The gallery of Pixeljoint is meant only for pixel-art stuff. Your wooden borders, characters, cart, barrier, rock, tree trunk and vines fit in this category, but the parts where you used the spray paint are a different medium.
- The bushes, I think would be accepted pixel-art as they look very controlled : either you fixed them or you retried until they looked nice, in either case, no problem IMO.
- The tree and ground and back layer appear rather muddy.
- The sky is 100% non-pixel art, as you use spray-paint with single pixels to convey the texture of a painting.

I don't want to tell you to draw differently, because what you did is very nice and works well together. But you won't be able to showcase these entire mockups on pixeljoint. Please submit the sprite sheets with characters only, for example. In the description of the piece, you're also welcome to link other images that show the same sprites on your intended background.


Edited by yrizoud - 02 May 2012 at 9:16am

It's also not pixel art, and since it covers a large surface of the canvas...
I really want to insist that this shouldn't dissuade you from using this technique for the backdrops of your game, as it's still lovely at small pixel size; it's very common for games to use pixel characters (and foreground objects) over painted backgrounds.

Why isn't a plain backdrop allowed? You can do all sorts of things. Scanlines, dither (meh), disguise the line between tones with clouds, etc.

Just have a search through the gallery.

For people who are constantly pixeling for various uses outside of Pixeljoint, I just find it really inconvenient for those people to have to change their backdrop over and over to suit PJ's rules. Also, these rules are not clearly specified anywhere, which makes it even more difficult to get past the revision stage. OP shouldn't even have to come to the forums to get help. The indepth rules should be specified somewhere. The ones shown when uploading are very vague.

Also the spraypaint tool is ugly as sin and doesn't resemble a sky at all.

 He didn't need to post a topic here at all; as cure said, guidelines are pretty clear through the submission page, FAQ and Pixel Art Tutorial.

I am not sure if you guys read my explanation and saw my step by step animation, but that clearly explains it's not done by Air brush nor Spray tool nor any tool alike it.

I would of dithered it if I wanted to, I dithered other bgs in my gallery, it's just that I wanted to try out something new, and it's now needing revision before approval, and I don't see a reason for that because I did not use Air brush nor Spray tool.
As Elaine explained, I created a look-a-like airbrush, pixel by pixel, then I kept copy pasting it and used it to create the background.

I can't really see a reason why I'm not allowed to do this, since I'm sure people copy paste tiles and such for their mockups, so why copying a bunch  of pixels you've previously made and pasting on your background over and over is not allowed?

It's also like the technique Cure posted in his tutorial, which he called "Random Dithering"

Except I wasn't doing it all pixel by pixel, but I copied a group of pixels I previously made (pixel by pixel) and pasted it over and over..

@S2E: As a members of the Pixeljoint community, you and I are equally free and capable of writing a clear and concise list of rules. If you have suggestions or improvements to the rules, you may post them.

Tiles are created to tile together coherently on a set grid, the result is controlled. this method creates new uncontrolled pixel clusters, and even without the tiling aspect it is still an oekaki approach. If the result looks the same as a spraycan, why does it matter if a spraycan was used or not?

Also, this 'pixel by pixel' thing isn't literal, it's an expression of the control one has over the placement of the individual pixel in relation to surrounding pixels and clusters.

The rest of the piece looks really good, this is an easy and quick fix. Jeremy's edits provide a decent starting point.


Edited by cure - 03 May 2012 at 10:34am

Your mockups are terrific and in real world application even the gradients are acceptable.
Your piece was sent back (by me) because the gradient was brought up but your 'brush' solution was even worse as it had even less control, on the pixel level.
Additionally, some members had reported the piece, which is a kiss of death. PJ staff is not the sole judge of accepted work.
To be honest your Link(avatar) piece did get buried in the queue and should have been added sooner...sorry about that.
Bear in mind that PJ and any pixelart site is made up of people into the art and we are naturally extra critical because of it. Everyone wants to see awesome work and anything that is seen as lazy, unpure and uncontrolled riles people up.

*Hybrid pixelart is cool and often done. The PJ gallery is a showcase of pixel technique and prowess so we are slightly more strict and anal than we should be but without this the gallery would lose control and every art would suffer.
If we allow any 'funny business' on any piece even 1% then 2% is cool so why not 20%, 50% or even 80%. Its harsh but 0% has worked for over a decade in the long run.

If you really hate a rejection which only means 'update/correct' then post a WIP thread, ask any member you admire or whatever you need ;)

@S2Elaine, You are completely wrong! We may 'want' to see awesome but we can very well appreciate 'good'. I would like to think people judge anything on its own merit and never against another pixelart or particular artist. It makes no sense and its silly to do so. I personally, judge any pixel on the creator and their work at their current level and skill set. This is certainly how I evaluate any work when adding to the gallery. Not perfect and we all fail. PJ is community driven and input from all is very much encouraged.
Why recently a new member joined with some rather sloppy, nontechnical simplistic and cartoony work. Benefit of the doubt has been granted (first 3 pieces are very iffy but good enough and if noone bitches they can remain in the gallery. This person has in those 3 pieces shown some degree of improvement and therefore they are 'awesome' and work I look forward to seeing.
Then a few days ago this person (NOT A PRO and frankly a n00b) added a new piece which is full of banding, sloppy areas, simplistic outlining, amateurish BG, oddly organized palette with much room for improvement...
...I can't take my eyes off the piece. I have been so busy I barely have any free time at all but since added when I log into PJ to do my Mod duties I look at that piece again and 'feel' and smile. Its pieces like this that on occasion remind me why I love pixels and why I can't ever stop pushing them.
Is it just me? NO! Its currently #1 on the weekly showcase and praise is very high on such a simplistic, poorly pixelled, banded, poor palette and crazy-assed bad black outlining among the worse offenses (there are more). And its not a 'pro' or insider...this is a Pj myth. Quality and creativity trumps all.
We like being WOWed by prowess and artistic expression within pixelart parameters. In this case there is no denying that control is everywhere on the piece (not high skilled tho). The palette is awful but the piece looks so moody, atmospheric and terrific!. However its so well crafted, laid out, full of individuality and creativity...I could go on and on its the best pixel I've seen in ages.
The person, their skill level, and all else comes in much later on.
nedhugar



Edited by jalonso - 04 May 2012 at 11:48am