How I Created a Pixel Art Cafe ☕

Dec 28, 2022

Concept

The idea for this cafe came from a short instrumental track I wrote:

After hearing it, a friend pointed out that it sounded like an upscale restaurant or cafe, so I decided to create an image to complement the music.

Reference Images

My first idea was to have a girl sitting by a window, looking out at the street from inside a cafe. For reference, I immediately thought of the lofi hip-hop girl, but I also looked for images that had a good contrast between warm and cold tones to create a sense of coziness.

I've linked these images at the bottom of this page.

Process

1. Blocking

To start, I decide on a composition, block out shapes, and define the boundary between the warm interior and cold exterior.

2. Window

I immediately scrap the idea of illustrating a street so that I can keep the focus on the inside rather than the outside. I decide to only include the silhouettes of pedestrians on the sidewalk, which I think lends a bit of atmosphere and gives the girl something to look at.

3. Wall Detailing

Next comes detailing for the wall, window, and door. This is an overpriced hipster coffee shop, so exposed brick is a must.

4. The Girl

I define the girl’s features and give her a cup of coffee to warm her hands.

5. Chairs

Then I give the chairs some more character and depth.

6. Light Construction

Here, I draw lines to figure out how the light should enter the room, keeping it simple with right triangles.

7. Light & Shadow

Using the guidelines, I block in the light and then add back shadows where they belong. The tables and chairs don’t technically cast an accurate 45-degree shadow, but I choose to keep the contours of the shadows clean and recognizable.

I also take this opportunity to add drawers and plants to the back. This should probably be a separate step, but I already went ahead and did it.

8. Countertop & Shadow Detailing

I start working on a wood countertop to complement the forest-y theme, complete with an iPad register and a tipping machine. This is 2022 after all.

I also go back and add imperfections to the shadows on the floor to reflect the snow and frost on the window.

9. Light shafts (Final Result)

Using the light guidelines from earlier, I add some subtle light shafts. Here is the final result:

Final Thoughts

This took the better part of a day to complete, and as someone who is not too experienced with perspective drawing (I nearly gave up in the blocking step), this has been my most challenging pixel creation so far. That said, this turned out better than I thought it would, and I’m quite happy with the result.


Reference Image Sources

  1. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/3166662217143804
  2. https://dribbble.com/shots/6400141-Smoking-Joe-s
  3. https://dribbble.com/shots/15352275-Cafe-scene-pixelart
  4. https://setamo-arts.tumblr.com/post/616639526764527616
  5. https://coffeeshopambienceshop.com/products/snow-night-on-window-at-coffee-shop-ambience-with-relaxing-smooth-jazz-music-and-snow-falling
  6. https://jpmachado.art/en/portfolio/
  7. https://lofigirl.com/blogs/releases/afternoon-jazz
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