Portrait Style - Silver Brand

[MiGo]

ALRIGHT! I'm working working working. And would like your opinion on something I am currently fooling around with although I shouldn't be since it could throw off my entire schedule: Different Portraits for Ta'Meryl.

I had wanted to do round portraits for my characters initially, but went with the old-school KING'S QUEST portraits instead since... well, they came out ugly on my first try, and I didn't want to waste time. Then, while I was cruisin' the forums, I ran across screenshots for the BLACKWELL DECEPTION, which showed clearly how to pull the view off!

Now, I'm giving total props to the BLACKWELL DECEPTION for inspiring me to try it this way, so let me know which you all think is better:

THIS STYLE:


OR THIS STYLE:


Personally, I think it fits AWESOMELY well, with the font you all provided me with. Which I tried, and am totally using: Awesome.

Thanks again!

[Snarky]

Yeah sure, looks good. Can't really say which is better without seeing it in context. It's bigger than the other style, and looking at your first screenshot the text already looks small compared to the portrait, so that's a concern.

Could you lose the watermark? It's really distracting and doesn't serve any meaningful purpose.

[MiGo]

Yeah sure, looks good. Can't really say which is better without seeing it in context. It's bigger than the other style, and looking at your first screenshot the text already looks small compared to the portrait, so that's a concern.

Could you lose the watermark? It's really distracting and doesn't serve any meaningful purpose.

Well, they're both animated... and I'd show in-game, but my computer is... well, being a bit of a punk and deciding that it won't take screenshots at the momento. They are all coming out solid Black.

Besides that, even when I used to take commissions, I put watermarks because I actually have a history of others trying to steal my work and my crap popping up on Deviantart (And being claimed as their own). Hence, why I smear watermarks everywhere.

Personally, I wish I didn't feel the need... as all of my work looks far better without it. ):

[Zenger]

Looks really great MiGo  . I personally like the last style more, It seems like... I don't know, more "alive", like saying "eyy here I am", like coming out of the screen, like It has more energy because It's not so constricted into a square but, maybe It's just me. Anyway, I like the first style too but I prefer the second one  

Great Work MiGo!, looking forward to seeing more  

[Tabata]

Both versions are well done, but I prefer the second style, too!
1. because I like comic style
2. I like how the boundaries are blown up in this sprite

... even if it seems to be an old pic (according to your watermark) from 2010 


I can understand you using this watermarks, when you already had trouble with stealing your drawings  - how about a smaller one (only to identify it, but less distracting) or more transparency for it?

[MiGo]

Thanks a lot you guys. Going with what you all have said, I continued and made another character's portrait in the same style. I should note, both portraits are already animated and in-game.

As for the watermark, I actually put it pertaining to the character. She actually is an earlier creation, while yeah, I totally did the portrait yesterday. xD

[Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens]

I think the first two look better in terms of design and presentation (the furry-looking eyeliner/eyebrows of the circular portrait really throw me off) but the third has more potential for dynamic or crazy poses as we've seen in many psx rpgs that did away with the boxed-portrait look.  Ultimately it comes down to how much work you are going to put into emotional range portraits.  The latter allows you to show hands/weapons/etc popping out of the constraints while the boxes give you a predefined area that both limits you and tells you exactly what you have to work with, so there are pros and cons to consider.  The first boxed portrait in particular reminds me of the portraits/closeups from Shining in the Darkness, one of my favorite games, so generally I like where you're going with the design.  I'd personally reduce the size and fuzziness of her brows/eyeliner on the third portrait but since no one else has mentioned it it's probably not a major point of contention.