What Size Canvas for Drawing Sprites?

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Crobi
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What Size Canvas for Drawing Sprites?

#1 Post by Crobi »

Hello!

So I'm trying to start something and my vn is in 1280x720. I finished the lineart for some sprites, but I like to work big. Like really big. The sprites are around 2232 x 6480 px with a dpi/resolution of 72. (I use photoshop.)

I like to be able to zoom in and not have the details be blurry when I'm drawing. The issue is, when I try to put the character in renpy, they're huge (understandably). I tried resizing the lineart, but it looks horrible. I tried the bicubic sharpener and everything and the lines just look wonky when I resize them.

So my question is, is there any way to resize the sprites? Or do I have to redraw them at a smaller size. If I have to redraw them at a smaller size, then what size?

If possible I don't want to have to redraw them smaller.

Also, could I change the dpi to something higher and then be able to redraw it at the same size? I heard somewhere that it might resize better, or maybe I'm just crazy.

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Re: What Size Canvas for Drawing Sprites?

#2 Post by Gear »

My sprites are drawn at 3500x1422 with 72 dpi, and are resized to 890px tall in Photoshop using automatic sampling. My sprites don't seem to have any distortions that I notice. How exactly are you resizing them, and can we see one of the wonky sprites post-resizing?
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Re: What Size Canvas for Drawing Sprites?

#3 Post by Crobi »

Gear wrote: Wed Jan 30, 2019 5:08 pm My sprites are drawn at 3500x1422 with 72 dpi, and are resized to 890px tall in Photoshop using automatic sampling. My sprites don't seem to have any distortions that I notice. How exactly are you resizing them, and can we see one of the wonky sprites post-resizing?
I'm just using the "image size" function. Here is before and after the resize.

Before
https://sta.sh/0s8b9pf2cyu

After
https://sta.sh/02du98wf2334

The lines seem, not smooth anymore.

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Re: What Size Canvas for Drawing Sprites?

#4 Post by Gear »

Switch it off Bicubic and set it to automatic. See if that helps.
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Re: What Size Canvas for Drawing Sprites?

#5 Post by Crobi »

Gear wrote: Wed Jan 30, 2019 5:19 pm Switch it off Bicubic and set it to automatic. See if that helps.
Here. I don't think it looks better or maybe it does I can't tell? It might look better after I colour it so we'll have to see.
https://sta.sh/02a0he6n0b6k

Thank you though, I really appreciate the response. :)

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Re: What Size Canvas for Drawing Sprites?

#6 Post by Gear »

Huh. It seems to have slightly improved, but still has some jagged features. Not sure what you should do next. Coloring it may help disguise the distortions, but I'm clueless as to what could be causing the problem in the first place. Sorry about that.
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Re: What Size Canvas for Drawing Sprites?

#7 Post by Crobi »

Gear wrote: Wed Jan 30, 2019 5:26 pm Huh. It seems to have slightly improved, but still has some jagged features. Not sure what you should do next. Coloring it may help disguise the distortions, but I'm clueless as to what could be causing the problem in the first place. Sorry about that.
I coloured a bit of his arm and I think with the automatic sampler it's looking better. I mean the lines are still slightly jagged, but the colour really takes away from it so I think I'm good now. Thank you!

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Re: What Size Canvas for Drawing Sprites?

#8 Post by Imperf3kt »

Try drawing at a higher dpi. I suggest 300. You should be able to change your already drawn sprite through the settings, without affecting what you've drawn.
https://forums.adobe.com/thread/2303152
While the linked forum is about printing, the same logic applies for resizing images.
See also https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dots_per_inch
And more importantly, https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raster_graphics
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Re: What Size Canvas for Drawing Sprites?

#9 Post by puppetbomb »

If you go into Photoshop > File > Save for Web, it'll pop up a window that will let you preview a copy of your image.

It should look like this:
Screenshot 2019-02-01 18.23.13.png

The area I highlighted is where you can adjust how the image is downsampled. What you see in the image area should be exactly what the image looks like on the web.

Hope this helps!

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Re: What Size Canvas for Drawing Sprites?

#10 Post by YuukiCrossPudding »

Usually I work on minimum 3000x4000 px (or more) with 400 dpi. I used to work on smaller scale before but it makes my drawing a bit blurry.
As for resizing I didn't encounter any problems using those settings.

Like Imperf3kt mentioned I suggest making the dpi higher in that case as that's might be the problem

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Re: What Size Canvas for Drawing Sprites?

#11 Post by isobellesophia »

I use 2000x2000 or 1500x1500 sometimes 3000x3000 and 600 dpi, depends on how many characters i draw, i am interested in bigger canvas than smaller canvas, which is too very boring for me.

I use photoshop sometimes.. just for a special editing skillz or some effects in my drawing,
(Its my hoobbiee... 😢)
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