Spriting a Seal

[Scavenger]

I'm trying to sprite a seal-version of a character (he's a selkie, turning into a seal is his thing), but I'm having some trouble making the front, back, and the back-right sprite look right. I'm most pleased with the side view, it looks most like the chunky weird-not-quite seal I was going for. I'm just not entirely sure how to do the other views and have them read right. Especially the back view - every attempt I've done just looks like a mess.

[imgzoom]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/50882197/art/GameStuff/Harper_Seal_Sprites.PNG[/imgzoom]

Does anyone have any tips? Thank you in advance!

[AnasAbdin]

First, did he have body change (morph) or only crawling on his tummy?

[Scavenger]

He transforms, yeah. I wanted to keep his hair between forms,but he definitely turns into an actual seal.

[AnasAbdin]

My concern in the image above is that he looks like he's not transformed yet, he looks just laying on his tummy. If this is a transition step then I don't think it's bad at all. But if it's the final form then I'm totally confused. The hair wasn't the deal how I interpreted this. For the back view, the shape of the feet (and partially legs?) made me think he's not transformed yet. Try making his torso narrowing down into one leg then splits into two feet (..in kids talk: no butt crack). For the front view, IMO it would look more seal-esh to have the flippers bending to the sides, something like this: __/ \__ I think this would definitely help animating later for walk cycles.

[Scavenger]

OK, fixed the ones I'm capable of doing:

[imgzoom]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/50882197/art/GameStuff/Harper_Seals_02.PNG[/imgzoom]

But I still have no idea how to visualize the back view.

[Danvzare]

Easy, all you have to do is give him a flipper. Seals have flippers.
He shouldn't have feet, he should have a tail.
If you do that, he should look perfect.

[Cassiebsg]

Maybe this will help:

Spoiler

http://solosinuitstore3.weebly.com/uploads/2/8/1/1/28116219/s422302993672243161_p1_i2_w640.jpeg

[close]

AnasAbdin, is right, he should not have arms or legs, but fins. Streamline that seal, don't add those dark lines defining the "arms", "legs" and "feet"... and you should be fine.

Suggestion: Google "seals" in images, looks at at few pictures, do a few sketches of those images that are in a angle you want to draw. Then go back to your sprite, compare with the references, perfect and fix your sprites.