Tiny is the way to go! My favorite part about pure pixel art is its limitations tend to inspire more creativity. Learning how to trick the eye is so much fun, and those lessons can be translated to other mediums very well.
Your wee sprite is adorable! Its got a very sly/mischievous look on its face, which is hard to portray at that size.
I'd love to offer suggestions, but don't want to give what might come off as a harsh critique where none was asked for... but if you're interested in some tips let me know!
Ping me, Devil Daddy, ping me.