It depends on the size you want to draw. For small pixel art (8 to 32 px) you need about 100 to 150 hours of practice, so one or two months. For big, detailed pixel art (64 to 128 px) it is about 300 to 500 hours, around three to six months. Both depend on how many hours you practice every day.
This is one of the most common questions I get from my students. To answer it, I first need to explain one thing: in pixel art there are two main size groups, and they need very different skills.
8px
16px
32px
64px
128pxSmall pixel art: 8 to 32 px
This is the most common size in pixel art. At this size your art doesn't need to be super detailed. It is more of an abstract representation, so you don't need strong fine art or anatomy skills. You will need some animation skills though, to bring your sprites to life.
Time to learn: about 100 to 150 hours of practice, which is one or two months.
Big pixel art: 64 to 128 px
This group is for highly detailed art. It is more of an artistic representation. Look at the 128 px sword above. It is just a sword, but if you want to draw a character this big, you will definitely need some anatomy skills too. Animation is harder as well, simply because you have many more pixels to take care of in every frame.
Time to learn: about 300 to 500 hours of practice, which is three to six months.
Side by side
| 8 to 32 px | 64 to 128 px | |
|---|---|---|
| How common | Very common | Less common |
| Style | Abstract, simple shapes | Artistic, lots of detail |
| Fine art and anatomy | Not critical | Needed |
| Animation | Basic skills | Advanced skills |
| Practice | 100 to 150 hours | 300 to 500 hours |
| Time | 1 to 2 months | 3 to 6 months |
Do I need drawing skills to start?
No. These numbers are averages, and your background plays some role. But even if you have never drawn anything, that is absolutely fine. Many of my students started with zero art experience. As you can see from these numbers, learning pixel art is very doable. It is a lot of fun, and it doesn't take that much time.
How to get there faster
- Start small. Begin with 16 or 32 px sprites. You learn the basics much faster there.
- Practice a little every day. One hour a day gets you through the first group in a few months.
- Follow the rules. Check every piece against the 3 rules of pixel art.
- Learn a clear workflow. Shapes, outlines, colors, shading, details. This order saves you a lot of rework.