Downscaling line images

[FireRat]

Hello.

I am trying to do a retro-styled videogame in a very small true resolution (320x224), I can deal with the tileset drawing, but I'm definitely not good with the in-game sprites.

 

I got an idea time ago, that I could draw the sprites in paper, scan them all, and then downscale and color it with pixels over. But I finally accepted this idea after seeing how in a recently leaked prototype version of a well-known game the creators used the very same method, and lots of enemies and objects seem to be scanned drawings:

 

So I done the same, and drew a sprite, which according to the other also small sprites should be 24x32 px in size. Here is the scanned image after a few in-editor fixes and cleanup (removing the grid lines inside the drawing mostly):

 

I'd like to downscale it to my target size, so I can color with pixels over in a different layer. Downscaling to 24x32 under Paint.NET gives an useless result, using both Bilinear and Nearest neighbor. What can I try? Is it even possible to work this way nowadays?

Edited September 11, 2016 by FireRat
Important grammar correction(s).

[Ego Eram Reputo]

Don't resize! Instead, overlay a large grid with the correct number of cells (i.e. 24x32). Use that as your coloring guide in a new tiny 24x32 pixel image. In other words, each large cell in the large image becomes one colored pixel in the small image.

 

You can use any of a number of gird makers. I like the one in BoltBait's plugin pack

 

[FireRat]

All right!

 

Here is the final result:

[Ego Eram Reputo]

Very cool!

 

Trick I use to view larger-than-intended draw pixel art: I squint at them. I find this blurs the edges and gives me a much stronger impression as to how they will look at the reduced size.

 

One thing you might consider: continue the red body behind the articulated tail and jaw. I think the thin white region detracts from the overall effect. Especially if you want to animate the tail and jaw later....