[wip] Noob requesting critique

[Tourist]

Hello all, new to making pixels.  I've made a dozen or so small figures over the past few weeks, and I seem to have a consistent problem, so I could use some advice.



The figure on the left is the first one I did.  I revisited it today and made the figure on the right, a larger version with a different view. 

The main problem I'm looking for help with is that the figures look ok when zoomed in, but at 1x they're just a blue smudge.   While the artwork improves (imo), this problem is persistent.  I think I'm missing something fundamental.  Suggestions?

Thanks,
Tourist

[Koi Kami Mauro]

I don't think he looks like such a blue smudge. He looks fine at 1x. You could maybe work a little at the shaping, especially on his left leg.

[Terley]

like a 10 second example, but I think if anything you need to block this back down to shape and work on how readable it actually is (without detailing). I made a slight change how I think it should look but im sure it should solve your problem.



It is pretty hard to put detail into such a small character but I think you're doing a pretty good job, maybe some hue shifts would help and some more work on forms but I think your being too harsh on yourself its pretty good.

[Tourist]

Thanks for the comments.  Maybe I just need my monitor/eyes checked.

Terley, I like your edit, and tried to understand why it was better.  This is what I came up with.



In the original, the torso and one leg face forward (gray), while the head faces to one side, and the other leg faces the other direction.  The arms are a bit ambiguous.

In your version, there's a clear left/right/center facing.  Well, the head and one arm don't exactly face to the right, but there's the sense that the upper torso and shoulder pull back and away.  Is this what you were trying to convey?

Just making sure I understand the crit,
Tourist

[Terley]

I think you seem to know  , more than anything I was just going for readability on that, it just made a lot more sense to have the torso not so head on as in your original version giving the leg placement I personally just felt it was more natural looking.. Also I was imagining the spine's placement, that it should flow rather than be so stiff.

keep us posted man.

[Tourist]

Here's another version.  I like the form (middle).  I think the final looks a bit off balance, but I think the shading on the hips is a bit off rather than the form itself.

Anyone see any major problems with the form on this one, or other comments?