Pixelation
Critique => Pixel Art => Topic started by: samw3 on August 08, 2009, 04:55:50 am
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Hello, this is an old king for a simple 16x16 style rpg project. He'll be used in the intro sequence.
C+C please about the form and lighting and such. I rather suck at larger pieces so this is a stretch for me and I'm eager to learn. He's wearing a breastplate under one of those capes with the fuzzy edges. He will eventually be holding a staff in his hand. Thanks for any help in advance!
EDIT: Some more updates.. I'm almost embarrassed to leave the first one there, but I will. I was reading through some posts and saw EvilEye's comment about mirroring your art to get another perspective. Great idea! Still looking for comments and critiques. I'll be working more on it.
EDIT: I guess that's what I get for posting at 5am board time. :) Cleaned things up a bit and played around. Still looking for c+c.
Sam
Oldest -----> Newest
(http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/357882/pk/king1.png) (http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/357882/pk/king2.png) (http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/357882/pk/king3.png) (http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/357882/pk/king4.png) (http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/357882/pk/king7.png) (http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/357882/pk/king8.png) (http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/357882/pk/king9.png) (http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/357882/pk/king10.png)
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I made an edit - it mainly focuses on colour (I didn't really attempt to change much else), I have reduced your image down from 37 colours to 13:
(http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/357882/pk/king3.png) (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v198/tumble_weed/king3-EDIT.png)
Don't take this the wrong way, but you're a programmer right? It comes through in your pixel art. I think your colours are very literal, as in red is red; grey is grey. I think you should attempt to play around with different hues and generally experiment with colours. Sometimes what's best is to not just go with the most logical or obvious colour choices. A lot of the time when choosing colours for a pixel art piece there isn't one correct colour; often getting the 'right' colour takes a lot of experimenting and tweeking.
Also, some of your colours are very saturated, this is problematic especially in his skin colours.
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First off, that you much for the edit. Not sure why you removed his eyebrows.
Don't take this the wrong way, but you're a programmer right?
Not when I post here. :) Here, I'm a budding artist that enjoys saturated colors. (Seems like whenever I post here I get spanked for my use of color :) )
But actually, I consider it a complement that you didn't have anything to say about lighting and form. I'm working on structure right now, but I'll keep your palette choice in mind.
I do like how it looks like an old photo, though it's not particularly regal.
Thanks!
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There's a bit of general wonkiness in the whole piece that I feel you should address before going farther with this. Like for example the crown, I get both the feeling that the peaks are unevenly aligned somewhat, plus that the front side and back side are both completely different looking.
Furthermore, some things just feel off. The light is coming from our right but the torso LOOKS shaded from the front (even if it's shadowed by the cape, the impression's still there)
You should use shading to define shapes and detail a bit more since you're not going with outlines. Let's see some more shading in his face, put some of those darker shades on his left(ourright) side so it looks more clear. Also some more symmetry would be nice, after all a king should have a competent barber, so make sure it's even and symmetrical.
That and ... Maybe fuzz up the fuzzy brim a bit so we get that it's furry!
...
I dunno what to say more! I hope I'm not coming across as too harsh or anything, cause I really think this one has potential, and already looks nice. Also please do check out skamocore's edit - on my screen it looks almost monochrome, but in all it's dullness it's much easier on the eyes than the signal red you've got going on, so work some on that too!
Good luck!
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Jad, thanks a bunch for your comments. Very constructive for me.
I hope I didn't come across as being unappreciative. I've learned a bunch already. I'm working on it more now and will post an update in a little bit.
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First off, that you much for the edit. Not sure why you removed his eyebrows.
Not when I post here. :) Here, I'm a budding artist that enjoys saturated colors. (Seems like whenever I post here I get spanked for my use of color :) )!
The eyebrows so you can actually see his eyes. there's no need to remove them entirely but moving them up 2 or 3 pixels wouldn't hurt.
Also, there's a pretty big difference between using saturated colors, and using straight ramps from the MSpaint palette (which are generally accepted, and at least in my opinion, difficult to look at.) Following his edit, darker shades should be "cooler" and lighter shades should be "warmer" this is especially true of grey shades since without *some* color variation, straight grey is a pretty boring color to use.
And skamocore is right about the *number* of colors used, 37 is way too many.
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Ah, I understand. I'll give that a try too.
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Ok, here's an update. Sink your teeth in.. :D
@Jad How's the crown? Less wonky? I'm still not sure what to do with the breastplate.. Is it any better?
@skamoco How does the palette look?
I'm still looking for more suggestions.
Thanks a bunch!
(http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/357882/pk/king4.png)
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Ok, I've added his staff, went with a gold crown, did a little more work on the breastplate and upped the contrast a bit.
Critiques?
(http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/357882/pk/king7.png)
EDIT: Finally cleaned up the palette after finding out about GrafX2. I've got it down to 24. Should I reduce it further? Any tips on doing that? Thanks!
(http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/357882/pk/king8b.png)
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Since there's a pretty harsh side-lighting in this picture, why not add a white specular on his crown? Also to improve shininess, try to come up with a way to render it without dithering - it makes the surface look rough.
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I did a quick edit: (http://i520.photobucket.com/albums/w328/adcrusher/kingedit1.png)
The farthest i could get the color count down to was 22. In yours, the eyes and the shade that sorrounds the left eye (his right) takes up 2 colors. If you make the eyes the same color as the darkest shade of the skin, that should take down a color. Also, in the mustache there is a color that you only used with 3 pixels. You can take that color out and it doesn't really make a difference. Also, Maybe add some backlighting (I think its called that) on the crown, and the robe.
I'm very bad at explaining things but i hope my edit helps.
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I like what the backlight and specular does for the crown. Thanks for the edit! (and the idea for it from Jad) Also, I'm noticing your other edits, too.
I'm learning more and more with each step. Thank you all so much. I'm working more on it..
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This thing is co,ing along quite nicely.
Keep in mind that th dar shift towards cooler shades and the light shift towards warmer ones applies to more than just grey.
I"M also going to second the removal of the dithering on the crown. MOSt eyes can't differentiate between dithering and te so the dithering itself reads less as shading than it does as the crown having a rough texture.
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You know, I actually went the other way with it. I noticed that it added more texture and I kind of liked that and added more. What do you think about this?
I also dithered a bunch on the torso. What do you think about that? I'm not sure I like it.. It looks a bit fuzzy to me. Should I just add a color? Any other suggestions?
Thanks for the comments!
(http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/357882/pk/king9.png)
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I liked the heavy eyebrows covering the eyes. It gave him much more character and didn't look generic.
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me too, but then the shading would have to convey the brows shadowing the eye sockets so you can still imagine the eyes being there under the brows.
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Yeah, I looked back up at the top and the heavy eyebrows really was what i wanted, so I gave them another look.
How is this?
(http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/357882/pk/king10.png)
Any ideas on the torso? Thanks!
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Torso:
Compared to all the rest of the body, the dithering looks weird.
...Well, not exactly WEIRD but...different.
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Ok, I'm officially dithered out. How does the torso look now?
(http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/357882/pk/king11.png)
Thanks for all the constructive feedback!
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This is..coming along very nicely!
THe onyl real issue i now is that the eyebrows now blend in with the hair, which kinda looks like he has a very low hairline or truly monsterous eyebrows.
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How does the torso look now?
BETTER! ;D But now it "slightly" looks like metal... :(
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How does the torso look now?
BETTER! ;D But now it "slightly" looks like metal... :(
You should be able to fix that by removing the highlight color, and making the shadow more straight on his torso.