Remember when we all used to make pixel art with the spray can tool in MS Paint?

I tried using that same old spray can on a new piece, aiming for a retro feel, but it just looked messy and flat compared to modern tools. I learned that the nostalgia is in the idea, not the exact tool, and swapped to a custom brush that gave me the look I wanted. Anyone have a go-to brush or method for making new art feel intentionally old-school?

3 comments

3 Comments

felix9815h ago

You said the nostalgia is in the idea, not the tool, and that's so true. I get a good retro feel by limiting my color palette to like 16 colors max, that forces a certain look more than any brush. A low opacity dithering brush helps a lot too for that pixel art texture.

ellis.jennifer8h ago

I mean it's just pixels on a screen, idk if we need to overthink it that much.

riley_bell8h ago

Totally agree with the color limit thing... read an old interview with a game artist who said they'd plan the whole palette around a single skin tone first, because that was the hardest color to get right with so few options. Makes you work way differently. Dithering brushes are a nice cheat for that old magazine print look too.