character sprites & BG

[Matti]

Current set:



Background:

[Calin Leafshade]

I like her. Reminds me of zoe castillo a little.

I hope she is like Zoe Castillo. *pathetic swoon*

[Matti]

I haven't played The Longest Journey, so I don't know what she's like 

[Calin Leafshade]

She's from Dreamfall :p

[Matti]

Whoops. I googled it and must have misread something. But I haven't played Dreamfall either..

[Anian]

The cap has a line in the middle, so in the front view that line looks like the shader part is lifted (did you mean to draw it that way?) and the shader part is usually not visible or just hinted at. I think you should lose that line in the middle, maybe add a detail like a badge or something, she looks like she could have a badge on the cap, and that'll give detail, personality and sense of rotation.

And btw I love that style of yours, I think I mentioned that though.   Oh, and play those games!

[Matti]

Thanks, anian. I developed that style over the past 3 years now and I'm quite happy myself. But I do some pixelart from time to time too.

Yeah, I was afraid that the cap would look like that, but the shader part is not supposed to be liftet:

     

I know, the two faces don't look too similar (at least when it comes to the eyes), but it doesn't matter at sprite size I guess.

Yeah, maybe a badge or something will help..

[Khris]

Her left thigh is off; if she's supposed to stand with one leg halfway in front of the other, she wouldn't be able to put her feet next to each other like that.

Apart from that minor quirk, this is an awesome sprite!

[Tabata]

Hi Matti,

the different stance is no problem in my eyes, because normally it's used to show a turn and in real life you also don't hold the stance, when turning.

Ã,,hm, ... and about Joe Castillo ~ you both are talking about the same girl (Dreamfall - The Longest Journey)

The outlines imo should only depend on your own taste - with black ones it's a bit more like a comic and without more realistic - choose the kind wich is closer to your game-style. I also think, that noone will really realise the outlines of this girl, which is so pretty!

Well done!

[Matti]

Thanks people.

You're right Khris, I didn't think too much about it, but I'll fix that.

Tabata: Aha, the one is the sequel to the other... but yes, I should decide about the outline style as soon as I have the background style ready. You're right about the stance too, I have another character with different stances for different views too anyway and it shouldn't be a problem.

[Khris]

Ã,,hm, ... and about Joe Castillo ~ you both are talking about the same girl (Dreamfall - The Longest Journey)

Not exactly, Zoë wasn't in the first game which is called simply "The Longest Journey". Dreamfall was the sequel.

On topic: I forgot to mention that I personally would go with colored outlines.

[Matti]

Here's a new version. For some reason I have a serious problem when it comes to drawing shoes, but I think this looks better now. I also added the belt, tweaked some minor details and made practically every outline a dark tone instead of pure black. Forgot to do something about the cap though..

[Tabata]

@Khris - Sorry, I overlooked that (because he googled for the name, and then he couldn't get to the wrong site).

@all, who didn't play this nice game and don't know Zoe:
Take a look at (http://bestgamewallpapers.com/files/dreamfall-the-longest-journey/zoe-castillo.jpg), because it really could be sisters.

@Matti - She's really a pretty one! Can you tell us a little bit of her story already?

Greetings

Tabata

[Matti]

Well, on the one hand I don't want to spoil too much, on the other hand I haven't fleshed out her story very much yet.

She's both a technician and a mechanic basically, so she knows how to use a computer as well as a wrench. Together with a friend she owns a small workshop for cars and stuff, in a slum quarter of a megacity (where the game takes place). It's funny you said she could be Zoe's sister, cause she indeed has a sister. She's a pretty one too since they're twins

[Tabata]

That sounds interesting to me and also matches to her look!

Thank you for the extra-info!

Now you made me even more curious. So my reward for your kindness to tell something is: 
I'll be watching every step of you from now on, because I won't miss something about this

[Khris]

I'm sorry but with the foot changed, the leg's shape looks even worse. A leg can't bend that way, the knee can't be further back than the line hip-heel.
Her right leg is perfect, shading and all. Just turn it a bit and there's the left one.

[Anian]

- yeah, the shoes look simple yet good
- didn't notice it before, but:
   - longer legs needed (only just noticed, didn't repaint that), shorter neck maybe (I shrinked the head here, by mistake)
   - center of balance is off (her torso would make her fall, draw a center vertical line through the body, and you'll see what I mean
   - that leg does look wierd, tried to correct it
(repaint only on the left figure)

[Tabata]

Sorry anian,

but I don't agree (in particular) about the legs, because I often saw people pressing backwards one knee while standing, like Matt draw it.

Therefore I take this as a peculiarity, which represents a part of her (lovable) individuality. In my oppinion a drawn character is much more closer to a real human with those little „mistakes“.

Tabata

[qptain Nemo]

Can't be helpful due to lack of any comparable skill, but let me just say that your style is admirable

[Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens]

This looks very nice!  My only suggestions are to thin out her left wrist as it goes into her pants in the front view and thin the right wrist in the angle view(looks rather bulky) and tilt one or both of her shoes outward in the front view so she looks like she's supporting her weight.  People tend to fan out their feet when they stand still because it's more relaxing on the body.  Her angled pose is great and gives her a relaxed look; try to mirror this in her legs and feet in the front view since her upper body looks relaxed but her legs are standing at attention.