Pixelation
Critique => Pixel Art => Topic started by: sharksweetheart on June 16, 2008, 11:38:55 pm
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I doubt anybody remembers my previous thread but I've since downsized the sprites, due too large ones taking me weeks to perfect and simply not being practical at all.
!UPDATE!
(http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg243/delia456/brightsprite.png)
Hmm...
Also, running:
(http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg243/delia456/running.gif)
Now I have this:
(http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg243/delia456/dawww-1.png) (http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg243/delia456/dawwawa.png)
My main issue is getting some kind of definition. Even on this light background he's getting pretty hard to read; he'd completely blend into to the tileset. Because he's so small I can't simply add an outline without everything going to hell, but I don't know what else to do!
I also made a faceset for this little guy:
(http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg243/delia456/facies.png)
The obvious problem here is the hair. I'm really quite bad at getting the fringe/bangs to sit on the forehead, unless it's completely straight-cut.
Does anybody have any suggestions, tutorials or anything for my dilemmas? i 3 i
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Uhh well I'm not sure my edit actually focuses on what you needed help on but I made a few changed, primarily on the shading.. Just a style suggestion, really.
(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b150/iceman509/elfedit.png)
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Actually that was REALLY helpful; I didn't think fixing the hair would be as simply as adding some shading around it. Thank you!
(http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg243/delia456/southsecond.png)
I used your hair as a reference, I hope that's okay. Not really digging the eyes though so I kept the original ones. I also tweaked the sprite and it is certainly more defined now, but I don't think it's pops out quite enough. Hmm.
EDIT:
Slight tweak of the lips and braid:
(http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg243/delia456/braids.png)
Also, running:
(http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg243/delia456/running.gif)
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Sorry, no time for commentary because I'm on the run from the law.
(http://individual.utoronto.ca/lackey/pixel/edit/sweetshark_faceedit.gif)
Just a little edit for sharpness maybe? It's cute!
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(http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg243/delia456/brightsprite.png)
Update. Hmm...
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if you crawl for other posts on running animations, you'll see that you should have preferred other keyframes, especially avoiding to have only two silouhettes and just changing the color of the legs: the eye cannot track that at that speed and only see two frames.
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if you crawl for other posts on running animations, you'll see that you should have preferred other keyframes, especially avoiding to have only two silouhettes and just changing the color of the legs: the eye cannot track that at that speed and only see two frames.
I actually used a tutorial I found here and it seemed to do just that but upon closer inspection there is a slight change of position:
(http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg243/delia456/runforestrun.gif)
It's hard to do really minor movements like that at this size, though. I guess I'll look for some more tuts!
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I think maybe choose the other keyframes if you're sticking to four frames. Extension and crossover read the best.
(http://individual.utoronto.ca/lackey/pixel/edit/sweetshark_runningedit4frame.gif)
This is imperfect and the volumes may not be exactly consistent. I simplified the colours entirely so you can see it better.
(http://individual.utoronto.ca/lackey/pixel/edit/sweetshark_runningedit.gif)
You could maybe add two frames for a little pop in the stepping motion.
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Yeah that's probably a good idea. I'm using RPG Maker to create this which has a default setting of 4 frames (!!!) but I'm pretty sure it's simple to change the script.
A significant update; I remade the bastard bigger and started working on another sprite, his sister (yeah, that thing with the braid is a boy, but he's nine so it's okay to be androgynous, right?):
(http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg243/delia456/overhaul.png)
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I actually used a tutorial I found here and it seemed to do just that but upon closer inspection there is a slight change of position:
Except that this tutorial has been critized previously in that it does *not* start with extremes as it pretends. Extremes of a running animation is frames where your foot hit the ground, thus frames #2 and #6 rather than #1 and #5. Plus, your character's head is almost facing us, and you make her running with body in a complete side-view. If you instead have 3/4th body view, shoulders and hips will be separated, meaning that the running sequence will be easier to read.
It's hard to do really minor movements like that at this size, though. I guess I'll look for some more tuts!
If you ask me, your character's body is terribly small compared to his head (it's almost 1:0.5:0.5 for head-torso-legs sizes in the running animation; new standing pictures are a bit better, i'd give 1:1:1 a try if i were you)
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Ah, that makes sense. I'll have another go at the walk/run cycles tomorrow, but for now I have shrunken the heads somewhat:
(http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg243/delia456/normalheads.png)
I want them too be large, but not as large as they were before; I don't know how I missed those!
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I actually used a tutorial I found here and it seemed to do just that but upon closer inspection there is a slight change of position:
Except that this tutorial has been critized previously in that it does *not* start with extremes as it pretends. Extremes of a running animation is frames where your foot hit the ground, thus frames #2 and #6 rather than #1 and #5. Plus, your character's head is almost facing us, and you make her running with body in a complete side-view. If you instead have 3/4th body view, shoulders and hips will be separated, meaning that the running sequence will be easier to read.
It's hard to do really minor movements like that at this size, though. I guess I'll look for some more tuts!
If you ask me, your character's body is terribly small compared to his head (it's almost 1:0.5:0.5 for head-torso-legs sizes in the running animation; new standing pictures are a bit better, i'd give 1:1:1 a try if i were you)
Yea I was noting that, the contact positions are being treated as the extremes. I think the tutorial is useful though, but it teaches some bad habbits. If anyone is seriouse about animating, I'de recommend getting richard william's "the animators survival kit." I have a copy in front of me right now, as it's the best thing for animation of any kind, hand drawn, 3d, or pixels.
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New running animation:
(http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg243/delia456/runadielrun.gif)
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much better, but there is something that is troubling me regarding the bopping ... as if it wasn't on the right frame (?)
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much better, but there is something that is troubling me regarding the bopping ... as if it wasn't on the right frame (?)
Yeah I honestly had no idea where would be most appropriate. D:
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Yeah I honestly had no idea where would be most appropriate. D:
I think usually the head bobs in the crossover frame. Think of it this way: when the leg with the weight on it is most vertical the body is at its highest. You've got the head highest in a mid-air frame, which does make cartoon sense if he's doing hopping leaps, but to my knowledge doesn't happen in an actual run.
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Things adressed int his edit:
(http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/3869/runadielrunhq7.gif)
The way i see it, the body should elevate or 'bob' when the legs are most towards the center. becaus at this poin the line from the foot t the head is more upright than it is at any other point. take in mind the cahracter isn't "popping" up, so much as it's a natural motion because of the extension of the leg; and it causes the character to be slightly "taller"
The motion from the front to the back of the run i felt was too extreme and caused a jerkiness in the cycle that, given the number of frames, shouldn't be there.
Things not adressed in this edit:
The hair is too stiff. it should move at least a little bit, as should the position of the face. nothing too dramatic, but the body looks ten times more dyanmic than the face, which is where all the detail and attentive focus should be, considering the body/head size ratio.
---------edit------------
I don't know why i din't see this when i was editing it, but i also thnkthe leg that moves forward should move further out than it does.
(http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/3393/runadielrunvt2.gif)
not soo sure how i feel about the job i did on that edit, but the basic idea still gets across.
----------another edit-----
neither of my edits consider this, but when the body bobs back *down* that should coincide with the foot hitting the ground.
just to have something to compare to, here's a running animation that i did a little while back. it isn't perfect, and not really finished.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v404/Greatmahoo/Animations/run.gif)