OP was just asking for help to learn the skills, dude. They weren't saying they expected to start having solo shows in prestigious galleries or anything.
That is what I mean,
If you think learning “skills” to make visual art for CG, is just learning software or a particular “tech” or “technique”, you cannot make it work in the world of AI…
If you just want to make random stuff, just use AI.
What I was saying is that the skill of visual art including good pixel art, comes from exposure and learning visual vocab and grammar.
Sorry for the previous long winded post (habit from teaching design and CG in Ivy)
Nah, I gotta disagree. When I was studying art, getting my degree, etc., there was absolutely a line drawn between the academic pursuit of art, which did include the academic context, history, and all that rot of which you speak vs. the daily practice of art, which could literally be flinging paint around a studio and seeing what sticks. Our coursework and discussions explored that full spectrum. There were times to be academic snobs about art, and times to just let the work fly. And while you are correct that some great art comes from the middle ground where you bring context into your whimsy... trying to push that as the only place from which art can originate is simply gatekeeping.
Now, if you wanted to share your experience, and offer it as a potential path to add additional skills into OPs practice, then it could come off as helpful: "Hey, I teach design, and have found that studying x, y, z can bring you some additional knowledge that will help..." is a far more open way to express the same idea.