Pixel art and wood painting

[Galkar]

I'm after using my roommate's longboard for a bit, I think I'm going to get one and have already started thinking about what to paint on the bottom of the deck. I want to do some kind of collaboration of various pixelated video game characters like Link and Mario and Crono. The problem is I've never really done any kind of visual art or painting besides painting miniatures which is completely different.

So my questions are these:

1. Would the wood need to be primed at all for the paint to stick, or can I just paint straight onto the wood and have it be fine? I ask because when I do paint miniatures I have to spray paint them first or else the paint will not stick well to the plastic.

2. should I coat it with any kind of finish when it's done to seal it like I do with models, or should I just leave it when I'm done?

and 3. Does anyone have any suggestions for how to lay out the images/pixels or just in general how to keep the grids and lines even and straight? As I said I don't really have any experience with painting, so although I've always been interested in painted pixel art, I have no idea how to go about doing it.

[The Masterplan]

I can't help you out cause I don't know anything about this, but it sounds like a pretty cool idea. Did you have any concept sketches?

[Makil]

Sometimes you can just paint straight onto the wood depending on if it's varnished or not I believe. I don't think decks are but I dunno been a while since I've looked at one. I would put a coat of gesso (you can get this at any art supply store) on just in case the paint doesn't stick to the wood. As for finishing it, yea you might want to get some varnish to apply to it afterwards to seal the paint, and protect it so it won't be scratched off real easily.

As for keeping the lines straight and everything, I would make a stencil of the outline of each character, and then grid inside of it (make sure to use a ruler). And just be sure to tape it off around each one you lay down so when you paint, you won't ruin the line by going outside of it.

[Galkar]

I can't help you out cause I don't know anything about this, but it sounds like a pretty cool idea. Did you have any concept sketches?

Only vaguely in my mind since I just started thinking about this today.

I figured I would have this triforce picture prominently in the middle with link holding his sword up underneath it and the various other characters on either side of it.

Sometimes you can just paint straight onto the wood depending on if it's varnished or not I believe. I don't think decks are but I dunno been a while since I've looked at one. I would put a coat of gesso (you can get this at any art supply store) on just in case the paint doesn't stick to the wood. As for finishing it, yea you might want to get some varnish to apply to it afterwards to seal the paint, and protect it so it won't be scratched off real easily.

As for keeping the lines straight and everything, I would make a stencil of the outline of each character, and then grid inside of it (make sure to use a ruler). And just be sure to tape it off around each one you lay down so when you paint, you won't ruin the line by going outside of it.

Thanks, the stencil is a great idea.

[The Masterplan]

As for keeping the lines straight and everything, I would make a stencil of the outline of each character, and then grid inside of it (make sure to use a ruler). And just be sure to tape it off around each one you lay down so when you paint, you won't ruin the line by going outside of it.

That's actually a really good idea; Seeing as how you want it to be pixelated anyway, everything would be perfectly square so if you made a grid on a drawing with a proper scale ratio it could transfer damn near perfectly with ease.

[Tanni Foemangler]

ya, do what makil said

and if the board comes with some crazy varnish that won't accept paint, you can always sand it off and paint on the raw wood

[Galkar]

Thanks everyone, this should help a ton.

[Makil]

Post pics as it progresses :cool:

[Galkar]

Post pics as it progresses

I will as soon as I start. I haven't even ordered the board yet, though, so it will be a while.

EDIT: Also if anyone has any suggestions for characters to use, I still need to come up with more. So far I'm thinking Link, Crono, Frog, Squirtle, Mario, Black Mage, and maybe Sonic.

[Makil]

Oh also it might be a good idea to go to a site with the sprites on them, enlarge to the size you want, and print them out. It'll help when you want to start the grid, that way you can get it exact.

[Tanni Foemangler]

you have permission to use my custom Super Dodgeball sprite

:whistling: :whistling:

[Galkar]

you have permission to use my custom Super Dodgeball sprite

:whistling:

Nice plug, dude

I always liked that avatar, though. I may very well use it.

Oh also it might be a good idea to go to a site with the sprites on them, enlarge to the size you want, and print them out. It'll help when you want to start the grid, that way you can get it exact.

Yeah, I spent some time drawing a kind of map of the Link sprite that I want, and I'll probably do the same for the other ones.

[ROCKSTEADY]

i already have cardboard stencils of all most all the SMB sprites, most of the duckhunt ones, and some other various NES ones. These were my steps...

1. Print out as many copies as you will need colors.

2. label colors accordingly

3. Tape the copies to cardboard (i like to standardize all the stenz' too 8x12)

4. use an exacto knife to cut out the various color sections

5. (i use spray paint, but choose your medium) then just make sure that you spray the colors in the right order, it not too hard.

i like using this method because its quick, repairable, easy, and almost free. If you want to spray it on a non flat surface, make sure you have the plies going vertically or horizontally. I make sure my cardboard ply runs diagonally, i found that this makes it far more rigid.

Also, Longboards are for suckaz :hardgay:

[LeadingMan]

I will as soon as I start. I haven't even ordered the board yet, though, so it will be a while.

EDIT: Also if anyone has any suggestions for characters to use, I still need to come up with more. So far I'm thinking Link, Crono, Frog, Squirtle, Mario, Black Mage, and maybe Sonic.

Pixel sausage-fest. Just sayin'.

[Galkar]

Pixel sausage-fest. Just sayin'.

Have any suggestions?

EDIT: Here is what I've got so far for the possible layout. I really don't know anything about composition or anything like that, so I don't really know what to do besides a very simple layout. I want to have some kind of background also, but I don't know what yet.

Excuse the crappy everything, I've literally never used photoshop before, and I don't know how to do anything cleanly at all. That and it's just supposed to be a rough outline.

EDIT 2: and I would put another character in between Kirby and Duran, I just haven't decided who yet.

[LeadingMan]

Samus. Duh. =P

[Galkar]

Would acrylic paint be the best kind to use on wood?

[Makil]

Would acrylic paint be the best kind to use on wood?

Yea pretty much, can't go wrong with it. It's pretty easy paint to work with as it is.

[Galkar]

I'm thinking this will be the final design to go on the deck, though of course it would hopefully end up looking much cleaner.

EDIT: I may replace Laharl with a prinny.

[noodle]

i was going to say stencil/spraypaint until i saw how intricate your design became.

megan man maybe? some ducks to hunt?

bulbasaur.

[Galkar]

I think I'm pretty much set now on the characters that will be on there, but if anyone has any suggestions for the background design I'd be glad to hear them as I'm not entirely pleased with the arrangement and design.