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5.) Practice!
This is where it gets cliché, but practice does make perfect. Rome wasn't built in a day and nobody is gonna be amazing on their first go. Wanna see one of my awful first attempts back in 2020?
Heck, I took most of my palette here from @ohyesitstim (Insanely underrated and skilled artist btw, go give him a follow).
4.) Find other Sprite Artists
I know tip no. 1 said to use Spriters Resource, but that doesn't mean you should only use Spriters Resource. A lot of fan artists have put their own spin and techniques into making sprites. The art down here is by @GenericPretsel (<- cool artist)
It's a small detail, but it does add up. Knowing when to use sharp and soft corners can help up your spriting game.