Sprites : Create or find them

[Internet Explorer]

I've seen many wads, especially KO.T.E's or D00D64's, which have sprite modifications, and I'm starting to getting interested in this stuff, in these medias... since I planned to learn about SRB2 socking, especially ennemies.
I'm not talking about graphics/sfx modifications, I know how to handle this kind of graphic, but about sprites, these packs of 2D pictures, which must contain a sprite for the target looking to the front, looking to 45°, 90°, etc. Until now, I used some stuff which wasn't created by me, like SonicX8000's GraphicX8000 wad, and by giving credit. I would like to know some things about sprites. Here is the question for you, spriters :

===> Do you make your own sprites, or do you take them from sprite sheets, like this one ? (Spriters Resource is a great site with tones of sprites, by the way, but I wonder why isn't it more famous on Google...)
==> And then, if you make them yourself : how do you create them ? With a simple software like Paint, or with advanced softwares...? (I could find how the software works alone, I don't need a tutorial)

I know things about audio media creation, but nothing about picture/sprite creation, I hope you can help me ~

 

[Donnyku]

Personally with the 2 wads I've made, I used Spritesheets I had gotten from SSNTails of Sonic and Tails, and modded them as needed before cutting them up and imputing them into Wads. I Primarly used Photoshop due to it's swatch system making it easier to have the shading done.

These days I'm so far out of the loop I don't even know how things are done as far as putting a wad together.

 

[Sparkz]

I make my sprites from scratch using Paint. Though it might not be the fastest way to do it, I think it's the most precise. This method will yield 100% control over how your sprites will look as you can make the finest adjustments:D

I would also advise that when you start a new series of sprites, that have a few standard character sprites or badniks cut & pasted temporarily on your blank canvas to draw next to. I find this helps maintain a certain consistency with scale and style.

I also keep the color pallet handy as I work.

Here's a shot of my working on GGZ Turret.

 

[Internet Explorer]

I make my sprites from scratch using Paint. Though it might not be the fastest way to do it, I think it's the most precise. This method will yield 100% control over how your sprites will look as you can make the finest adjustments:D

I would also advise that when you start a new series of sprites, that have a few standard character sprites or badniks cut & pasted temporarily on your blank canvas to draw next to. I find this helps maintain a certain consistency with scale and style.

I also keep the color pallet handy as I work.

Alright, so you create them yourself, and I would like to ask,
"I make my sprites from scratch". Scratch... this means you take the pencil from Paint and you draw your sprites ? Or you take a screenshot of the turret in Sonic 3D Blast, cut it and paste it in Paint and adjust its graphic ?

 

[I'll Begin]

I often use Graphics Gale for sprites, specifically animating sprites. It's not great, but it's worth a consideration.

I would recommend Photoshop if you're competent with it already. If you stick to the pencil tool and turn off anti-aliasing on things like the fill and magic wand, it's just like Paint but with layers!

 

[VelocitOni]

Every sprite you see in SRB2Kart is by me (besides CZ's terrible karts). I usually just make sprites from scratch in MSpaint. Though, I did start when I was like, 5 years old with no tutorials though. I really recommend the most simple programs if you want to learn, graphics gale may not be for you right now, because it looks like you hardly know about creating them in the first place.

Don't look down on MSpaint because some people make horrible things in it, try it for yourself. Most professional spriters actually use it too from what I've gathered at my own spriting community.

 

[Internet Explorer]

Every sprite you see in SRB2Kart is by me (besides CZ's terrible karts). I usually just make sprites from scratch in MSpaint. Though, I did start when I was like, 5 years old with no tutorials though. I really recommend the most simple programs if you want to learn [...]

Don't look down on MSpaint because some people make horrible things in it, try it for yourself. Most professional spriters actually use it too from what I've gathered at my own spriting community.

I would recommend Photoshop if you're competent with it already. If you stick to the pencil tool and turn off anti-aliasing on things like the fill and magic wand, it's just like Paint but with layers!

Yes, I know how to handle Photoshop, or at least, a very very similar software. So, according to all your answers, this means I should have a good hand for drawing with Paint and other simple softwares, and it should work, that's how the pro do ?
It sounds quite simple, actually... as long as I have ideas and a drawing hand, and especially, that they aren't supposed to be pieces of art.