schoolgirl punching

[ThreeOhFour]

I think its a good walkcycle as it is, but as always, there are always things you can improve.

If you wanted to move the shoulders a bit as she walks, then that would generate a bit more upper body motion.

Also, though I generally try and do without shading, the way you have the position would suggest that the right leg would have her body shadow coming across it, just to help differentiate between the two legs.

If you change each arm per frame as well, it makes them look like they are always moving, rather than moving jerkily. Perhaps if you gave the left arm more of a backswing. I do realise that there is frames of a similar fashion in the reference sprite, but if you can improve upon their effort, then why not?

Aside from all this I think you have done a fantastic job. Good stuff!

[Tuomas]

The dynamics in the animation are awesome. It looks so cool. But the sprite isn't ready imo. You should lower the shoulders a lot. Now she looks like she's got a pole up in her arse. check out aussie's paintover and you'll see what I mean.

[A�rendyll (formerly Yurina)]

I really like the sprites, but I do have some critic on the skirt: 
- It looks like it's about to fall off her hips. Is this intentional?
- The skirt is VERY small compared to other schoolskirts I ever saw...

Besides of that: I like it!

I hope this helps,
~Yurina

[EagerMind]

Thanks for the complements everyone!

If you wanted to move the shoulders a bit as she walks, then that would generate a bit more upper body motion.

Yeah, I've been wrestling with how exactly to do this. I've been trying to notice how people move when they walk - and watch myself in the mirror. There's definitely some kind of motion going on, but it's kind of imperceptible (as least to me). I'm afraid if I put in an explicit counter-twist in her upper body, it will be too much. I guess I should just start trying things out ... 

... the way you have the position would suggest that the right leg would have her body shadow coming across it ...

I noticed specifically in frame 3 that I could use some shading where the legs cross over each other. But are you talking about mimicking the reference sprite, where the entire leg is in shadow?

You should lower the shoulders a lot. Now she looks like she's got a pole up in her arse. check out aussie's paintover and you'll see what I mean.

I'm afraid I'm not sure what you mean, unless you're referring to my original sprite. The current sprite has already incorporated suggestions from aussie's (and other's) paintover. Are you saying it needs to be changed some more?

I really like the sprites, but I do have some critic on the skirt: 
- It looks like it's about to fall off her hips. Is this intentional?
- The skirt is VERY small compared to other schoolskirts I ever saw...

It's kind of funny you mentioned this. After I made the sprite shorter, I was kind of wondering if the skirt looked like it was sitting a little high, since it's so close to her belly button. I guess I needn't worry! I was going for something a little sexy/suggestive, but I didn't think I had reached "falling off her hips."

I guess I have to confess membership in short skirt fanclub (along with Theeph!).  I've debated whether to lengthen it a pixel or two. I finally figured I'd just start animating her and lengthen it if necessary. But like I mentioned earlier, I don't mean to be off-putting to anyone. I guess you're saying I should lengthen it?

[A�rendyll (formerly Yurina)]

I really like the sprites, but I do have some critic on the skirt: 
- It looks like it's about to fall off her hips. Is this intentional?
- The skirt is VERY small compared to other schoolskirts I ever saw...

It's kind of funny you mentioned this. After I made the sprite shorter, I was kind of wondering if the skirt looked like it was sitting a little high, since it's so close to her belly button. I guess I needn't worry! I was going for something a little sexy/suggestive, but I didn't think I had reached "falling off her hips."

I guess I have to confess membership in short skirt fanclub (along with Theeph!).  I've debated whether to lengthen it a pixel or two. I finally figured I'd just start animating her and lengthen it if necessary. But like I mentioned earlier, I don't mean to be off-putting to anyone. I guess you're saying I should lengthen it?

Anata hentai!

Maybe it doesn't really fall-off, but I personally wear my skirts around my belly button. That's why I asked.

I personally prefer skirts that reach to my knees, but maybe that's because I'm a girl...

[Alynn]

And you are a prude

Back on topic, you definately have that Double Dragon feel to the movement (god I used to love that game... and the twist...

Spoiler

THE BAD GUY IS YOUR BROTHER!!!

[close]

.

Actually if you really wanted you could keep the big lip sprite, and when she gets beat up too much she gets a fat lip.

Man... that's awsome...

[n3tgraph]

The sprite and the animation are both great,

But I keep saying it...

There is no movement in her boobs as she walks!
Boobies thend to bob up and down when females walk 

Anyway, I think her whole upper-part body needs a 'bob' in it.
Makes it a little realistic

Stare at a female in such tight clothes walk and you'll know what I mean

[ThreeOhFour]

Stare at a female in such tight clothes walk and you'll know what I mean

HAHAHAHA! That got me laughing...

With regards to shading, I'd say try frame 2 and 3. No point going over the top and doing every frame, because she's walking diagonally, it might not look quite right.

[Babar]

Instead of having her lips frozen into the kissing position, why not make the colour of them a little less....red? Make them more "skin-coloured".

[Nacho]

Your avatar is ugly... But the sprite is cool. XD

But yeah, the upper part seem stiff, you should add 2 more frames, putting her arms back also, not just "Center/front/Center/front..."

What I use is; Advance a lot the arm to the from when the first frame (passing) a little less in the second (High point) and almost imperceptible during the contact one. Then, the recoil must use the same position of the arm we used in frame 3, then, in the other passing it must be in the middle, a little back in high point, totally back in contact (but almost in the same than in the previous frame) and then arm back to the position in frame 6. Have in mind that we allways advance more the arm that put it back, look yourself in the mirror.

If this does not make sense, take a look to a sprite sheet I use, but don't mind the N/S walkcycle, it sucks.

[EagerMind]

Thanks for the suggestions everybody. I've fought and fought to give her upper body some motion. But ... well, I guess you'll just have to see:

(x1) (x3)

Changes from the original:
1. Made her collar a little smaller.
2. Gave her arm a back swing.
3. Redid some of the shading on her right leg.
4. v1: reversed the swing of her tie.
5. v2: Added upper body "motion."

Anyway, I'm note sure what I like better. The motion in v2 looks ok I guess, but her body kind of distorts itself. I don't know, this is about as good as I could get it after numerous attempts. Suggestions?

Anata hentai!

Chigau yo! 

Actually if you really wanted you could keep the big lip sprite, and when she gets beat up too much she gets a fat lip.

Heh, heh. Not a bad idea. I've thought about making a "beat-up" sprite, but I'll see how motivated I can stay. I'm having a hard enough time just making her look normal!

Instead of having her lips frozen into the kissing position, why not make the colour of them a little less....red? Make them more "skin-coloured".

Are you talking about going back to the "fat lip"? I think I've gotten it about as good as I can. I've experimented with different skin-tones on her lip, and nothing really looked right. Besides, would it be so horrible if she really was trying to give everyone a smooch?

[SpacePirateCaine]

If I may be so bold:


It might behoove you to darken some of the outer pixels on her loose-socks, as they don't show up very well on lighter backgrounds. (Noticed after making the background transparent).

I made some very minor alterations to frames 2 and 4, which I think help to make the movement transition a little more smoothly - making the swing of the tie less drastic, and also changing the hair's movement (also less drastic) and added some swing to the hands. I also altered the skirt ever-so-slightly in frame 1.

The more drastic movements do help to distinguish movement, and are pretty groovy stylistically, so this may not appeal.

It looks pretty good, and the skirt seems fine, in length, to me - one thing you may want to keep in mind, though, is that if she's furyou, she's more likely to wear a long skirt (assuming this is based in Japan). If she's just an ass-kicking high-school girl, then the rolled-up skirt works fine, methinks.

[Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens]

Quick edit.

1.  Made arms swing more.  Arms should probably be lengthened to mid thigh.
2.  Added downward motion on down step.

[EagerMind]

Thanks for the paint-overs! Seeing ProgZ's made me realize that she really needed a bob. Originally I had made a conscious decision not to add one to emulate the Double Dragon sprite, but I think it she really needed it. I guess I've kinda gotten away from the style of the reference, but for the better, I think. The final(?) result:

(x1) (x3)  reference: (x1) (x3)



Changes:
1. Redid some of the shading on her face.
2. Reversed the swing of her tie (again).
3. Added a bob to her step.

I decided not to change her skirt in frame 1. I experimented with SpacePirate's and ProgZ's edits, but I decided I liked the more dramatic motion I originally had. I liked the idea of varying the motion of her hair to give her upper body a sense of twisting, but again, I decided to stick with the more dramatic motion. Also, I left her back swing alone. I worked with ProgZ's edit, but it seemed like her arm kind of bent back on itself when I increased her back swing.

It seems a lot of tutorials talk about adding "floppiness" in the hands. But I don't know, when I walk my hands pretty much continue the line of my lower arm. Looking at ProgZ's edit does make me think I may need to lengthen her hands one pixel, but for now I left them.

It might behoove you to darken some of the outer pixels on her loose-socks, as they don't show up very well on lighter backgrounds.

Yeah, I see what you mean. I think I'll leave them for now, but I'll keep this in mind if I start running into problems once I start working the backgrounds (*shudder*).

Boy, I never thought it would be possible to spend so much time fussing over a couple pixels. All in the learning process I suppose. Anyway, time to get her fighting! I'm sure I'll be back for more help soon ....

... if she's furyou, she's more likely to wear a long skirt ...

No, she's a good girl, just trying to get her Hello Kitty bag back from yakuza!

[ciborium]

Only thing I have to add is that ProgZ's edit looks like her hands are open, and yours look like she has them closed.
No problem either way, it depends on what you're after.

[EagerMind]

Well, I finally put some more work into this and finished a punching sprite. I also finally gave her a name. So say hello to Kei and watch out for that fist!





Overall I guess I'm happy with it, but I'm sure it can be improved. Her skirt seems kind of "off" to me. Also it'd be nice to give some shape to her hands/fists, but I'm not sure what to do without giving her gorilla hands. Any suggestions would be helpful. I was hoping to get a kung-fu movie feel to the fighting. Have I succeeded at all? And of course, C&C on anything else you see is certainly welcome.

I'm working on a kick too, so I'll post that up if I ever get if finished.

[2ma2]

When holding the arm diagonally, the pixels produce too thin of an arm. I don't know how to avoid this though, since adding another pixel would make it to fat'. Perhaps play around with the darkness, making them less of an outline and more of a shape.

The skirt also resemble tight shorts. I guess that pose would in the end lead to a thorough blood panty shot. Either lenghten the skirt or suffer the consequences 

[Mad]

I guess changing the angle does the trick:

[EagerMind]

Hmmm, I was trying to make it look like Shotokan karate (which I know nothing about). But now that I'm looking at some references again (here and here), their arms look quite different. *sigh* Guess I'll have to work on them some more ...

[Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens]

The main problem I see is the dark outlines are limiting the natural shapes you can give the girl to make her more feminine and to make the arms and such more shapely.  Here is an edit to explain what I mean.

1.  Changed darkest skin tone to next darkest to give arms and legs more definition (visible calves, shapely arms).  Don't be afraid to allow natural shapes flow beyond solid lines and such, the end result is almost always better.

2.  Reworked the animation using a quick start, slow end approach.  This is my personal choice for animating action.  The trick is to have the actual strike fast but the rebound slow to make the animation appear fluid to the eyes.

3.  Reduced frame count to 10 eliminating unnecessary lead-in frames.

4.  Made hair and skirt flow with the action.





Hopefully this will help.  Nice work so far!