Help me improving my "pixel pushing"

[Misj']

Now, I never worked in such high (*cough*) resolution and in the end made a sketch
that I turned into a clean sprite.

And I can't help it, it looks sort of okay, but the shading's all off. And I guess that there's a too high colour count too... I read the Spriting Tutorial for "Sphinx" by BigBrother, and I spent a good while to balance the contrast, but well, maybe some of you could have a look?

I like the sprite, I like the style, and I like the stance...there are - however - a few things that don't feel entirely correct to me. Since pixel-art has never appealed to me, I redrew (sketched) the character on paper, and recoloured her in the computer to show what I mean:


First of all, I prefer the non-shaded version; to me it has more character due to the simpleness. Furthermore, a simpler shading would fit such a cartoon character better in my opinion. Finally, I believe it will fit better within a game than a pre-shaded character (one of the reasons I think, why MI3 or BS1&2 don't use pre-shaded characters).

As for ProgZmax's edits, while his edit made the character 's arms and feet more anatomically correct (although the feet are still exaggerated), especially the arms feel wrong. they feel to skinny for the style, and the hand - well, I don't really know what happened to it, but my guess would be that some parts of it have already fallen off after those thousands of years. His feet look good; but I'm just partial to he bigger ones you drew...they have more character. One thing that I really feel to be a great enhancement in his edit is her skirt. By rounding it, it became part of body; showing of her feminine body. Also, I understand the hair feels confusing to him; although I don't really mind. Alternatively, you could give her some head ornament to make it more clear, and such an ornament would not seem illogical on a queen or priestess (compare Asterix's Cleopatra). Personally I don't think I would change it though.

As for my own edit:


Her forearm is not exactly as I intended it, but I didn't feel like redrawing the sketch. Also, her 'pupils' got a little too big, so she's now got a somewhat hypnotized look on her. You've have to look past that

I know many people here don't like 'black outlines', but I prefer them in most cases (it's part of the whole pen-paper-classic-drawing-thing).

I've relaxed her hand a little, because it originally looked like she was holding something.

The most obvious change of course is the colours I used. In cartooning it's often preferred to use few colour groups to make the character more unified; which makes her easier to read (a trick also used by Disney). I've coloured her bandages, skirt, hair, and eyes in the same colour blue, and then adjusted the lightness, also I've used a single colour for both gold ornaments. This way I've reduced the perceived colour to three (and black):
1. Skin
2. Ornaments
3. Cloths (skirt & bandages), hair highlights & eyes
4. Hair & outlines
Her lips could be added to the colour-group of her skin (just slightly darkened), but in this image I've also added some red so technically her lips are a fifth colour group. It's important to keep colour groups together when changing the hue (so in this case a red skirt would automatically produce reddish bandages) in order to keep this unity within the character (with the possible exception of her eyes). Some minor and simple shading could be added to the character, but it should nowhere near as complex as your second shading, or Prog's edit (although I do like his shading of her skirt). It doesn't really fit the style, and it makes the character more difficult to read.

My advise: keep it clean, keep it simple; because it's really a great - and eye pleasing - character.

Misj'

[Ghost]

Misj:

:o *baffled*  :o

I am amazed at the sheer work you put into that. Your edit is pretty close to what I had, somewhere, in my mind- a simplified and playable version. I really must say this thread teaches me a lot.

Tinkering is continued. I stay faithful to the size of the hands and the legs. First, it's a style I have been practising for far too long now to change, and second, it is nice to have at them a bit exaggerated should this ever become a real game sprite. Also, it has a certain "Mummys Alive" touch (don't know if you recall the cartoon) and well, it's just plain right.

Your simplification works well, just the eyes and the overall expressions they create don't quite work for me- a bit too naive, maybe. And while I know about the Disney technique of colour coded characters I never was too much a fan of that, maybe to my loss.

*sigh* If only days had more than 24 hours...

[Dualnames]

Nah, unless you want to reach Misj style, which i would consider of a not so well thought thing to do, i think your style shaded or not reaches the quality of Lucas arts games. just put your sprite next to Ben from Full Throttle. Ben might look worse. Really if I could draw such quality I wouldn't be asking for critique and the improvements might have been very good but hadn't change your sprite much so that I can say "Wow he draws  way better than Ghost." I only said he shades a little better than Ghost. I haven;t realised what are you planning on see here. But there's a little chance you 'll see it.

[Misj']

Nah, unless you want to reach Misj style, which i would consider of a not so well thought thing to do, i think your style shaded or not reaches the quality of Lucas arts games.

I wouldn't dare telling someone to adapt my style , I only used a pen (rather than the original pixel art) to make some pointers. These pointers - if considered valuable enough - can be easily adapted to Ghost's style. And I would encourage him to use them only as pointers and nothing else.

I must add, that 'reach' is misused in that sentence, because it implies that I'm better (at a higher level which he could reach for) than Ghost, and I don't think that's what you meant...if you did, I disagree

Really if I could draw such quality I wouldn't be asking for critique and the improvements might have been very good but hadn't change your sprite much so that I can say "Wow he draws  way better than Ghost." I only said he shades a little better than Ghost.

The intention of giving (constructive) critique isn't to show off that you are better than the person criticized. And I'm pretty sure that neither I nor ProgZmax intended it that way. But I also think that - while Ghost's sprite was already great to start with - it will be even better once he's finished. And that's what the critics lounge is all about. Besides: you're never too good to learn more.

I am amazed at the sheer work you put into that. Your edit is pretty close to what I had, somewhere, in my mind- a simplified and playable version. I really must say this thread teaches me a lot.

I'm glad to hear you found it useful. It's always fun when someone's drawings inspire to pick up my pen and draw. Yours did, and she taught me a thing or two too.

Looking forward to the finished version (as well as a 'high res' game of yours (in due time))...

Misj'

[Ghost]

The intention of giving (constructive) critique isn't to show off that you are better than the person criticized. And I'm pretty sure that neither I nor ProgZmax intended it that way. But I also think that - while Ghost's sprite was already great to start with - it will be even better once he's finished. And that's what the critics lounge is all about. Besides: you're never too good to learn more.

I was just about to but something in very similar lines down, but you said it already, Misj.

Get a fresh view, a different oppinion, a new approach- that's what I "wanted to see here". And I got what I wanted. Otherwise no-one would ever need put up anything here because we all know art is a matter of style and personal oppinion, both of which cannot be critizised.

I am making- just to try it out- a small background for P'tah to live in right now and will put it up here once done. I must say this high-res stuff is fun to do. Requires some more reference pics though.

As for the shading with animation in mind, I found a relatively well-working method: Just animate the non-shaded sprite. Then add a layer to the image, drawing shadows in solid, slightly-less-than-50% grey. Then drawing solif shadow areas on this layer, and *then* setting it to multiply. After that it's basically just a matter of readjusting some colours, and it looks quite nice.

Internship started again today, but the nights, oh, the night is always mine