Hino teaches spriting: Part 2 - Lines/Curves
 

Assuming you plan the inclusion of line art in your piece, this section should also have an important role.

The medium of pixel art can be thought analogous to the painting concept of seeing the "big picture". Although you are working in a tiny area with pixels, the image as a whole when viewed without magnification must be taken into account.

The creation of straight lines, simple enough is the repetition of a pattern to meet your desired angle. Sticking to a pattern for the slope will determine the angle. For example:

• 2 pixels, go up one row, repeat
• 3 pixels, go up one row, 2 pixels, go on one row, repeat

http://goput.it/s5q.png

This concept is very simple in execution and you should be able to see the results. Generally speaking, symmetrical straight lines do not often occur in nature, so straight lines can be important to imply that an object is manmade.

Since the pixels their selves are squares arranged on a grid, creating contours must be subtly implied. Take into account the earlier concept of following a pattern for the arrangement, but apply some subtractive principle to gently contour the shape.

https://goput.it/xbk.png

The slope, again, can determine how round or deep you want your curve to be.

These concepts are vital not only for line art, but the execution of determining your lines and curves can define the shapes of the forms you are trying to portray.