AuthorTopic: [WIP] 32x68 Sword (novice) (Read 12918 times)

mattpk · **on:** February 16, 2008, 02:41:08 pm

A month and a half of spriting, and my latest sword:

Now:

Last time:

Oldest:

I tried a new style which actually worked out well.

C+C+C please! (Critique, comments, "crappy image" messages)

mattpk · **Reply #1 on:** February 16, 2008, 02:59:32 pm

SirSami · **Reply #2 on:** February 16, 2008, 03:46:34 pm

It looks like a bit flat.Try to Make more shading and brigher headlights. I made quick edit for example. I didin't change shapes or colors, just made some extra shadows.

mattpk · **Reply #3 on:** February 16, 2008, 04:25:15 pm

i'll edit mine.

mattpk · **Reply #4 on:** February 16, 2008, 04:34:59 pm

I Am Uh · **Reply #5 on:** February 16, 2008, 04:44:08 pm

Well there are much better way to approach this... For example try making the handle rounder and take some reference from real pic's of swords. (I mean seriously, could you really see some one trying to hold that handle?) Or maybe try and make a more prominent light source. From the blade it looks as though the light is coming in from the right hand side, and on the handle it looks as though it is coming from the top of the image. These are just a few thing you should take into consideration while spriting.

Ive made a rough edit to show you what I mean.

mattpk · **Reply #6 on:** February 16, 2008, 04:53:09 pm

Okay.

I took all your critique and:

mattpk · **Reply #7 on:** February 16, 2008, 05:03:48 pm

Another update:

mattpk · **Reply #8 on:** February 16, 2008, 05:27:01 pm

WOO!!!

MORE UPDATES

I Am Uh · **Reply #9 on:** February 16, 2008, 05:43:37 pm

Please, if your going to keep updating put it in the same post, instead of triple posting. Why don't you try and do one big major update rather than tons of tiny ones.

mattpk · **Reply #10 on:** February 16, 2008, 06:36:57 pm

I'll keep that in mind for later.

lilwing · **Reply #11 on:** February 16, 2008, 09:31:47 pm

Quote from: I Am Uh on February 16, 2008, 04:44:08 pm

Well there are much better way to approach this... For example try making the handle rounder and take some reference from real pic's of swords. (I mean seriously, could you really see some one trying to hold that handle?) Or maybe try and make a more prominent light source. From the blade it looks as though the light is coming in from the right hand side, and on the handle it looks as though it is coming from the top of the image. These are just a few thing you should take into consideration while spriting.

Ive made a rough edit to show you what I mean.

No offense, but that looks more like a dildo than a sword.

The handle of the sword looks proportionally incorrect. It should be twice as long, in my opinion.

mattpk · **Reply #12 on:** February 16, 2008, 10:07:23 pm

Eek, resize coming through!

ndchristie · **Reply #13 on:** February 16, 2008, 10:51:20 pm

http://www.armor.com/swords.html is a good reference. i think that I am uh's is the best edit by far and should be taken into quite a bit stronger consideration.

the handle does not need to be longer by necessity, thinning it out should also solve that issue. it's a wonderful trick of most weapon hafts and handles that the width of the hand across the knuckles is equal to the ideal (imo) circumference: the space for a single hand should be the diameter multiplied by Pi. Increases in handle thickness i think should come only when necessitated by potential fragility.

mattpk · **Reply #14 on:** February 16, 2008, 11:00:19 pm

pi, i haven't learnt that yet. Is it something like 3.152 something?

TrevoriuS · **Reply #15 on:** February 16, 2008, 11:41:58 pm

What you may wish to know is that in the center, that line is a dent, not a bump.
In addition to that, there is a change in the surface at the edges to create the sharp cutting edge.
Also, let me edit your sprite to illustrate the construction of a sword to you. As this blade, will never be able to stick to its handle.

It may not be the best and in windows colors and all, but let it serve you well:

http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/3812/27523235bx9.png

mattpk · **Reply #16 on:** February 17, 2008, 12:31:58 am

Edit:

ndchristie · **Reply #17 on:** February 17, 2008, 12:50:25 am

Quote from: TrevoriuS on February 16, 2008, 11:41:58 pm

What you may wish to know is that in the center, that line is a dent, not a bump.

i think that varies based on whether it is merely where the sides of the blade join, as with most simple swords, or if there is a fuller, as with later, more sophisticated swords.

the most imporant thing to keep in mind though as trev has shown is that seldom if ever are the handle and the blade different pieces of metal. this means that many simple swords were somewhat thin, having been beaten from a piece of approximately the same size as the handle! and that's the handle less it's binding! improvements in and propagation of more complex casting and forging methods would allow for greater variation of shape and size, but most swords continued to be constructed using the fastest, simplest methods.

OT: weapons have always propagated based on ease of construction. knives are by far the simplest metal weapon to construct, followed by spears and axes and, finally, by true swords. Long, sharp, straight edged, and necessitating a hilt, swords were no easy task for the medieval smith!

mattpk · **Reply #18 on:** February 17, 2008, 12:55:21 am

I like the bump better, and it's a simple sword.

mattpk · **Reply #19 on:** February 17, 2008, 02:36:24 pm

noone is posting, a small update on shadows:

Old:

New:

(The update isn't big enough to go on steps)

mattpk · **Reply #20 on:** February 17, 2008, 04:40:24 pm

You can see my edits change very little, but i need critique! wahh

Redshrike · **Reply #21 on:** February 17, 2008, 07:15:33 pm

The sword doesn't look terrible as is, but it has a lot of potential which could yet be brought out. Right now, its palette is kinda pulling it down. It lacks contrast, and because of that details and shading get lost. Its shaping and proportions are also a bit off; the outline isn't symmetrical, and a few things are off center. The crosshilt seems to thick as it is, and the hilt and pommel could use a bit of slimming too, methinks. Here's an edit to show you what I mean, it's kinda messy but it should get the general idea across.

mattpk · **Reply #22 on:** February 17, 2008, 07:43:42 pm

Thanks!

Larwick · **Reply #23 on:** February 17, 2008, 07:46:20 pm

I just quickly wanted to tell you mattpk that it's much easier to work on a neutral midtone canvas than a pure white one. Give it a go.

mattpk · **Reply #24 on:** February 17, 2008, 07:52:27 pm

A different background? I've done it commonly, but this if for presenting so i used white, and i plan not to change it.

I added some contrast as well.

ndchristie · **Reply #25 on:** February 17, 2008, 08:03:08 pm

i've included exterior AA because I assumed, after this long, that the white bg was intentional. of course, it's easy enough to remove.

things to look at, in this and others :

there's no such thing as a sword that does this whole banded gradient thing. If anything, there is a single highlighted band, and this typically on curved or imperfect blades only. It's not really style here, it's the physics of light and reflection. One side bright, one side less is the best way to go. and forget dithering - at this res it adds way too much texture.

integration of hilt, handle, and blade - you're still rendering them like 3 separate pieces.

mattpk · **Reply #26 on:** February 17, 2008, 08:30:00 pm

should i take the outlines in between away?

i don't think i should totally ditch dithering, without it looks too smooth, and this is a rough simple old blade, made in the olden days.

ndchristie · **Reply #27 on:** February 17, 2008, 10:13:22 pm

Quote from: mattpk on February 17, 2008, 08:30:00 pm

i don't think i should totally ditch dithering, without it looks too smooth, and this is a rough simple old blade, made in the olden days.

lol, there's never been such a thing as a rough sword, at least not one that was hammered out. weather over hundreds of years gives us an ill-informed impression of what were, in antiquity, very clean weapons. for the most part, it is easier to make a sword relatively smooth than it is to make it pitted the way dithering suggests. Irregular sure, but not dithered.

Larwick · **Reply #28 on:** February 18, 2008, 12:28:40 am

The way you've shaded the dark side of the blade makes it seem like it's on a completely different level to the other, rather than simply a slope angled the other way. Get rid of the lightray, since shadows don't simply darken all lightsources. Check out Adarias' sword, to make it seem sloped/angled like his you need to subtly lighten the areas that are closer to the middle of the blade, if that makes sense. This is because the light will 'pour' over the ridge slightly, to put it simply. Also, by neutral midtone i meant a colour like the background colour of Pixelation posts, something that is muted and won't get in the way of your work by it's intensity. Remember, it's a background colour.

I Am Uh · **Reply #29 on:** February 18, 2008, 02:51:29 pm

Your newest edit Is much better. Though it still seems too much like a dagger to me, a sword would have a much thinner blade in comparison to it's handle. If you notice Redshrike's, and Adarias's edits, they should be able to help a lot.

I made another edit to show you what I mean. I think I've displayed what Larwick was trying to say as well.

(I like Claymores...)
You can see here that it really doesn't take much if any dithering at all to make a nice looking sword.

mattpk · **Reply #30 on:** February 18, 2008, 06:35:30 pm

Hmm, i am uh, the dithered sword gives an unwanted texture. Anyways I am not using it for a game of sort,and i have taken everyon'es thoughts into consideration! Thank you all! i sadly do not have time to finish this piece.

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AuthorTopic: [WIP] 32x68 Sword (novice) (Read 12918 times)