i am really bad in drawing characters but i tried my best. please give me some advice on how i can improve my character.
x1:(http://img161.imageshack.us/img161/7196/samuelpeters0dt.png) x2:(http://img161.imageshack.us/img161/7196/samuelpeters0dt.png)Ã, --->UPDATE:Ã, Ã, x1:(http://img126.imageshack.us/img126/2667/samuelpeters26vt.png) x2:(http://img126.imageshack.us/img126/2667/samuelpeters26vt.png)
-identify a light source
-don't use programmer's pink as a background, instead pick a more neutral color
-keep outlines consistent (don't have dark outlines around his face and light outlines everywhere else. Hell, you don't even NEED outlines.)
Heh, it looks like CJ
* Head is too round. Look and think and you'll agree.
* Arms are too short. Stand up and try - your fingertips should reach about halfway to knees. But on your sprite?
* Stomach area is too tall - I think that reducing there would improve arms too... so start with stomach first.
* Face could be taller and less wide. Leave more area for mouth and nose. And add a forehead.
...And most important / sticking out thing -
* Pants are shaded... a bit wrong. I love your idea of a shade, but you have to shade feet' sides darker to make pants cylindrical - as they should be. Currently, it's way too flat, like a cardboard cutout. Think and give a try.
Also, you could make t-shirt darker near both sides, it looks currently flat too.
Once again, I bring the geniality of SNK animators as a good example how to do things right:
(http://www.increator.pri.ee/i/critshelp/kof2002.gif)
Pay attention to proportions, shading and color usage...
Maybe something like this:
(http://img481.imageshack.us/img481/2171/samuelpeters26vt6hr.png) (http://imageshack.us)
*changed the shading
*changed the face
I'm still quite new to shading so don't hit me if I did smething wrong.
first of all thanks for the replies!
right here are the new versions. the first one is the same as in myÃ, first post but with different shading and the arms are slightly longer.
the second one has a bigger face and the upper body is smaller. i don't know why but i don't really like the second one...it looks to me more like him (http://img129.imageshack.us/img129/3764/pavian8uo.jpg)
anyway here are the new versions:
(1) x1: (http://img119.imageshack.us/img119/4553/samuel43hv.png) x2: (http://img119.imageshack.us/img119/4553/samuel43hv.png)Ã, Ã, (2) x1: (http://img119.imageshack.us/img119/231/12343oc.png) x2: (http://img119.imageshack.us/img119/231/12343oc.png)
how is it now?
Quote from: big brother on Thu 20/04/2006 15:22:47
-don't use programmer's pink as a background, instead pick a more neutral color
Hm, most sprite artists use a non-neutral colour as a background, just to make sure it doesn't blend in and create glitches or transparent pixels when loaded into the sprite-manager.
Pink or very bright green are quite suitable, imo.
No-no-no. You're going for wrong direction now -- why add colors? The point is to USE the colors you have, not try to patch things up by adding them. Sure, the pants are shaded better now. And shirt looks rounder too. But how are you going to animate this?
I tried to go my way again... and look.
4 pants colors
4 shirt colors
5 skin colors (snapped from NeoGeo palette)
essential black and white and gray shades (for glasses)
________
Total: 16 colors
(I didn't count hair color, since I only trimmed it a bit, but didn't change much)
(http://www.increator.pri.ee/i/critshelp/samuel.png)
This is just for ideas, I don't really like how face turned out and darkest skin shade is a bit too dark, IMO, but I hope it helps a bit. It all took about 15 minutes and is actually a very simple pixel play.
Edit :D
If you're going for nerdy guy (as he looks), I suggest some cool text onto his shirt, like "X-Files", "Linux", Apple logo or something like this...
Quote
Hm, most sprite artists use a non-neutral colour as a background, just to make sure it doesn't blend in and create glitches or transparent pixels when loaded into the sprite-manager.
Pink or very bright green are quite suitable, imo.
Sprites end up against magenta on the actual sprite sheet, but are seldom drawn that way. Due to the miracle of optical mixing, your colors will look different depending on the hues they're against.
Unless your intended background is extremely bright and saturated (please God, no), you're better off working with a neutral color behind your sprite.
may i introduce the new version. imo it's much better now. thanks for the advice to use only a few colors (never thought about that before). since i am not so good at drawing characters i am quite happy with the result (this character: Ã, :o :) :D ;D my old ones: Ã, ??? :( >:() but i am sure there is more to improve.
x1: (http://img503.imageshack.us/img503/7199/samuel58xl.png) x2: (http://img503.imageshack.us/img503/7199/samuel58xl.png)
QuoteIf you're going for nerdy guy (as he looks), I suggest some cool text onto his shirt, like "X-Files", "Linux", Apple logo or something like this...
well he shouldn't be a nerd...but during this process he became one Ã, ;)
i think he will just wear a white t-shirt because my game (if i finish it Ã, :)) is roughly settled in the 1950's-1960's and there sadly was no linux or x-files Ã, :'(. but we'll see... probably he is the man behind linux...;)
EDIT: JUHU!Ã, ;D
Replace pants outline color to DARKEST blue shade of your palette! Brighter outlines are used VERY rarely and they even rarely do any good. Apart from that, you have a helluva great sprite now ;D
He looks like his permanently stooped over, IMHO but great job on the jeans
Just have to say, I dig the shoes! Continue.
My problem with this is that it seems a bit whipped up, almost as if it's been drawn with no real background or intent. The body suggests this is quite a broad and strong person, but the face and glasses contradict this. If you have deliberately intended to create a strong looking person with a 'nerdy' kind of face then i apologize.
My advice would be to make sure you're certain of the traits and the personality of the character you're creating before you draw. For example you could make a list of the persons attributes, what they're like, how they talk etc. and this will in turn give you a more solid foundation to build characters visually.
As for the actual drawing, i quite like the style and you're certainly a lot better than you think you are!
first of all thanks for helping me.
well i made a back and a side view. the shading seems to be wrong and the side view looks weird...i need help again.
x1: (http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/6513/samuelviews7jk.png)
x2: (http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/6513/samuelviews7jk.png)
@DanClarke: i thought much about my characters before i began with the game otherwise i wouldn't have started it. but you are absolutely right he looks strong and nerdy. it wasn't my intention and the picture of him i have in mind looks different but i beat myself with this sprite and i am really really happy with the result. with a little bit of imagination he doesn't look strong and nerdyÃ, ;)
but thanks for the advice!
wait a minute...i haven't tried to use the FORCE... ;)
Small thing, but in the side view, the back of the glasses (The bit behind the ear) shouldn't really be visible. Unless he has some very weird ears.
Ok heres what ill add:
*Nothing is matching up in the sideview.
- The arms are longer
- His hair grew a whole pixel
- His mouth is a pixel lower.
- The shoes grew almost double in size.
- From the shading I gather in the front and back his way to skinny.
- neck, jaw etc lines dont match up... etc.
Other than that the shading on the back view is a little off on the lower back look like he has a extra stomach emerging :)
I dont like the arms at all they look wierd I think its the tshirts lines on the sleeves.
In the back view the shoes are open in the side view they are concealed by the pants.
The sprite is good, practice makes perfect or in my case just a sleep deprived zombie ;)
Enjoy
Afflict.
I think he's shaping up nicely.
I will add, though, that he doesn't seem to have any hair on the lower half of his skull. Most people's head hair covers their entire scalp and extends partway down the back of their neck. It looks like his head is all shaved except for the top, which has grown long and covered most, but not all, of the back of his skull. If this is the haircut he's supposed to have then ignore me... otherwise, I'd suggest putting at least some fuzz down there on his head. :)
ok hopefully i fixed everything (more or less). how is it now?
x1: (http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/568/samuelviews4jf.png)
x2: (http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/568/samuelviews4jf.png)
QuoteThe sprite is good, practice makes perfect or in my case just a sleep deprived zombie
if you see him again send him to meÃ, ;)
He seems to have a different hairstyle in the front view than in the side view.
I have two ideas:
1. His torso is as long as his legs. Try shortening it a little.
2. He's quite a hunk in the front view, while he looks skinny from the side. Maybe try to give him pecs.
But I quite like your char.
He looks good, but you really need to harmonize his proportions. BTW I noticed he's about 150 pixels tall... what screen resolution is he for? In 320x200, he would take up 3/4 of screen height, in 320x240 about 1/2.
In the CMI demo, Guybrush takes 1/2 of the screen height - this is an extreme, and he's very slim at the same time. So for a x240 your character is rather big, for x200 too big, on the other hand if it's for x400 or x480, it's ok.
If I were you, I'd simplify the shading - use a smaller number of more contrasting colors. Your's is unnecessarily complex, it will make difficult animating him without the animation looking "noisy".
Though you probably got way more help than you wanted to - I should say that the hands on your character look quite awful. Awful as with bad shape, shade isn't that bad. But you have to put more effort into outlines - these hands look more like logs to me!
A simple mspaint explanation: Left is correct, right one - yours.
(http://www.increator.pri.ee/i/critshelp/hand.gif)
Blue dots show places where you have to pay attention (and where things got wrong).
Always, always when drawing a person, observe yourself to have a clearer idea. Aren't your arms thinner just before palm?
Pressing on noticeable parts on your image helps to achieve more realistic feel.
Random google for you, to back up my point some more:
(http://www.gpc.edu/~jaliff/forearm.gif)
Ah, better one:
(http://www.vagueonline.com/bobt/images/art/HumanArm_sm.jpg)
http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/rahaga-tahu/MOC/Misc/LifeSize/picture_389.jpg
Though pictures are not needed really, good reference is right in your direct reach, hehe :D
all right another update:
x1:(http://img260.imageshack.us/img260/3600/samuelviews21al.png) x2:(http://img260.imageshack.us/img260/3600/samuelviews21al.png)
- reduced the colors from 16 to 12
- made the shading more simple
- tried to make him a little bit more skinny in the front and back view
- made the upper body a bit smaller
- changed the arms
what about now?
i don't know if this is necessary but i put the development process of my character with all the tips you gave me into a helpfile which shows everything step by step. i thought it probably might help the people who have the same problems as i. here is the download link.
Tips on Sprites
(http://www.freewebs.com/sh4d3/Tips%20on%20Sprites.chm)
what do you think?
QuoteThough you probably got way more help than you wanted to
probably more help than expected. i am glad that all of you still help meÃ, :D. i am really happy about all the suggestions and advices i got. THANKSÃ, ;D
Honestly, I don't like his head shape, so although I'm not good at pixelating faces, I did a paintover:
(http://republika.pl/falloutmodding/brak.png) (http://republika.pl/falloutmodding/brak.png) (5x)
Somewhat crappy but I used the same colors as you did. You might find it useful.
Just my two cents.
edited
Aside from the wrist thing that InCreator's mentioned, I think your forearms look too short - the way you've shaded them puts very little distance between where the elbow *looks* to be and the wrist. The forearm and upperarm should be roughly the same length.
I think if you move the entire forearm up a bit, you can address the length of the arm issue and the upperarm/forearm ratio at the same time.
Additionally, in the front view, your character has quite a small mouth (which looks good IMO), but in side view it extends back some distance which gives it a bit of a Beavus (or Butthead - can't remember which one's which) look.
Cheers,
CantainBinky
me againÃ, :D without your help i would never have come so far. thanks a lot!Ã, :)
x1:(http://img290.imageshack.us/img290/2769/samuelviews30ct.png) x2:(http://img290.imageshack.us/img290/2769/samuelviews30ct.png)
- made the arms shorter
- tried to make fore- and upperarm the same size
- changed head a little bit
- changed head and arm shading
hope it's a bit better now.
(http://www.locustleaves.com/samuel.png)
you're using a few million colors more than you need. Rule of thumb: if the colour variation you made cannot be discerned by the eye at 1x and 2x zoom? You are wasting it.
I don't mind the random dithery detail, just don't use it everywhere. Some forms do better simple, especially where there's darkness, and complement the busy detail.
the hands were very unhygenic looking, fixed. Posture remains (adds character) but crotch pulled up, hands a bit, to make the anatomy semi-correct.
loominoused!
No! No! :(
i am somehow confused. at first i used 16 and then reduced the colors to 12. are 12 colors still to much? and where exacly does it look dithery? IMO the shading is quiet simple but tell me if i am wrong.
anyway: i changed the color palette a bit, shading is a bit different, and the arms are also a bit different.
x1:(http://img56.imageshack.us/img56/4139/samuelviews69mu.png) x2:(http://img56.imageshack.us/img56/4139/samuelviews69mu.png)
OK firstly helm nice paintover. Your hands look wierd :P
Secondly Shade what helm ment was that if you cant notice the color varient when its in its original size your wasting the color you added.
On that note helm did use more colors not less to achieve what you see in his post. You reduced your colors to 12 ???
Open up helms pic and study what he did with the colors how he blended and changed the shading etc.
Now again some crits. Your sideview is not matching up with front view. a guy with such broad shoulders wont be that skinny. either muscle him up or skinny him down.
IOW
* make his shoulder span shorter.
* or in sideview make his upper body wider including his arms.
ok not happy with new arms yet but its getting there. Remember shading is very dufficult i even still struggle with it you can always go for the cartoon approach which is less is more. and not the other way around.
More of the style where you use three primary colors per object a mid tone light tone and then a dark tone. COMIC BOOK STYLE :)