:INFO
Creating Pixel Art Characters for Games with Aseprite
Creating pixel art character sprites for games using Aseprite. Covers canvas sizing, building a limited color palette, and animating walk and idle cycles.


:COUNTER.half
16 x 16 px
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4 to 8 Colors

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Setup and Canvas
Install Aseprite. Create a new file at 16x16 or 32x32 pixels depending on your style target. Set the color mode to indexed. Define your palette before drawing. Use a reference from a game you admire.

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Character Design
Start with a silhouette. A readable silhouette at small size is the first test of a good character design. Add detail only after the silhouette reads clearly. Limit your color count strictly.

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Animation
Animate the idle first (2 to 4 frames). Then the walk cycle (6 to 8 frames). Use Aseprite's onion skinning to track motion. Export sprite sheets with the built-in JSON export for use in Godot, Unity, or GameMaker.

:CHECKLIST
Character Production Checklist
[ ] Canvas size set and consistent across all frames
[ ] Palette defined and locked before drawing
[ ] Silhouette readable at 1x scale
[ ] Idle animation looping cleanly
[ ] Walk cycle exported as sprite sheet
[ ] JSON data exported alongside sprite sheet

:NOTE
Aseprite is the industry standard for pixel art and costs around 20 USD as a one-time purchase. The source code is also available to compile for free if you prefer. It is worth purchasing to support development.


:LINK
https://www.aseprite.org/docs/
Official Aseprite documentation and animation tutorials