AuthorTopic: Here goes a tree  (Read 2433 times)

Offline Vinik

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Here goes a tree

on: September 20, 2016, 04:40:42 am
Hello everyone, so, for a rite of passage into pixel art, this my first ever attempt at a "rpg" tree. Much help needed as obvious, thank you in advance. I cant see how to bring the central cluster of the tree closer to the view, which was what I intended.

Offline MysteryMeat

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Re: Here goes a tree

Reply #1 on: September 20, 2016, 05:28:12 am
Looks like the smaller ones are kind of closer than the big one a bit, gives it a caved in look. I recommend tweaking the shading on the smaller tufts to be a bit simpler so the main tuft grabs more attention, and also try to lighten the shading on the darkest leafshade as it's too close to the color of the trunk and the transition gets a bit lost.
PSA: use imgur
http://pixelation.org/index.php?topic=19838.0 also go suggest on my quest, cmon
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Offline Vinik

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Re: Here goes a tree

Reply #2 on: September 20, 2016, 03:10:34 pm
Thanks for the tips! I first tried to move the central tuft up so the positioning of the light would imply it was larger and "over" on the z axis, fusing it with some of little ones above (there were too many and too close to each other I think). As I went to fill the dark gap under it, I thought it would be fine as a darker empty space and opened other holes to imply the trunk/branches under the foliage. Then I did what you said and removed the brighter green of the lower smaller tufts, as if the larger one over was blocking some light. Then I made the darker green shade a little brighter but I am not sure it helped much.

Offline MysteryMeat

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Re: Here goes a tree

Reply #3 on: September 20, 2016, 05:36:18 pm
It's looking better! The big tuft is definitely sticking out more!
I think it might help to scramble the smaller tufts though, to my knowledge there aren't any trees with circular puffs of foliage, just breaking up the shapes a bit might mitigate it
PSA: use imgur
http://pixelation.org/index.php?topic=19838.0 also go suggest on my quest, cmon
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Offline Vinik

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Re: Here goes a tree

Reply #4 on: September 20, 2016, 07:30:23 pm
Sure thing, in general I tend to be overly symbolic in pixels, something I am not when painting or drawing, that is where the rounded, perfectly arched, etc, comes from, and I am actively trying to learn to avoid it.  Int his case I was going for something in between symbolic (general shape) and painterly (rendering), so I ended up with the typical mushroom shaped rpg tree but trying to emulate those lovely miyazaki trees:
, .

I will give it some longer work before reposting, thanks again for the guidelines. Any input for the trunk? (too dark?).

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Re: Here goes a tree

Reply #5 on: September 20, 2016, 09:04:27 pm
Ooh, good refs! I don't have much to add to the bark, but I'm not at my computer and can do a few edits to show what I'm talking about! I actually wound up using the left one as reference while doing this, what I did was move the bulk foliage down some, smooth out some of the top tufts, then inserted some thick branches.
There's still a bit of an issue with it drawing too much towards the top that I couldn't really fix, but hopefully this gives you some ideas!



EDIT: as always, inspiration strikes right as I run out of time and immediately after posting. I think it might help to break up the top parts into separate groups, sothe branching is more clear!
PSA: use imgur
http://pixelation.org/index.php?topic=19838.0 also go suggest on my quest, cmon
MAJOR BORK TALLY: |

Offline Vinik

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Re: Here goes a tree

Reply #6 on: September 25, 2016, 03:38:24 pm
Hey I am back after a flu, here is the latest attempt, the more I look at real trees and references, the more I see repeated patterns, same-shape forms with regularity broken only by fusion or separation, so I tried to fuse more and got rid of the very small indefinite tufts, but it did loose a lot of texture. Maybe now it seems less tridimentional than the second one, but from the first attempt it is improved, and it there is much more darkened gaps implying branches. Thank you so much Meat for all the help.
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