An open weekend challenge to produce art using a set palette and theme!

All skill levels are welcome (nay, encouraged!) to participate. Even if you've never made art before, you should take a crack at it! It's not as scary as it looks. At least, that's what artists tell me.

Join us on Discord to share your progress in the challenge and talk all things game dev.

Special thanks to lilou_cormic for the cover image.

Challenge: Use the palette!

You must use the Paper Garden Palette by Cactus Celery and no other colors.

You can create any kind of 2D visual art for this challenge, as long as it can be used for a game. This can include:

• Tile sheet (for an environment)
• Full background
• Character or item sprite
• Full size character (for e.g. a visual novel)

Submit either static art or animation frames - whichever you prefer.

Make sure we know what your work would look like in a game:

• For tile sheets, include a sample image of a scene or backdrop using only the tiles you're submitting.
• For animation, include an animated gif or video of the animation in action.

Another important caveat: you must release your art under a Creative Commons license. If you aren't familiar with this, check out their very useful tool for picking a license. In the simplest terms, the license lets people use your art in their games, but you can decide on what limitations to put on that.

We heavily encourage you to record or stream your process to share with the community. Don't forget to let us know on Discord when you're going live, or share your video there.

Please see the Rules section below which provides more details on the rules for the challenge.

Theme: FEAR(LESS)

Unlike our regular jams, the theme is required for the challenge. But don't sweat it too much. The theme is meant to be an inspiration and is fully open to your interpretation.

You're welcome to read this as FEAR, LESS, or FEARLESS. When you submit, you'll be asked how you interpreted the theme. It's intentionally broad and abstract so you can take your own spin on it. Have fun!

Rules

Please read these rules carefully, as any entry that does not follow them will be removed from the jam. If you have any questions about the rules, ask in the community or on Discord.

1. Submissions must be made as an itch.io page. You can include the art as an embedded image, download, or both.
2. One entry per person. However, your entry can include multiple pieces of art if you want to create a complete pack with tiles, sprites, etc.
3. Your entry must be released under a Creative Commons license.
4. All art in your entry must use only colors from Paper Garden Palette by Cactus Celery.
5. This is a solo challenge, so collaboration and teams are not allowed.
6. The work must be entirely new with all of it made during the challenge. This includes planning, sketching, coloring, and so on. You should be working from "nothing."
7. The work must be "original" in the sense that it isn't a rework/reinterpretation of existing art. You must disclose any use of AI on your submission page. Please use it sparingly, if at all. 
8. You can continue editing the submission page after submitted, but uploads will be locked, so you cannot replace the art or upload new files until judging is completed

Rating

Entries will be rated by public voting on the following criteria:

• Technical Ability: Is the art of impressive professional quality?
• Game-Readiness: Are the assets ready to drop into a game, and work well together (if there's more than one)?
• Use of Palette: Has the artist used the palette to a surprising effect?
• Originality: Does the art stand out as unique and interesting?
• X Factor: How much do you like the art?

The winner will receive fame and glory. At least, we hope so. :)

But also, the top entry will be added to the list of 8 Bits to Infinity Challenge Winners!

About Us

Hosted by 8 Bits to Infinity: a game development community dedicated to improving creative and technical skills through rapid iteration and honest, critical feedback. Join us on Discord, check out our website, and take a look at our past jams and challenges.

The man behind 8 Bits to Infinity is Retro Indie Josh (aka Joshua McLean): gaming content creator and music producer. Check out his game music (free for you to use in jams and commercial projects!) and YouTube.