---
# System prepended metadata

title: 'PIF: Spriting Guidelines'
tags: [Sprite Guides]

---

<a id="Top"></a>
![PIFLogo](https://hackmd.io/_uploads/H1znUrR3kx.png)
###### PIF Logo by ==Doctor Miawoo==
# PIF: Spriting Guidelines

## Introduction
The purpose of this guide is to teach and give an overview of the fundamentals of making fusion sprites for Pokémon Infinite Fusion (PIF). If you are new at working on sprites, this should be useful to you. Artists of all skill levels and ages are welcome to make sprites for the game. If you need help with anything, we have a great group of artists in the Discord server who would be more than happy to help you get through any struggles you're having!

If you're not already part of the official Discord server, you can join [<font color="FC5203">**HERE**</font>](https://discord.gg/tmDkVGVXRA).

#### Guide Contents:
- [<font color="FC5203">Getting Started</font>](#Start)
    - [<font color="FC5203">How do I become a Spriter?</font>](#HowTo)
    - [<font color="FC5203">What program do I use?</font>](#Programs)
    - [<font color="FC5203">Where do I start?</font>](#Start)
    - [<font color="FC5203">What makes a fusion?</font>](#Fusion)
    - [<font color="FC5203">Mains & Alts</font>](#Status)
    - [<font color="FC5203">Pokémon Style</font>](#Style)
- [<font color="FC5203">Technical Information</font>](#Tech)
    - [<font color="FC5203">Half-Pixels</font>](#Half-Pixels)
    - [<font color="FC5203">Stray Pixels</font>](#StrayPixels)
    - [<font color="FC5203">Color Palettes</font>](#Palettes)
    - [<font color="FC5203">Recoloring</font>](#Recolor)
    - [<font color="FC5203">Adding New Colors</font>](#NewColors)
    - [<font color="FC5203">Outlines</font>](#Outlines)
    - [<font color="FC5203">Shading</font>](#Shading)
    - [<font color="FC5203">Anti-Aliasing</font>](#AA)
    - [<font color="FC5203">Dithering</font>](#Dither)
    - [<font color="FC5203">Textures</font>](#Texture)
    - [<font color="FC5203">Special Effects</font>](#SFX)
- [<font color="FC5203">Around the Server</font>](#Server)
    - [<font color="FC5203">Spritework</font>](#Spritework)
    - [<font color="FC5203">Spriting Discussion & "is-my-sprite-ready"</font>](#SpDisc)
    - [<font color="FC5203">Sprite Errors</font>](#SpErrors)
    - [<font color="FC5203">Feedback</font>](#Feedback)
    - [<font color="FC5203">Sprite Gallery</font>](#Gallery)
- [<font color="FC5203">Additional Information</font>](#AddInfo)
    - [<font color="FC5203">Making a Sprite from Scratch</font>](#Scratch)
    - [<font color="FC5203">Additional Resources</font>](#AddRes)

<a id="Start"></a>
## Getting Started

<a id="HowTo"></a>
### How to become a Spriter
To apply for the spriter role, you need to make 3 Pokémon fusion sprites and then follow the procedure outlined in the [Apply For Spriter Channel](<https://discord.com/channels/302153478556352513/1134483288703119361>)! Please don't post your spriter application in other channels or DM the sprite managers.

You need the spriter role to post your fusions in sprite-gallery and for some contests.
<a id="Programs"></a>
### What program do I use?
The program you use is a personal choice based on what best fits your needs as an artist. Most image editing software will do the job, but here are some commonly used examples:

- **Piskel**: Beginner-friendly, easy to use, doesn't require a download. To resize cleanly, either export at a 3.0x scale using the slider, or click resize and set the width/height to 288x288 with "Resize canvas content" toggled. 
Link: <https://www.piskelapp.com/>

- **Photopea**: Free, based on Photoshop-style software, and doesn't require a download. All menu functions can be found through the search function. To resize cleanly, use Image Resize and set the Resample method to Nearest Neighbor. Use the Pencil instead of the Brush and uncheck Anti-alias wherever you see it. 
Link: <https://www.photopea.com/>
Walkthrough: [PIF Spriting Guide - Photopea](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1o6Fw8G66fwoj-pFilUbulrSguGYVFfXKgJNKsJiIY1U/edit?tab=t.0)

- **Paint.Net**: Intuitive and free, requires a download. To resize cleanly, go to Image > Resize, and turn Resampling to "Nearest Neighbour". 
Link: <https://www.getpaint.net/>

- **Pixelorama**: Free, online and feature complete.
Link: https://orama-interactive.itch.io/pixelorama

- **MS Paint**: Very simple to use, already installed on most PCs. Doesn't support transparency, so you will need a second program to remove the background. Doesn't have layers. To resize cleanly, click the small option with two squares near the Select tool and resize via percentage to 300%. To downsize cleanly, use the pixels option. 

- **GIMP**: Free Photoshop alt, requires a download. Not very beginner-friendly but useful once learned. To resize cleanly, go to Image > Scale Image, and turn Interpolation to "None" 
Link: <https://www.gimp.org/>

- **Aseprite**: Costs money and requires a download. Has certain advantages, but there is no need to pay for this when you are just starting out. 
Link: <https://www.aseprite.org/download/>

- **Libresprite**: A fork of Aseprite. Free, requires a download. 
Link: <https://libresprite.github.io/#!/>

- **PixelStudio**: Fully featured mobile app, useful if you want to sprite from your phone. 
Link: <https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/pixel-studio-pixel-art-editor-gif-animation/9p7xs7vh1r3j?source=lp&activetab=pivot:overviewtab>

- **Krita**: Free program thats great for digital art, but known to cause issues for sprites. ***Not recommended!***

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<a id="Start"></a>
### Where do I start?
First, you need base (unfused) sprites to work with. Even if you make sprites from scratch, you still need these bases to get the correct colors. Do not use the sprites from the Infinite Fusion game folder, as those often have incorrect colors!

- For Pokémon from gens 1 to 5, you can use the Pokémon Database: <https://pokemondb.net/sprites/>
- For Pokémon from gen 6 and onwards, the Pokémon Showdown Database is a good source: <https://play.pokemonshowdown.com/sprites/gen5/>
- Further sprites, such as animation frames and gender differences, can be found here: <https://www.pokencyclopedia.info/en/index.php?id=sprites>

:::warning
Do not use someone's sprite from Google, Deviantart, Tumblr, etc. unless you have permission to do so! This also includes concept art!
:::

Once you have the base sprites, you can load them into your editing software and start working. Make sure that the **canvas size is always 96x96** when working on your sprite. Some sprites will have slightly lower sizes like 80x80, so it is important to load them into a canvas of the correct size. The sprite will need to be **sized up to 288x288** after you finish, but working in that size is not recommended, as it can very easily lead to problems like stray pixels and half pixels (which will be covered later in these guidelines).


To preserve the cleanness of sprites, **save them as .png files**. Do not save them as .jpeg files, as that will make them look blurry. That can be a difficult problem to fix.

[<font color="FC5203">**HERE**</font>](https://discord.com/channels/302153478556352513/873571372981452830/909608134492954675) is a link to a .rar file containing Infinite Fusion Pokémon base sprites with their correct numbers for PIF. It includes all official sprites from gens 1 through 5 and Smogon sprites for those from later games.

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<a id="Fusion"></a>
### What makes a fusion?
The best way to start is by taking two official Pokémon sprites and combining them. Usually, the process follows these guidelines:

1. One Pokémon is decided to be the head of the fusion, and one is decided to be the body.
2. You use the sprite of the body Pokémon as the base.
3. You add features from the head Pokémon to that base and color it with the colors of that head Pokémon.

Simply put: A fusion is made of features and colors from the "head" Pokémon on the shape of the "body" Pokémon.


Here are some general requirements for what makes a "good" fusion:

1. Both the head and body Pokémon of the fusion are recognizable and used correctly.
2. It's clear which one is the head and which is the body.
3. The sprite uses a good mix of both Pokémon's attributes.
4. The sprite doesn't use very many colors that are barely different from each other.
5. The sprite has the correct size (288x288 px) and no half pixels. More on this later.

When you're making your first few sprites, a good way to start learning the style of Pokémon is to use smaller, unevolved Pokémon. They're usually simpler in shape and texture, so it's easier to combine them in a cohesive way. It's also good to choose two Pokémon that are in similar poses, as this means it will be easy to take the parts from one of them to add to the other one. Any fusion that requires large sections to be redrawn from scratch will be difficult for a beginner to make.

Fire, rocks, fur, and liquids are some complex textures that may take more time to understand. It's best to get a good grip of the basics before tackling these.

Be mindful of where on the 288x288 canvas you put your sprite. It should not be placed at the bottom, as it will appear very low on the battle screens. You can use the !battle command in the Discord server to preview the positioning of your sprite.
![image](https://hackmd.io/_uploads/r1yTPLKAeg.png)
:::info
#### Fusing Sprite Parts!
:::
Pokémon fusion sprites are usually made by copy-pasting parts of the head Pokémon onto the body Pokémon. Most of the time, those parts need to be edited to blend them in.

Sometimes, body parts need to be resized to better fit on the base Pokémon. Resizing sprite parts will cause the pixels to become crusty or double-sized, so that messiness needs to be polished up by hand.
![image](https://hackmd.io/_uploads/Sy6wd8tClg.png)

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<a id="Status"></a>
### Mains & Alts
If one fusion has multiple different sprites, the game will randomly pick one *main sprite* to be shown when the fusion is encountered for the first time in the game. Players will be able to swap the sprite for any other sprite they want as well, including alts.
:::info
**Some sprites will always be alts, regardless of whether there's already a custom sprite for that fusion or not. These include the following:**
:::
- Sprites that heavily feature Gigantamaxed Pokémon/designs.
![image](https://hackmd.io/_uploads/ryAUl_t0gl.png)
~Alt_Sprite~ ~#3.368~ ~Sprite_By_kiwikelly~
- Sprites that heavily feature Regional/Paradox/Convergent Pokemon/designs
![image](https://hackmd.io/_uploads/r1kCvtFRex.png)
~Alt_Sprite~ ~#288.288~ ~Sprite_By_lunacharlotte~
- Joke sprites
![image](https://hackmd.io/_uploads/r1kQ5KFCeg.png)
~Alt_Sprite~ ~#543.412~ ~Sprite_By_casinoluck~
- Sprites that use non-Infinite Fusion mons in place of PIF ones (e.g. using a Glameow base instead of a Meowth one for a Sylveon/Meowth fusion)
:::warning
**Note: Joke and reference sprites still need to follow the basic spriting guidelines and be free of sprite errors, though they can be stylistically different. They will likely never be a main sprite.**
:::

:::info
**Some sprites may be temporarily used as the main sprite if there is not a main sprite for the fusion yet. These are given a "temp" status. These can include the following:**
:::
- Sprites that use Mega Evolution designs/elements.
- Origin Forms/Primals/Beta Forms*
    - *Only if the Beta Forms are self fusions. If they're far off from the final design and on a non-self fusion, they will be alts.
:::info
**Certain situations are reviewed on a case-by-case basis on whether or not a sprite can be a temp or if it will always be an alt, depending on the circumstances. Not all circumstances can be described, but it *can* include the following:**
:::
- Reference Sprites
    - Sprites that are predominantly a reference to another show/game/real animal/person/meme/etc.
    ![image](https://hackmd.io/_uploads/BJ911FF0xl.png)
~Alt_Sprite~ ~#451.216~ ~Sprite_By_casinoluck~
:::success
(Some references may be okay as mains if the sprites are more prominently a very clear fusion of the two Pokémon rather than just X character from Y show.)
:::
![image](https://hackmd.io/_uploads/rytEglhCxx.png)
~Main_Sprite~ ~#362.262~ ~Sprite_By_kingpeggy~
- Unrecognizable Sprites
    - Sprites with head/body order that are difficult to determine
- Sprites w/ Misc. Guideline Breaks
    - This can be anything that hasn't been covered in this section, including other breaks from these Guidelines that would disqualify a sprite from being a main.
- Sprites that contain any new elements not present in either Pokémon that are not thematically-related to said Pokémon, such as articles of clothing, props, and patterns.

:::success
Elements of certain Mega Evolved and Gigantamaxed Pokémon, such as  Mega Sableye, Mega Aerodactyl, and  Gigantamaxed Garbodor are usually accepted in main sprites since they largely look the same as the base form. Meanwhile, others such as Mega Charizard X and Gigantamaxed Meowth are too different and will become alts if used in sprites. Additionally, some sprites that only feature very small parts of a regional/paradox form *may* be fine as a main. Below are some examples of these sprites.
:::
![image](https://hackmd.io/_uploads/HkddDDYClg.png)
~Main_Sprite~ ~#211.371~ ~Sprite_By_gordogamr~
![image](https://hackmd.io/_uploads/Sk8_RYKRel.png)
~Main_Sprite~ ~#142.142~ ~Sprite_By_hero.drawing_&_ThePokemonCompany~
![image](https://hackmd.io/_uploads/BJLSRJh0ge.png)
~Main_Sprite~ ~#278.141~ ~Sprite_By_lunacharlotte~
:::info
Spritepack Masters might make some alts into mains and some mains into alts when prepping the sprite packs. Contact a Sprite Manager or Pack Master in the Discord Server if you're unsure about where yours falls.
:::

:::danger
If you disagree with the status of a sprite, ***do not make a Sprite-Error report in the Discord server!*** Status appeals are *only* accepted via the Sprite Status Appeal Form which can be found [<font color="FC5203">**HERE.**</font>](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScarXSFF1PNqby8seqR4igWKKB0PghsZx8j3MbpGIhr3Ptc-Q/viewform?usp=dialog)
:::

You can see what sprites currently count as mains and alts in the [<font color="FC5203">Credits Spreadsheet</font>](<https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1zWghMF6QOsmNW0xLq3RVOyBGNMLs-cfvTZN2ufZh9g0/edit#gid=0>).

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<a id="Style"></a>
### Pokemon Style
:::info
Please remember that these are just the guidelines for spriting in the BW style and not for spriting in general.
:::
With "Pokémon style", we usually refer to the style used in the sprites in Pokémon Black and White. To sprite in the Pokémon style, there are some key features that should be followed:

1. The light source in the Pokémon style always comes from the top left.
2. Don't overshade your sprite. The maximum amount of shades per colour is around about 4 or 5.
3. The sprite should be easy to read rather than overloaded with details.
4. The sprite should always be looking to the left.
5. The sprite should be about the same size as the body Pokémon's sprite.
![image](https://hackmd.io/_uploads/SkA9uLK0gl.png)

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<a id="Tech"></a>
## Technical Information
<a id="Half-Pixels"></a>
### Half-Pixels
Half-pixels are wrongly-sized pixels that are usually created while working on sprites that have already been resized to a 3x scale.

Since all sprites used in PIF are sized up from 96x96, every pixel is technically a block of 3x3 pixels. If you work in 288x288 or any other size that isn't 96 px, it is possible to create pixels that are not 3x3 blocks. Having these in a sprite will make the work look extremely janky and distorted. These wrongly sized blocks are half-pixels. Avoid them entirely.

If you resize a body part of a Pokémon to make it fit the base, even if you are working at 96x96, you will get double-sized (or larger) pixels. These also count as half-pixels and should be avoided by polishing/redrawing the lines.

Resizing to a scale that isn't a clean multiple of the original image's size will also result in half-pixels, e.g., if you start with a 80x80 canvas and resize to 288x288. This can be avoided by making sure you're on a 96x96 canvas, or failing that, always resizing to a number that's exactly 3x your canvas size.
![image](https://hackmd.io/_uploads/SyHjK8YAee.png)

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<a id="StrayPixels"></a>
### Stray Pixels
Stray pixels are simply pixels that are floating in the air around the sprite, because they got overlooked. They can be small 1x1 pixels that look too similar to the background color, but they can technically also happen with a normal pixel when working in 96x96.

Small pixels can also remain when removing a background, so watch out for those.
![image](https://hackmd.io/_uploads/Bke7c8YCel.png)

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<a id="Palettes"></a>
### Color Palettes
Original Pokémon sprites are generally limited to 16 colors (including black, white, and transparent) due to the limitations of the software, but we are not limited to that here. However, it's still important to keep the palette limited to stay in the style.

Each colour should have no more than 4 shades in most cases; a highlight, a main shade, a shadow shade and a darker outline colour. Having too many can make sprites look blurry or as if the files have been saved wrong.

There are exceptions to this. For example, some colors don't need an outline shade, and some have two shading shades. Using the original palette of the head mon will usually work just fine.

Different sprites have slightly different blacks (very dark grays). It's good to make sure you only use one shade of black on your fusion instead of two. Similarly, if two pokemon have similar shades of grays for things such as claws and the whites of the eyes, these 2 grays should be made the same shade, so the sprite is more cohesive.
![image](https://hackmd.io/_uploads/Hyyx6LFAxl.png)

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<a id="Recolor"></a>
### Recoloring
The first step of making a fusion is usually recoloring the body Pokémon using the head Pokémon's colors.

It's important to identify what shades serve what purpose when recolouring. If your chosen head mon has more or fewer shades per color than the body mon, you still have to use the *main shade* of the head to replace the body's *main shade*, the *shadow* for the *shadow*, and so forth. You can recolor two similar shades with a single equivalent one or create new ones if needed.

Don't use highlight or shadow shades for main colors or vice versa, or your fusion will end up looking too light or too dark.

Don't mix up the placement of the colors, either, or your sprite will look very janky.
![image](https://hackmd.io/_uploads/SJHF68FRex.png)

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<a id="NewColors"></a>
### Adding New Colors
Sometimes new colors need to be created when adding parts that aren't present in either of the original sprites, such as a held object or new unique features. When doing this, make sure that each shade is distinguishable from each other so that they can easily be told apart.

Some common mistakes are to make the shades too saturated, too contrasting, or too different from each other. Pokémon-style colours are rarely fully saturated. Light colors sometimes are, but mid tones and shadows are almost always at 80% saturation or less. Likewise, the brightness difference between one shade and another is usually around 15-30%, though you can usually eyeball the ratios.

Hue-shifting the different shades of a colour slightly can add an amazing color depth or atmospheric perpective. However, taking this too far can make shades look mismatched and like they don't belong together, so don't overdo it.

When in doubt, you can always color pick from other base sprites to get shades that fit with the Pokémon style.
![image](https://hackmd.io/_uploads/SySl0UYRgl.png)

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<a id="Outlines"></a>
### Outlines
The best way to get good-looking outlines is to make sure that they are **smooth**; especially when it comes to curves. The length of line segments should increase in size gradually and in order, e.g. 1-1-2-2-3-5, and NOT go up and down in length, e.g 1-2-1-3-2-5. To put it simply: A two-pixel-long line should only be followed by either a one-, two-, or three-pixel-long line, and so on. Long lengths of same-size segments (e.g. diagonal lines of single pixels) also look very rigid and should only be used on intentionally angular things like rocks, never on organic shapes.

Outlines should never be all black or all colored in. They should be shaded using black where the lines touch the shadowed areas, and colored using the darkest shade where the lines touch the corresponding main shades and highlights. Sometimes the shadow color can be used for the outlines in the very top left of sprite where the lines touch highlights, too. Refer to the original base sprites to get an idea of how they were shaded if you're unsure.

There are a couple different types of errors that can occur in outlines that should be avoided:

- **"Jaggies"** are unintentional corners or jagged edges that can occur in spritework when the lines don't follow a proper curve.

- **Staircasing** happens when a line is too thick. Line segments should only touch at the corners of the pixels and not be connected to make a continuous line.

- **Broken outlines** are lines where one or more pixels are missing, leaving holes in the lines. This doesn't fit the Pokémon style and should be avoided.

![image](https://hackmd.io/_uploads/S1yvCUt0gl.png)

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<a id="Shading"></a>
### Shading
The light source on Pokémon battle sprites is always in the **top-front-left** of the canvas. This means highlights are in the top left, and that shadows are in the bottom right of  almost every part of a sprite.
The amount of shading and shape of the shadows has a big impact on the perceived volume and depth of the sprite, so it's important to get those right. Usually, the original sprites of the Pokémon you are fusing are a good reference for that.
Body parts that are on top of or in front of other parts also cast a shadow on the parts that are under or behind them, so don't forget to add those when you add new features to a base. Tails and feet will often be largely shaded in because of this, for example.
![image](https://hackmd.io/_uploads/BkwgyvK0xl.png)

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<a id="AA"></a>
### Anti-Aliasing (AA)
Anti-Aliasing (AA) is a technique that is used to help make the transition between colors look smoother. This is done by adding an extra shade and placing small amounts of pixels (usually **single pixels**, sometimes a couple more) in the corners where the two colors intersect. It shouldn't be a *full outline* between the two shades.

AA is mainly used either when the difference between two shades is quite large or when a Pokémon has a pattern that's a different color than its body. AA should never be used around the outlines, either inside or outside of the sprite.

AA shades should be a good middle ground between the two colours. Don't use shades that are visibly lighter, darker or differently colored. AA is supposed to help lines blend in; it should never stand out.
![image](https://hackmd.io/_uploads/HyZ6m_YAgg.png)

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<a id="Dither"></a>
### Dithering
Dithering is a technique where two colours are drawn in a checkerboard pattern to blend from one shade to another. Most often, it is used in Pokémon sprites in order to show that a texture isn't entirely smooth. Fur, feathers, fire, and smoke are some of the main environments where it is used. As it is quite an eye-catching technique, it should be used sparingly to help give a sprite texture without making that area stand out.

Historically, dithering used to help create the illusion of smoother gradients or extra shades when sprites were viewed on small screens. Some Gen 3-4 sprites use dithering for that purpose. When sprites are scaled up, however, the dithering stands out and doesn't work for this purpose, so it should be avoided on PIF sprites.
![image](https://hackmd.io/_uploads/rypbEutRgx.png)

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<a id="Texture"></a>
### Textures
Different Pokémon can feature a lot of different textures that can be difficult to render in an appealing manner. Here are a few examples that will hopefully help guide you.
![image](https://hackmd.io/_uploads/B1684dYAgl.png)

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<a id="SFX"></a>
### Special Effects (sfx)
Special effects are features such as elemental attacks. They may appear in a lot of sprites, such as with Fire-type Pokémon. It can be tricky to render those well in the Pokémon style. Here are some examples of various effects.
![image](https://hackmd.io/_uploads/By3h4OtAxg.png)

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<a id="Server"></a>
## Around the Server
<a id="Spritework"></a>
### Spritework
[Spritework](https://discord.com/channels/302153478556352513/1050404143807873157) is the main channel to use if you want to receive feedback on your sprites. Sprites for things outside the game are allowed too, as are WIPs and such! **Simply create a post with an image attached, a title, and text**. Include the full names of both parts of the fusion in the post title. The title should be formatted as `HeadName/BodyName (HeadDexnum.BodyDexnum)` for example, a fusion sprite for Eevee and Absol should read `Eevee/Absol (13.310)`

**DO NOT delete your post or its images** after you post the sprite to the gallery. **Change the tag to "Added to Gallery"** and **Close** it instead.

Do NOT make multiple posts every time you make an edit to your sprite; simply post the updates in the same thread instead! The only exception to this is if a sprite gets harvested by Yanmega or Zigzag. Once the post has been changed to "Abandoned" or "Added to Gallery", you SHOULD make a new thread!

Note: Any sprite posted to Spritework that never makes it to the [Sprite Gallery](https://discord.com/channels/302153478556352513/543958354377179176) may be added to the **Abandoned Sprites** folder (see [Unposted and Abandoned Sprite Salvage Thread](https://discord.com/channels/302153478556352513/1110687947004583946)).

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<a id="SpDisc"></a>
### Spriting Discussion & "is-my-sprite-ready"
Any discussion about sprites that is **not feedback on specific sprites** belongs in <#1389037691353694291>, such as general questions about spriting techniques, questions about different software, etc.

If you feel your sprite isn't getting enough feedback, or you just want to know if it's good enough to post to the gallery, post the current version of your sprite in <#882011946801569802>  with a link to the forum post, such as #post-name so that people can easily click on it and be redirected there to give feedback, or to react with <:HeartMail:901794946967801896> if your sprite is ready. 

**Do not give feedback directly in <#882011946801569802>, always go into the post to give comments about the sprites.**

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<a id="SpErrors"></a>
### Sprite-Errors
<#1052360360172199977> is where you may report sprites you find have major mistakes in them, as well as where you can get your own sprites updated.

#### Reporting errors
Make sure the sprite contains a major error, which are listed here: https://discord.com/channels/302153478556352513/1389011897898111127

#### Updating sprites
If the old version was posted during the **same month** we are currently still in, **delete and reupload it!** If it was made during a **previous month**, you most make a post in <#1052360360172199977> to get it updated, otherwise it will cause a dupe.
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<a id="Feedback"></a>
### Feedback
Always feel free to go give feedback on any sprites you see in <#1050404143807873157>! Any input is welcome, it's always nice to get a variety of comments on one's work. Non-spriters and experienced artists alike are encouraged to give feedback on sprites, everyone's allowed to have an opinion, even if it's as simple as "I like it."

Please keep all feedback constructive and try not to word your comments in a hurtful manner, though. "This looks bad" helps no one. "The shading needs some work, make it go all the way up to the line next to the ear" is a lot more valuable to the spriter and helps them improve their sprite.

Design suggestions and such are welcome, of course, but spriters **do not have to take them on if they don't agree with it.** Not everyone has the same likes and dislikes, not everyone agrees on design conventions. As the spriter, you get the final say on what your sprite should look like. You are allowed to refuse to change your design or to implement tiny nitpicks if you're satisfied with the quality of your work. It's okay to simply agree to disagree. 🙏

Note that you don't need to wait for anyone's approval to post to <#543958354377179176>, even sprite managers. The only requirement is to have posted your sprites to <#1050404143807873157> for an least an hour so people have a chance to give you feedback. Just post your sprites when you think they're good to go or when people aren't giving you any more feedback. Please wait at least 24 hours if you're not getting any comments, just in case active feedbackers are asleep. A sprite manager may ping you if your sprite isn't fit for the game even after it's been posted to the gallery. (e.g. extreme half-pixels, NSFW elements)
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<a id="Gallery"></a>
### Sprite-Gallery
Sprites must be posted to the gallery to be included in the game and monthly sprite packs.

The finished sprite has to be a **.png** file that is **288x288 in size.**
The file name itself is very important, as it has to be correct in order for the game to find it.

:::info
A fusion sprite is always named [head].[body].png, e.g. 252.12.png
:::

If you make multiple version of the same sprite, the alt should be named [head].[body]a.png, e.g. 252.12a.png, with b, c, d, in place of the a if you make multiple alts.
:::warning
Do not post multiple sprites in one message! Post your sprites one at a time, even if there are alts!
:::
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<a id="AddInfo"></a>
## Additional Information
<a id="Scratch"></a>
### Making a Sprite from Scratch
:::danger
It is not recommended to make a sprite from scratch as a beginner! Doing so can be very difficult. If you do not have enough practice in basic spriting techniques, it can be a very frustrating and brutal experience.
:::

A good way to do a scratch sprite is to rescale a reference sketch/image to the appropriate size and sprite over it, preferably on another layer. If you like drawing,  freehanding custom poses for your fusions rather than using the pre-existing sprites will give you dynamic, unique sprites that stand out. However, if you're not confident in your artistic abilities, you can still make custom sprites. Official art, TGC cards, and screenshots from the anime are good sources for custom poses to reference or trace.

Here's a video example of the scratching process: <https://youtu.be/ZA802x4CDbM?si=TeKWA_7CRMX5VGO5&t=328>

If you want to use someone else's art, **you need to ask for permission.** Don't just take any image from Google, as that can be art theft. Bulbapedia's image archives are a good source of art you can use freely: <https://archives.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Category:Pok%C3%A9mon_artwork>

Pokémon typically should look to the bottom left corner, so you might need to flip your reference/drawing. You will likely have to adjust the shading to make sure the light source is in the top left corner as per the BW sprite style.

When resizing your image, keep in mind that the size of the Pokémon shouldn't deviate too much from the body Pokémon's default sprite. However, sprites of Pokémon tend to have bigger heads than their official art to make the face to be easier to read, so don't be afraid to make some changes to your original image as you turn it into a sprite.
![image](https://hackmd.io/_uploads/BJa5u_YCgg.png)
![scratch](https://hackmd.io/_uploads/BJr1F_FRee.gif)
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<a id="AddRes"></a>
### Additional Resources
Here is a collection of various other pixel art guides that may help! More will come as we find them. 👀 

Please also have a look through the `#Spritework Resources` thread in the Discord server for guides made by our members!

#### General spriting guides: 

- <https://www.dragonflycave.com/spriting-guide>

- <https://www.deviantart.com/the-godlings-rapture/art/Spriting-Fakemon-Tutorial-V-3-280927794>

- <https://pixeljoint.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=11299>

- <https://onimille.tumblr.com/post/153309304208/improve-your-pixel-art-sprites?is_related_post=1>

#### Avoiding Similarity
- https://fiddlekins.github.io/aio-pif-sprite-analyser/
- https://www.linneart.com/pj/

#### Avoiding half-pixels: 

- <https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/307020509856530434/722236694543466566/guide.png>

- <https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/307020509856530434/492325142681223169/process.png>

#### Various textures: 
- <https://onimille.tumblr.com/tutorials>

#### Shading tips:
<https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/307020509856530434/872976572884320317/unknown.png?width=747&height=676>

#### Recoloring in MS Paint: 
- <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfKXZTw9dPk>

#### Piskel guide:
- <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJN2C7-dyxE&list=PLO3K3VFvlU6Akj3W29_nMLZFnwNOVbAzI>

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