Creating Sprites

So I am looking into creating a 2d game. Something that i’ve been wondering for quite some time now, is how to create Game-Looking sprites. I’m not talking about the 8-bit pixel ones from back in the day. 2d Objects such as

I know there is probably years of drawing and art behind this stuff, but they had to start somewhere. So could anyone point me somewhere to make good looking 2d sprites?

Bump

What are you asking? How to put a texture on a quad?

http://www.gamespp.com/tutorials/ConvertingArtToSprites.html
http://www.lostgarden.com/2007/12/how-to-bootstrap-your-indie-art-needs.html
http://archive.gamedev.net/reference/articles/article1069.asp

Thank you, Exactly was i was looking for. I wasn’t aware people drew whole sprites, then scanned them in to get a better looking sprite.

I was looking for how to make sprites that don’t look pixally, but more Ipod type.Waruwarus 1st link is pretty much right on for what i was looking for