Sprite slash and run animation

[[Friends] Ro$$]

I read a few tutorials and started working on a sprite for a platformer game I have been programming for. I'd love to get some feedback on how I am doing. I recently began work on a running animation and slashing animation, would I be able to get some feedback on how it is coming?

New: Running: Slashing:


Thanks a bunch boys!

[PixelPiledriver]

Hello [Friends] Ro$$.

Here's a rough edit:


Removed a couple colors and added a second shade of others.
Reused colors more:


Also re balanced the key a bit:

[[Friends] Ro$$]

That is a really good edit! Thank you. I will start working on my own based off of it, I had a lot of trouble with his hat so it's great to have some pointers on that. Do you happen to have any advice or tutorials on shading, I have always admired Konjak's style of shading, especially in Noitu love 2 and would love to learn how to do something like that.

Also what does 'the key' refer to?

[PixelPiledriver]

I had a lot of trouble with his hat so it's great to have some pointers on that.

I was actually somewhat unsure of what the hat shape was intended to be.
I put a bill in the front that raps around his head revealing his face and the inside of the hat, kinda like a baseball cap.


But the more I look at the drawing and orginal sprite I think it was supposed to be a tilted hat?

Also what does 'the key' refer to?

Key is an art term that refers to the range of light to dark in an image/group.


While it's related to contrast it's not exactly the same thing.
These 3 groups are all low contrast, but they are 3 different keys.


Even If we use a wide range you can also think of it as a balance of the values.


You can use the balance to visually control objects in an image.


So on the character I balanced the values on him differently.
This came naturally from re using colors but is another way of looking at the image.

[Seiseki]

Thanks for the key explanation PP! 
It's stuff that I've learned but almost forgotten.

Keep up the good work, both of you

[[Friends] Ro$$]

Thank you everyone for so much help! Small update. I haven't had much time to work on this recently, but I messed around with colors and his dimensions. Tried to keep the key in mind as well. Yeah the hat is supposed to be a floppy straw-like hat, though the name taco hat is adorable. I'm still trying to get a hang of shading, and palette choosing, does anyone have any good tutorials on these?

[[Friends] Ro$$]

New little update, I attempted to do a running animation. It's a bit rough, would someone be able to give me some pointers?