers!
I'm working on my first full-fledged Indie game and bro, you're saving me. Thank you for the high quality vids.
I‘ve been doing pixel art for 8 years now professionally but I still looove your videos and analysis! Thanks!
I waited for this for so long. NICE!
These past days I've been struggling with topdown tilesets (trying to create one for my game). So this video comes right in time for me. Thank you so much your tutorials and analysis, they are always top notch
@SimplyRicky420
Жыл бұрын
what program did you use to make yours?
@IAmAjiuman
Жыл бұрын
@@SimplyRicky420 Aseprite to create the tilesets and Tiled to create the tilemaps
@EpicMugenBattles
3 ай бұрын
bro just make a great game, look at undertale, people don't look graphics too much, do it decently but don't get stuck with it
Your content is so educational and inspiring... Thank you so much, Adam!
Thank you so much for your content. Its always concise, and simple to follow however with lots of detail. Keep up the good work
This was such a great analysis! Thank you, you're very easy to follow.
literally just started a top-down game and was struggling with art. thanks for the video!
Oh God, this couldn't have been any better timing, only thing I need now is a top down character tutorial. Thank you
video came out at the perfect time. was literally just beginning to look into top down
I never did 2D Art greater than sketches for my 3D Art. This analysis helps me alot to up my 2D Art. Thank you! Very interesting to see your perspective on Color. I learned a ton!
Adam its so cool to see how much your channel has grown i haven't made it to your stream in probably 8 or 9 months so coming back and checking out your channel was exciting to see how much it has grown so happy for you and hope to pop in on some live streams soon! Youre the man i hope all is well!
Thank you Adam, nice tutorial. Can't wait for next one!
This is another of your sooo much helpful tutorials, thanks!!!
You really put 3 of my favorite top downs in the thumbnail you know how to get me. Another amazing example is Minish Cap.
youtube couldn't recommended me this faster. Do more of theses! I think we'd like to see em!
I have improved a lot with your tutorials....i tried pixelart before im good now! i improved a lot in pixelart but also i fnd that your tips can work really on digital art ...thank you adam you are inspiring💓
No way, totaly needed this right now. Good Timing.
I needed this. You did this video. I feel blessed. I feel complete. Thank you.
Awesome tutorial! Thanks for sharing your expertise, it was really fun to watch :)
Thank you very very much for making this video. It is very informative and inspirational for my N00B pixel artistry. I plan to make top-down games at first, so this video is bullseye material. Wrote 4 pages of notes watching this. Thanks again mate! Big respect :)
Just starting out with pixel art, I feel like the thing I most often overlook is the environment design. Thanks for this resource, I'm still learning artistic principle on the whole, so watching through your reasoning while you work is really helpful for learning how to get into the artistic mentality
This is right on time for me, have been working on a top down mockup :D
Really clear, informative and useful, thank you !
Thank ypu for the video! The qulity of the content is on the top!
You're a legend man, hope you go far!
You have a great video here! I wish I had found something similar when I was starting to create my game, but even though I already have a bit of experience, I learned a lot from this video. Thank you 👏🏽😁
As if you can smell my needs! Everytime I'm kinda stuck I see some new video which helps alot!!! Thanks! Okay, to be fair, as a not professional artist I'm very often stuck :D but since I want to make graphics right now for a game with top down view this is golden! My analysis wasn't as helpful as to hear someone more experienced! :D
THANK YOU. This video was incredibly informative and provided some excellent insight :)
Amazing man, you are a very good teacher and communicator!!
i didnt know your channel until today and i just loved that video. subscribed ^^
ah the pixel art goat is back at it again saving my pixel art needs, thank you adam your tutorials are the best!
In Cadence of Hyrule theres definitely some sort of lighting trick going on, all the sprites cast an angular shadow and Im pretty sure its automated. Would love a tutorial on how to do something like this.
This guy should have his own Masterclass
thank you for the great video as always adam
Thank you, I need this for the game I have planned
Oh, nice! This came at a perfect time!
Reeallyy good class. Currently I'm doing a non pixel art game and even though this video helps me quite a lot, love it! Thank you very much, I think you saved me many hours of headache😄
making the colors warmer will make the cool colors next to it stand out more. "18:00" Violet and lime green are both warm and cool colors, the color next to them is what gives them their warmer or cooler feel.
AAAAY I was hesitant to click on to your vid as I needed to learn q lot of other aspect of unity before this but now clicking on you im 10 minutes in and I'll be sifting through your work through the coming weeks
Insane vid, would love more of top down pixel art
Really nice! I always appreciate your breakdowns 😊 More top-down in the future you say? Sign me up! It's my fav game perspective~
Awesome content! Thanks!
5:00 I get what you're saying about the way ALttP very elegantly handles communicating grass visually to the player without visual noise, for sure. It's one of my favorite games ever, and I love the art style it uses. However it is also a very early SNES game, and right above it there are a couple of examples of later games for the system (Secret of Mana/Seiken Densetsu 2 and especially Chrono Trigger) which very successfully do show detailed grass and foilage without sacrificing contrast or causing any other problems, that I can see, anyway. This is certainly also to some extent a matter of personal taste, I would think; as in, some people are more drawn to 'clean' looking styles while others prefer more 'chaotic' or busy/detailed styles, however one wants to look at it. I think it's not that uncommon in JRPGs of that era to have the horizon visible in the background... usually not as extravagantly as that, generally just in mountain scenes as a way to imply elevation and view to the area, but it isn't that uncommon in that specific genre.
Super helpful video thank you so much!
Very interesting. I don’t even make games but I found this fun to watch. 👏🏻
I have learned more from you than from my art classes. It is unexpected to see this from as I have never seen you working on a 2d top down game. Anyways, great video learned a lot
This is sooooo helpful! Thanks my friend
1:45 i feel like hyperlightdrifter really played with that concept in such a good way.
This amazing thanks for creating!
You are godsend. Thank you, thank you, thank you!! Bestest of bestest blessings to you!
I loved the explaainer thank you!
really needed it
please make more videos on this perspective, it would really really help me and alot of other people. There aren't many tutorial videos on this perspective.
working on making my own game and since I am broke decided to learn Pixel art this was a very helpful video and I will definitely be looking at your other videos as I learn Pixel Art
that was so informative thank you
thanks a lot dude, this helped me a lot.
Thanks a lot! I struggle a lot with top down
i hope to eventually publish a videogame, and making my own art is a big part of that. i'm not great at it, but i just need to practice more and learn more. your videos have really been helping with the latter
Amazing video. Thanks
Love the fact that used that Link's Awakening remix that remix really cool I used it to make a custom theme for my wii
I think the Chrono Trigger "Skybox" background works in the bridge level because it is really only moving LEFT/RIGHT on the X axis.
Amazing! 😱 TKS!
man, This was very helpful!
Amazing video!
I really like your work here. I hope I can get to your level some day, but I don't have nearly enough time. I am excited though to try a cyber-punk futuristic styled look.
17:50 It's about the feeling those different colours invoke. One, like you said, is a summer beach feeling, the other is a grim and grimey dirty rock face that could lead to a creepy dangerous cave. Remember these textures are likely going to be used across a whole game, so will have to invoke different feelings when combined with other textures. The rock face is clearly designed so it can be used in combination with a bright palette or a spooky cave entrance pallet without ruining the effect of either. I feel like (so far) you have forgotten to mention movement. Things that move catch our eye far better than any amount of contrast. And we'll move around a world, so transitions between very different colour pallets will be necessary - like the rock face.
Could you make a similar type of video for creating top down urban environments, like a more or less modern town or city. Pokemon has some good examples but I still struggle with making such an environment look relatively realistic but not too boring and monotone. I think this is a good video, but I feel like there's already a lot of tutorials covering these types of lush fantasy environments...
@chrismanuel9768
2 жыл бұрын
Vary building heights, don't be afraid of color, and remember not to make every building a box. Rooftop air conditioning units and water tanks are good for breaking up the monotony.
great work
Why can't I give more likes????? Just one don't express how much I like this tutorial!!!! 😛 Thank you so much!