Tutorials

By Tim Wesoly developer of Qubicle Constructor
What you need: Qubicle Constructor, and an image editor like Paint, Gimp or Photoshop.

Step 1: Create a cube model with the Qubicle Constructor

First of all you need a cube model. To create a cube model use the Qubicle Constructor. You can download the free basic edition here. To learn how to use the Constructor read the getting started tutorial.

For this tutorial i’ll use a very simple model of a flower.

Step 2: Render your model in an isometric viewing angle

The most important part is to render your model correctly. To get the 2:1 step angle that is typical for isometric pixel art open the Camera Settings dialogue from the view menu (View > Camera Settings) and set Rotate X to 30 and Rotate Y to 45. Other valid angles are 330 for Rotate X and 135, 225, 315 for Rotate Y:

Next set the render resolution with the Render Settings dialogue (Render > Render Settings):

Turn on the Resolution Gate to see what part of the screen is rendered (Click on the Res. Gate button of the display option bar):

And finally render your model with Render > Render As…

Step 3: Finish the rendering with image editor

Open the image editor of your choice and open the rendering. When you zoom into the image you will recognize the typical 2:1 step mentioned before:

Now outline your model with black (notice what parts of the model i’ve outlined):

And finally pick a lighter shade of the corresponding cube color to emphazise the edges.

This way of creating isometric art is much easier than the traditional one. Though you will need some practice to find out which edges should be emphazised and what part of the model should be outlines. Once you’ve learned that creating such beautiful images is like 1,2,3.

I hope you liked this tutorial and have fun with Qubicle!
Cheers, Tim

Here are more examples for this technique: