[C+C][WIP] Old school video game cover

[knivel]

Hey guys! I'm working on a cover for a pocket-sized book of indie tabletop RPGs that are inspired by the authors' favorite video games. They requested a retro video game collage. I've settled on a rough composition that features a swordswoman and a giant titan, which is a take on Shadow of the Colossus.

I'm currently playing around with two different lighting styles, and I thought I'd stop and get some feedback:



The first style is closer to the authors original sketch, which is here:


A couple more details about the cover:

• The cover print dimensions are 3.5" x 5", so those little sprites would be blown way up to big chunky pixels.
• I'm limited to 3 ink colors plus the tan chipboard the cover will be printed on. I'm currently using colors picked from the printer's default color choices because that would be cheaper than custom ink colors.

I've got a lot of freedom with this project, so I'm open to comments like "change the pose entirely!" or "more/less pixels per inch!" or "new palette!".

[Tourist]

What's the actual resolution that the printer can use?  If it is much finer than the pixels you create then you may get some mileage out of dithering to produce half-tone effects.

My immediate thought would be to use a medium-light color for most of the figures, medium-dark for shadows, and black for outlines of various thickness .   I would not use the highlights like you have now.

Or light, light-chipboard, dark-chipboard, black (like http://www.actioncartooning.com/images/gallery/art17fanblords.gif).  This is a more cartoon style than retro video game style, but it makes the most use of your limited colors.  Edit: linked pic is not mine, but is done by cartoonist Ben Caldwell.

If dithering is viable, then you have other options, either to add texture or effectively increase the color count.

Tourist

[Ryumaru]

The second lighting attempt is much more successful as it solidifies the silhouette of the figures more. Also for something like this I believe the pixel resolution should be at least 250x175 ( 50 pixels per inch) as that will still give you the aesthetic look of pixel art while being able to appeal to others that might not be pixel art enthusiasts. Right now the pixel placement could only really be appreciated by someone who is a pixel artist themselves.

[knivel]

Thanks for the feedback, guys! Ryumaru, I've roughed out the comp at the resolution you suggested:


My initial reaction was, man, that's a lot more pixels! Seriously though, working at that density would definitely take me longer to finish the pieces, which is something I do need to factor in. Secondly, I feel like it loses some of the chunky old-school sprite look at that resolution. What do you guys think? Obviously I need to nail this down before I spend much more time on this project.

As far as available colors, here's a link to the printer's website: http://www.scoutbooks.com/shop/original-book-two-color-250/

If you scroll down a little, you'll see their default ink colors laid out. The book's editor told me I could use 3 colors, although I wouldn't mind trying just 2 to save them some money on printing. Also, here's a sample of the chipboard the cover will be printed on that I've been averaging for my background:

[Ryumaru]

I think you should frequently view the work as it will appear actual size. It may seem like a lot of pixels, but when you realize that normal print resolution ( 300 dpi) is 6 times higher than that of what you are working with you find that the pixels are much more apparent. Not to mention that the cover must appeal to audiences both familiar and unfamiliar with the craft of pixel art.

The reason your image has lost the chunky retro feel is because you have made all of these forms of the rock creature overly round.

http://www.pixeljoint.com/pixelart/55298.htm

In this piece by ptoing, even though it is using tall pixels we can tell the resolution is still fairly large and yet the retro feel oozes out of it. by keeping things angular you can keep the old school feel, while allowing for more detail and picture clarity.

Also, as a side note: the little warrior is wonderfully realized- actual size it is both aesthetically pleasing in a pixel and practical matter.

[Tourist]

Eh, poked around the website you linked.  They don't mention their working (print) resolution anywhere.  It's a small vanity press, using spot color, so who knows.  Anything between 96 dpi and 1200 dpi is possible.

They offer 9 standard colors, black and 8 bold hues, all of which are darker than the chipboard background.  They are really just set up for line work, and simple flat colors (clip art and whatnot).  That's not to say you can't do pixel art, I think you have some hurdles here.

I agree with Ryumaru that the small figure looks great.  The giant is still a problem.

Your source is large, and gray scale that uses subtle shading to convey form and texture.  Old school video game sprites are generally much smaller, have limited colors, but almost always a value range.  The tools you have are high resolution, very limited colors, no attempt at value range at all.  none of these really fit together well.

If the printer is running at even 200 dpi, you could fit your entire original sketch (1000 pixels) on the cover.

If you still want an old-school video game feel, eh... maybe try zx spectrum style.  That is, find out what the effective print resolution is.  Build your giant from blocks, where each block is N by N pixels, no more than 2 colors per block.  And stick with solid blocks or simple checkerboard dithering.  It won't be exactly old school but it might be close enough.

Hope this helps,
Tourist

[knivel]

Thanks for the feedback guys! Here's an update:


I'm starting to like how the giant is shaping up, but let me know what you guys think.

As far as the resolution and color concerns, I'm planning to keep the pixel density I'm working at now (thanks Ryumaru!) and continue to try different color treatments. If I can't get it to work with the ink colors provided, the editor says we can pay extra for custom colors. For now though, I'll stick with their default palette.

[TheMonsterAtlas]

I feel the rock monster looks very unnatural, as unnatural as a rock monster can be. I don't mean it in a bad way, It looks amazing but your rocks are very squareish where in the photo the monster's body parts are a lot more cylindrical. Like (his/her) Right leg around the knee, It is a lot more round and gives it a good amount of depth. Same with his/her left arm.

[Ryumaru]

I would say that any lack of roundness in the rocks is a non issue. The geometric quality you have right now does a good enough job of describing form while also helping to create that retro look you are after. Don't be afraid to play up the texture though, I think a little dithered edge could go a long way as well as some cracks and highlights using the base color.

[knivel]

Update:


This is my first time attempting to use dithering, so I feel like I might have gone overboard. Let me know what you think!