Beadsprites, Sculptures, and So Much More! by Bobbey

[Bobbey]

So, for the last few months I've been into making what is called ''Beadsprite'' art which is, as the name suggests, using various colour beads with pegboards to create various designs and sprite models. Basically, I use a program called paint.net to modify colours and sprite shapes, and then I copy the result on a pegboard by placing each individual sprite ''dot'' one by one. After that step is done, I make all the beads stick together by melting them with an iron over some parchment paper. This step can be somewhat frustrating if the sprite in question is particularly big, since some parts of the sprite will tend to lift up while you are ironing another part of the sprite. You also have to make sure you don't over-melt the beads, or else the overall sprite comes out blurry. It takes a lot of patience, basically.

Here are a few sprites that I have done so far, small and large:


Arcanine, favorite fire type. This is the second largest sprite I have done. I painted the background with some acrylic paint.


Milotic by Bobbeyjazz, on Flickr
Milotic. First time making a larger sprite, this one was very frustrating to iron. Background is also made of acrylic paint.


Torterra by Bobbeyjazz, on Flickr
Torterra, third and easiest one to iron, also with painted acrylic background. I tried to make it so that it kinda looks like it's directly from the anime.



Complete beadsprites for Geekfest by Bobbeyjazz, on Flickr

Entire sprites for the Geekfest.

[Kyanbu The Legend]

Always loved these. These look pretty damn good.

[Shyria Dracnoir]

Very cool! What sort of references do you use for the sprites? The beadwork is very accurate.

[akaSM]

Me likey , they're so colorful and pixel-y :3

[Bobbey]

Originally Posted by Shyria Dracnoir

Very cool! What sort of references do you use for the sprites? The beadwork is very accurate.

For the pokemon ones, I usually go on Bulbapedia. Every pokemon sprite from every generation is available, including 5th generation at the moment. I also got my menusprites on the site as well. For the others, mushrooms and Fighter/White Mage, I based my model on my boyfriend's sprite, although I know he got the models online somewhere and tweeked them a bit to his liking. I'll ask him and edit this post to tell you where he got them exactly.

Pixelgasm.com is also a pretty awesome place to view other people's sprites and projects. I got my inspiration from a lot of the guys and gals over there.

Edit: Spriter's Resource, Pixiv.net, Shyguy Kingdom to name a few.

[Bobbey]

Beadsprites for Geekfest by Bobbeyjazz, on Flickr

Sorry about the double posting, if it's a bother I'll edit and change it into an edited post instead.

So this is what I've been working on during the last couple week-ends. I still need to make a few Yoshis, pokéballs and masterballs, Starfox, SNES chocobos and moogles riding chocoboes as small sprites. I've also got a few larger sprites that I'll be making when I've finished with these small ones first. I'll post pictures of them when I'm done.

[akaSM]

What are those blue thingies that are to the left of the Starmans? (Power Stars or whatever they're called now).

Also, I need a pokéball D:

Talking about pokéstuff...you guys might want to check the Nintendo Wi-Fi thingy mystery gift

[Krylo]

Originally Posted by akaSM

What are those blue thingies that are to the left of the Starmans? (Power Stars or whatever they're called now).

TARDIS.

[Bobbey]

More beadsprites by Bobbeyjazz, on Flickr

A few more sprites that I've been able to make over the week-end. Meant to make a few pokéballs, but I ran out of a specific type of red :/ Ordered some over the week-end, should be getting them in about a week or two. I especially like how the Yoshis came out, although they were kinda long to make...

[akaSM]

I want some of those :C