Okay People, a Little Lesson!

[Omegakyogre]

I'll agree that edits aren't all terrible. If you're new to art as a medium, i.e. you're young, edits do a couple of things for you: They allow you to get used to the program you're working with (i.e. Paint) while providing a sense of satisfaction that you aren't limited to creating stick figures, and they allow you to learn what makes a good sprite, because a good edit requires observing and learning why a particular sprite is drawn in a particular way before it can be properly manipulated.

With that said, I would like to clarify: Most edits aren't worth anyone else's time but the creator's own, and as such, most edits do not deserve to be posted (in Sprite Discussion or anywhere else); this is because they aren't examples of your knowledge of spriting and your ability to implement that knowledge and create something; it's still someone else's work. Custom sprites are where that knowledge and implementation is truly shown.

So: Want to edit something? Go right ahead. Edit to your heart's content. But, unless you're really desperate and are willing to persevere through the inevitable flames headed in your direction, don't post it here. Rather, take the knowledge you've gotten from editing, apply it to a custom work, post that instead, and we'll tell you how to make it even better.

[GrooveMan.exe]

1up: what? Grooveman didn't even post in this topic

lol no such thing as a good edit, gorsal

Oh shut the fuck up.

That kind of elitism is really unnecessary. Edits can be done to an extremely high standard, just like how Custom can be done to an extremely high standard.

For the most part when I was first submitting sprites, people assumed I did them custom until I mentioned otherwise. People couldn't tell the difference because I did a good job. Sure they're not the best sprites ever, but my custom sprites aren't the best sprites ever either. Who gives a damn what the method is as long as the end result looks unique and attractive? Just because you've personally never done any edit work doesn't mean that editing as a whole should be completely debunked; unless you think you're the greatest spriter ever.

Which (surprise surprise) you're not. So don't give such stupid sweeping statements.

[mozzy]

Uh, no groove, you shutup. You're taking this way too personally.

Saying there's no such thing as a good edit makes me an elitist? How? Because I said I never edited and then followed that with "I'm ok"? Doesn't that obviously mean that even I don't consider myself to be a good spriter? And actually some people do give a damn. If I took some great spriter's animation that he got paid to do, edited it then tried to get paid for it by someone else, wouldn't the original spriter, and the person paying me care? My point was editing isn't necessary to become a better spriter.

Making a complete douche of yourself (surprise surprise) doesn't make you cool.

[Chris2Balls [:B]]

OmegaK and Drei have both got good points there. I have said to some people on this forum "do custom not edit". In retrospect, I think they should carry on editing until they feel confident (I actually got self-satisfaction rather than experience from editing sprites) enough to post custom sprites (as 1up and OmegaK put it), but shouldn't post edits here unless they're amazingly good quality. I did do loads of edits when I first sprited (never posted them anywhere though), but I did also do some custom sprites at the same time. Case closed, thread locked.

[Gors]

@moz: the problem is, you're comparing simple edits with custom work.

Edits are important, but just to learn some basic spriting techniques. They aren't meant to be used in games or submitted.

Having some base to lean on when making some work is good when you don't have enough experience or self-satisfaction (which I've said before).

basically, it'll depend on the person doing the sprites. Some don't need to edit, others do.

EDIT: I couldn't agree with you more, Chris2Balls.

[mozzy]

Where/when did I say simple edit?

[Shawn]

Ugh, the primary difference between quality of a spriter who edits and one who does customs is the general skill of the person themself.

Edits are a common starting point for many spriters, even I did edits for a couple months when I started out. Since it's just a starting point(hopefully), it's natural the person making the edits is a fairly new spriter and hasn't grasped the basic yet and will keep doing this until they're ready to go off on their own. Think of sprite edits as training wheels for spriting. Custom spriters usually feel they have a good grasp of the basics and begin to make everything from scratch. Edits that are better than customs are often made by people who are already good at spriting and customs, the reason the edit wouldn't be acceptable though for that specific person would be because we know they're capable of things greater than sprite edits. Alternatively, customs that are bad are usually by people who haven't gotten the basics down, meaning they're just lacking in skill or avoided the editing part.

tl;dr, The quality of sprites depends on the spriter. Edits are a good kickoff point but beyond that, they're just dissapointing.

[Cobalt Blue]

adding to that, no matter how good your edit is, you won't impress anyone who already started doing customs for everything.

Who gives a damn what the method is as long as the end result looks unique and attractive?

where i have read this before. oh the irony.

[GrooveMan.exe]

Uh, no groove, you shutup. You're taking this way too personally.

Saying there's no such thing as a good edit makes me an elitist? How? Because I said I never edited and then followed that with "I'm ok"? Doesn't that obviously mean that even I don't consider myself to be a good spriter? And actually some people do give a damn. If I took some great spriter's animation that he got paid to do, edited it then tried to get paid for it by someone else, wouldn't the original spriter, and the person paying me care? My point was editing isn't necessary to become a better spriter.

Making a complete douche of yourself (surprise surprise) doesn't make you cool.

If you're going to adamantly say that because you don't do edits other people who do are automatically so incomparably inferior would be elitist thinking.

While it's not necessary to become a better spriter, that doesn't make edits completely invalid. Which is what you seem to be saying.

[Cobalt Blue]

you're just taking this personally. something that should be avoided if you really want to arguesomething.

specially if you keep using the word elitism.

[triptych]

While it's not necessary to become a better spriter, that doesn't make edits completely invalid. Which is what you seem to be saying.

topic should have ended here

also

Making a complete douche of yourself (surprise surprise) doesn't make you cool.

read through what i missed, and you're the only one being a douche here
seriously
just because YOU don't like doing edits, and YOU never did edits doesn't mean they're completely invalid for every artist to ever try spriting ever. Edits are a great starting point in that if you're competent enough, you can learn enough about anatomy and color choices to try something that's 100% custom. The problem with you is that for some reason you're stuck with this thought that the only edits to ever exist are the ones that are made by 12 year old idiots who try to make fangames and make money off of them.

It was acceptable to show edits for crits a few years ago, but now if you're going to try edits, it's best to avoid showing them to people and just to keep doing them until you've got a proper grasp on basic spriting technique.

[mozzy]

@Groove
Have I ever said that? NO. Quit trying to put words in my mouth.
I've never thought less of you or anyone else here that makes edits. Why? Because a lot of the people started out that way. And having that kind of thought is incredibly juvenile. I never said anything about edits "being invalid". My ONLY point was editing not bieng necessary to being a good or better spriter. I don't see where you people are pulling this shit from

I'm honestly not trying to make anyone mad here. I'm stating my opinion which (shockingly!!!!!!!!!!!) isn't a fact for everybody. Taking something like this personally and trying to put me down for saying so is pretty immature and douche like if you ask me. Especially when nothing derogatory was said to the person specifically.

Edit: Locked. If you guys want to continue it, be my guest, but through a PM.