WIP-Alchemist and Companion

[Poyer]

Hello everyone, new here etc.

I've been working on this today:

It's the main character for a short RPG I'm fiddling together, where you play an alchemist with an animal companion on a search for an alchemical artifact (not the philosophers stone).

The idea about the character in terms of gameplay is that you will be able to focus his abilities in three different areas (character builds): Swordplay, Alchemy and Dog Companion. Each one will let you do more interesting things within the chosen field. So as far as the character design goes I wan't him to reflect the aesthetic of both an alchemist and a fencer. Iv'e got some decent progress but i still feel that he lacks 'character' he's a pit plain at the moment and I've hit a bit of a wall on his design. also the dog is a bit dull as well.

I't should be noted that this is a battle sprite, also that the game will be shown in 3x pixels with a screen resolution of 320x200.

So what can i do with this guy?

[WM]

The forearm next to the sword needs its outline a little leass squared-off. I think you could do this by working on the elbow area and by raising/lowering the hand.

I feel that the dog is a little big when compared to the man. Is this intended, like it's some species of large dog?

I really like your style    very clean-cut.

[kamol]

Hello Poyer,

I am not good at anatomy but I try to give you feedback anyway: I would say the proportions of both, dog and alchemist, are somehow displaced. The manīs legs seem a little short to me, especially the lower legs. The torso seems a little too long and the head could be more expanded, I think. Also the way he holds his sword looks a little odd - might be the forearm being so straight and a little too short maybe? The dogs head seems a little too small to me, too.

I would give you a doodle to show how to fix it, but I canīt do any better, I guess.  

edit: I should also add that I like the shape of the dog, though, and the colours you used. I think they really fit the subject.

[pistachio]

One of the man's feet is facing totally outwards, and the other one also seems to be facing outwards just a bit. Additionally his knees don't seem to be on the same level, yet his feet are; only one of them seems to be bent. The arm without the sword could be angled differently. His current position seems pretty unnatural. It's almost as if he were hit with a fly-swatter.  

As for the dog, the mid-section of his hind legs seem to be too long, reaching too far back, then you just took that, made it darker and pasted it behind that leg.

The shading overall is flat and there's some banding in places, but I understand this is a WIP. I'll cook up an edit soon, if you don't happen to get to fixing it first.

[Poyer]

@pistachio: I appreciate the critique, but there one thing that completely eludes me. it seems impossible for this piece to have banding issues, almost impossible for pixel art in general to have it... perhaps i misunderstand the concept. would you mind elaborating on that?
Flat shading is what i expect to use in the final sprite as well, but I would like to perhaps improve on the palette a bit, its slightly too desaturated at the moment i think.

@kamol: I was looking to give him an awkward pose, and his proportions are not really accurate to any human anatomy but at the same time i do think you make a good point about the slightly strange shape of the arms, like pistachio did as well.

@WM: I suppose it could be an Irish wolfhound or some other big species sure.

I was interested in any ideas regarding his attire, what he's carrying etc. I guess what I've got here right now is pretty solid but if anyone's got any ideas about that id be interested in hearing it.