I see this on many new (and a few experienced) users’s games. Mixels. M i x e l s . They are atrocious, but let me clarify what they are to the unaware:
Mixels is the practice of making pixel art where you change the pixel size for certain parts or just in the art. For example changing pixel size from 3 to 2.
Mixels, 99.5% of the time make games look awful. But why?
There are lots of books and art tutorials, etc etc etc. But to keep it simple, mixels feel uncanny, strange, and just… unprofessional.
When you make art for a game, it’s important to make a consistent art style. Games without consistent art styles stick out like a sore thumb and it’s noticeable. And that’s what mixels are.
Mixels are trying to mix one genre of pixel art with another. By doubling/halving the pixel size, the rules change completely. There are rules and ways people design characters with few pixels. THIS should be done instead of mixels.
Say you’re making a game, and you get far, and now you need to make a mouse. But the pixel size is too big to make the details you want. What do you do? The correct answer is adapting to the pixel sizes and seeing what you can do with a tiny canvas. It challenges you as an artist, it improves your skills, and your game doesn’t feel like all the sprites were downloaded from different sites.
I can GUARANTEE that the moment YOU choose to stop using mixels your art and games will improve. Of course not using mixels doesn’t lead to great art, but not using mixels is an essential part of pixel art on par with not hitting pedestrians being an essential part of driving.
The only time you should use mixels is when you’re making a background layer. If the canvas is too many pixels, you can change the pixel size of the background, but you still can’t change the pixel size within the background. Keep your pixel sizes the same throughout each layer of your game. P l e a s e .
