Looking to improve my pixeling! Eager for C&C on viking character.

[kinoko]

I finally have a graphics program back on my computer and I'm super eager to improve. This guy took me all. Day. Yep, I'm rusty. But this is the first thing I've made that I feel happy enough about to ask for c&c on, so here goes!



Below were the things I was mainly focusing on improving/using with this pixel so critique with regards to those point would be particularly appreciated. But of course any other areas are more than welcome too!!

• This is my first experimentation with moving towards coloured (sort-of-anti-aliased) outlines.
• And I'm trying REALLY hard to use 3D-er shading.
  
• Also experimenting with shading palette- moving away from just brightening or darkening the foundation colour to altering the hue and saturation as well- with the aim of creating more interesting and authentic looking pixels.
• I've also added a tiny bit of dithering... just exploring trying to give the illusion of a bit of texture. I don't think I'm very good at it... haha! As you can see, there was more... but I disliked it. Somehow it seemed to make my viking look MORE 2D, haha!

The process:
Original 1st 2nd. 3rd.
1st: So I tried taking away some of the internal outlines... I don't think I did it right Help?
I also made the pecs and abs more proportionate, which I think was a better choice. I also want to add a suggestion of his external obliques... which I did with a couple of dodgy lines you can see near his waist.
And remembered to edit the sandals this time too
2nd: Focused on redoing the stomach area shading mainly.
Anti-aliased the shorts more. I want them to look rougher! Any other way to add texture? It's not having the effect I want.
3rd: Trying to implement suggestions from the thread.

Thank you in advance for any help.

[Rydin]

You are lighting / shading things inside of the lines. As a result, each "piece" of your sprite looks compartmentalized and wonky in terms of depth.
Remember that light doesn't care about these compartments that you've created. Light shines on the entire object, obstructed only by folds, texture, and distance from the source of light.

Here is a rough version of what I'm getting at:


Instead of lighting each object (his pants, his vest, his hat) individual, each with their own light source, light sprite as a single thing.

[kinoko]

Ohhhh Rydin thanks so much! You're so 100% right about how I do that. Thanks, I'll have a play once I get home and post what I come up with

EDIT/



Do you think I'm kind of getting the idea?

I just get completely lost in dealing with things like the belt if I'm supposed to be "ignoring" the outlines. And the edges of the cape etc. Do you know what I mean?