AuthorTopic: First Sprite  (Read 6026 times)

Offline Agent K

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First Sprite

on: November 14, 2013, 10:01:11 pm

I have started hobby game programming and thought it was high time I learned how to make some basic graphics.  I constrained myself to 16x28 and did the best I could.  I don't have much artistic ability, but this actually took me a really long time :( I just don't know how to make it really pop like the old FF sprites.  Any and all comments are welcome.  Thanks!

Oh yeah, I did this in paint and am not sure at all what the best way to upload a sprite is.

Offline Selassin

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Re: First Sprite

Reply #1 on: November 15, 2013, 09:12:46 am
 Chin is too long so it looks manly and last picture is better I think. Other than that, I think it's good, especially for a newbie, I'm sure pros in this forum will help you better.
 
 And you can also use this and this as reference btw.

 Well, actually I think she's looking too manly overall. I know it's hard with this size, but maybe you should make her thinner.

Offline ptoing

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Re: First Sprite

Reply #2 on: November 15, 2013, 09:27:36 pm
It looks like you uploaded a massive image which got scaled down by Photobucket. Make sure to crop your stuff before you upload it. There is no point in having a huge empty canvas.
There are no ugly colours, only ugly combinations of colours.

Offline Agent K

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Re: First Sprite

Reply #3 on: November 18, 2013, 11:51:16 am


Sorry for the delay, and the terrible upload, I edited it and reposted.

Yea now that you mention it she's quite manly, any suggestions?

Offline Selassin

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Re: First Sprite

Reply #4 on: November 18, 2013, 04:21:05 pm
 Although I'm newbie, I think you can make her thinner, something like this:

 And I raised chin 1px. Hope it helps.

Offline Agent K

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Re: First Sprite

Reply #5 on: November 18, 2013, 05:26:48 pm


Tried to raise the jaw and slime her down a bit around her waist and also squeezed her shoulders in...not sure if its better or worse though :/

Offline tcaud

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Re: First Sprite

Reply #6 on: November 18, 2013, 05:56:50 pm
Get the proportions right and start over. You're packing in way too much detail into an image that size. The breasts look deformed and the hands look clubbed, and it looks like there is a splinter sticking out of her lower leg. The jaw also hangs over the breasts.

But I'll tell you right now... your problem is the lips. Let them go or make the sprite bigger. Also raise the hips.
« Last Edit: November 18, 2013, 06:03:01 pm by tcaud »

Offline Agent K

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Re: First Sprite

Reply #7 on: November 18, 2013, 08:15:25 pm


I took your advice and started over with fewer colors and details.  Based it off of an FF sprite just to get a better undterstanding of the proportions.  I think it definately looks better, I got rid of the hair.  I just couldn't get it to look right.  I still need to work on it tough, I don't really like that almost all of it is symmetric.  But let me know what you think.

Thanks

Offline jazzatt

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Re: First Sprite

Reply #8 on: November 19, 2013, 08:46:12 am
Looking good so far. Maybe use a different colour for the eyes to make them stand out a little bit more?

Offline Johasu

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Re: First Sprite

Reply #9 on: November 19, 2013, 02:07:01 pm
You took a leap in the right direction. I haven't really tried to build much of a sprite like this, myself.  But there are some interesting differences between your sprite and those old FF classics that sort of pop out as large differences.
The largest of which is the size/shape.  FF4 sprites seemed to be mostly 16x16 square and FF6 worked off of a taller 16x24 template.
Your sprite is now 14x27.  Not a large variance to be sure, but on sprites of this size every pixel can make a huge difference in the overall item.
Your sprite has a very slim and very tall look to it.  The waist is as narrow as the neck/chin.  The length along the dress is long, flat, and unnecessary. Cutting a couple pixels there or redefining them to give your character more shape would probably help a lot.
You also have large chunks of solid color patches on the clothing, face, and hair.  More shading placement will correct that. Look at the way the colors were used in the old sprites to form shape. At this size you really won't see the shadows.
Your shading and solid color is also really pulling forward the mirror-like way you designed the sprite.  Split her down the middle and she looks almost identical on both sides. The FF sprites did this too in their standing poses, but they had enough shading/highlighting going on that you had to look closely to notice it. Yours feels statuesque in comparison.  The eyes sort of sweep across those solid blocks and immediately pull the shapes out and reveal the mirror pattern.
Another issue that is pulling yours away from the feel of those old sprites is the angle.  Your sprite is looking directly at us. FF sprite eyes were placed lower on the face to make the sprite seem like it was looking forward of itself.  (Also the eye color does blend with the hair to sort of muddy the face up to the observer.)
Hope these observations help.  :)
« Last Edit: November 19, 2013, 02:10:12 pm by Johasu »
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