Proportion and colour training

[Haddas]

Hello there. After more hours than I can count (2) I have finished a drawing. I've followed some tutorials and I've watched to good people pixel, and now I want some comments and critique on this sprite.



X2


(Yes i realize I missed a spot in the lower left corner)

[Nacho]

What is that dittering or noise? It'll look like "snow" in a tv when you animate it...

[Haddas]

yes. but who said anything about animating?

[DanClarke]

I'll give you a few pointers, just to start you off. The colouring etc isdnt bad but id say you need to practice on things likie proportion and stances etc.

1. Start simple, draw a stick man if you have to in order to get proportions etc right, and dont worry about clothing etc until you've gotten the pose and basic figure right.

2. Consider your characters behaviour. If theyre angry or sad, their stance will reflect this far more than any facial expression could muster. Remebe that because a lot of AGS games are low res, you have to look at ways of expressing emotion/characteristics etc. For example, a sad or depressed character would mope with shoulders dropped etc.

3. Another thing ive noticed (and a lot of other AGSers can be guulty of) is a lack of imagination with clothing (pleaaaase no comments about the hat please ). Look for inspiration wherever you can, be it cartoons, books, films etc. Remeber if this is your main character people are going to be looking at it throughout the game, so try and make it as interesting as you can. It's always evident when people have put some research or inspiration into dressing characters and rooms, and it adds to overall quality.

Sorry if this is all a bit too much to take in, but i hope youll find some of the points ive made useful.

[InCreator]

Well...

The head's size is... wrong. Not because it looks way too large.
But because it's almost impossible to draw eyes-nose-mouth onto head with such size. I, personally, wouldn't have a clue where to start if i had to draw a face onto that head.
I'd make it either bigger or way smaller.

But the main problem is what all newbies do: there's too much of body space.

You cannot fill it to make it look good - and result is what Danclarke said - it feels dull and inspirationless.

It's much easier if you started with much smaller limbs and body, and then variated it with adding pockets, buttons and stuff so there's very little of plain, open, flat 2D space on body.

This is a way to both simulate and actually have some detail on your sprites.

What do I suggest? Redraw in smaller scale.

And about pose: There's poses that do really exist, but are extremely rarely drawn. Yours' is one of them. Why rarely?

Because it's very unlikely for the pose to give realistic feeling.
Even if it is realistic. In other words, if you draw, draw what looks good, not what's 100% real.

[Kinoko]

My very first impression was that it was a zombie. The pose is the main problem.

[Tiki]

Yes, it's the pose that's the killer here.



Tried explaining it, but thought this image did a better job.  Taken from one of the many books I have.  Sorry, author.

[Andail]

Tiki nailed down the main issue, but alas, that illustration isn't good enough, in my opinion.
It's very important to decide for a supporting leg, but I think it should be more expressed. The supporting leg is usually straight, and its foot aimed straight forward.
More importantly, the foot of the supporting leg should be located on the very meridian of the body, along with the head and the main weight of the body.

The left leg of Haddas' figure (his left) should be moved more to the center of this meridian (beneath his head).
Some other pointers:
* proportion errors: head too big, legs too short, arms too long
* bring back arms a bit (they are set too much in front of his torso)
* The dithering - too pixely. In a good dithering, every individual pixel shouldn't stick out this much.
* the face is too pale and devoid of conrast and details.

If you need more help I could do a paint-over later today. Good luck