How to shade this monkey girl?

[ginanubismon]

This is my main monkey girl, I wanted to shade her but was unsure of how to do so, because every time I shade something it turns out too, icky or dull. What I am looking for is basically tips on how to shade her without looking too funky.

Thanks in advance.

P.S. If you have any other things to add to make her look better (without changing her core design) it will be welcomed.

[Andail]

As per usual, I'll offer some vague tips, and then Progz is going to show up with a complete new sprite, shaded and all.

Basically, don't go crazy with the shading. Imagine some sort of soft atmospheric lighting that will highlight hair and shoulders and possibly some other peaks like her breasts and shoes. Don't give every single area a highlight and a shading.
For every shadow, pick a colour slightly darker and with a hue towards purple/blue and apply the shadow so that it enhances the shape of the object.

If you want a more classic, non-cartoonesque sprite you can add sporadic pixels in other colours just to give some sort of realistic texture - if you take a look around you, you'll see that clothes rarely have only one uniform colour; they typically pick up all sorts of hues, highlights and shades from their surroundings.

[Arboris]

Just a quick drawover. I tried to keep it simple enough not using many new shades, and just freehanding the wrinkles in mspaint with the draw tool. (usually the parts were your arms and legs bend, or where your shirt or sleaves end).

As for shading the face, there isn't much shade needed there. unless you're into over dramatical shading ofcourse. But for a game I think it's better to keep it neutral

Also I made her stance a bit more asymetrical and redrawn her hands a bit more freely, again without changing too much.

And lastly I upped the contrast a bit, personally I thought it looked better that way. But thats just me ofcourse.

And there you have it, this is my quick and dirty approach on how to make clothing appear less flat. Hopefully it'll be some use to you.

As per usual, I'll offer some vague tips, and then Progz is going to show up with a complete new sprite, shaded and all.

I'll admit, this made me giggle

[Jakerpot]

very good  it's basicly this, more shading will not combine with your drawing style.

[yarooze]

Nice shading Arboris! 

I was thinking about trying to put some pixels on her, but hadn't good idea how to strip her. May be she isn't low res enough for me... 

2 ginanubismon: IMHO this girl is much better than your old furries, but keep in mind: it will be quite difficult to animate such big (200px) shaded character. May be it is better to drop the shading for player character or to make it smaller - about 80px high.  You can still use big shaded character for intros.

[ginanubismon]

Thanks for your help, I will use these tips and shading refenernces for her later on.

Of course I am a little confused that perhaps I should use minimal shading unless nessary?

Nice shading Arboris! 

I was thinking about trying to put some pixels on her, but hadn't good idea how to strip her. May be she isn't low res enough for me... 

So if she was only a hundred and twenty pixels less then... (wink-wink).

2 ginanubismon: IMHO this girl is much better than your old furries, but keep in mind: it will be quite difficult to animate such big (200px) shaded character. May be it is better to drop the shading for player character or to make it smaller - about 80px high.  You can still use big shaded character for intros.

Thanks.

And about the size I tend to use high pixels because I like to usually scan in everything I had hand drawn, scan them down then go pixel by pixel outlining them then moving onto the next on frame/sheet, it may be time consuming but it is the best way that works for me.