32x32 Fantasy characters [wip]

[Slainte]

Hi all, it's been ages since I was last active in the forum and also on pixel art creation but given I've had some free time in the last weeks I'm trying to get back to it.  Just started practicing and sure I can use some feedback... For those who still remember me I am back to 32x32 pieces and I am going for a set of fantasy themed characters for a small Fire Emblem like project.

First in the series and still very early work the Druid (palette not fully defined yet so I know there's some issues in there. first I aim for the pose and proportion):

1x =>  4x =>

It is based somewhat in an image I found somewhere...

[Gil]

A big issue you seem to be having is literal color use. Skin isn't pink, blond hair isn't yellow. I bet if you draw a tree, the trunk is brown and the leaves green. You have to learn to see colors correctly.

Looking at your reference picture, the skin is mostly orange, which works well with the emitted light from the staff and glove, which are also orange. Surprisingly (not really), the browns used are also orange. Notice that most of the other colors are blue-greenish, the opposite color on the color wheel (called the complementary color). The shadows in the skin go towards this blue-green too. To top that all off, even the background is blue-green.

Learn to see these colors, your work will be a lot better for it

[Slainte]

I already knew color picks were crap... Not so crap as you said though but you're quite right... I did not even bother too much with color selection as I was mostly focused on proportion and volumes in the sprite... I have not yet defined the general palette for the project itself and I must be doing so soon as it will affect heavily on the sprite design. I will keep working and post some advance in the druid and some of the other units.  Thnx for your c+c

[Gil]

This interview has always seemed like a good learning resource for me:

http://www.pixeljoint.com/2009/10/03/2938/Pixel_Artist_-_Syosa.htm

[Slainte]

Changed images to imgur... seems my server is still marked as spam source (due to an old attack to a forum I had there... will need to cleanse records and blacklistings :/) and started some rework on the palette and some small changes in the sprite itself




Started work on the thief... as with the druid working first on the sprite proportions and pose (legs still not started)... palette on the work



and the reference I use

[EvilEye]

I like the shape of your druid. With the thief it's hard to really tell what's going on though.

I have a few suggestions.

Don't work on a white background. The background you work on makes the colors look different and I doubt the game will have a white background. Try to use something neutral, like a grey or grey-blue. Not too light, not too dark.

Also I'm not sure if at that size it's such a good idea to try and cram in so much detail. It makes the sprite look messy and confusing. You shouldn't gradient at all at that size, like on the thiefs right shoulder. I can't tell what is going on there, looks like he has a cloak over his arm but I really have no idea. Go for clarity not accuracy.

The colors you're using are really bland. They all look like shades of brown and grey to me. Also you have way too many for that size. Pick 6 colors and just use those.

[Slainte]

Thnx for the insights EvilEye... changed backgrounds, reduced the palette on the thief and changed the shoulder to form larger shaded areas and reworked a bit on the druid's deer helm and added paladin, knight and ranger



Initial modelling of the ranger (very very very early yet... just "modelling colors") and the stance reference I used.  I thought on posting from this very early stage and into the final versions in case anyone can point me defects on the "building" stages.  First one is take a reference... model a basic volumetric sprite matching the pose and mark skeletal "joints", I also add any creative changes I see fit that match my purpose for the sprite and then start selecting colors and pushing detail in.  In this case I wanted a heavily hooded/caped forest ranger and not a Tanis-like half-elf so that's why I changed the cape quite a lot.  I am sure selecting the base palette first might be a good improvement on how I work on the sprites but as I was pointed in earlier posts I have major problems with color selection   Any comments and (heavy) critics are welcome.

Added some advances on the ranger