This course is aimed to give you the tools and knowledge you need to start creating simple art for video games made in the Unity game engine. Through the aesthetic of pixel art we will explore artistic principals like shape language, color theory, and composition as well as show you a step by step workflow for creating assets that you can use to make your own games. The course is broken into 4 main modules, props, environments, characters, and animation. Each of these courses will have a series of video lessons alternating between artistic and technical skills culminating in a peer-reviewed project based assignment. The last module will challenge you to take the knowledge learned in the previous 4 and use it to create your own pixel art asset pack.
This course is aimed at art novices who are interested in creating art for their own games or contributing to game projects. If you are a game designer or programmer, you will find this course helps give you a glimpse into the world of game art. You will be able to better work with artists, or create your own prototype or final artwork. If you are an artist or visual designer who is interested in bringing your style to the world of video game development, this course will give you the workflow to properly interface with a game engine and help contextualize how your artistic sensibilities can enable gameplay.
If you have ever wanted to start making art for video games but have no idea how to start, this course is the perfect for giving you a solid foundation while teaching you usable practical skills. Our goal is to give you a sense of the whole pipeline from creation to setting up in a game engine.
Pixel Art for Video Games
Offered By
Michigan State University
Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
Week
13 hours to complete
Week 1: Introduction to Pixel Art
6 videos (Total 27 min), 2 quizzes
6 videos
Welcome!1m
Introduction to Photoshop5m
Photoshop for Pixel Art5m
Basic Color Theory5m
Making a Pixel Art Asset4m
Importing Pixel Art into Unity4m
1 practice exercise
Pixel art prop checklist12m
Week
23 hours to complete
Week 2: Pixel Art Environments
6 videos (Total 29 min), 2 quizzes
6 videos
Environment Design9m
Creating a Modular Pixel Art Tile2m
Making a Pixel Art Tiling Set3m
Pixel Art Backgrounds4m
Importing Tiles into Unity3m
1 practice exercise
Pixel art environment checklist16m
Week
33 hours to complete
Week 3: Pixel Art Characters
7 videos (Total 44 min), 2 quizzes
7 videos
Designing with Color Schemes8m
Blocking in a Pixel Art Character2m
Adding Color to a Pixel Art Character1m
Photoshop Brushes4m
Finishing the Pixel Art Character2m
Designing Pixel Art Enemies1m
1 practice exercise
Pixel art character checklist8m
Week
43 hours to complete
Week 4: Pixel Art Animation
6 videos (Total 22 min), 2 quizzes
6 videos
Animation in Photoshop2m
Animating an Idle Animation2m
Animating a Run Cycle4m
Jumping Animation3m
Importing Pixel Animations into Unity4m
1 practice exercise
Pixel art animation checklist10m
4.4
7 ReviewsTop Reviews
This was one of the most helpful courses I've ever done about game development or design. It is easy to follow and understand and it is also very rewarding.
Instructors
Andrew Dennis
Professor of PracticeMedia and Information
Ricardo Guimaraes
Professor of PracticeMedia and Information
About Michigan State University
Michigan State University has been advancing the common good with uncommon will for more than 150 years.
One of the top research universities in the world, MSU pushes the boundaries of discovery and forges enduring partnerships to solve the most pressing global challenges while providing life-changing opportunities to a diverse and inclusive academic community through more than 200 programs of study in 17 degree-granting colleges.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Once you enroll for a Certificate, you’ll have access to all videos, quizzes, and programming assignments (if applicable). Peer review assignments can only be submitted and reviewed once your session has begun. If you choose to explore the course without purchasing, you may not be able to access certain assignments.
What will I get if I purchase the Certificate?
When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
What is the refund policy?
Is financial aid available?
Do I need to use Photoshop?
You can use any image manipulation program you like, however as Photoshop is an industry standard image tool and works directly with Unity, we chose to instruct the course with it in mind.
Why do I need to learn to import things into Unity if I'm an artist?
Projects and companies can vary wildly between who is responsible for what. Even if you end up working on a project where you as an artist simply create the art and are not required to handle the engine side of things; understanding how to prepare an asset for a game engine and the work involved will make you a better team member. You should always strive to have some understanding of how your work interfaces with others.
Wow, this seems like too much work!
While the style taught here is simple 2d game art designed to get you up and running quickly, you will find the difficulty of the projects has a lot to do with the complexity you attempt. If it is your first time tackling these subjects I recommend keeping it simple for this course. You can always spend more time later improving and polishing your work. Perfect is the enemy of done!
More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.
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