How to Draw Pixel Art
A Beginner's Guide
Want to try pixel art but don't know where to start? This beginner-friendly guide will walk you through everything from scratch.
8x8 pixel art examples — you'll be able to create art like these
What Is Pixel Art?
Pixel art is a form of digital art where images are created by placing colors one pixel at a time. Born from the era of NES and Game Boy graphics, pixel art is now popular across indie games, social media icons, NFT art, and more.
With limited pixels to work with, every single dot matters. Simple yet deep — that's the beauty of pixel art.
Step 1: Choose Your Canvas Size
First, decide on your canvas size (resolution). Here are recommended sizes for beginners.
- 8x8 — Smallest size. Perfect for icons and emojis. Great practice due to constraints
- 16x16 — Classic size. For game characters and items. Most recommended for beginners
- 32x32 — More detailed expression. Try this when you're comfortable
- 64x64 — Larger size. Suitable for backgrounds and full scenes
Start with 16x16. It's small enough to finish quickly, giving you a sense of accomplishment.
Step 2: Learn How to Choose Colors
Pixel art looks better with fewer colors. Start with just 3-5 colors. For detailed color techniques, see our Color Palette Guide.
Basic Color Selection Rules
- Choose one main color (e.g., body color of a character)
- Prepare lighter and darker versions of your main color (highlights and shadows)
- Add one accent color (for eyes, accessories, etc.)
- Decide on a background color (transparent or simple solid)
Referencing color palettes from existing pixel art is a great approach. Try extracting colors from screenshots of your favorite retro games.
Step 3: Basic Drawing Techniques
Start with the Outline
Start by drawing the outline. Use black or dark colors to sketch the rough shape. Don't aim for perfection at this stage — just get the general shape right.
Fill in the Colors
Once the outline is set, fill the inside with your main color. Using the fill tool makes this quick and efficient.
Add Shadows and Highlights
Decide on a light source direction, then place shadows (darker color) and highlights (lighter color). This alone creates a sense of depth.
The standard light source is from the upper left. Try adding shadows so that the upper-left is brighter and the lower-right is darker.
Step 4: Common Beginner Mistakes
-
Using too many colors
→ Practice with fewer colors first. Too many colors can make it look inconsistent -
Canvas too large
→ Large canvases require more work and can be overwhelming. Start with 16x16 -
Applying anti-aliasing
→ Keep anti-aliasing OFF for pixel art. Sharp, crisp lines are what define the style -
Seeking perfection
→ Finishing is more important than perfection. You'll improve with each piece
Step 5: Draw Your First Piece
Now that you know the basics, it's time to practice! Pick one of these subjects and complete your first piece.
- An apple (simple shape + shadow practice)
- A heart (symmetry practice)
- A sword or potion (game item style)
- Your avatar (first step in character design)
Apple
Heart
Sword
Robot
Use these as reference and try creating your first piece!
Start Drawing Now
With Pixnote Editor Lite, just open your browser and start creating pixel art right away.
Open Editor Lite →Next Steps
Once you've mastered the basics, continue building your skills.