Need Help?
 

Ok, tried this once before, but it never took. So, I'll do it more carefully this time, so that all of you can understand it better (hopefully).


Try to remember;

Pistol - 32x19 pixels (Thats the BIGGEST they should be. Its the size of the Blue Pistole.)
Rifles - 58x19 pixels (Thats the BIGGEST they should be. Thats the size of the Photon.)
Support - 58x22 pixels (That's the size of the Chaingun.)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Coloring/Shading (Will add different things, as time goes by)


Step 1;
http://img518.imageshack.us/img518/9493/step1mu9.png
Ok, What were doing here (after you have a basic outline for a gun), is getting the colors you want the gun to have. I chose 1 basic color (a light grey), 3 darker shades of the basic color, and 4 lighter shades of the basic color. The shades have to show when your not zoomed in, so try not to choose colors close together.
(Example: This is the basic color I chose,
http://img526.imageshack.us/img526/7...iccoloruy1.png

Now what you want to do, to pick the next color is something like,
http://img58.imageshack.us/img58/157...oloryesgj6.png

YOU DO NOT WANT TO DO THIS;
http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/6...colornoxk3.png
You can barely tell that there is any difference at all in the colors. That's not the "Zone" way of shading.

Step 2;
http://img518.imageshack.us/img518/5971/step2ym1.png
Ok, now that you have your basic color, and its shades, your ready to start coloring. So just fill the gun outline, with the basic color you want the gun to have. I chose a light grey, but you can choose any color you want.

Step 3;
http://img512.imageshack.us/img512/7323/step3db7.png
Alright. The gun outline is now filled in with your basic color, so now its up to you, to choose how the light will be hitting the weapon. I chose for the light to hit from directly above the weapon. So go along with your first dark shade, and make a line under things that you want to "pop" out. (meaning there overlapping something)

Step 4;
http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/5446/step4to5.png
Now, you have one dark shade, so lets match that up with the first lighter shade. Just go along the weapon, and color the parts of the weapon that are "poping" out (Overlapping something).

Step 5;
http://img512.imageshack.us/img512/9372/step5nc3.png
Alright, now you have your light and dark shades on the weapon. Now pick the 2nd darker shade, and start to fill in spots that should be darker than the first dark shade. (Make sure to only use the 2nd shade ontop of the first one).

Step 6;
http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/3139/step6xp6.png
Now do what you did the last step, but apply it to the 2nd lighter shade. I would only leave about 1-2 pixels of the first light shade, the rest I would fill with the 2nd light shade. Remember now that your using a brighter color, that means its going to look like whatever you shade with that color is sticking out more, so try not to go "crazy" with it. (Try to keep it in the first light shade)

Step 7;
http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/1892/step7bd6.png
Alright, now take your final, darkest color, and apply it to where the light is hitting least. (Keep it inside the 2nd dark shade).

Step 8;
http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/8936/step8ee5.png
The 3rd lighter color, should be added ontop of the 2nd light shade. Remember only leave about 1-2 pixels of the 2nd light shade that you color over.

Step 9;
http://img129.imageshack.us/img129/192/step9qa6.png
Ok, this is the final real step. Just add the lighest color ontop of the 3rd lightest shade. These spots WILL stand out because there so bright. So once again, don't go too crazy with it.

Step 10;
http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/450/step10zl4.png
Now just zoom out. Lol.

*Side note;
Notice how the handle is shaded;
http://img340.imageshack.us/img340/4213/step11at5.png
Try to shade your handles like this.

This seems helpful if only I could get a basic outline of a gun...

I plan on adding that soon. Was going to do it now, but I'm not feeling up to it. Might end up doing it tonight though, lol.

Oh which program are you using?

Paint Shop Pro 11 (I only use Paint Shop Pro, I just get the latest version).

Paint ftw thats what i use i cant aford your fancy things :(

I found a free version of paintshop pro 10 will that work fine?

Yes, paint shop pro 10 is pretty much the same as 11.

They have the same setup and everything, only different thing is that 10 doesn't have as much options for like editing photos and things. But that doesn't really matter when your pixeling. :P

well i guess ill try one , once you make an outline tutorial

Well I got bored and decided to mess around with PSP 11. I did a Steyr Army-Universal-Gewehr outline if you guys wanna try it, I'll post mine in a bit. It's pretty basic but I did it off of the basic idea of a 9mm, didn't add the ammo clip yet, might do that later if it'll look better.

edit: added ammo clip
edit2: Still a bit too large, 87x29.
edit3: Should be smaller now.
edit4: Shaded

ooh ooh can i color?

Sure.

The only thing I don't like about it, is the way the back of the gun was shaded.

If you used more colors, it might have fit in with Zone actually. :o

It's got at least 5, but I from what I've seen steyr's don't vary much in color. I'll most likely go back and change the tint on the clip.

edit: changed back

Just changed the left one, to show you what "zone"s style would look like.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Creating an Outline (Rifles)

Step 1;
http://img340.imageshack.us/img340/4729/costep1ol8.png
Ok, first your going to want to choose what you want your barrel to look like. So just make it about 8-10 pixels long at most, and make sure it looks like the barrel of a gun.

Step 2;
http://img407.imageshack.us/img407/7176/costep2vd4.png
Now you'll want to do an outline of the "nose" of the gun (I guess?). The part that connects to the barrel.

Step 3;
http://img340.imageshack.us/img340/9871/costep3zt5.png
Ok, now choose what you want the "Body" of the gun to look like. (The rest of the weapon). I gave it sort of a redrifle feel, or so. (The way it rounds off in the back a little)

Step 4;
http://img407.imageshack.us/img407/4448/costep4fj7.png
Now design the insides. Remember you can add anything you want in here. Sometimes it doesn't even have to make sence, as long as you shade it right. ^^

Step 5;
http://img518.imageshack.us/img518/8731/costep5gc5.png
Now, you just have to color it. :)

*Note;

Remember, just because the outline doesn't look to good to you, always color it first before tossing it away. You'd be surprised what things look like with a bit of color. :)

(If someone could attach this to my first post, and delete this part, it would be nice. :) )

So just darkening the edges? Easy.
edit: Added all four sprites, I don't remember the angle of the up/down angles.

Nice looking gun, wish I could make guns :P

Hehe, I've had a go. It's very fun once you get into it. I can see why you make so many! It has come out a bit small but I think it is ok for a proper first try! :p (The actual gun image itself I was GFXing from had a basic shell so don't blame me on some bland areas >_<)

I think I might have made some mistakes with the shading. Please give advice. :frown: If you can even see it. XD

its so small i can't help you.

Grrr, why is it so small!?

You made it that way silly!

lol@john's post but im going to make one now I guess hopefully it will go better than the one I made last night >.>

I tried!
http://img528.imageshack.us/img528/4...pistoledf6.png

Anuber! Bubblebeam!

Lolololol go home.
http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/4...pistolelv0.png

and so I made some horribly small dual wield pistols in about 5 minutes using paint lol

These are great! (For first goes under Sayian's guide)

Well, the guns outline you did looked sort of like a gun already ingame. So I just redid the outline and added a few things, to make it look more different;
http://img482.imageshack.us/img482/7...uwaediton7.png

You seem to be doing "era" type shading, or something of the sort.
http://img252.imageshack.us/img252/5048/huwag1qd3.png
Look at the 2 images. Yours (The one on bottom), and mine (the one on top). See how your shadings seem to stop in random places? Try to shade going down from the top to bottom of the gun, instead of sideways...do you see what I mean?

It doesn't look like it would fit in with Zone to much, but still its good. But your shading is making it look to smooth. Remember guns get bumpy, there not completely flat. I guess just add a little more detail to it

The only thing I think is out of place, is on the up/down sprites. Those bigass poles or something? try moving those ontop of the weapon, instead of hanging off so much.

It still hasn't cured my bad graphics I spent the last hour on this. Its hard!
setnick Person unable ot draw stick people
Question: How do you tell if a color is a zone color?

Reshade mine please, I need an example.

The scope on the Steyr is placed close to a 45 degree angle jutting out from the weapon so that it may be used automatic (spray and pray) or semi automatic with scope for improved accuracy. I also ended up added some shape to the scope. Working on an XM8 outline now.
edit: I got lazy, I'll do it tomorrow or later.

Where can you get your paint program you mentioned earlier sayain? Is it possible to get it for free? Can you pm me?

Wow, it looks good enough for Zone!

Possibly. ;)

i saved that so i can get teh colors sayian uses :O

I couldn't make yours ouy. It wouldn't show up on my computer clearly. Try saving it as .png next time. :)

I tried but shading thing confused me. Made it with paint.