Things to keep in mind when making a tileset for an RPG

So you want to make a tileset for your RPG.  "This shouldn't be too bad," you think, "there are all sorts of tutorials on the subject and doing art at that size shouldn't be hard."  STOP!  Go read Celianna's post and if you aren't overwhelmed by the sheer amount of work involved then you're entirely missing the point.  It's supposed to be overwhelming, I've been doing this for years and I'm still a bit overwhelmed by the massive amount of work that goes into making your game look unique.  If you're new to art as well expect that work load to be at least doubled, more likely quadrupled.  You've got a lot of learning to do on top of all that art you're expecting to draw.

The reason why I bring this up is simple.  You have to understand what you're getting into or you will fail.  I have run into so many budding pixel artists who make exactly one square of grass tile and think to themselves "Wow, that wasn't so bad.  I just need to do this a few more times and I've got a whole set!"  They then start working on the other tiles and by the time they reach the work load that they thought would be required to make the whole set they don't even have enough for a single screen of mockup and that half finished mockup doesn't even come close to what they saw in their heads.

This doesn't mean you can't do this or shouldn't try though.  Making art for an entire RPG is a huge endeavor but it also makes for a huge result.  Your game is now unique, interesting, and the art will be made specifically to suit it.  Because of it's rarity in independently made RPGs, original art makes for a lasting impression.

So, what exactly is involved in making a tileset for a game? Quite a bit actually.  Time, effort, artistry, consistency, and sometimes a bit of money to get the tools you need.  In other words, this is going to be a whole lot of work.  Here are some things to keep in mind when doing that work.