I think I've been improving at making small vehicle sprites look like they're supposed to, but I still suck at making vaguely realistic-looking people faces. Here are my current efforts portraits used for speech.
Colonel Kraft:
(http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o33/Nedraed/kraft.png)
(http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o33/Nedraed/kraft.png)
Private Peces:
(http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o33/Nedraed/peces.png)
(http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o33/Nedraed/peces.png)
Alexei:
(http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o33/Nedraed/alexei.png)
(http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o33/Nedraed/alexei.png)
It's their faces that bother me the most. I can't figure out giving them more facial detail without it starting to look like an absurd, blotchy mess. Any help would be muchly appreciated!
I might have missed the style you're going for, so these are only suggestions.
(http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o33/Nedraed/peces.png) (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v320/aniantokin/soldier1.png)
I moved the eyes a bit down (and added a shade above them, also one is now more down to fit more with the helmet tilt), darkened the lips and nose added cheek lines. Moved around some helmet edges. Also changed the shin strap a bit.
Right (our right) eye might be pulled a pixle to the right, but not sure about that, so I didn't move it.
I'm still having trouble with the tie and shirt edge, but for the face:
(http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o33/Nedraed/kraft.png) (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v320/aniantokin/soldier2.png)
You've probably tried this, but;
Draw them double (or larger) size, since it's easier to get the shapes right in higher res, then resize them and let the blending do the hard work for you.
I think if you tweak the eyes a bit, you can reduce that stare. In this paint over I did some minor
shading around the eyes, but the most important part of them is the pupil/retina- I made him look left
as it's a bit easier to make it realistic that way (For me anyway). Theyre nice portraits though, I think a bit more attention to the eyes will make a big difference.
(http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/6056/paintoverg.png) (http://img189.imageshack.us/i/paintoverg.png/)
Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)
I used anian's edit of the other guy and tweaked a few pixels. No major changes though.
(http://www.2dadventure.com/ags/soldier22.png) (http://www.2dadventure.com/ags/soldier33.png)
x3
(http://www.2dadventure.com/ags/soldier22_x3.png) (http://www.2dadventure.com/ags/soldier33_x3.png)
@ Anian -
I think that's kind of the look I'm going for, it's kind of Action Man/GI Joe style on the soldier. I'm mostly satisfied with how the colonel's uniform has been coming out, it's the shape of his face that's been bothering me.
@ Victor6
I've been trying to use it, but I've decided to use it *more* on my latest attempt, so here it is - meet Alexei
(http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o33/Nedraed/alexei.png)
(http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o33/Nedraed/alexei.png)
@ Pinback
One of the things I've always had trouble with is eyes, they always seem to come out wrong on mine. Yours are very helpful in this case, I've tried to apply what I've learned from them to this new portrait as well.
Lookin good!