Speaker A
Hey everyone, welcome to the channel. Today we're making pixel art VFX in Pixel Lab. We'll start with a sheet of different effects, animate them with Pix Miniax, and try a few spells with characters, too. Let's get into it. I'm
Learn how to create and animate pixel art VFX using PixelLab and Pix Miniax, including fireballs, lightning, and spells.
Key Takeaways
- PixelLab combined with Pix Miniax enables efficient creation and animation of pixel art VFX.
- Using multi-frame generation tools like Create Image Pro speeds up the creation process.
- Careful frame editing and color matching are essential for smooth looping animations.
- Combining individual effects into longer sequences enhances the visual storytelling.
- Animating props and characters alongside VFX adds depth to pixel art projects.
What the video covers
- Introduction to creating pixel art VFX in PixelLab with multiple effects on a single sheet.
- Use of Create Image Pro to generate multiple frames in one go with background removal and 64x64 output.
- Creation of various effects including fireballs, crescent slashes, electric orbs, lightning, lava spears, rockets, and more.
- Animating effects using Pix Miniax by selecting frames and refining animations for smooth loops.
- Color consistency adjustments between frames to ensure smooth playback.
- Combining multiple animations into longer sequences using Pixelorama.
- Detailed animation prompts to add effects like pulsing flames, trailing embers, swirling lightning, and projectile motion.
- Animating props such as torches, fire pedestals, and cauldrons with pixel art VFX.
- Finalizing animations with frame count adjustments and canvas resizing for better presentation.
- Encouragement to viewers to comment their favorite effects or suggest future content.
Chapters
- 00:00Introduction and Setup
- 00:42Generating Pixel Art Effect Sheets
- 02:19Preparing Frames for Animation
- 03:02Animating the Fireball Effect
- 03:54Animating Lightning and Ice Effects
- 05:07Animating Rockets and Portals
- 08:07Animating Water and Kunai Effects
- 10:19Animating Props and Finalizing
- 14:43Character Animation and Wrap Up
Full Transcript — Download SRT & Markdown
Speaker A
using Create Image Pro because we can get multiple frames in one generation. I'm listing a different effect for each frame. an orange fireball facing right, a white and cyan crescent slash, a blue electric orb with lightning, and a
Speaker A
using Create Image Pro because we can get multiple frames in one generation. I'm listing a different effect for each frame: an orange fireball facing right, a white and cyan crescent slash, a blue electric orb with lightning, and a
Speaker A
extras. I'll leave remove background on and choose the 64x 64 output option down here that's showing a 4x4 grid with 16 variations. Let's generate it. Here's the first sheet.
Speaker A
yellow impact burst with orange sparks. I'll add a few more to that list: a lightning ball, a lava spear, and a rocket. Then at the end, I'm adding make more options. So, this first request is a mix of effects with room for some
Speaker A
an orange fireball facing right, a water bullet, a triple rocket, and a lightning kunai. One effect per frame. Again, I'll use the 2x two output for this one and generate it. And here's that set.
Speaker A
extras. I'll leave remove background on and choose the 64x64 output option down here that's showing a 4x4 grid with 16 variations. Let's generate it. Here's the first sheet.
Speaker A
prompt is the flame flickers and leaves trails loop. I'll use the sparkle button to expand it. The longer version asks for the fireball to pulse, for the flames and embers to trail backward, and for the shape to return at the end of
Speaker A
Pretty cool. We've got the fireball and slash, the lightning effects, the spear and rocket, plus things like a portal, crystals, and a magic circle. These are separate images for now. The animation comes next. For this set, the prompt is
Speaker A
There's a repeated frame at the end. I'll delete that last frame so it loops smoothly.
Speaker A
an orange fireball facing right, a water bullet, a triple rocket, and a lightning kunai. One effect per frame. Again, I'll use the 2x two output for this one and generate it. And here's that set.
Speaker A
I'm making the colors consistent from frame to frame. Then I'll play it back. Next, the crescent slash. My starting description is that the attack finishes and starts vanishing. The expanded prompt gives it a right to left swing, a
Speaker A
First, let's animate the fireball from the original sheet. Open animate with text and choose Pix Miniax. I'll drag the sheet into the first frame slot, then pick the fireball from the frame selector. I'm leaving the last
Speaker A
After expanding the prompt, the outside tendrils pull inward while the center grows into the orb with white lightning moving across its surface. Let's send that off. Here's the lightning to orb result.
Speaker A
frame slot empty for this one. The short prompt is the flame flickers and leaves trails loop. I'll use the sparkle button to expand it. The longer version asks for the fireball to pulse, for the flames and embers to trail backward, and for the shape to return at the end of
Speaker A
It's the first frame again with no last frame. I'm asking for lightning bolts and a lot of movement inside the ball.
Speaker A
the cycle. I'll bring the frame count down to 12 and generate a couple of versions. That's the animation frame count separate from the different images we made earlier. I'll open this one in Pixelorama.
Speaker A
While that runs, let's try the kunai. I'll add it as the first frame and refframe it. I start with it flies, then add that it flies like a projectile with looping lightning and wind effect.
Speaker A
There's a repeated frame at the end. I'll delete that last frame so it loops smoothly.
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frames. Here's the kunai preview. Back to the orb. I'm opening both animations in a sprite so I can join them into one longer sequence.
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I'll open the other fireball in Pixelorama. The colors flicker between frames, so I want to make them match.
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For the ice effect, I'll use the crystal cluster from the first sheet and open it in a sprite. I'm making a separate starting image with just a few little blue pixels. The full crystal cluster will be the end frame. Back in Pix
Speaker A
I'm making the colors consistent from frame to frame. Then I'll play it back. Next, the crescent slash. My starting description is that the attack finishes and starts vanishing. The expanded prompt gives it a right to left swing, a
Speaker A
base and sides, then settling into the full cluster. I'll use 12 frames. We'll look at the result when it comes back back. The ice animation is ready. Let's have a look.
Speaker A
trail of light, and a fade into particles. I'll generate that. For the lightning, I'll use both reference slots. The branching lightning goes in the first frame, and the round electrical orb goes in the last. I'm starting with lightning ball generates.
Speaker A
The prompt is the rockets do a dramatic blast boost to go faster. I'll reframe the group and set this request to 24 frames.
Speaker A
After expanding the prompt, the outside tendrils pull inward while the center grows into the orb with white lightning moving across its surface. Let's send that off. Here's the lightning to orb result.
Speaker A
Here's the rocket boost. Let's try the purple portal. I'll pick that spiral for the first frame. The description asks the core to rotate clockwise, the pink rings to ripple around it, and the outer haze to expand and contract. I'll use 20 frames. While
Speaker A
And here's the slash animation. I'll play that one, too. Now, I'll animate the orb on its own.
Speaker A
I'll clean them out frame by frame, then play it back. Here's the water collection. I'll pick this blue hammer and use a splash for the last frame.
Speaker A
It's the first frame again with no last frame. I'm asking for lightning bolts and a lot of movement inside the ball.
Speaker A
After expanding it, the hammer swings down, disappears on impact, and sends up a tall splash before the water settles into a small pool. I'll generate that with 24 frames. Now I'll swap the small ending splash for this taller water
Speaker A
I'll reframe it onto an 80x80 canvas. For the motion, the orb pulses, the cracks shift around, and electricity arcs across the surface. I'll set this version to 16 frames and generate it.
Speaker A
While those run, let's animate the water tornado. I'll select it, adjust the canvas, and ask it to expand, rotate, and throw bubbles upward. It also asks the tornado to contract back toward its original shape. I'll use 20 frames.
Speaker A
While that runs, let's try the kunai. I'll add it as the first frame and reframe it. I start with it flies, then add that it flies like a projectile with looping lightning and wind effect.
Speaker A
center. It ends by asking the swirl to return to its original size and glow.
Speaker A
After expanding it, the prompt asks for forward and downward movement, sparks along the blade, and a trail of electricity behind it. It also asks the effect to return to its original state at the end. I'll generate that with 16
Speaker A
And here's the cyan swirl. I'll check the frames in Pixelorama. Let's animate some props. There are torches in this sheet and a fire pedestal and cauldron in the other one.
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frames. Here's the kunai preview. Back to the orb. I'm opening both animations in a sprite so I can join them into one longer sequence.
Speaker A
The description asks the red and orange flame pixels to move upward and outward, expand a little, then shrink back. I'll use 16 frames and generate it. The fire pedestal animation is ready. Let's open it.
Speaker A
I'll make the canvas bigger so both animations fit. They're offset at first, so I'll line them up, then put the second animation after the first. Here's the combined playback.
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Next, the cauldron. I'll select it, adjust the canvas, and put in the cauldron boils and starts spilling stuff.
Speaker A
For the ice effect, I'll use the crystal cluster from the first sheet and open it in a sprite. I'm making a separate starting image with just a few little blue pixels. The full crystal cluster will be the end frame. Back in Pix
Speaker A
text in the field. I'll set the view to high top down. Leave the direction facing down and use 12 frames for this request.
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Miniax, the tiny starting image goes in the first slot and the full crystal cluster goes in the last. The prompt starts as ice skill. The expanded version asks the crystal to grow outward with smaller shards coming up from the
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This prompt asks the flame to flicker upward with its edges dancing around before settling back into a steady burn.
Speaker A
base and sides, then settling into the full cluster. I'll use 12 frames. We'll look at the result when it comes back back. The ice animation is ready. Let's have a look.
Speaker A
Now I'll make an electrified version of this sword. Open AIEdit. Add the plain sword as the image to edit and use Pro Flash for this request. The instruction is make it a really cool lightning enhanced version. I'll generate that.
Speaker A
There we go. Now, let's do the rockets. I'll use the three rocket image as the first frame in Pix Miniax and adjust the canvas.
Speaker A
turn into lightning. The motion starts with lightning spreading over the blade, getting stronger, then settling into a crackling aura. I'll set the frame count to 16 and leave the view and direction on auto for this version. Here's the animation.
Speaker A
The prompt is the rockets do a dramatic blast boost to go faster. I'll reframe the group and set this request to 24 frames.
Speaker A
Let's try a character. I'll take the red mage with the fireball and reframe the image. The character and spell are together in the starting frame.
Speaker A
The prompt has the engine flames expanding, the rockets vibrating, and the exhaust trails getting longer as they accelerate toward the bottom right.
Speaker A
Here's the mage animation. Let's try one more spell. For the last one, I'll use the mage holding the lightning orb. I'll select him and reframe the image.
Speaker A
Here's the rocket boost. Let's try the purple portal. I'll pick that spiral for the first frame. The description asks the core to rotate clockwise, the pink rings to ripple around it, and the outer haze to expand and contract. I'll use 20 frames. While
Speaker A
Now, I'm making an ending reference, too. The AI edit instruction is to remove the orb from his hand and make the after effect of the lightning wolf spell in front of him. Here's the edited image with the wolf in front of the
Speaker A
that runs, I'm also putting together water and healing images in Create Image Pro. The healing prompt asks for different aura spells from a 45° top-down view. I'm opening the portal in Pixelorama to remove those green pixels.
Speaker A
Here's the final spell. And that's it for today's video. We made a bunch of pixel art effects and animated them with Pix Miniax. Let me know your favorite in the comments or what you'd like to see next. If this
Speaker A
I'll clean them out frame by frame, then play it back. Here's the water collection. I'll pick this blue hammer and use a splash for the last frame.
Topics:PixelLabpixel artVFXanimationPix MiniaxCreate Image ProPixeloramafireballlightningpixel art spells
