Glad to see you've kept at it.
I used this as a reference
Why use another person's work as reference? You already have the original character image to work off. You'll learn more from trying to create it your own way than by using someone else's methods.
How many colors should I use?
It's not about the exact amount of colors you use, but rather how many colors you really need. For example, your latest version had 4 yellows that were nearly identical. Reducing colors gives you less to keep track of, and helps keep all the elements feeling unified.
- Here's my version of the eyes from the reference, though I encourage you to experiment with it on your own.
- Again, texture like the checker on the skirt follows the form. Having a straight grid breaks the illusion that she's 3D. As for the texture on the fishnets, I don't know that you'll be able to do that at this scale.
- You seemed to have a double outline on the arms- not sure if this was meant to be shading, but it doesn't add to the form at all. This sort of thing is usually called banding, and in most cases is better avoided.
- Using outlines is fine if you like, but all black outlines on every area can separate things a bit too much visually. I recommend having colored outlines on the inside, but this is just a preference.
You've shown an interest in taking feedback and improving, which is great! You may need to work on your fundamentals first though, both with drawing in general and pixel art. I recommend
this tutorial if you haven't seen it yet, it goes more in depth on some of what I've mentioned here.
