Pixelation

Critique => Pixel Art => Topic started by: yyboyyy96 on August 22, 2020, 07:19:01 am

Title: Female Character
Post by: yyboyyy96 on August 22, 2020, 07:19:01 am
My attemp to a female character
(https://i.postimg.cc/LsCPp28R/Female-Character.png)

this is what my imagination limits me to do.. so how would you guys try shaping and making this character to look more polished?
Title: Re: Female Character
Post by: ZerotuL on August 22, 2020, 03:59:44 pm
Her right leg is weirdly rotated. Define light source and shade her top and face. Also her right hand isn't clearly distinguishable. You may also make her skirt longer.
Title: Re: Female Character
Post by: Kenthecaptain on August 22, 2020, 06:42:06 pm
Hey there, you've done a pretty good attempt so far. One of the things to remember with doing really low res pixel character like this is that you have to rely heavily on the implications for proportions rather than trying to create them directly. This requires looking at the impression of what you've created (by zooming out and looking at your character). Changing even 1 pixel at this resolution will undoubtedly change the entire proportion or orientation of what you were working on. Here is an example I made in the past that seems close to what your style looks like:

(https://cdnb.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/027/441/397/large/ken-stevens-img-0318.jpg?1591555048)

If you notice her wrist for example is only 1 pixel wide, any wider and it would have been way too thick. Sometimes you just have to experiment with the pixels, because you can always undo and try again. As far as the coloring of the character, try to add a little more contrast overall by making your darks a little darker, and your lights a little lighter. When figuring out how to approach lighting, similar to what ZerotuL mentioned, choose your light source ahead of time in your head and then go from there. Aside from any artificial light, typically humans see the light from a top down perspective (or top left for a more dynamic look). So just imagine that the sun is above your character, and draw your shading and light with that in mind. Pay close attention to the forms of your character. Just by adding light and shadow, you can determine the shape of an object, without having to redraw the object. Above all, use reference if needed, even for something as small as this! This is pixel art, but it still needs to follow general instruction as far as proportions, lighting, and form over all. Last thing is reverse her right leg (your left), as it is more or less backwards proportionate to the rest of her pose.

Overall, I really like your choice of colors, and she has a pretty good pose overall! See if you can hit a second attempt with the above guidelines in mind, there's nothing wrong with reworking your art in an attempt to improve. Good job!
Title: Re: Female Character
Post by: yyboyyy96 on August 24, 2020, 04:23:08 pm
(https://i.postimg.cc/hGR5LggK/Sprite-0001.png)

So I left out the shading a little bit and I tried giving her arms and legs shape.

But still it doesnt look right for some reason :S
Title: Re: Female Character
Post by: blop on August 28, 2020, 08:28:56 am
(https://i.imgur.com/IlGYtLL.gif)
I think it looks better with less colors, but you can have even fewer like this. I also tried changing her proportions to be more realistic, since hips are about halfway down the body.
Title: Re: Female Character
Post by: yyboyyy96 on August 28, 2020, 05:32:42 pm
Very Nice! Really like the way it turned out to be!
Title: Re: Female Character
Post by: dpixel on August 30, 2020, 02:16:12 am
Another idea..a bit more interesting pose?  idk.  lol
(https://i.imgur.com/IavvE92.png)
I used an outline here.  Seems to help to define things better, and it'll work on any background.
Title: Re: Female Character
Post by: Kenthecaptain on September 04, 2020, 07:59:03 pm
Hey that's a HUGE improvement from before. Great pose! I also love outlines on sprites. Just check your proportions, the neck is a little long. Other than that, you did a great job! :)
Title: Re: Female Character
Post by: bengo on September 06, 2020, 12:27:51 pm
(https://i.imgur.com/k6z5Yp0.png)
Edited Dpixel's edit (good job, by the way!)  of OP's. Like Ken has said it's all about implication of things rather than being direct; pixel art is usually so small it's practically impossible to make it true to life and the smaller you get the more it has to be about the "implied" instead of what would be closer to what it is in reality.

Now onto my thoughts on this edit of an edit- I feel she's at such a small resolution that, while adding a fully black outline does help her pop out, it comes with the burden of not only flattening the sprite but even more worrisome is it can hurt readability in some regards. When it's this small having to outline the entire figure can imply and make certain limbs look too long or short, it can change the description of the form, etc. I think this is where selective outlining comes in handy as well as simply breaking the line altogether, this way there will be an outline but since it gets lighter and sometimes breaks it implies the outline is getting "thinner". We have to opt for that since we can't go smaller than a 1px size. The only way to avoid this would be going larger but even fighting game characters, which can be fairly large, tend to use selout. I've also changed the silhouette and have done my best to give the indication of a nice top down lighting. I threw out the eyebrows and went for a more traditional (: .) face since I feel it reads better at this size (her eyebrow could be mistaken as a brow shadow, meaning her face would be much more masculine, fine if you wanna go for a masculine woman but I assume we wanted a feminine woman). I ensured the hips were wider. I didn't try to follow any perspective (it'd be very hard to indicate with the amount of pixels you have available anyway) because, like said previously, it's more about the implication/essence of the thing especially at this size.
Title: Re: Female Character
Post by: yyboyyy96 on September 06, 2020, 02:38:24 pm
Another idea..a bit more interesting pose?  idk.  lol
(https://i.imgur.com/IavvE92.png)
I used an outline here.  Seems to help to define things better, and it'll work on any background.

Looks Amazing!!

(https://i.imgur.com/k6z5Yp0.png)
Edited Dpixel's edit (good job, by the way!)  of OP's. Like Ken has said it's all about implication of things rather than being direct; pixel art is usually so small it's practically impossible to make it true to life and the smaller you get the more it has to be about the "implied" instead of what would be closer to what it is in reality.

Now onto my thoughts on this edit of an edit- I feel she's at such a small resolution that, while adding a fully black outline does help her pop out, it comes with the burden of not only flattening the sprite but even more worrisome is it can hurt readability in some regards. When it's this small having to outline the entire figure can imply and make certain limbs look too long or short, it can change the description of the form, etc. I think this is where selective outlining comes in handy as well as simply breaking the line altogether, this way there will be an outline but since it gets lighter and sometimes breaks it implies the outline is getting "thinner". We have to opt for that since we can't go smaller than a 1px size. The only way to avoid this would be going larger but even fighting game characters, which can be fairly large, tend to use selout. I've also changed the silhouette and have done my best to give the indication of a nice top down lighting. I threw out the eyebrows and went for a more traditional (: .) face since I feel it reads better at this size (her eyebrow could be mistaken as a brow shadow, meaning her face would be much more masculine, fine if you wanna go for a masculine woman but I assume we wanted a feminine woman). I ensured the hips were wider. I didn't try to follow any perspective (it'd be very hard to indicate with the amount of pixels you have available anyway) because, like said previously, it's more about the implication/essence of the thing especially at this size.

I think you are right! I usually dont draw this small but when I do I always get stuck because the proportions dont look right because of the outlines.. Shading the outline on the other part makes it some cases very nice looking but that depends on how small it is..
Title: Re: Female Character
Post by: dpixel on September 07, 2020, 06:57:27 am
Nice edit bengo!

Played with this some more.  Got a little better pose.  I did go 2 pixels taller though. I like playing with the small stuff for some reason. 
(https://i.imgur.com/aCoeLpH.png)
Title: Re: Female Character
Post by: yyboyyy96 on September 08, 2020, 04:41:31 pm
may I know what the steps are you take when you make something like that?
its just really impressive!
Title: Re: Female Character
Post by: dpixel on September 11, 2020, 01:18:50 am
may I know what the steps are you take when you make something like that?
its just really impressive!
Thanks. Glad you like it. 
I just tried to exaggerate my first edit.  Wider hips, thinking about gesture lines and weight balance.  Making this one a couple pixels taller made it easier to work with.  I basically grabbed sections and moved, pulled and stretched.  Then put it back together.  Then repeat till it looks right.  Don't be satisfied with good enough.  If something doesn't look right, work at it.  Anatomy is difficult to make look right, so use references for your poses.  For pixel art technique, study others work.  There's nothing magic about it, just practice.  I've been doing this for a long time, and this was practice for me. 
Title: Re: Female Character
Post by: Kenthecaptain on September 15, 2020, 06:05:23 am
Nice edit bengo!

Played with this some more.  Got a little better pose.  I did go 2 pixels taller though. I like playing with the small stuff for some reason. 
(https://i.imgur.com/aCoeLpH.png)

Hey, I love the exaggerated pose you did for this one! I had some free time tonight, so I just played around with the lighting and rendering to get a sense of the forms and the general direction the character is facing, without redoing much of your line work to keep it close to the original. :)

(https://piskel-imgstore-b.appspot.com/img/753a7182-f719-11ea-9edb-cb5eda3e4474.gif)

Side note to OP: If you want to intentionally have a black outline, try starting with a solid black silhouette, and once you are happy with the shapes and proportions, start to fill in your forms afterwards. This way you won't effect your sprites proportions too much, and can focus solely on colors, lighting, etc.
Title: Re: Female Character
Post by: dpixel on September 19, 2020, 12:20:08 am
Nice edit Kenthecaptain!

This is why I like pixel art.  Even a character this small, the possibilities are endless.
Title: Re: Female Character
Post by: dpixel on September 19, 2020, 04:53:15 am
Messing around some more...
(https://i.imgur.com/H4KYT6D.png)
Title: Re: Female Character
Post by: yyboyyy96 on September 20, 2020, 07:06:03 pm
awesome pose! as always..

I tried to copy your work for myself dont judge the pose :P
(https://i.postimg.cc/G2FbdzB5/Pose.png)
Title: Re: Female Character
Post by: dpixel on September 24, 2020, 04:53:26 am
I tried to copy your work for myself dont judge the pose :P
(https://i.postimg.cc/G2FbdzB5/Pose.png)

Try to adjust your light source coming from the side a bit.  It'll give a better sense of depth.  Remember use a reference.  Not only for the pose, but shading too.  It really helps a lot.  Also, try a 3/4 view.  It's good practice with anatomy and generally more interesting.

Another pose...Visualize the curve in the spine. It creates some realism.
(https://i.imgur.com/6S13MN2.png)
Title: Re: Female Character
Post by: yyboyyy96 on September 25, 2020, 07:02:58 pm
Looking good!

Tried another pose :)
(https://i.postimg.cc/63009T2d/Pose.png)
Title: Re: Female Character
Post by: dpixel on September 26, 2020, 12:42:10 am
Massive improvement from where you started.  :y:
Title: Re: Female Character
Post by: yyboyyy96 on September 26, 2020, 09:29:51 am
Yes but its only because I copied your style. A lot of time when I'm doing it on my own it gets bulky out of shape bad proportions and weak posture.
Title: Re: Female Character
Post by: dpixel on September 26, 2020, 01:30:40 pm
Yes but its only because I copied your style.

But you created the pose.  You didn't copy that from me.

A lot of time when I'm doing it on my own it gets bulky out of shape bad proportions and weak posture.

Step one. Identify the problems.  Check.

Sometimes it helps to look at it with fewer colors or silhouette.
(https://i.imgur.com/dtyv0OZ.png)

Anyway, I think you did great!

Title: Re: Female Character
Post by: yyboyyy96 on September 27, 2020, 11:58:12 am
what should I be looking for with fewer colors and silhouette?

I mean the lines in between her Left arm (not the one holding the stick) it looks like 90 degrees, but when you have color it doesn't look that bad in my opinion.
Title: Re: Female Character
Post by: eishiya on September 27, 2020, 07:26:52 pm
You're looking for whether the pose, character design, and mood come across in the silhouette/low-colour version, not the details. It's easier to spot weak/hard-to-read poses in silhouette, and it's easier to spot contrast/readability issues if you reduce objects to 1-2 values.
Title: Re: Female Character
Post by: Chonky Pixel on October 12, 2020, 01:02:42 pm
Something I've learned about shading on limbs is that it can serve (at least) two purposes. One is to show direction of light and areas of shadow. Another is to give a sense of depth.

In essence, both have the similar effect of creating the feeling of a 3D shape.

So in simple terms, a leg that's further away can just be made darker to give a sense of depth. But, also, the lower part of a leg that's nearer the viewer can be made darker to look like it's "tucked in" or bent back (and thus in shadow).

So this piece by Kenthecaptain shows the lower part of the legs bent back, giving a strong sense of 3D and emphasising the exaggerated 'hips thrust-forward' pose.


(https://piskel-imgstore-b.appspot.com/img/753a7182-f719-11ea-9edb-cb5eda3e4474.gif)

And after a quick scan through Twitter, here's an example of some characters with darker 'rear' legs:

https://twitter.com/_alihusain_/status/1315397330170978304

I'm sure you can find more!

The reason I mention this is that your recent version:

(https://i.postimg.cc/63009T2d/Pose.png)

seems to do the opposite, if you see what I mean. The leg in front is darker, even though it's not bent back. The rear leg is bent back and lighter. This makes my brain interpret it as a very awkward twisted leg pose... But you know, that's just me.
Title: Re: Female Character
Post by: yyboyyy96 on December 30, 2020, 04:52:21 pm
(https://i.postimg.cc/SNRdrdKN/Naamloos.png)