Pixelation

Critique => Pixel Art => Topic started by: Lizzrd on August 15, 2009, 09:18:09 am

Title: Some steampunk things.
Post by: Lizzrd on August 15, 2009, 09:18:09 am
(http://filesmelt.com/downloader/Showoff.PNG)
Some tiny mechsuits, a pair of giant legs, and some helis.

New colors:
(http://filesmelt.com/downloader/Colors2.PNG)

no transparency because i can't be bothered with it.

C&C
Title: Re: Some steampunk things.
Post by: alspal on August 15, 2009, 12:06:25 pm
really nice small detail there. I think the thing that concerns me most is your choice of colours, I think it be nice to see more variety in saturation and hue rather than just picking a colour and changing the lightness of it.
Title: Re: Some steampunk things.
Post by: Lizzrd on August 15, 2009, 12:08:59 pm
About the colors, i might try some new ones, but not right now.
Title: Re: Some steampunk things.
Post by: Lizzrd on August 15, 2009, 12:25:31 pm
scratch that, which palette is best?
Title: Re: Some steampunk things.
Post by: philipptr on August 15, 2009, 06:02:06 pm
I dont want to be nitpicking but how is this steampunk related? If it's supposed to be steampunk, maybe you should add something that could exhaust steam in a way ;)
Title: Re: Some steampunk things.
Post by: Souly on August 15, 2009, 06:22:44 pm
How to draw steam punk machines (http://www.crabfu.com/steamtoys/diy_steampunk/)

Usually for it to be considered "Steampunk" it has to run off of a steam engine.
So the first thing you want to do is understand just how an engine is built up.
And how it works.

(http://www.crabfu.com/steamtoys/diy_steampunk/steam1.jpg)
Title: Re: Some steampunk things.
Post by: Lizzrd on August 15, 2009, 09:27:00 pm
I know, it's supposed to be internal. And about the steam exhaust, it's supposed to be reused inside it, dunno how that would work.

and for further designs i'll try to make things clearer.
Title: Re: Some steampunk things.
Post by: Dr D on August 15, 2009, 10:32:24 pm
I know, it's supposed to be internal. And about the steam exhaust, it's supposed to be reused inside it, dunno how that would work.

It sounds to me like you're just making up an excuse to have to do less work. It's apparent because you can't back up what your saying.

Having the visible steam and pipes and such would give off much more a steampunk-look, which right now all of your 'things' lack.
Title: Re: Some steampunk things.
Post by: Lizzrd on August 15, 2009, 10:57:50 pm
i'm going to make everything up again from scratch eventually, but ineed to know which palette to use first, because apparently my screen is different from everybody else's.
Title: Re: Some steampunk things.
Post by: Dyble on August 17, 2009, 01:28:20 am
the black balls ontop of the huge legs look like there in a different perspective then the rest of the legs.
Title: Re: Some steampunk things.
Post by: D~Dawg on August 17, 2009, 01:33:38 am
I dont want to be nitpicking but how is this steampunk related?

And I don't want to be nitpicking, but who cares? And who cares about how engines work? We all learned that in school. Just make a muffler and smoke coming out of it is the simple solution. And you usaully don't wanna pay much attention to anything non-pixel art related that they say.

My pointers:
I say do more work on the gaint legs. Your doing pretty good with the small stuff details, but the legs are...lacking.
I'd go with the 2nd palette, or the last one. Just really brings it out.

Good Luck

Title: Re: Some steampunk things.
Post by: Draco9898 on August 17, 2009, 04:24:05 am
Quote
And who cares about how engines work?
Might help if you needed more of an idea on what parts to add.
Quote
We all learned that in school.
We did? :P

Quote
And you usaully don't wanna pay much attention to anything non-pixel art related that they say.
Why? Isn't that kinda condescending? Advice is advice, right?


The colors could 'pop' a-lot more.

Also- the tiny machines are really hard to read. Try more contrast

Also if you going 'steampunk' I can't really say this reminds me of anything but mechs or big robots. if you really need it to be steam-punk it'd work on that.
Title: Re: Some steampunk things.
Post by: fortunato on August 17, 2009, 05:11:05 am
I dont want to be nitpicking but how is this steampunk related?

And I don't want to be nitpicking, but who cares? And who cares about how engines work? We all learned that in school. Just make a muffler and smoke coming out of it is the simple solution. And you usaully don't wanna pay much attention to anything non-pixel art related that they say.

My pointers:
I say do more work on the gaint legs. Your doing pretty good with the small stuff details, but the legs are...lacking.
I'd go with the 2nd palette, or the last one. Just really brings it out.

Good Luck


d~dawg, ive seen your posts in many other threads on this forum. now maybe im not one to comment, but youre damn rude and i dont think you have a right to comment on someones advice like that, let alone anything.

hey lizzrd, heres some advice i gave to jakman4242 in his steampunk thread (you can read the original thread here:http://www.wayofthepixel.net/pixelation/index.php?topic=8999.0):
Quote
it looks ok, but youre right... it doesnt capture the steampunk theme as well as it could. have you done your research? look up steampunk in the dictionary, steampunk style, scenes, etc. look up vintage things from the 1800s to early 1900s and such. stop watching tv and stop exposing yourself to modern things. i mean it. do it. clear your mind of everything modern.. and really, and i mean REALLY, immerse yourself in vintage things. not 1950s, like 1800s vintage. read 19th century literature. watch old, OLD movies. like, early 1900s movies. expose yourself let it reprogram you. and really imagine what things would look like if they ran on steam and manpower. i mean REAAALLLY get lost in your thoughts here. what would your world be like if you suddenly woke up in a sort of fantasy, 1800s-like world where everything was made of bronze and metal and ran on steam?
in order to affect the outcome of your actions, you MUST change your thoughts. question your entire current reality. why doesnt everything run on steam? why did we switch? how would everything be changed if suddenly we went back to steam? i may seem a little out there, but trust me.. i do this with my music and it really affects it greatly. reprogramming yourself to attract what you want (in your case, a good looking set of steampunk influenced sprites) really does work wonders. (for anyone who is reading this, i recommend you apply this to any aspect of life, whether it be pixel art styles, writing, or any art form..)

and i mean it about the tv thing. you shouldnt pay much attention to the media in general... just do it. do it for a few days and see how it affects your whole mindset about your art here.

heres a few resources to get you going:
http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&safe=off&um=1&q=steampunk&sa=N&start=0&ndsp=20 - steampunk results in google images
http://www.coolest-gadgets.com/20080613/the-10-coolest-steampunk-gadgets-ever/ - 10 steampunk gadgets
http://www.myfreewallpapers.net/fantasy/pages/steampunk-landscape.shtml - a cool wallpaper
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2006/10/how_to_draw_steampunk_mac.html - steampunk art tutorial
http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&safe=off&um=1&sa=1&q=1800s&aq=f&oq=&aqi=g10&start=0 - 1800s results in google images

good luck and get emotional about it... let that shit flow.
the colors seem a bit too saturated also... go for a more bronze kind of look... try something like this palette: http://www.colourlovers.com/palette/344499/Village but maybe add a highlight for a more metal kind of look.
hope this helps.. sorry i couldnt give you much individualized advice, but i thought maybe that post would help you too.
Title: Re: Some steampunk things.
Post by: Helm on August 17, 2009, 09:16:59 am
D~Dawg, who is Commander D, with which account has gathered 2 strikes, gets his third and last strike for these series of rude posts and is banned.

A year away from the forum will do you more good than bad, D~Dawg/Commander D.
Title: Re: Some steampunk things.
Post by: Lizzrd on August 17, 2009, 03:49:31 pm
thank you for the repilies, i'll try to have something up later today.
Title: Re: Some steampunk things.
Post by: Lizzrd on August 17, 2009, 04:14:57 pm
(http://filesmelt.com/downloader/SCV1GIF.gif)(http://filesmelt.com/downloader/SCV11.PNG)
This better? Because now i tried to make it look like a steam engine with legs.
Title: Re: Some steampunk things.
Post by: EkbatDeSebat on August 17, 2009, 04:32:03 pm
oof - That is really really small!
At this size, I think you'll need to simplify your shape to make your sprite more readable. Right now its a bit hard to tell what it is (I'm thinking an armless robot with something on his back, right?). And also: you could do with less colors. The top left one already has 20, the majority of which are different shades of grey. Here, so many shades won't be noticible, so you can just lower that palett are re-use the colors a lot more.

Hope this helps!
Title: Re: Some steampunk things.
Post by: Lizzrd on August 17, 2009, 04:53:01 pm
(http://filesmelt.com/downloader/SCV2_GIF.gif)(http://filesmelt.com/downloader/SCV2.PNG)
It's far from perfect, but now i made readable arms and reduced the color count for it.
Title: Re: Some steampunk things.
Post by: fortunato on August 17, 2009, 05:57:45 pm
do you have a drawing of your robots? i feel like it could help us help you if we saw a larger version... dont get me wrong, i LOVE tiny things..  but ekbatdesebat (cool name.. haha) is right, its a little bit hard to read at the moment.
Title: Re: Some steampunk things.
Post by: Lizzrd on August 17, 2009, 06:59:09 pm
i don't have any drawing of them, because i don't find it neccessairy in this situation. They are just some generic robots with a exhaust on the back and a furnace in the chest.
Title: Re: Some steampunk things.
Post by: EkbatDeSebat on August 17, 2009, 07:15:36 pm
Furnace on the chest? Well, I wouldn't have recognised that.  :P

In this case a small sketch with your concept could help us guide you in pixeling that idea.

And, no offense, but I don't think you can say 'generic robot' and expect everyone to come up with a similarly designed robot. Some might think Robbie the Robot, others C3PO, etc. Does the 'generic robot' have feet or wheels? Or maybe it floats? And if feet: what kind of feet? Long and spiny, short stumps, does he have 2 or 4? I could go on.

Point is, the more accurate you present us with your concept, the better we can help you make it in pixels.
Title: Re: Some steampunk things.
Post by: Lizzrd on August 17, 2009, 07:24:34 pm
I'll make some drawings then.
Title: Re: Some steampunk things.
Post by: Draco9898 on August 18, 2009, 01:41:11 am
Do they have to be so small? They look like the super tiny robots that shoot at you in Gradius  ::)

Try at least making them something that fills up at least a 32 x 32 box


(http://a.imagehost.org/0247/LittleRobot.png)

I wanted to try to make something similar, I probably failed.

Even this seems pretty damn small...

Look at this example for an idea on keeping things readable at such a small scale...could probably use more contrast on some colors...oh well
Title: Re: Some steampunk things.
Post by: Gil on August 18, 2009, 02:40:32 am
I like the original a lot more than your edit Draco. Why do they need to be bigger? I'm sure the game needs them to be so small for a reason.

As for the original: As long as readability is an issue, simplify! Get rid of details until something readable remains. I like how they look right now, but I'd change the furnace, it just looks like bright pixel noise. Try maybe a 2x2 red square instead?
Title: Re: Some steampunk things.
Post by: Lizzrd on August 18, 2009, 01:21:31 pm
It's for a forum game, where you use paint/other pixel app to take turns, kinda like a turn-based strategy game.
Title: Re: Some steampunk things.
Post by: Morden on August 20, 2009, 03:12:27 pm
Found a nice, though armless steambot, posted by Jad back in 2007. Came across it by accident, but I thought it would be a better example than explaining the inner workings of a steam engine.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v490/jadmadeyes/steambot.gif)

Here's (http://www.wayofthepixel.net/pixelation/index.php?topic=2465.msg49358#msg49358) the original message. Sorry Jad, hope you don't mind.