UPDATED: character design: prisoner

skw · Thu 21/04/2005 23:43:34

Ok, that's a fast pencil & PSP7 sketch and in-game character view.

At this moment I can only say that he's a prisoner who was condemned for the death penalty

: "Look below at the post #19 for the new version"

It seems that the thread is already dead.

Khris · Fri 22/04/2005 01:57:35

The drawing is very cool, although his left eye is a bit too far away from the nose. But that doesn't really matter, since it's concept art.

The pixel version is very well done, too, some things bug me, though:
-the pants look too skin-tight
-the head is too big compared to the body
-the chin looks way better in the hand-drawn version, try to make it a bit pointier

InCreator · Fri 22/04/2005 02:16:54

Whoah, it's quite nice prisoner you have there.
But!

First... The shading. I've never been a big fan of pale pink sprite shading technique - and you're not the first one who uses it. Just as you use it - few shades of pinks & other bright colors - only few RGB values different...

It's nice and clean but doesn't add much 3rd dimenson or inner strength into image. Of course, a technique is a technique and taste is a taste.

Second - when opening image for closer inspection & editing, I noticed that it's quite suitable for hi-res game. High resolution... so why are you afraid to use more colors? With a some simple tricks, animating shouldn't be too hard anyway, since not every missed pixel is seen due high resolution. Also, you have the power of antialiased shading due hi-res.

I don't believe that you'd go for so many colors as I did in my edit, but it should at least give you some tips in shading - see how forehead, cheeks, etc are lighter and what wrinkles add to clothing.

Also, I removed black outlines. You should too, since your very low-contrast shading looks flat even without them amplifying the effect.

Good luck. You definetly have style, just polish the shading and you'll do fine.

Stefano · Fri 22/04/2005 02:30:12

Someone with such a thick neck shoud be at least two times broader... and I agree with khrismuc. His head is a little bit oversized. Apart from that, your style is clear and this guy really seems threatening.

Here's what I'm talking about:

EDIT: "the style is clear" = it's a clean style, that I like.

Moresco · Fri 22/04/2005 04:28:39

Is he supposed to be making fists? I was doing an edit and decided I wasn't sure if he was making tight fists or if he was letting his hands bend at the second knuckle in a relaxed way. ?? Does that make any sense? Heh doesn't matter too much, but it does if I make an edit with clenched fists and they're not supposed to be...

Anyway still working on an edit, not that it will be any good mind you.

stuh505 · Fri 22/04/2005 04:58:30

I think you should use a different color to distinguish the emblem on his breast

Nightfable · Fri 22/04/2005 05:02:45

I agree with Stu about changing the emblem color to something darker/lighter...

...like this it kinda looks like a giant nipple!Ã,Â

Stefano · Fri 22/04/2005 05:08:15

...with a giant scar over it (the nipple)!

Moresco · Fri 22/04/2005 06:27:18

Alright, it took forever, but here is my edit. Oh did I mention this guy kick's ass? I really like it, I mean that face is killer!

First edit:

Second edit(blue symbol):

What I did:
1. Wider shoulders.
2. Added some neck, thined the head and shrunk the forehead.
3. Darkened the orange outfit, though prison clothes are usually bright orange maybe?
4. Darkened the little symbol thing. It's bluish in my 2nd edit. Note, my 2nd edit is exactly the same as the first, I just tried out a blue symbol on it.

Nightfable · Fri 22/04/2005 07:10:29

My attempt...

- changed the color of his skin slightly (too look less pink)
- made the emblem bigger
- moved the emblem up a bit
- butchered the coveralls, tried to add some semblant of folds.
- same with the shoes
- added some gloss to his forehead

that's about it! I'm off to sleep now.

Keep it up!Ã,Â

skw · Fri 22/04/2005 14:20:37

First of all, thanks for yours tips & paintovers, I really like all of them.

Khrismuc: What about this sketch, it's just a quick-drawn concept image, so you know...

InCreator: Good tip, I'll think about this shading style. But... it's probably hard to make a good animation with so detailed hi-res character. Anyway, it's awesome! BTW: Your version looks quite similar to shotgun guy from the "Doom" game, isn't it?

Stefano & Coffee Lady: Yes, that's a good direction. He's having more bitchy outlook now, and he looks better than at the outgoing picture. Good work.

Shabutie: The prison outfits are usually in orange or blue hues (and sometimes striped

). Your paintover is quite good as well, only the head is now too thin as for me. Your sketch reminds me a rugby player or some StarTrek attendant a little

, but - as I say - I like it. And what about the hand position... Well, I tried to made him fists, but - as I see - I still have much work to do.

I'm going to change the sign's shading as well.

Well, thanks for tips again, certainly I'll put here some new version soon.

Moresco · Fri 22/04/2005 16:17:39

Hey Skurwy, I'm glad you liked my paint-over! Yah I had a feeling about the head being too thin, he really lost some of that aggressive look in doing it but alas. LOL @ Startrek attendant!

Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens · Sat 23/04/2005 00:15:16

I made an edit of the head, at the size you have selected for the character I felt some more detail was needed. It is also smaller.

skw · Sat 23/04/2005 09:05:33

I'm impressed, ProgZmax. Maybe it's a stupid question but I'm new here. Can I use it in non-changed version (just copy to my image)? It's perfect!

Helm · Sat 23/04/2005 09:48:13

It would be suggested you didn't use the edit as it is. Try to remake yours, using what you think is right in the edit. That way, you learn more, and improve your art skills on the whole, instead of just using a better sprite head than yours.

skw · Sat 23/04/2005 10:30:30

Quote from: Helm on Sat 23/04/2005 09:48:13
It would be suggested you didn't use the edit as it is. Try to remake yours, using what you think is right in the edit. That way, you learn more, and improve your art skills on the whole, instead of just using a better sprite head than yours.

Hmm... you're right, I suppose.

InCreator · Sat 23/04/2005 22:54:12

Quote from: Helm on Sat 23/04/2005 09:48:13
It would be suggested you didn't use the edit as it is. Try to remake yours, using what you think is right in the edit. That way, you learn more, and improve your art skills on the whole, instead of just using a better sprite head than yours.

I'm not against it, but won't agree neither.
At least, when I edit someone's work, at the moment when I press "Post" button, I instantly count all rights for the image to person I made it.

So what if person uses the exact image? This won't solve the problem, since from this point, person has mixed his work with mine.

* If the difference is big enough between style/quality, person has to keep this level throughout whole game, which is alot more difficult task than just using idea of mine, instead of whole image - and still doing it by his hand/style. And fitting whole artwork according to one image is big work.

* If the difference is quite small, it's quite clear that with little more effort, person could do as well anyway, so it doesn't matter neither.

* And nobody uses an edit worse than his own work.

skw · Sat 23/04/2005 23:25:38

So... that was a stupid question, sorry...

InCreator: Hmm... Yes, I noticed that when I had tried to paste ProgZmax's edit to my work. Though it's diffrence between our styles and it's conspicuous. I agree with that what you say... Therefore I'm altering my outgoing work and basing on yours ideas. It's almost done, maybe tomorrow I'll put it here.

Quote from: Stefano on Fri 22/04/2005 02:30:12
EDIT: "the style is clear" = it's a clean style, that I like.

Yeah, I got it...

Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens · Sun 24/04/2005 00:58:20

I don't mind if you use it at all, that's why I did it afterall

. What you could do is take the head and edit the details on the body to match it (additional shading, etc).

skw · Sun 24/04/2005 12:06:57

Huh... at last, this is the new edit for my character. I used PSP7 and MS Paint for editing (instead of MS Paint only, as in previous version

) and it took me a whole day of work. Finally, I've decided to use the polished shading style. I think that he's now having more threatening and realistic outlook and his own personage as well. Huh... just look at this:

Perhaps, I'll change / add something (maybe that bracer at his right forearm), but at this moment this is the final version. I'm satisfied from my work but what do you think?

jasonjkay · Mon 25/04/2005 14:05:02

Looks great. The only problem I can see is that his arms are too dark. Maybe you should brighten them up a little.

Ubel · Mon 25/04/2005 14:14:20

His whole lower body (hip, legs...) is too small. Maybe make the legs wider.

skw · Mon 25/04/2005 14:57:14

Quote from: jasonjkay on Mon 25/04/2005 14:05:02
Looks great. The only problem I can see is that his arms are too dark. Maybe you should brighten them up a little.

Good, I brightened them up, take a look again

And what about his lower body... I don't have any idea how I could do it. Maybe I should make his legs wider, but here's some sort of trouble - he's just too tall, to fit game screen properly. And I can't just resize it, because it queers my precise pixelwork (you know - outlines etc.). Maybe some tip, paintover, anything...