After completing the phoenix (finally), here’s what I finished:

• The projectiles emitted from the boss. I wondered what it should be—a rock? A magic orb? Before realizing that it was a phoenix we were talking about, and that flames were basically their signature! I also added frame-by-frame animation to add more life to it.
• The boss health bar! It’s noticeably larger than the player’s, with a similar flame animation as the projectiles. It doesn’t have that gold sheen, but I hope it has its own unique style that gives off phoenix vibes!

What I’m working on:

• The background! I’ve only created two pillars, but I’m planning on an entrance to a temple. To make the colors blend more together, I actually used the jumble tool! (The enemy is there as a reference to the size proportions)

What I plan to do after finishing the background:

Besides more pixel art (player, arrows), I want to implement the art into the game! The game’s framework is basically done, though I’ll definitely add more features so that it isn’t so repetitive. I also need to work on the health bars, which is exciting! :)