Pixelation
Critique => Pixel Art => Topic started by: JazzMaster on May 17, 2015, 02:45:26 am
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Hello :)
I've been making a series of Games called Operation: Tank Command.
With the third installment of my game, I wanted to refine my Art style and pixel art skills.
Here are some of the sprites and backgrounds in the upcoming game.
(http://i.imgur.com/tvlEk3S.png)(http://i.imgur.com/yCH5lqm.png)(http://i.imgur.com/CUSescW.png) (http://i.imgur.com/t39PKQ8.png) (http://i.imgur.com/nSmjXRZ.png) (http://i.imgur.com/ADBbVAS.png) (http://i.imgur.com/YDrfgsD.png) (http://i.imgur.com/UGsw6hw.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/hw3jly8.gif) (http://i.imgur.com/UweWZ9a.gif)
tips, suggestions and feedback on how to improve my art style will be very appreciated.
Thank you.
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Created a new forest tileset.
What do you guys think?
(http://i.imgur.com/ff6RUd3.png)
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I like this new forest tileset better than the old one! I say keep experimenting and making some more grass/dirt tile sets and post them for advice.
There's a lot of stuff to comment on here. I'm sure someone else can give you better advice but here are my thoughts. I'd recommend you push the detail on some of these pieces further. For example, the warehouse, you can create more detail chimney stacks, create a small door on either side for people, maybe make a big sign over the warehouse saying something like "Ferris Air" or whatever you want.
I'm not entirely sure what the image is between the last tree and the large building. Is it a shack or a shed? I like how it's in perspective though. Maybe you can do that to the building too.
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I like this new forest tileset better than the old one! I say keep experimenting and making some more grass/dirt tile sets and post them for advice.
There's a lot of stuff to comment on here. I'm sure someone else can give you better advice but here are my thoughts. I'd recommend you push the detail on some of these pieces further. For example, the warehouse, you can create more detail chimney stacks, create a small door on either side for people, maybe make a big sign over the warehouse saying something like "Ferris Air" or whatever you want.
I'm not entirely sure what the image is between the last tree and the large building. Is it a shack or a shed? I like how it's in perspective though. Maybe you can do that to the building too.
Thank you for the feedback :)
You are correct. I felt the buildings did need more detail, but at the time I was not really sure what to add, thanks for the suggestions.
The shed looking thing is a tunnel, it looks more like it in game and I'll try adding the same perspective on the other foreground buildings.
I just made new leaves for the trees. I gave them more shape than the oval shape in the original.
(http://i.imgur.com/LW6OO4q.png)
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Just made a city scape. this is used as a background.
(http://i.imgur.com/gW4qaYz.png)
and new Buildings.
(http://i.imgur.com/edvDI65.png)
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i don't understand perspective forest tiles look like top down but the rest is side on?
there's too many pure black shapes and lines in the assets.
pure grey in buildings and sprites is ugly try for more interesting colours or at least offset the greys with some hues.
lose the single-pixel noise in the trees and try shading them as clumps of leaves.
with a few assets here you might as well do a mockup screenshot you'll probably get some good edits out of that.
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i don't understand perspective forest tiles look like top down but the rest is side on?
It's a Sidescroller, so the grass is on top. the soil is on the bottom
there's too many pure black shapes and lines in the assets.
pure grey in buildings and sprites is ugly try for more interesting colours or at least offset the greys with some hues.
lose the single-pixel noise in the trees and try shading them as clumps of leaves.
Everytime I try to give subtle hues to the grey buildings, they start to look weird same is true for when I try to draw leaves on the trees. I will keep at it though :)
with a few assets here you might as well do a mockup screenshot you'll probably get some good edits out of that.
I have an ingame screenshot if that can help visualize the art.
(http://i.imgur.com/jtfOwrD.png)
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Here's a Boss Enemy.
(http://i.imgur.com/KU2IDo7.gif)
The Compartment the opens up then stays open then closes once the tank inside is dead.
What do you guys think?
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Hey JazzMaster, I think this boss cargo plane is your best work. I'm gonna echo what Decroded said already though. Right now most of your artwork is gray and shades of gray. It needs more color and I don't think you should use straight black to outline your artwork (unless maybe you're going for an NES type look).
Since this is a military plane, maybe you can add a star on the side or like shark teeth on the front like WW2 fighter planes. Maybe instead of gray, you can use like an Army green or something. Perhaps add small rivets on the side. Check out reference images of other bomber planes. If you plan on having that bomber fly through your mock up scene, maybe make the color darker with a tinge of blue.
Here's a tutorial on how to make trees. It should help you or give you some ideas on how to handle what Decroded was talking about...making clumps of leaves and shading them.
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/301459768776837861/
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Hey JazzMaster, I think this boss cargo plane is your best work. I'm gonna echo what Decroded said already though. Right now most of your artwork is gray and shades of gray. It needs more color and I don't think you should use straight black to outline your artwork (unless maybe you're going for an NES type look).
Since this is a military plane, maybe you can add a star on the side or like shark teeth on the front like WW2 fighter planes. Maybe instead of gray, you can use like an Army green or something. Perhaps add small rivets on the side. Check out reference images of other bomber planes. If you plan on having that bomber fly through your mock up scene, maybe make the color darker with a tinge of blue.
Here's a tutorial on how to make trees. It should help you or give you some ideas on how to handle what Decroded was talking about...making clumps of leaves and shading them.
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/301459768776837861/
Thank you very much for the tutorial link :) Im currently experimenting with colors and I'll post them here once I'm done.
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Here are some more stuff.
Hud:
Nuclear Shell upgarde
(http://i.imgur.com/YqwmvFJ.png)
Thermalbaric Shell upgarde
(http://i.imgur.com/dx9rz6O.png)
Static Objects:
Flame Tank
(http://i.imgur.com/UVlKUb4.png)
S-300 Grumble (no in-between frames yet)
(http://i.imgur.com/5yPwfH5.png)
Barricades
(http://i.imgur.com/fBTUPYt.png)
Gold
(http://i.imgur.com/sw1aN14.png)
Animated:
Gatling Artillery
(http://i.imgur.com/MaxgDpU.gif)
Any comments on how to improve them?
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same as last time its still just black lines with grey gradient fills.
try rendering things without relying on a black outline for every brick for example.
reduce outlines inside an object as they're mainly for separating it from the background.
when everything is an outline nothing ends up standing out.
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(http://share.cherrytree.at/showfile-20968/tank.png)
I had a go at it..
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(http://share.cherrytree.at/showfile-20968/tank.png)
I had a go at it..
i can't see the image champ.
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Thank you guys for the advice so far.
I went ahead and experimented with outlines to make them part of the colors.
How do these look?
(http://i.imgur.com/zDpczUF.png) (http://i.imgur.com/7Rkyuv5.png) (http://i.imgur.com/REl8AMy.png)
I want to refine this a bit more before I apply them to the rest of the resources.
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i can't see the image champ.
Me neither, seems like the host went down.. And I get an error trying to upload it...
Trying dropbox instead:
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/b5pqocaah7mwk57/tank.png?dl=1)
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Trying dropbox instead:
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/b5pqocaah7mwk57/tank.png?dl=1)
Wow that looks amazing. I'm kinda struglling with colors. Every time i try to add color it always ends up loooking bad. Any tips?
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Look at colors from references or other games!
You could also try using a predefined palette, like Arne's 16 color palette (http://wayofthepixel.net/index.php?topic=4306.0)
The limitations will force you to use colors you aren't used to, which is a good thing. Don't be afraid of strong contrast and strong colors. It's something that I have to remind myself of when the stuff I draw lacks depth and shape. Especially when you work zoomed in. So make sure you zoom out and evaluate if there is enough contrast and depth.
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I made this using Arne's pallete.
OLD:(http://i.imgur.com/yCH5lqm.png)
original
NEW:(http://i.imgur.com/e4vvxYJ.png)
with better shading and colors
What do you guys think?
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You have to be braver with the contrast..
Try squinting your eyes, you should still be able to see some of the strong highlights giving shape to the tank..
Or if you look at it from far away, you should still be able to see the important sprites in the game. If it all blends together, you'll have big issues with readability of the game, even if you play the game really zoomed in, it's better with really clear and defined shapes and shading.
Look at and compare with other pixel art games.
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/ktmdd4wykhbmacr/tank2.png?dl=1)
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I decided to revert back the enemy colors to grey (for now). I think I'll need to see how colors look ingame first.
but I did work on the outlines and shading.
I still feel I need more contrast, what do you guys think?
(http://i.imgur.com/sDTQV0j.png)(http://i.imgur.com/YNVr56L.png)(http://i.imgur.com/KaZaB9E.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/ZXCmJpF.png)
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In your mock up scene, it's night time. I think you should change it to day time and add a light source(sun) in the scene. I might help you think about colors and shading in your scene.
Google "Military Warehouse" or something, examine it, get inspired by it and paint your warehouse that color. Shift away from the gray. Look at this building.
http://www.kconinc.com/Portals/0/Gallery/Album/21/Government-Contract-Storage-Warehouse-Facility-Temple-TX-3356.jpg
Do you think you can you add a gif or something of your animation? I'm actually in the process of trying animating some sprites and I found this link. Maybe this link can be of use to you.
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Quick edits of the tanks:
(http://i.imgur.com/1odbFmV.png)
More contrast, more contrast, man! You want to see important stuff at a glance especially at this size.
One example is my fire tank here, it uses orange parts to distinguish it from the regular tank.
Shaded the tanks less round, more angular.
No outlines in this edit, just flat colors.
Shift those colors away from grey. Take the eyedropper tool to any photo of a tank and you'll see the same thing, no 100% greys.
You can see also there's some change in hue as you go from dark to light, which shows up in my edit.
Here's (http://www.pixeljoint.com/pixelart/25032.htm) a good pixel ref for your tanks.
I hope you take some of our advice, because visually speaking, these current pixels are kinda sucking the life out of what looks like a fun RTS.
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About hue shifting.
I've been strugling with that for a while now. I tried using pre made palettes but were dissatisfied with them. Any tips on how to use hues correctly?
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About hue shifting.
I've been strugling with that for a while now. I tried using pre made palettes but were dissatisfied with them. Any tips on how to use hues correctly?
Why it keeps turning out that way is probably the result of another problem, the shading.
Shading on most stuff is mostly midtones (example (http://androidarts.com/tuts/colorident.jpg) by Arne).
Depending on how shiny a thing is, specular highlights are small to nil.
Some exceptions are chrome or foil stuff which reflect more, but real tanks are a dull painted/metal, so I think this here is not an exception.
What to get out of that is it's all about the value, so do value work before adding the hues.
Actually you can take a look at this post (http://wayofthepixel.net/index.php?topic=1025.msg12257#msg12257) also.
The graph shows the hues in those examples are all over the place but it works because they got the values right.
What color something shows up as depends on how much of that color is used. In most of the thread examples (and Arne's example) that's mostly the midtone.
In the forum thread, outside of the midtone, stuff like the shadows/highlight hues are kind of balancing eachother out in a zigzag.
It might have a bias towards warm or cool. If it's not/less affected by that bias then that one color sticks out.
It's a more complex idea but you can get some cool effects using it.
My edit isn't as extreme with the colors. Actually it's pretty basic.
Green-grey is the midtone, but the highlights are more yellow. The combined effect is you get greenish-yellow.
Shadow color adds to that warmth.
Result: sprite that's readable, and looks colored.
Hope this does a good job at somewhat explaining colorization, if there's anything I left out maybe one of the other guys can add to this.