Pixelation

Critique => Pixel Art => Topic started by: SirSami on September 04, 2007, 01:51:00 pm

Title: Help with tree
Post by: SirSami on September 04, 2007, 01:51:00 pm
I am trying to draw a tree for my tileset... And this is not good. Can someone tell me some advices ? And I think that my palette includes bad colors...

Sorry for my bad english. Anyway here is the tree.
(http://img53.imageshack.us/img53/8562/firtreehahmotelmadq5.png)
Title: Re: Help with tree
Post by: PypeBros on September 04, 2007, 02:08:03 pm
i'd say you have a too repetitive pattern on the branches, making the tree look like superposed cones.
i'd try to add some 'vertical shadow' to reinforce "branches clustering" effect.
Title: Re: Help with tree
Post by: SirSami on September 04, 2007, 04:03:33 pm
Can you make some tutorial? Exapmple some white tile with those things you said.
Title: Re: Help with tree
Post by: ptoing on September 04, 2007, 04:23:48 pm
How about searching for "tree" in google image search and looking how an actual tree looks like.
Asking people to make tutorials for you also is a bit daft. At first always use your own brain, try to analyse what you want to draw in the real world or from photos and then go from that, simplifying where you need to.
Title: Re: Help with tree
Post by: rabidbaboy on September 05, 2007, 01:02:03 am
Well, first off, the pattern you have does not do well for tree, and is a waste of the colors you have.

Second, I just find it odd that the light is coming from below. Ordinarily, light would be coming from above-ish. And it's got a bit of noise, a "spray-painted" look to it, which isn't nice.
Title: Re: Help with tree
Post by: Elder on September 05, 2007, 08:09:17 pm
I am trying to draw a tree for my tileset... And this is not good. Can someone tell me some advices ? And I think that my palette includes bad colors...

Sorry for my bad english. Anyway here is the tree.
(http://img53.imageshack.us/img53/8562/firtreehahmotelmadq5.png)


Hello SirSami.

Look at this screentshot and try to study the tree used in Sword of Mana.

(http://www.gamershell.com/static/screenshots/6697/138323_full.jpg)
Title: Re: Help with tree
Post by: SirSami on September 10, 2007, 12:12:02 pm
Update:
(http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/6674/puutmukanapgduw8.png)

What do you think about this ? Is it better?
Title: Re: Help with tree
Post by: BG on September 11, 2007, 07:28:50 am
Well, the trees are definently better than before, but I must say that I kind of hate the palette you're using. There's way too much blue in there, for my taste. It works well for shading the trees, but you shouldn't use a blue hue for highlights. Also, the grass looks like the same colors as the tree, but it isn't. That's not right. Go for a more yellowish hue for the grass, (like the axample SirSami posted) or use the same colors as the trees.
You should do something about the dirt too.
Title: Re: Help with tree
Post by: candiru on September 11, 2007, 12:33:22 pm
The tree is very good but the bottom is weird. Should be more like this I think:
(http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w79/ashjshn/edit-14.gif)
And the tileset could use more saturated colors, like this:
(http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w79/ashjshn/edit-15.gif)
The dirt pattern is too simple and repetitive. The grass can also use a pattern.
Title: Re: Help with tree
Post by: ptoing on September 11, 2007, 01:17:38 pm
I might be wrong, but I think most coniferous trees do not have branching roots like that.
Also I would suggest NOT looking at how other games do it first, but really look at nature. How does a tree really look. Then perhaps look how other games do it and lend from what they did if you see stuff you like (interpret what they did and do it your way).

NEVER draw something based on what you think it looks like. ALWAYS use reference if you are not entirely sure.

That said, the new tree already looks much better, but I would change the trunk to a straight one.
Title: Re: Help with tree
Post by: Ben2theEdge on September 11, 2007, 01:21:59 pm
Ptoing is correct. Fir trees don't have big gnarly roots, their trunks go almost straight into the ground. Sometimes you can't even see the trunk because the branches hang so low. Google image search is your friend, folks: http://images.google.com/images?q=fir+tree&btnG=Search+Images&svnum=10&um=1&hl=en (http://images.google.com/images?q=fir+tree&btnG=Search+Images&svnum=10&um=1&hl=en)
If something is giving me trouble I'll use a reference photo and make a few sketches of it on paper or in photoshop with a tablet before I attempt to pixel it.
Title: Re: Help with tree
Post by: SirSami on September 11, 2007, 05:06:08 pm
Update:
I added different stump and made shadows bit smoother.
There is also old one at picture...

(http://img61.imageshack.us/img61/7904/newtreuh6.png)

Better?
Title: Re: Help with tree
Post by: gamefrnzy on September 11, 2007, 08:44:19 pm
Hmm I may be wrong but the angle of everything looks wierd.
The tiles look top view and the trees more of a side view
Title: Re: Help with tree
Post by: sonic_reaper on September 11, 2007, 09:33:16 pm
The  bottom of the original looked much better.  The bottom of these new ones look very odd, since they're curved/round, while the rest of the segments jut out at sharp angles.
Title: Re: Help with tree
Post by: JackBauer24 on September 11, 2007, 09:47:46 pm
Maybe I missed something but to me it looks like you're viewing the trees at one perspective and the ground at another.  Other then that it looks pretty good.  Your trees are better then any attempts made by me so far.  Keep up the good work.  Hope I don't sound harsh!  Ciao.

Jack
Title: Re: Help with tree
Post by: sonic_reaper on September 11, 2007, 09:51:13 pm
The perspective isn't perfect, however, if you take a look at many rpgs from back in the NES/SNES era, many are guilty of this.  I think it primarily looks weird cause there's no shadow even though there's an obvious light source above the trees.
Title: Re: Help with tree
Post by: gamefrnzy on September 12, 2007, 12:36:10 am
Well i think it would look better taking the dark shades off of the grass tiles on the ones
that are at the bottom of the road. hard to explain

\/ = shadow
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/\ no shadow