AuthorTopic: [CC] character bases  (Read 6415 times)

Offline twodayslate

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[CC] character bases

on: December 08, 2013, 09:38:54 am
Full base:
Naked:
With clothes:

Spent about the past week working on these. They have come a long way. I want to make them perfect though.

Offline Cyangmou

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Re: [CC] character bases

Reply #1 on: December 08, 2013, 11:21:31 am
first thing:
you don't need to upload 200% images here. The forum has an build-in zoom script. Clicking at an image increases the size, shift+click or strg+click at it decreases the size. Shouldn't blur.



1) your base
2) canvas background - never work on a white canvas, use a darker color, preferably gray or something close.
3) color - use stronger colors, the white bg caused really low contrast for your sprite
4) shading - try to add depths with shading - work out monumental basic forms (cubes, spheres, cylinders)
5) pose & gesture - your pose is really stiff, flat and rigid - like a soldier - try to come up with something more natural - I just sketched it in, sine I am not sure if that will work how you intented to use the chars.

I am not really sure for which style direction you are aiming or what's the purpose for the chars - hard to say anything if you don't know what it will be used for.
So see my crit just for improving your general technique, not as suggestion for style direction.

Also be careful with the "muscle baby" syndrome
http://wayofthepixel.net/index.php?topic=7301.msg85004#msg85004
http://wayofthepixel.net/index.php?topic=16036.0
"Because the beauty of the human body is that it hasn't a single muscle which doesn't serve its purpose; that there's not a line wasted; that every detail of it fits one idea, the idea of a man and the life of a man."

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Offline Night

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Re: [CC] character bases

Reply #2 on: December 08, 2013, 12:27:53 pm
Also be careful with the "muscle baby" syndrome
What? I for once think that muscle babies are really cool, pinnacle of human proportions.  :crazy:

(not srs)


Anyway op, what are you trying to go for? What particularly interests me is the art style you're going for, is it realistic, cartoony...?
Either way, studying anatomy and body proportions wouldn't hurt at all, in any case; but especially with realism.

As Cyangmou mentioned, colours are very pale, you should go for some more saturated, variegated (think hue-shifting) colours with stronger contrast. The darker background colour could also help to bring the sprite out a little.
There is light at the end of the tunnel.

Offline twodayslate

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Re: [CC] character bases

Reply #3 on: December 08, 2013, 10:35:33 pm
Also be careful with the "muscle baby" syndrome
What? I for once think that muscle babies are really cool, pinnacle of human proportions.  :crazy:

(not srs)


Anyway op, what are you trying to go for? What particularly interests me is the art style you're going for, is it realistic, cartoony...?
Either way, studying anatomy and body proportions wouldn't hurt at all, in any case; but especially with realism.

As Cyangmou mentioned, colours are very pale, you should go for some more saturated, variegated (think hue-shifting) colours with stronger contrast. The darker background colour could also help to bring the sprite out a little.

you don't need to upload 200% images here. The forum has an build-in zoom script. Clicking at an image increases the size, shift+click or strg+click at it decreases the size. Shouldn't blur.



1) your base
first thing:
2) canvas background - never work on a white canvas, use a darker color, preferably gray or something close.
3) color - use stronger colors, the white bg caused really low contrast for your sprite
4) shading - try to add depths with shading - work out monumental basic forms (cubes, spheres, cylinders)
5) pose & gesture - your pose is really stiff, flat and rigid - like a soldier - try to come up with something more natural - I just sketched it in, sine I am not sure if that will work how you intented to use the chars.

I am not really sure for which style direction you are aiming or what's the purpose for the chars - hard to say anything if you don't know what it will be used for.
So see my crit just for improving your general technique, not as suggestion for style direction.

Also be careful with the "muscle baby" syndrome
http://wayofthepixel.net/index.php?topic=7301.msg85004#msg85004
http://wayofthepixel.net/index.php?topic=16036.0

The style is supposed to be more cartoony so the bigger 'baby' head is preferred. I'm also keeping the 200% as the actual style. I like #4, the main reason why I posted was to see how to do the shadowing. This is extremely helpful! I haven't found a posture I like so I'll be keeping this for now. I got the color pallet from http://rueme.deviantart.com/art/Skin-Colour-Palette-186785308 Is there something better? I've been trying to make each object only have 3-4 colors.
Resizing is blurry for me. I remember a fix for FF but I can't find the thread atm. Is there a chrome fix?

edit:// I like the 45* angle pose
http://wayofthepixel.net/index.php?topic=13013.msg125613#msg125613
http://www.yarrninja.com/pixeltutorial/chapter12.htm
http://www.boxozombies.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Survivors-1024x630.jpg
http://www.deviantart.com/art/New-naruto-stance-WIP-260336371
« Last Edit: December 08, 2013, 11:46:43 pm by twodayslate »

Offline Seiseki

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Re: [CC] character bases

Reply #4 on: December 09, 2013, 12:11:01 am
Is there a reason for that amount of detail on their stomachs?
A large head is fine, but people usually go overboard on the muscles and anatomical details.

Just keep it simple and clean..

« Last Edit: December 09, 2013, 10:44:54 am by Seiseki »

Offline twodayslate

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Re: [CC] character bases

Reply #5 on: December 11, 2013, 05:23:11 am
I attempted the new bose and I think I did a better job on the shading this time. I'm not as happy with this though.

Offline HarveyDentMustDie

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Re: [CC] character bases

Reply #6 on: December 11, 2013, 11:07:27 am
I think that Seiseki gave you best idea so far. It's simple, funny and memorable (though it looks like the girl has "something" more between her legs  :crazy:). I don't know the purpose of this sprites, but I would love to see game with this style.  :)

Quote
The style is supposed to be more cartoony
Your last edit is more realistic then cartoony, and you changed perspective (now view angle is moved up). Changing pose, doesn't require changing the perspective. But again, I don't know the purpose, and maybe this is what you want.

Offline twodayslate

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Re: [CC] character bases

Reply #7 on: December 11, 2013, 02:49:35 pm
I think that Seiseki gave you best idea so far. It's simple, funny and memorable (though it looks like the girl has "something" more between her legs  :crazy:). I don't know the purpose of this sprites, but I would love to see game with this style.  :)

Quote
The style is supposed to be more cartoony
Your last edit is more realistic then cartoony, and you changed perspective (now view angle is moved up). Changing pose, doesn't require changing the perspective. But again, I don't know the purpose, and maybe this is what you want.
You're right. I did not mean to change the perspective - just the pose. I'm having a hard time finding reference material

Offline Seiseki

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Re: [CC] character bases

Reply #8 on: December 11, 2013, 02:56:22 pm
Human anatomy should be the easiest to find reference materials too..
Second only to perhaps, bowls of fruit..

You should focus more on determining what style you want..
The new style is quite a drastic change from the previous one, which makes me feel like it's very loosely defined.

(though it looks like the girl has "something" more between her legs  :crazy:)

Haha, that's a bit of unfortunate AA/shading, the pixels are aligned in a funny way that makes it look like.. something unintended..
« Last Edit: December 11, 2013, 05:52:16 pm by Seiseki »

Offline Night

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Re: [CC] character bases

Reply #9 on: December 11, 2013, 09:48:22 pm
I agree with Seiseki, if you're going for something cartoony, stay away from all the extra details, and keep it readable and simple.

If you're going for something realistic now, and even if you're going for something cartoony, study some anatomy, even just some simple stuff. It's always a good thing to have some basis on what you're doing when creating a character (such as prominent areas in the body), and anatomy is a great way to develop that.

Right now, if you're going for an isometric sprite, the chest, and shoulders are misaligned (the hands too, but just slightly).
There is light at the end of the tunnel.