Lawrence-style character

[Peanut Monkey]

Hey guys, I'm fairly/almost completely new to the world of pixel art so I hope you go easy on me!  I decided to try and draw Lawrence (of Arabia) but use my face instead.  There are some parts I like and some I don't (the 'folds' in the clothes.  Also I made the green-tinted glasses waaay too dark because I couldn't make them not blend in with the skin otherwise), so any examples of what/where I could improve would be appreciated, preferably without a complete re-draw but I know that's not always possible.



Also, I know it's cheeky to ask a second thing (?) but could anyone also give me pointers on drawing a camel?  I did an outline originally but I sucked so bad at adding detail, and then I noticed that in relation to 'me' it was was too small.  Then I did another and it was way too big and the style didn't look the same as my little guy.  Maybe I'm not cut out for pixel art!  Haha.

[Babar]

Hahahah....hope I'm not being mean or rude or anything, but your sprite looks like one of those arab women in their full-length cover. I think it is the extra red lips.

The way you have done the dress is also somewhat confusing (especially with the extra dark outline around his torso, which makes him look somewhat busty. Also, I think you made his head-cover follow his head much too closely, when it should be loose, and gathered around his shoulders.

Here is an example:


A camel is generally about a head or two taller than a man. Here are some examples to help you:
1
2
3

[Peanut Monkey]

Hehe, that's fine.

I've tried, but I just don't seem to be able to do the clothing at all.  Since it's pretty much the same colour it all blends into each other and you can't tell which part is which.

Edit: Incidentally, I was trying to go for this look for the most part (and failing miserably ):

[Babar]

Heheh...but he's not wearing glasses there! Yours looked like he was trying to spook the player or something (coming at him with clawed hands).

The pic  I posted was to help differentiate the clothing (probably more for myself than for you):
He's got a white 'dress' type thing underneath, tightened with a belt.
He's got a 'cloak' on top of that, which is flapping in the wind
You also gave him his shawl/scarf thing, which as I said should not be tightly around his neck, but bunched around his shoulders.

I was bored, so I drew up something that might help you figure out what I mean. I basically just added the head-thing, an extra shade, and attempted to show the direction and shape of his clothes:

Of course, I failed miserably, and my example looks like a mad ghost doctor....

[Peanut Monkey]

Ooh, I like the extra shading on the left!  I've never been able to shade, which is probably why trying to draw one-colour clothes has turned into such a disaster for me, haha.

There's something not quite right at the bottom.  I mean when you study your image it looks right with the wind blowing the cloth, but if you sit back and look at the whole thing it makes the person too skew.  Miles better than mine though; I wish I was better at this kind of thing.

And yeah it does look like some kind of crazed stalker person, heh.  That's why I tried to make a smile!  I ended up making a HAPPY crazed stalker person

[Peanut Monkey]

Okay guys I'm happy enough with the main guy/me (probably as good as I can get him.  With help from Babar!), and I've had a crack at the camel.  Overall it's smaller than I wanted (again) but that's fine - and as a complete newbie I'm quite pleased with the proportions.  I still absolutely cannot shade the damn thing's body though.  It's really stumping me and nothing I try works.  Can anybody show me how they'd approach it?  This is also the reason why I haven't added the two legs further away - I can't figure out the colours so it doesn't all turn into one big jumbled mess.

Here's the photo I used:



And here's the camel (along with me):



...I just noticed the tail looks like the camel is pooping dung.  Hahaha!  Oh well, add that to the list of things I can't draw since I attempted it three times! 

[rbaleksandar]

lol Well, it's too fluffy Make the base a little bit more flattened out. Maybe a little bit longer too. And at the end (like in the photo) some fluffiness please

btw Front legs look a little bit too short and the camel is like going to fall forward.

[Peanut Monkey]

I'll certainly try!  And yes comparing the two images I can see the original camel has longer legs.  I guess I stopped short because I wasn't sure if I was to keep angling them (which would end up looking silly) or go straight down.

Anyone got any tips/demonstrations on the shading of the camel?  Just looks awful flat but I don't know where to begin shading it.

[MoodyBlues]

The latest version is really cute.  He's like, "YAY I GOT A CAMEL!"

As for shading - why not use the photograph to get a rough idea of the body shape and shade accordingly?

[Peanut Monkey]

Yes, his face is strangely endearing!

Sorry for a small update, I hope you don't mind.  As I say I am new to this, I'm not the most artistic and so am just trying my best.

Is this all right at the moment?  Since I can't shade to save my life I'm only loosely going with the photo:



I did a bit under the neck, at the back of the legs and under his stomach to make it round.  God only knows how I do the body proper and the hump!

Edit: As you can see I still haven't dared add the other legs either.

[Peanut Monkey]

How do you mean?

[Babar]

I'd suggest making the leg shading a little thicker. Right now it makes the camel look like a flat paper cut-out

[Peanut Monkey]

Thanks, I'll try that for next time .  I'm not entirely sure how to make the hump appear fully rounded.  I tried to add a circular effect underneath but it makes it too pronounced and dome-like.  I'm also not sure (as I say) where I add shading on the body, since I'm trying not to use a lot of colours.  When I tried my first ever pixel art I went completely overboard, so I'm trying to tone it down.

Also, Dualnames probably meant the guy was too 'gay' which is fine because he's grinning and basically wearing what looks like a dress (!), but I hope he meant the camel.  Haha, I'd so love that.  Geoffrey the gay camel.

[rbaleksandar]

  One more thing - the lower lip. And all in all it looks like a horse in the face Here's a photo of the same (I think) breed camel you're trying to draw.



And here is how a horse looks like



You're camel in the face looks more like the second imho. Make at least the lower lip longer as it's on the photo in this and the previous post (with the whole camel photo).

[Peanut Monkey]

Thank you (all!) for your comments .  It is very much appreciated to have people help out.

[Dualnames]

He appears (even with your last edit) a bit too feminine. From the movie he was a proud and whatever other thing he was kind of MAN. He appears more than a salesman rather than a noble MAN. Don't know if it's just me so if it is nevermind me. I'm not acting in a I-can-draw-you-can't mood. Just making an observation, if you want to ignore it, it's fine.

[Trent R]

He appears too gay or is just me?

The man or the camel?

I this this is a pretty fruity picture anyways.


~Trent

[Dualnames]

The camel is just fine however. I suggest you try and redraw Lawrence, I'm aware you've put some effort on that sprite..but it doesn't show.. that's all. I'm trying to critisize not show superior, I'm sure you'll get a hang of it.

[Technocrat]

He appears too gay or is just me?

Well, Colonel Lawrence was gay, but I suppose he's supposed to look a little more soldierly.

...alright, I've nothing much to contribute, beyond history lessons.