Pixelation
Critique => Pixel Art => Topic started by: snakesqzns on February 27, 2010, 12:00:57 am
-
(http://img202.imageshack.us/img202/2194/moai3.png)
Not sure where to go from here. I intended this to be greyscale only, but now I'm regretting not starting with some color.
-
I like the greyscale. I don't think you could have achieved the same effect you have. It's very grainy and interesting.
-
(http://i.imgur.com/LM6pz.png)
Why so many colors? There are like over 100 shades of grey. This version is 4 colors, and I gave you a couple palettes, mostly just so you could see how it would turn out in color.
-
I haven't reduced the number of colors on this yet. For this one I didn't start with a limited palette -- just picked different values as I needed them.
-
Why so many colors? There are like over 100 shades of grey. This version is 4 colors, and I gave you a couple palettes, mostly just so you could see how it would turn out in color.
What did you use to reduce the colors? Photoshop's Posterize doesn't do as nice a job.
-
I don't know about photoshop but Paint Shop Pro is pretty good for reducing colours. Here's what photoshop did when reducing down to six colours. I'd still personally adjust some things but then again that would be your role. =D
(http://i393.photobucket.com/albums/pp16/TheUnknownArtistJak/statueedit.png)
I also altered the colours to give you an idea of what you could go with. (Note I'm just working off what I've learned, I am not the best pixel artist by a very long... long shot)
Still looks grey but feels more natural.
-
Reducing colors is good for changing the palette, but otherwise useless. What's wrong with a little excess?
The 4-color version lacks range and the 6-color version is still way too grainy.
-
I agree with Gil, as long as you're not going to replicate it or recolor it (which is easily done in photoshop anyway) then many colors are fine to have.
I don't really understand this obsession with few colors...
-
I haven't reduced the number of colors on this yet. For this one I didn't start with a limited palette -- just picked different values as I needed them.
If you had started with a 16 grey span from black to white you'd hardly have needed any more at any step of the way. It's a good idea to start with a ramp like that.
-
@Helm: Exactly, he didn't _have_ to go all the way down to four, but I feel like 4 gets the job done. But over a hundred, for the same tone, definitely overkill.
@Lizzrd: Says the guy with the 2 color avatar. :P But seriously though, isn't that the point. Or maybe Pixelation has changed a lot from back in the day...
@Gil: The statues are very rough looking. Example:
(http://www.endoftherainbow-gifts.com/images/moai.jpg)
Though, I agree, a little cleanup on the dither would do it some justice.
-
But seriously though, isn't that the point. Or maybe Pixelation has changed a lot from back in the day...
Yes, exactly. I think we all have moved on from the whole "less colors is better" meme a few years ago.
The problem is that a lot of people were compressing their palettes for the sake of reducing color count. Going less than 16 colors is more of an exercise in restraint than being actually useful in the real world.
That's just how I perceive it. Pixeljoint is still a tiny bit more conservative, but they are a specific retro art gallery, so that makes sense.
This might all seem a little off-topic, but I think it might be the only thing worth discussing about this piece, because aside from the palette and the slightly blurry AA, this piece looks pretty solid to me.
-
Nice work but the texture really ruins it for me. I would just try to convey that texture with a few large pockmarks. Large meaning bigger than a single pixel, so that you can show whether the marks are convex (shadow at bottom) or concave (shadow at top).
Also, AA needs work.
Good luck.
Re: off-topic: I actually found Ultimaodin's color-reduce more pleasant to look at. & I feel that way about low-color generally. So I guess that's just some subjective thing on which reasonable people will disagree.
-
Ok I am going to have to jump into this discussion if though I'm not a very good pixel artist myself.
I have nothing against high colour counts, In fact I like the high detail one can produce with an unlimited pallet.
However smaller colour counts are better. Now before you jump to conclusion what I mean is for the creator.
Having an unlimited pallet can cause the artist to use colours/shades unnecessarily which can break contrast and sharpness.
It's also a lot harder to spot which pixel is an issue when there are so many around it. (which I learnt the hard way doing my dithering practice)
The biggest issue with high colour counts is the increased difficulty for changing colours.
Changing the six I converted it to was easy because I only really modified four of the values. With over a hundred shades, altering each colour to precision would be incredibly tedious.
Also on a subjective view I like to see pixels in pixel art so I like the texture. I also personally hate AA on outside edges, yet again a personal view. All art including Pixel art is in the eye of the beholder. Someone can hate an image while another person may love it. In pixel art though people tend to aim for pleasing the majority. (After all they are your market)
I have to agree with Gil, I think the piece is solid, I'd just try to shift the lighter and darker colours towards yellows and blues, leaving the middle colours relatively unsaturated. (Which is where reducing the colours comes in handy, as stated above)