Plot twist: The sci-fi / fantasy graphic novel trilogy I have been talking about since I started this site is now going to be released as a multi-issue series (compiled into a trilogy of trade paperbacks upon completion). Oh yeah, and it’s also going to be completely done in pixel art.

So after all that practice with digital painting and searching for a style that suits this content, how have I landed on pixel art? Well, I guess I don’t really know… I’ve been listening to a ton of 80’s inspired electronic music lately, and playing a lot of retro video games. Also, I think the 80’s nostalgia train ran me over while watching Stranger Things last summer (as I sit here typing this in my He-Man t-shirt).

I’ve always been a big fan of traditional comic book art, so I started out using standard black outlines. That style is more intuitive for me, but I quickly discovered that outlines don’t work very well in pixel form when you try to show smaller objects or things in the distance. I’ve also decided to go with a more modern style that I’ve seen around recently. You’ll notice in the sample image here that I’m using some smooth color gradients and lighting effects – two techniques that weren’t really possible in a typical 8-bit or 16-bit game.

You can find a brief plot synopsis, and some more info about the upcoming series on the Neon Cell page.