Trying to draw some characters...

[Grapefruitologist]

Hi,
I posted these a few months ago (a year?) and today I redrew them and I'd just like to hear any advice, comments, or criticism. Thanks.

[Ubel]

I like the style quite a lot. I don't think there's generally anything wrong with the sprites except for the usage of a lot of colors. I know it might be part of the style but you could also go for a more pixelated style, like this.



I know it's not the best possible example but I hope it helps at least a bit. Good job with the sprites though, they look lovely.

[Buckethead]

They all have one of their hands in their pocket. For animation it might be better if you draw them with both hands out. Otherwise you have to animate that they take their hand out and put it back in later.

[Grapefruitologist]

I know it's not the best possible example but I hope it helps at least a bit. Good job with the sprites though, they look lovely. 

Thank you. =) I think I'll keep it un-pixelated, for now, thanks. =D

They all have one of their hands in their pocket. For animation it might be better if you draw them with both hands out. Otherwise you have to animate that they take their hand out and put it back in later.

Hmmm. Well, I'll think of something, lol.

[thewalrus]

     Really cute looking sprites. I don't see anything wrong with them. I like the style, colors and the over all smoothness (un-pixilated). Keep up the good work.

[Grapefruitologist]

Alright, thanks. =D I just redid some backgrounds as well, if anybody has any comments on these:


I'm sure the perspective is off, I'm horrible at perspective and I can never seem to get how it works.
Here's some more characters:

[KrisMacDee]

It's not your perspective thats off, the rooms seem a little empty. otherwise looks good. the sprites are pretty nice as well!Ã, 

[Grapefruitologist]

Alright, well, what do you think I should I add? The first room is an alley, the second room is a CD store. I'll have a wolf in the first room and another character in the second room, but it does still look a bit empty now that you mention it, I'll add one of those money machines on the desk, maybe some paper? And a lightbulb? Might as well, I guess. I can't think of what else to add. I'll add another trashcan maybe to the first one.

[nihilyst]

You shouldn't use coloured noise in there. It's confusing. Some parts of the backgrounds as well as the characters are very blurred. I think the "un-pixelated" style could work, but keep in mind, that this doesn't mean to have blurred sprites.

[Grapefruitologist]

Uh... blurred... hmm, um, blurred? Like what exactly?

You shouldn't use coloured noise in there. It's confusing.

On which background? Both?

[nihilyst]

I mean the coloured dots on the walls in both screens. Looks like a coloured noise effect to me.

And with blurred: Look at the character with the red scarf. His right hand seems to melt into the scarf. Try to have more distinct lines that form the body.

[Grapefruitologist]

I used noise on the backgrounds, yes. I'll try to make it blend in I guess.

Look at the character with the red scarf. His right hand seems to melt into the scarf. Try to have more distinct lines that form the body.

Oh, dear. That's not even supposed to be a red scarf. Or a he, for that matter. xD If we are talking about the same character, that is-no others are holding anything.
I'll try to fix that, thanks... But that character isn't important right now, where are the other characters blurred? The second character's hair probably, that looks blurred to me, and maybe the third character's pocket... any other places it looks blurred to you?
EDIT: Does this look less blurred?

[nihilyst]

I marked some overblurred spots with a red circle. That are places, where the colours of different parts melt into each other. Like the trousers of the fourth guy. The legs seem to be one block rather than two different. That's because your outlines are blurred, too. I painted some quick black outlines in to show you the difference. Working with outlines and then blurring the shades _inside_ could help the eye with recognizing the shapes.

[Grapefruitologist]

Oh, thanks. That helps a lot. I'll fix them, one minute. I'll edit this post when I upload them.
EDIT: Here, is this better?

EDIT2: I also changed the CD store a bit:

I'm keeping the bricks the way they are, because I can't really fix them, lol. And I think I'll keep it kind of empty (though I will add some more stuff later) because this is supposed to be like the old downtown buildings that were built in the 1800's... pretty much empty, with old chipped bricks and stuff.

[nihilyst]

Do you see those faint blur pixels on the outside of the second and fourth guy's trousers? They will stay, when you import them into the sprite editor. Try to hunt them all down; they only will make your character look worse. BTW ... animating is alot easier when using a shading like Pablo did it in his paintover. You should really consider starting with such models and then -- if you want -- adding more colours by hand (and not with the blur tool). The blur tool can ruin your sprites.

[Grapefruitologist]

Yeah, I already knew about the stray pixels, heh. That's from the spraypaint tool. I was going to remove them when I was done with the finished sprites.
I'm used to doing sprites for Docking Station, which are considerably different than the style most adventure games use, so it's a bit hard to transition. But I think I'll stick with this style anyway-it's different than most of the adventure games I know, but it's really the only way I know how to do sprites. Thanks, though.

[KrisMacDee]

You've an improvement on the second background, but i think you should another shelf on the backwall. but if empty is what you are going for... then just ignore what i just said. Nice lightbulb by the way! 

[Thesaya]

I think you could try putting a poster or sonething in the cd store. It will still look empty, but not That empty. Also, an opinion on the look of your characters, their noses seem a bit big to me, maybe you could alter some of them? If it isnt meant to be that way of course...

[Grapefruitologist]

I think I will add a poster, but I forget what it was supposed to say. xD I will add something like that, though. I'll keep working on that tommarrow.