GR#220 - John Mueller's Oink - Sprite Process

[HarveyDentMustDie]

@cels I didn't stop, it's just on pause. It's not too late for changes cause I keep background elements on separate layers.

I've added the flag just to break a bit from the reference.

You are right about axe hand, that was mainly because I was trying to emulate shadow more than it's required.

 I know the form of chain, but if I add 2 more pixels for each ling there be no more gap inside of the ring. To achieve right chain visual effect I would have to increase it's size, which wouldn't be appropriate. If you know the solution be my guest.

Also I'm experimenting with ditering in the flag (maybe it will improve the piece, maybe it will just add more bad noise), currently I'm not satisfied, but if someone have useful ideas I would be appreciated.

Here is example based on cels critique:

[HarveyDentMustDie]

Do you guys think that I should continue ditering on the flag (mostly just lower left part is done) or it's to distracting and blurry?
And do you maybe have some advice how this could be done better? This is my first time, and it looked much easier than it is. 

[YellowLime]

Sorry, but I'm also going to complain about the flag background  :
I think it makes the piece lose the dynamism it had when the background was 'plain', since the flag (being some
flimsy piece of fabric, like them all ) is totally unaffected and detached from all the action going on at the foreground.

If you are going to keep the flag, the latest incarnation looks the best to me (I guess since it's more subtle)

I would ripple the flag to suggest it's being affected by the jump of the character in the foreground,
but I guess that it might be too hard to do now, to be worth it

[Daimoth]

I would have agreed with you until Harvey's most recent edit. Perfect.

[HarveyDentMustDie]

Since this is nearly done, I'm not give up on it so easily. Here is small update. I'm loosing most of my time cleaning out details and I still didn't finished damn flag. Every comment is appreciated.



Also if someone is interested to see progress from first sketch up to now here:

[Daimoth]

The skin looked better desaturated, but it looks more porcine saturated. Hrm.

[HarveyDentMustDie]

Thanks for the comment. Personally I think that saturated version makes it more distinct, and after all he is the main element here.

I'm looking for a subtle and clean way to dither the flag. I never use dithering before and somehow I was never big fan of it (except if it's done magnificently good), but I think that it fit this purpose, and it's a new experience.

I'll try some stylized dithering and see how it goes (honestly I'm not sure it will work).



Also I'm open for any suggestions.

Edit:

I think that stylized dithering doesn't help here cause resolution isn't very big. (Lower left part of image)
What do you guys think?

[Kosvid]

I think stylized dithering is excess here. It looks more like noise and attracts too much attention.

[HarveyDentMustDie]

Another try, it looks a bit cleaner but not very blended.

[Daimoth]

I liked the first dithering attempt. I think if you tweaked it a little bit it could parse as grimeyness, which would really mesh with a humanoid pig.