Female Character for Danger Mouse [NEW CHARACTER]

[Dadalus]

Designing a new character for my adventure game based on Danger Mouse, not entirely happy with it. I like the face and hair, the torso perhaps needs recolouring, but the legs are all wrong. Ill work on that issue.

Do you think the character fits, and what do you think of the look?

Please note I'm not aiming for sexy, but I am trying to get a Lara Croft type vibe.

[selmiak]

Do you realise lara croft was designed to be sexy by default? You probably mean a lara croft adventurer type of vibe?

[Dadalus]

reworked the image a bit, opinions?

[cat]

Much better, but she seems to be off balance a bit . Leaning forward in her legs/hips is ok, but then the upper body should lean a bit backwards or she might fall over

[Dadalus]

Simple rotate...



better?

[Intense Degree]

Not that I'm an artist in any way but...(yep, still gonna give you my opinion )

1. It looks like the legs need to be a bit further over to the left - i.e. "under" the torso more
2. The legs don't look rotated to the same degree as the torso.

Otherwise she looks good - a nice design for la souris dangereux!

[Mandle]

1. It looks like the legs need to be a bit further over to the left - i.e. "under" the torso more

I thought the same thing at first, but then realized that it's the hair sweeping back in under her arm that makes her waist look too slim on the right-hand side. So her waist is thicker than it looks in this shot.

Maybe when she moves this will become clearer as the hair sweeps back and forth? Otherwise yeah....this illusion is a slight problem...

Otherwise: Great look!

[Dadalus]

Reworked it and slightly altered position of legs and line of torso. Also gave it a little recolouring.

Put in the other two characters for reference (no critique on them please).

On slight side note, trying to think of names for this one. Was originally going to be 'Fifi', but I don't think that fits this look. Suggestions? (PM me if not critiquing the art, so as not to be off topic).

[cat]

Nice! I like the new colors.

[selmiak]

She's still missing the small reflective dot on her nose and on her pupils that the design document demands
The more earthy tones are easier on the eyes, I like. Have you tried experimenting with some out of the norm haircolors, like green or blue hair?

[Dadalus]

The vast majority of the characters don't have a reflective dot in the eyes (see my post in Games in production for examples): here

Even the ones that do, it doesn't show up too well when converted to a sprite.

I'm happy with the hair colour, I think it fits the look I'm going for.

Point taken about the highlight on the nose...

[Tabata]

I like the charakter (even without a tail, but that seems to be intended) and can't wait to see her animated. 
Keep on the good work!

... trying to think of names for this one. ... Suggestions?

I think a typical cat's name for that (sexy) hunting mouse like Kitty or Tiger Lilly would be funny and fits

[Dadalus]

Yep the no tail is deliberate.

Thanks cat, Intense Degree, selmiak and Mandle your input really helped with refining this.

Now that I have Tabata's approval (she is a mouse-fetishist after all) I think I can put this one to bed. Not at the animation stage yet, just wanted to get the look of the character down.

I've chosen the name Angelina suggested by Mandle (in a PM), thanks to all who had suggestions. I'm working on adding more female characters so I will probably use the other names at some point. Who knows? maybe Tabata will deem one worthy of her name...

[Mandle]

I've chosen the name Angelina suggested by Mandle (in a PM),

Yay!!! I named a mouse!!! Never done that before!

Hopefully players will get the reference, or even if not: It's still a pretty name.

[Dadalus]

A new character that I'm thinking of calling Kitty Lighter. Having trouble with getting the colours right. Any suggestions would help. Ive included two versions so you can see the colours I'm experimenting with.

I'm also not happy with the hands, Ive tried fixing them but cant seem to get it right (I always have trouble with them) taking a break from it and Ill tackle them later.

What do you guys and especially gals think of the look?

Wasn't sure if this should go as a separate post, but hopefully putting it here is ok.

[Anian]

Maybe try that blue from mole's suit, something to keep with the more saturated color palette of the other characters. Also her proportions kind of lean towards realistic while other characters are more cartoony, which all kind of separates her design from the other characters and makes her feel out of place. It's a good design, but does it seem to fit that well with others?

[Dadalus]

Hadn't considered the realistic look being out of place, but looking at it again I think your right. I'll rework the body shape to make it more cartoon like.

As for the colours, I think your right. The character is supposed to be a witch so I was experimenting with greens and purples but nothing seems to fit.

I'm gonna take a break from it, and rework it tomorrow with fresh eyes.

[Dadalus]

Revised the character, opinions?

[selmiak]

the contrast between her hair and her skin is almost nonexistant.
The yellow square looks good on the hat, but somehow loses accuracy on the belt. Either leave it out on the belt or maybe just fill the complete square?
The bottom part of the dress is cartoony but somehow looks like a fishfin, but this could be a subjective impression

[Dadalus]

Slightly altered the belt and dress, and fiddled with the colours also made it a little thinner in scale. Much happier with it, any final thoughts?

[Cassiebsg]

Like selmiak, I think that there's missing something at the bottom of the dress.
Not sure if it's the lack of shading, outline, or something else; but maybe it's missing some detail to show that is actually a dress laying on the floor, and not a weird "blob" and funny shape dress... Maybe only having it "flow" being the character, like it would normally do when one walks and then stops???

[Dadalus]

Three to compare, Im probably going to go with the last one on the right.

[selmiak]

the middle one makes me believe she also has some bats under her hat

[Mandle]

Maybe only having it "flow" being the character, like it would normally do when one walks and then stops???

Like Cassiebsg said: Have the dress trail out a little bit behind the character as if she had been walking and stopped, otherwise you are going to have a very hard time animating the character: Either the dress will trail when she walks and then suddenly gather up around her feet when she stops, or the dress will stay gathered around her feet even while she is walking. Either way is going to look weird.

Also: For me, the belt buckle looks slightly too far to the right compared to the way her face is pointing. The buckle on the hat is perfect, but it looks like the belt buckle has a different ratio of how far it is left-right-wise... (Yup, I'm just makin' up words now!)

Very nice looking character overall though. Love the hair baby!

[Dadalus]

Have put character with a background so you can see it in context, have altered the buckle as suggested.

I'm happy with it. Thanks everyone for  your comments.

[Anian]

Looks good now, though I am a bit confused at the ratio in size between a mouse and a cat...then again it is a carton world so everything goes.

Btw that background (and the ones from the game production thread) look really good, you should consider putting outlines though, again just to fit in with the characters.

[Dadalus]

Anian, the backgrounds are supposed to be that way, I wanted the characters to stand out. Its a personal choice which I am sure some people will dislike.

I think I am done with this one, thanks everyone.

[Mandle]

Have put character with a background so you can see it in context, have altered the buckle as suggested.

I'm happy with it. Thanks everyone for  your comments.

** Some failed joke about buckling down and getting this game out ASAP **

If anyone wants to attempt CPR on the joke go ahead... As for me...

Come Nero... Time to go...

[Dadalus]

Working on a female pilot based on a koala



Ive included alternative heads so you can see what I am playing around with, any thoughts?

[Mandle]

The character looks amazing!

Just one thing though: Usually with koala characters you can see a bit of the interior ear.

For example:



This is just one example, but if you google "cartoon koala" you will see what I mean.

At the moment they kind of look a bit "Mickey-ish", or like earmuffs, or turned around the wrong way by some koala-fixated sadist...

[Dadalus]

I am that sadist!

I was originally trying for a look of hair sticking out that took on the shape of the ears, but it doesn't really work.

Revised work :

[Mandle]

Looks great! One more slight thing I noticed is that, for me, her boots seem just a little too much "side-view" while the rest of her is turned on more of a diagonal between side and front, if that makes sense...

Not a huge issue if it means too much redrawing, but if it's a simple enough matter to angle them slightly more downwards like about 10-20 degrees it might be worth a try?

EDIT: I had a look at your other characters and realised that most of them have feet at a similar angle. I'm guessing there is actually a reason for this, probably to aid with side-view walk-cycle animations. If so, then ignore everything I just said

[Dadalus]

I'm not happy with the feet either, I will rework them tomorrow. At this stage its just getting the look down for most of my characters which is why they have similar poses etc. They are all supposed to be in a 3/4 view but I'm not fully sure all of them are. Animation comes later and whilst I'm looking forward to it, its not a skill I've tackled before (I am researching techniques at the moment). I don't like the 'flash' animation style, but I am wary that I could be adding a lot of work if I use traditional animation.

[Dadalus]

Reworked the character, reshaping the legs and jacket, with a little change to the boots and belt colours.



I'm still not happy with the legs and feet any suggestions?

[Tabata]

I have a tiny bit of a problem to realize that it is a coala because of the different colors of body and ears.
Also the proportions are more human like, but with strange hair and nose.

Maybe going a bit more into the direction of a coala will do?
Just for to explain what I mean:
               

Spoiler

  very big head / short body

[close]

[Dadalus]

I see what you mean Tabatha, shortening the body and enlarging the head would help. I will rework the character and fiddle about with colouring.

Your not a koala fetishist as well?

[Tabata]

Your not a koala fetishist as well?

Everything to cuddle is sooo cute!
... but (being a sweet tooth myself) I don't like that boring food the koalas do eat. 

[Dadalus]

Thanks to Tabata I have revised the character again (a fresh boatload of sugar coated eucalytus leaves is on its way).



Its getting there...still not quite happy with it. I think the colouring of the face is wrong but I cant seem to find the right fit.

[Tabata]

...(a fresh boatload of sugar coated eucalytus leaves is on its way).

yummy

I think the colouring of the face is wrong but I cant seem to find the right fit.

... maybe changing from purple tones to grey tones?
It might become a bit more like a *naturally* cartoon koala (just with clothes).

[Darth Mandarb]

... maybe changing from purple tones to grey tones?

This!

Edit - did a [very quick] paint-over:

[Dadalus]

Just finished recolouring :-



Darth I did this before seeing your post but it looks like we were thinking along the same lines.

I like the brown one though, thoughts?

EDIT : In situ



(background still a WIP (no critique yet)).

[selmiak]

Give her some colorful stripes.
Or, if you want to convince the player, that she is a koala, use the grey one.
But if you want to make the game you want to make use the brown one!
Rather write her some lines that make it irrelevant that this character's appearance is based on a koala, and maybe add some koala puns here and there. Yucca-Lip does taste remarkable and I koala't get enough of these puns... please make it better though

[Dadalus]

I dont think stripes would fit, but I may play around a bit to see if your right.

perhaps calling her Koala Lumpa?

[Darth Mandarb]

I like the brown one though, thoughts?

I like the brown fur too... but the brown clothes make it harder to read.  Maybe something like this: (again very quickly done)



or


(in this one I forgot to make the inner parts of the ear match the color of the face... not "needed" I just thought it looked better!)

[Dadalus]

Hadn't considered changing the clothing, was going for a leather look, but I like your thinking. Working on something else at the moment so I will post a fresh recolouring tomorrow.

[Mandle]

My two cents (which no longer exist in Australia but...) :

I like the grey version that Darth mocked up for you. I think your grey version is a little too pale and makes her look a bit ghostly or sick. For me the colours in Darth's repaint are pretty much spot-on.

I think brown is a bit confusing: It makes her look more like a bear which makes the cringe-worthy term "koala-bear" reverberate in my head.

[Lasca]

Yucca-Lip does taste remarkable and I koala't get enough of these puns... please make it better though

High koala-t puns!

[Dadalus]

Revised recolouring, I think its almost there. Any final thoughts?

[Darth Mandarb]

I still prefer the grey but I love the brown as well!

Last suggestion would be to differentiate the color of the hat (particularly the part hanging down over her arm) a bit more from the color of the jacket/coat.  It takes a little longer to "read" the image when the colors of those two separate objects blend together!

I love the style/direction of this game!  Keep up the good work.

[Mandle]

The bit of her collar sticking out to our left: Any chance of adding a bit of an underside to it? It kind of looks a bit like something is sticking out of her neck to me.

Apart from that and what Darth said about the helmet flaps: Looks like a charming character for what is looking like a charming game!

[Dadalus]

I will do some little retweaks, the collar needs lowering and extending outwards. I think a little recolouring of the helmet is good advice.

I know you like the idea of gray but I'm just not comfortable with it, it doesn't feel right (to me anyhow ).

I'll post a revised and complete character when Ive finished, but I think its time to wind this one down. EDIT: I want to move on to designing Fifi (DMs ex who is never seen in the show, and is from Paris, I was thinking a poodle but Ive scrapped that idea)

Thankyou to Darth, Mandle and of course Tabata you helped a lot it in pushing this character in the right direction.

EDIT : revised image