Pixelation

Critique => Pixel Art => Topic started by: BlackTar in a Jar on September 22, 2013, 12:29:52 pm

Title: Beginner seeking guidance
Post by: BlackTar in a Jar on September 22, 2013, 12:29:52 pm
Hello all!
I'm completely new to pixel art but I'm willing to learn. Please excuse my many blunders and kindly help me improve :)

(http://fc08.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2013/268/2/f/pxel_by_blacktar_in_a_jar-d6nx7uh.png)
Title: Re: Beginner seeking guidance
Post by: (BYOND)Hebrons on September 22, 2013, 01:08:11 pm
are you sure your new to pixel art o.o ?
Title: Re: Beginner seeking guidance
Post by: Cyangmou on September 22, 2013, 01:17:35 pm
looks like a generic guy with a cape - the concept is much weaker than the execution.
You should give some hints how you want to improve it and give us some background infos for what the sprite is used or if it's just practice what you want to practice or where you think you have/had problems.
Title: Re: Beginner seeking guidance
Post by: BlackTar in a Jar on September 22, 2013, 02:54:25 pm
It's just for practice. My greatest difficulty with it is with the cloth-effect, showing folds and knowing how much to show. The cape looks a bit plain.
Other than that colour and lighting can definitely be improved, and anything else the professional eye finds wrong with it.
Title: Re: Beginner seeking guidance
Post by: wolfenoctis on September 23, 2013, 08:00:25 am
(http://i39.tinypic.com/wtywqd.jpg)

Looks like Tetsuo from the anime movie Akira
Title: Re: Beginner seeking guidance
Post by: BlackTar in a Jar on September 23, 2013, 08:46:28 am
Yeah Akira is one of my favourite anime's and Tetsuo is definitely one of my favourite characters!
Title: Re: Beginner seeking guidance
Post by: winged doom on September 23, 2013, 09:32:08 am
Good work, but I don't like his hair and black stroke, so, little edit:

(http://25.media.tumblr.com/1859c96e651378454aa67b271e486110/tumblr_mtknroSmSa1sqpgx7o2_250.png)
(http://25.media.tumblr.com/ce7eade81a8a40dfbbedc41d49963681/tumblr_mtknroSmSa1sqpgx7o1_250.gif)
Title: Re: Beginner seeking guidance
Post by: BlackTar in a Jar on September 24, 2013, 06:04:43 am
Man that looks awesome!
Thanks man, I feel I've already learned a lot!
I've reworked the the piece according to your example, with a few miniscule differences
(http://fc04.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2013/268/4/9/dreitedit_by_blacktar_in_a_jar-d6nx844.png)
Title: Re: Beginner seeking guidance
Post by: wolfenoctis on September 25, 2013, 04:57:59 am
Try to make his stance more dynamic, currently its weak and static. Also use some refferences for cloth to get the folds right. I made a edit to illustrate:
(http://i41.tinypic.com/2lvhduo.png)
I kept the same basic stance, but just made it more dynamic, I also used tetsuo because I like his colors more. Hope it helps  ;D
Title: Re: Beginner seeking guidance
Post by: BlackTar in a Jar on September 26, 2013, 02:19:40 pm
Thanks for the advice, I will work on my piece a bit more :)
Your edit, though it's very well done, is a completely different sprite however. I wasn't trying to draw Tetsuo even though the cape and hair is similar. There was one or two things about your edit that seemed a bit off, so I edited your edit:


(http://fc02.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2013/269/4/0/beneditedit__2__by_blacktar_in_a_jar-d6nymxv.png)

Thanks again, I will try to impliment what I've learned from you.
Title: Re: Beginner seeking guidance
Post by: Decroded on September 26, 2013, 03:00:28 pm
Yeah but its Tetsuo! And who didn't want to see that right??
I look at the hair in Wolf's edit and it really feels like it is alive and moving to my tired eyes :y:

Your hair is OK but you should keep experimenting with hairstyles.
I really need to go to bed but just quickly I thought the your hair should feel a little "fuller" by use of more solid clusters...
(http://i.imgur.com/0Q432l8.png)

Ssooo tempted to edit in the mutant arm but its way too late and off topic  :lol:
Title: Re: Beginner seeking guidance
Post by: Facet on September 26, 2013, 10:04:44 pm
Yeah, I don't think the original is that far off a nice toony look, very quick doodle knocking down materials to 2 shade only (+ select highlights), for a simple cel look, gave him forehead, lengthened arms a tad, and just livened up bits to be more contrasted/eye-catching. I just realised he's somehow turned into Goofy's son (http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20130302000635/disney/images/thumb/f/f0/27image.jpg/230px-27image.jpg) though :o.

(http://i.imgur.com/IkP7uFh.png)
Title: Re: Beginner seeking guidance
Post by: Decroded on September 27, 2013, 05:19:27 am
That fixed a few things that were bugging me.
General lack of anything interesting to look at still an issue.

Added a touch of detailing:
(http://i.imgur.com/BNiAAxK.png)
Probably too much contrast on his skin, its hard to judge on this work monitor.
Title: Re: Beginner seeking guidance
Post by: BlackTar in a Jar on September 27, 2013, 01:54:40 pm
Ok so I changed the character to Tetsuo following Decroded and some other asshole's advice, and tried to impliment much of what I've learned here.
I also changed the palette using some of Wolf's edit. I still don't know about the face, but I'd like to try and keep the general pose, just for a challenge and so it at least feels like there's a resemblance to the original.

(http://fc08.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2013/270/9/6/dreitedit5_by_blacktar_in_a_jar-d6o443c.png)

Thank you Facet and Decroded again for more advice :)

EDIT: Fixed a few things

(http://fc08.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2013/270/0/2/dreitedit7_by_blacktar_in_a_jar-d6o8baq.png)