Silhouetted Back Sprites Step-by-Step (Patreon)

hello! so here we're going to go over how to make a back sprite using a front sprite as a base. there are a few advantages to doing it this way:

• it's easier (durr)
• it keeps the subject's size consistent between sprites (important for 5th gen pokemon sprites; this practice doesn't apply to 4th-gen style & earlier)
• it also keeps the angling of their body consistent in a rotation. sometimes there are exceptions, but in general it's a really useful guideline.

we're going to be using the Dewpider as an example. I just did this last night and clipped a few screen shots along the way to show.  Please note that all of my instructions are for GraphicsGale because I refuse to negotiate with inferior spriting programs. 

Step 1- Get the silhouette

Using the color selector tool,  click the background of your front sprite.
Go to Edit > Invert Selection
Copy the selection
Using All Frames > Enlarge Canvas, increase your image size so you have room to work on the back sprite (or use a separate file, but it is easier to have your front and palette for reference right there)
Paste your selection, and before de-selecting it, go to Image > Adjust Color
On the color adjust window minimize the brightness and contrast. This should give you a solid grey silhouette like so:

https://i.imgur.com/QsvoSOA.png

Step 2- Outline the silhouette

I prefer to work in the line tool for greater control. Select your darkest shade (it should never be 0 brightness; 16 brightness is a good choice for the darkest shade of most Pokemon sprites) and draw it around the periphery of your silhouette.

https://i.imgur.com/visLyUw.png

Step 3- Inside the silhouette, draw the Pokemon's shape

We'll use our darkest shade for this too. This is one of the hardest parts since you often have to draw odd shapes and curves with a small pile of squares. Inconsistencies and difficult shapes can sometimes be corrected by shading.
For Pokemon sprites, the in-game model viewer built into the Pokedex of 6th/7th gen games can rotate the models and let you see the Pokemon at the exact angle of your sprite for refernece; I highly recommend using this.

https://i.imgur.com/FMu4ERJ.png

Step 4- Using your front sprite's palette, fill in the empty spaces with flat colors

Your front sprite should already have all the colors you need and it is poor form to create new shades just for the back (excepting cases where the back has a design not visible from the front)
Use the fill tool to copy over your base colors. Right click picks up a color while left click puts it down.
Because this is a back sprite, and the light source of Pokemon battles is in the front center, most of the sprite will be shaded darker. I will therefore use a darker shade as a flat color (whereas I would probably use the lighter shade on the front sprite)

https://i.imgur.com/B8JF9eM.png

Step 5- Using the darkest shade of each individual color, draw highlights on your outlines

This is a subtle change to see but makes a significant difference over all. You are basically lightening/coloring the dark outline we put before (and as little as possible in our palette), but only where the light would be hitting it.
Please inspect the following clip closely in comparison with the previous one in order to see what I mean; it is difficult to explain but not to do. 

https://i.imgur.com/aZ8uqzZ.png

Step 6- Complete the sprite by performing a magical girl transformation

This one is the hardest step, and it's sort of a huge jump because shading and blending is its own demon.
Again, using only palette shades that existed on the front sprite, we will draw highlights on the base colors (instead of the outline) only where the light hits.
Then we will shade any especially dark parts, and blend any jagged or odd shapes to fit more smoothly together.
In blending with a limited amount of colors, I just look for what sections stand out and do the best I can, trying to put different shades there and seeing if that looks better or worse. Eventually, one can get a feel for it that way.

The finished sprite is below!
https://i.imgur.com/SatjnVO.png