Yeah, using "I did it on the computer" doesn't get you any slack. It's very much possible to use the tool you used to make a better-looking picture that doesn't look like the artist spend all of two minutes slapping flat colors over somebody else's work - you'd have to do it pixel by pixel, but Hell, you can do it.
Naturally, PhotoShop is faster with recolors, particularly with all those filters, but still.
And BTW, am I the only one getting sick and tired of all these modifications of official art to resemble generic fan character #4488? Seriously. Generally, it never comes out looking anywhere near the right quality, though on occasion I've seen somebody come out with something that's decent. I'd ask people to draw their own crap, but considering that it takes well over 100 frames of art to make one of these guys... unless you draw one frame and then take the display-frame-on-all-angles shortcut (a good shortcut to take if you can without it looking awkward, IMO), thus making the most boring sprite ever (although it might be kinda funny for a while).
Meh. Ranting.