First sprite attempt

[SuperFoop]

Well, This is my first attemp at a sprite. I'm actually quite new to the who sprite scene so I'm a little confused on wich file types to use, The sorts of rules etc.

I wanted to make a mopy sort character. I'm not really that good with posing and proportions although I tried my best. Another problem I have is shading. I just sort of guess around on where it should go. .



I guess I'm a little more in the  'Younger catagory'. I realise the age limit is 13 but, I'm not really 13 until 28 more days. I realise that's not an excuse but if I could stay that would be great .

[AlbinoPanther]

First you must stay if yo have 13 and you use AGS that is realy great.
For the file types use PNG or PCX (for BG's or sprites) PNG have better compression so file is smaller and you can do a transparent images with it but both of them are great.Just don't use JPG

For the C&C we don't have much (we put allmost all of our sprites in CL so )
It is nice quite diffrent.Just wait a little and somebody will sure help you.

Enjoy and STAY here

LD

[hms]

I Like it. (im 14 so 'young catagory' too )

The only thing is the head which is some kind out of shape in the front view. And try adding more detail like shadows, or hair.

Very nice first try :- )

[El Drey]

Oh no...
Not another one!
Kids these days start drawing younger and younger... As a drawing addict I'd advise you to stop, the longer you keep it up, the harder it gets to quit. If you draw for like 9 more years, you'll end up doing stuff like this

What I'm trying to say, in my own twisted way, is that it's not a bad first attempt. My drawings at age 13 would never include shading, so you're ahead of me there.

First thing you need to do is determine the light source, and the light direction. Keep that in mind.

As for the pose, I'll keep telling it to anyone who wants to hear it... Stickfigures help. A lot. You want a mopy character? You can draw a mopy face, but that doesn't mean the overall picture will be. Draw a mopy stickfigure first, so the mopyness is in the pose. Than add the face and give the sticky guy some flesh to move around. It's one of the easiest but most effective tricks of the trade.

The proportions are OK, big heads and small bodies are cartoony, but I think the waistline should be higher. The legs are too short compared to the torso and the torso is too tall compared to the arms.

And be proud of your work. I know I am, otherwise I wouldn't link it in my post. Everything is up for improvement.

Drey supports you.

[SuperFoop]

Thanks!, I took your advice and drew a quick stick figure. But, I just drew it to the side of my sprite and used it as a referance, As I'm not really that good at building off of a stick figure. So I put him on a slant and bended out his leg. :p. I raised the waist height in order to try to fix the body, I modified the head shape and added some hair. Since it was an orangy colour I thought I should give him some freckles. I hope I edited it for the better.  But after looking at it twice.. I feel like I sort of made it worse.

[DonB]

If you draw for like 9 more years, you'll end up doing stuff like this

..the subtility..

Superfoop I think it's great.. I woudn't mind playing with a character which looks like that at all.. only maybe the inside shadow of his longsleeve could use a less-dark color.. just a bit darker then the green color inside.. now it looks to double pixel at the longsleeve to me.. anyway now try to animate em curious how he would look

EDIT: since you made a new response during my answer.. you made an new edit.. very nice legwork, also the red spots on his face (dont know the word for it) makes him look like a real mean bullyhead.. i like em! But.. if he is a bullyhead.. make em look more evil.. he looks more sad now.. which doesn't fit the attitude he is wearing with his pose and all

Tho.. I really liked the bald-headed simple guy you first had, looks like you made a completely new character with this new edit.. why don't you keep the new edit as an npc.. just change the colors of his pants and longsleeve and make em look evil, .. then keep the first one as original character..

[nihilyst]

I think Foop wanted him to be more sad-looking. And I really like your first attempts; for first sprites they're really great. I really like the hair.

Try to find a mixture between the first and the second edit. For someone that sad-looking his pose is too relaxed. He maybe should look to the ground.

Keep it up, and soon we'll have very good sprite!

cheers
nihilyst

[El Drey]

..the subtility..

What's that?
You got me there. Lets edit that.

But after looking at it twice.. I feel like I sort of made it worse.

I don't think so. Just make the shoulders hang a little in the side view, bend him over (not too much, though, he's not in prison, and he didn't drop the soap...)

It 'll turn out nicely.

I'll shut up now...

[Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens]

Foop- while there is an age limit, it is usually enforced for people that can't (or don't know how to) behave in a respectful manner.  After reading your first post I don't believe you will have any problems here. 

As far as the drawing itself goes, you have a solid grasp of expression, but proportions need a bit of work.  I'm not speaking about the head 'size' so much since that is a style issue, but the shape should be roughly egg shaped with the eyes and such centered and the eye line roughly in the middle of the shape, like so...





The head is an inverted egg shape (a large one) and his features begin roughly around the center.  I hope this helps and welcome to the board.

[SuperFoop]

Thanks ProgZmax! I took your advice and decided the only way I can learn is by trying it myself. I still havn't got the whole eggshape thing right but I hope I'm improving.

[JimmyShelter]

Thanks ProgZmax! I took your advice and decided the only way I can learn is by trying it myself. I still havn't got the whole eggshape thing right but I hope I'm improving.

Good idea, you learn the most from trying yourself!

Some things:
- His shoulders.., the right shoulder is a but too sharp, I'd make it more like the left shoulder.
- In the side-view he looks kinda angry, instead of moping.

[SuperFoop]

Fixed his shoulder, Missing pixels and revived his long lost side view ear.  I'm editing to fast and aren't I? .

[PinkSugarHearts]

Uhm, not to be rude, but his head looks like a big potato!

Sorry, I know I talk too rude. But it's a good first attempt. It was better than mine when I drew one for the first time. By the way, the potato-style is not ment as ugly, but as funny ^_^. And the second try was a lot better than the first one.

[JimmyShelter]

Uhm, not to be rude, but his head looks like a big potato!

Sorry, I know I talk too rude. But it's a good first attempt. It was better than mine when I drew one for the first time. By the way, the potato-style is not ment as ugly, but as funny ^_^. And the second try was a lot better than the first one.

I like the head, I even like the weirdly shaped head from the first version better! Gives it a weird style, not a figure like almost every game has..

[SuperFoop]

Well, I'm trying the hardest part now, The walk cycle. I can't seem to position the legs properly , Is there any tutorials on creating walkcycles?

[DonB]

What's that?
You got me there. Lets edit that.

.. I ain't no UK guy, so don't know how else to say it.. I just ment that the.. one day u will be as good as me.. thing turned out a bit arrogant.. but that's not bad.. i like the attitude actually

And SuperFoop.. I like ur repaints.. they are becoming more realistic every day.. but I really think u should keep the strange-formed bald head of the first character.. very cool..

[ladymeba]

I struggle with walking animations too - so I can't help you there but ....

I really liked your first version - he looked mopey and the head had a certain charm about it - kinda reminded me of Rugrats. Your latest version seems to have lost both these things - he looks like the school bully and he has lost that... unique style.

[gameboy]

Creating the walkcycle. (That's the thing I hate, too)
You should look at this:

(by InCreator)

It's not really a tutorial, but you can see from that picture, how the feet are supposed to be animated.

[DonB]

Only problem is the arms don't move in that nice tut from my man In..

use this..
http://idleworm.com/how/anm/02w/walk1.shtml