My 6-year quest to make Darth Vader pixel art

It’s been a few years since I’ve revisited a Darth Vader pixel art sprite, and I’ve got quite a collection from a long time ago [in this galaxy]. Today we’ll look back on the previous designs and my path throughout pixel art, and then create a new Vader sprite with a fresh inspiration!
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0:00 Intro
0:22 2016
0:49 2017
1:26 2018-2019
2:18 New Sprite: Linework
4:29 Colour and Rendering
5:42 Cape and Animations
7:53 FINAL ARTWORK
8:15 Breakdown and Comparisons
9:50 CRT Time
10:19 VID OVER
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Check out my art here:
/ brandonjamesgreer
/ bjgpixel
Shop:
rdbl.co/bjgpixel
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Software used: Adobe Photoshop 2022
Need help picking a pixel art program? Watch this: • What Program to use fo...
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Title sequence theme music by Failpositive:
www.failpositive.bandcamp.com/
/ failpositive

[@B-Roll_Gaming]

"This is where the fun begins" 5:43

[@KyleSzklenski]

CRT time here looked absolutely sick with the cape and sword. Well done!

[@BJGpixel]

Thanks dude! Yeah it's such a cool look seeing all the blending and lighting effects bleed together on there :D

[@ShortArtGuy]

@@BJGpixel make an undertale themed darth Vader

[@sulthan7317]

s-s-sword?!?!

[@LuminoxicAcid]

Isn’t it a lightsaber

[@EbuggeyGaming]

@@BJGpixel it would be so cool if you made a video game with the darth vader

[@ImusNoxa]

Seeing the sprite on the CRT screen made me think that would be a really intimidating boss design for a classic 16-bit video game. Honestly love the progression and seeing the different take here. The softer lighting and more muted palette definitely feel closer to the original style of Darth Vader.

[@larrymantic2635]

Until it transforms into a giant scorpion.

[@faogh]

16 seconds ago? Pixel Art?? Lets fuckin gooo

[@faogh]

Now that i've finished the video, I must say that cloth render was just incredible. Wonderful work as always Brandon, you're such an inspiration.

[@roxonogueira]

"Darth Babies"... Now I want Disney+ to make this show

[@DadVader]

Yes!!!!! This is something I was waiting for 😃😋🥰🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@BJGpixel]

Haha yep long overdue on this; thought you'd appreciate it! 😎👍

[@DadVader]

@@BJGpixel I love your art in general buy Vader got my special place in my heart and what you did here is pure awesomeness ☺️

[@jingbot1071]

Wow, hard to imagine I've been watching this since the 2019 vader! Amazing work, your skills have notably improved!

[@ablackdove3169]

If I may provide some tips, I would change the symmetrical feet in order to provide a sense of balance and posture, and the animation for the cape was a little too reserved. If you look at cloth sims, you’ll see that when wind billows under something like a cape it’s moves almost like yours but then very strongly flicks up the entire edge of the cape due to the wind breaking free of the resistance of the cloth. This often causes the edge of a cloth to snap back against itself before flipping back again! Also keep in mind a strong enough wind to hold his cape sideways like that would likely cause the entire cape to billow out and swing up and down more! Overall it’s a beautifully made sprite and I can’t wait to see how you continue to grow!

[@Beartastic_]

I Love your art

[@ToniaGlitched]

the differences between each version make each feel so unique, yet it's still possible to see your evolution.

[@connortremblay1259]

That 2016 one *chefs kiss What sweet little sith baby

[@saultoons]

The year is 2116, Brandon James Greer has just released their 100th Darth Vader... in SPACE... On a giant CRT screen that orbits the Earth!!!! This is the natural progression I think Amazing work Brandon, that saber and cloth animation though?!?!?!? So good.

[@BJGpixel]

Hahaha the one true timeline; just a brain in a jar ~thinking~ pixel art into existence 😅 Thanks dude! :D

[@saultoons]

@@BJGpixel hahaha I see it!!!!

[@ModelZGolden]

Você é o melhor spriter que vi na vida, é simplesmente incrível!

[@270jonp]

Awesome to see you coming back to this. Really awesome as always.

[@stratospheric37]

Impressive... very nice. I love how your videos teach me about the pixel art and the technical stuff behind it, almost makes me wanna start doing some of that!

[@OUTSIDER-outsider333]

Cool stuff as allways loved the animation too!

[@ddduv]

I've been following you for quite a while already and, man, I'll just say you're a big inspiration. Your work is amazing, keep it up!

[@shinesparkss5193]

This is insanely gorgeous. I adore this so much (especially after I attempted it myself and failed horribly, haha)

[@JovemEverton]

You are disgusting. So damn good every single time. Love the desaturated colors and the animation in the reflexions. It looks shiny, like it was polished with woodoo hide.

[@dannyemory6261]

I gotta say...You made a kickass Darth Vader pixel art...and you improved more! =D Keep it up! 👍🏻

[@simongregory9198]

You've inspired me to try my hand at pixel art and I really enjoy doing it. Thanks for the great content. Keep it up!

[@KoroPSI]

5:42 am I the only one that caught "This is where the fun begins"? That was a great reference!

[@NormalNeighbor]

Great job, dude! You're growing all the time! Keep killing it.

[@fabledbagel2392]

Great Work! Very Inspiring.

[@gameinguy]

I LOVE the Ralph McQuarrie Darth Vader design and am so glad you went with that

[@mesolagic]

daaaaamn this looks INSANELY GOOD!!

[@SamiTheAnxiousBean]

it looks incredible!!! I love how it came out

[@JohnMazz]

So good. The thought and care you bring to your work is so cool, and then you explain it on video very well. Thank you, please keep these up! [Edit] AHH! And I LOOVE the CRT time!

[@gotchufam2964]

When you mentioned starting to your channel in 2019 I walked down memory lane for a second! I remember starting to watch you when you only had 6 videos posted, and though that may seem like a brag, it was a nightmare for me back then! I went through those 6 videos so fast, and I couldn’t wait till you posted again! One of the reasons I dove into pixel art was because after watching all 6 of those videos, I was left with a new found love for pixel art and overwhelming motivation; paired with a desire to make pictures out of tiny squares- AND game sprites too. ^^ It’s hard to believe this channel will be 3 years old soon, when it only feels like it’s been a few months since I watched my first video on your channel. You’ve always been an inspiration to me, and a big reason as to why I even started pixel art in the first place! I was amazed and motivated by your work, your videos are a great help to me, seeing how far you’ve come these past couple of years makes me feel so overjoyed. You’ll always be like a mentor to me. I hope that people like me, three years ago, who were just curious about pixel art, find your channel and feel that same spark I felt when I watched one of your videos. I just want to say, Thank you so much; for giving us such quality content that are not just fun but informative and easy watch! I can tell this channel’s future is bright and I look forward to the many more videos of pictures made out of tiny squares to come! ^^✨💕👍🏻

[@eddoink159]

people are sleeping on how good his clenched fist looks

[@kugumimi]

wow amazing!! CRT time always takes it to the next level, it makes the animations feel like a real game thats been left to idle on screen

[@spreddable1160]

lmao "today, somehow vader returned" had me dead!

[@cubeco]

the improvement is night/day. well done brandon

[@zorbish]

Very cool design!

[@creativejon3792]

Ahhhh General Kenobi!!! Lol caught it right at that intro, & I think there were at least 2 other star wars quotes in the video...great little Easter Eggs, but the Vader came out amazing! Especially the movement of the cape! Keep on doing what you're doing good sir, it just keeps getting better and better.

[@angrypotato_fz]

Awesome result! I love the muted colors, sub-pixel breathing animation and the effects on saber! The cape animation also looks great, although I'd change some edge pixels - in few frames it looks a bit too rectangular to me on top right. Anyway, great job :) It's impressive how much you have grown in a short time (and a shame on me for not practicing enough myself! Still I learnt a lot from you and I'm thankful for that :))

[@rowanemrys7060]

Amazing stuff Brandon! Keep up the great work with all the good designs.

[@CKTDanny]

Man, that's such an awesome piece! Everything from the inspiration to the final pixel rendering has such a cool look to it. It makes me wonder too, what if some of the notorious Vader scenes were coloured to depict a blue saber? Probably been done by someone already haha ⚔️ Also enjoyed your explanation for the cape's animation; particularly the part about the oscillating sine wave. It's an elegant way to understand what feels like a pretty complex motion to visualize ✨ A great entry into the line of Darth babies! 😆

[@BJGpixel]

Thanks dude! Animating fabric is intimidating, so it's a relief to discover little tricks like that to get it started ☺️ Yeah I wonder if there's some blue saber Vader stuff out there; I bet that'd be a really cool look for one of the 'Star Wars: Visions' stories 😱✨

[@gold571]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/iYmTg3-ghKp8j6c&feature=share found this for a blue lightsaber vader, its an edit of the R1 scene

[@Sam_Backhouse]

Amazing work once again Brandon! Secretly the 2018 Darth is actually still my favourite 😊

[@michaelheath1194]

Amazing!

[@kleck0depresso547]

That looks awesome dude

[@renesnow3799]

Really freagin good mate!

[@fuse625151]

Man, that flickering highlight on the armor is stunning!

[@nittayoshifumi8252]

Holy crud he looks like a Street Fighter character. The pulsing lightsaber looks beautiful in CRT too!

[@brucedenver7830]

This is freaking sick

[@juniferkatrine4115]

I know, you've taught . It ans so much to so many people, you are helping us pursue our dreams! Love from Sweden

[@rugosotv]

awesome video and inspiring!

[@Skeffles]

This sprite is absolutely stunning!

[@therubygemstonetrg]

Impressive... most impressive. I mainly stick to the Game Boy/Game Boy Color style. Specifically the style of the GB zelda games(Link's Awakening, and the Oracle games)

[@nwut]

lonk

[@theghostofboxes2192]

I love the Beatles sprites in the background!

[@Wavelaster]

Love how the 2019 vader has a blaster cannon attached to his arm

[@Ninjago-News]

I love this

[@fileasphogg8320]

masterpiece

[@hello.ily.wytmyn]

You should totally make a video helping people who are already experienced with “normal” traditional drawing into pixel art! In your videos, you always talk about starting with a lower pixel height as a beginner, then making even bigger sprites as you learn to add more detail. But I had the exact opposite problem. I was always used to having infinite pixels to work with (not really “infinite”, but enough pixels in my drawing program to where it didn’t matter). At first, my comfort zone was really large pixel sprites because I could pack a lot of detail into them, but as I worked my way down in pixels, I still tried adding tons of detail which made my works really clunky. I had to teach myself what things were important enough in a drawing to represent in such a limited canvas. I used many tactics I used in hand drawn art in my pixel art. While I was already experienced in cell shading, when I was making pixel art, I thought “more detail equals better” so I used soft shading in my pixel art. The exact opposite of what I should’ve been doing! Contrast was key, but you could barely see it whenever I used soft shading. I also had to deal with the fact that I had to give up the use of outlines with I got to smaller sprites. When I tried using outlines in them, it just made everything really messy. Because I was so used to drawing normally, my thought wasn’t, “oh, I need to remove the outlines, or at least erase some parts of it,” but it was “let’s change the color of the outlines to something lighter!” Because that’s what I would do in my normal art when the drawing looked to harsh. My biggest problem though was that I didn’t use the first thing you probably should get when you start pixel art. A gosh darn pixel brush! I was making pixel art without even using a pixel brush, so everything was just really blurry! The thought didn’t even cross my mind so I was just always thinking, “I guess this is just how its supposed to look!” when it clearly was not. Those are just a few of the problems I had with pixel art as an already experienced artist, but I would love to see you make a video covering this struggle!

[@BuscandoQualificação]

😃👍👍

[@charliesnark6535]

Definitely my favorite one yet

[@mikeystir3333]

this was really cool

[@mikerice868]

I love the more toned back design overall as well as the decision to base this sprite on a less well known version of Darth Vader, but I have to say I liked it without the little bit of red in his eyes. I think it would have been in keeping with his more desaturated look to keep even that little bit of color out, but literally everything else is stunning in my opinion

[@screenwatcher949]

nostalgia! excited for the next sprite update

[@nuxill]

hell yeah love the sub pixel animation

[@BobsbinTeken]

5:43 "this is where the fun begins..."

[@TheRonid]

I loved watching this video

[@meman176]

Ive never seen someone make a sprite before. but tbh i want to after watching this video. I have so many ideas in my head to make characters its endless and i cant draw so....... Thanks for the idea Brandon James Greer :)

[@rjsiii3]

Love the red saber render! Thanks for explaining the shading. How many total colors?

[@BJGpixel]

Thanks! I believe it was 12 colours total :D

[@rjsiii3]

@@BJGpixel so more colors, and more canvas, and you added time dimension via animation. Quite the improvement in 6 years.

[@gumkl]

2763

[@sebastianriddell6614]

You make learning pixel art seem possible

[@whocares7633]

Thanks Brandon! I enjoy your videos :) Can you make Sprite Analysis for TMNT Shredder‘s revenge ? Best regards

[@Cam1417-TK]

Smart choice to draw the cape on the right side, lower than the right arm but higher than the feet so we get to see all limps for a better silhouette. (I love your art :D)

[@jesperj86]

Really well done. This version for some reason reminds me of Shredder from TMNT

[@harvaldi]

The Force is strong in You, master pixel-artist :D

[@SethKotta]

Nice! It's only a matter of time before you turn the original trilogy into one long sprite animation.

[@kimblemojimble7967]

Awesome stuff, and seeing the progression is great. Do you use a mouse or drawing tablet?

[@BluShiGuy]

The force

[@aidanerickson182]

I would love to play a game with your art

[@kappy2151]

Cheers for another sprite to inspire us all. I don’t know if you’re a lord of the rings fan but would love to see something middle earth themed :) thank you as always brother square

[@tomyyoung2624]

Yes! As long as you don't abuse it, you're fine!

[@Spooqster]

That first one was literally a freaking LEGO figure

[@Bocoliman]

Wow this is extremely good if I'd say myself

[@JAIRO1234561000]

Just wanted to express how helpful your videos are!! you are extrely good at explaining tNice tutorialngs in-depth but still at a basic level for

[@adersonpassos]

Interesting skill development display. Keep it up and posted here! Just a side question: what's your CRT setup? What kind of output do you use out of your graphics card and what input do you use in your TV?

[@Geekster1984]

Noice! Hey, when’s 2022 Luke?

[@EdokLock]

Here waiting for the 2023 version

[@orinbonisantana9773]

that's your best vader

[@gabrieldemelosantos2608]

Good pixel art

[@thisisyou6450]

Would be cool if he’s more calm and the idle animation sync with his signature breathing sound

[@decentsingersclub]

love it looks sick

[@knightinshiningarmour69]

Brandon : " I raised that boy"

[@sum1221]

Hard work pays

[@grantwilliams630]

I love CRT time. Its by far my favorite part of the video and adds a really cool and unique flair to your videos. (Oh and the continue timer on the end screen is also amazing)

[@DarkChaosMC]

2019 version wasn’t that bad

[@BloodSlimeNuggit-un9fg]

Damn, I want a crt

[@christophersootoo9168]

Love the megamanx vador

[@theindigothunder3921]

And now I want Vader in The Messenger

[@ammarsyed7621]

The 2016 Vader reminds me of family guy's Stewie in the Star Wars parody episode 😆

[@chesterianadagio8705]

🤘🤘🤘

[@Haizou]

Bro gonna make a full as- action scene in the next few years LOL

[@nash8909]

sub-pixel animation 🤩🤩🤩

[@MADNESS_NH_97]

Have you ever thought about doing a video about Pokemon Trainer sprites, in the style of either the GBC, GBA, or NDS games?

[@davidwalker1652]

In the year 2053: Hello there! My name's Brandon and I make holograms out of tiny hypercubes. Today, I'll be drawing a low-res Darth Vader, just 1024 voxels high, in a style reminiscent of the "HD" games of the late 2030s.

[@brunoraposo3807]

I recently (this week) made my mind and I'm trying to learn pixel art. Some one that have no background in design or so ever.... Been reading some books. Checking all the tutorials and guides I can get my hands on. And training like hell. Will be a long journey for this noob I now... What are the best tips I can have to help me improve and learn more and more?

[@unnecessarynamedcharacter7282]

creepy i like it