I can't remember the last time I made an animated pixel art, and I am not gonna lie I kind of forgot how much time it takes just to make everything move right not mention the patience needed to finish this gif. I used around 9 frames for this one that is not a lot, but enough to make the snow fall and the little scene glow in front of me. Getting the timing right so it loops seamlessly was the tricky part. It was a constant checking the previous frame and such. I wanted it to look like the snow was being carried by the wind in a natural way, not just falling straight down, so there’s a bit of rhythm and a sway to it if you look closely.
The snowbank in the back was fun to work on too, I tried to make it glisten a bit, like how fresh snow catches the light in the stillness of the moment. And the tree, even if it is small, feels alive because of those glowing lights. It’s simple, but it gives that cozy, 8-bit kind of vibe like something out of an old game you’d play during the holidays.
Animating stuff like this reminds me why I love pixel art in the first place. I know there is still too much to learn and do. It’s slow, yeah, but also really calming. Every frame feels like a puzzle and when it finally loops perfectly, it’s super satisfying. Just a tiny elf, a glowing tree and snow drifting by it is simple, but it feels right and satisfying.
