AuthorTopic: [C+C] [Feedback] 1-Bit Pixelart  (Read 7082 times)

Offline Ma3vis

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[C+C] [Feedback] 1-Bit Pixelart

on: January 12, 2017, 04:32:33 am
Hello!

Attempting to practice animation and have a love for small line-art

Looking for any feedback, all input welcome





Going for an Ico-style but in snow with a graveyard feel
« Last Edit: January 12, 2017, 04:34:55 am by Ma3vis »

Offline eishiya

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Re: [C+C] [Feedback] 1-Bit Pixelart

Reply #1 on: January 12, 2017, 01:45:43 pm
The symmetry on the triangular tree(?) is making it look like something artificial. It's better to avoid symmetry with trees like that - trees are only vaguely symmetrical, and they look more natural without symmetry.

The two dithered trees feel rather noisy. Don't forget that black and white are also valid values you can use! Don't be afraid to have solid black and white parts. In those parts where you do mix black and white pixels, I think it might be better to focus on showing clumps of leaves/branches rather than individual leaves. At this scale, tiny details just read like noise.

Offline Ma3vis

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Re: [C+C] [Feedback] 1-Bit Pixelart

Reply #2 on: January 13, 2017, 09:06:54 am
 -
« Last Edit: January 16, 2017, 02:56:29 pm by Ma3vis »

Offline eishiya

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Re: [C+C] [Feedback] 1-Bit Pixelart

Reply #3 on: January 13, 2017, 02:31:02 pm
Pet peeve alert: That's a fir (or maybe a spruce), not a pine. This is a pine.

In any case though, it's still symmetrical. I meant the tree that's not a silhouette, that one was fine. I meant the dithered one that is literally symmetrical, down to the pixel level. The two silhouette trees were fine. Sorry for being unclear before!

Single pixels might sometimes be unavoidable, but noise is always avoidable. If you have pixels that don't read like anything, that's noise, and it doesn't belong. Pixels that read as texture or details are not noise. However, for that to happen, they need context, larger clusters of pixels establishing the context to which those single pixels add texture/detail. If everything is detail, then there's no form, and therefore it doesn't read.

Here's an edit illustrating some of what I said in my earlier post, using solid areas of black and white to show the form:

I didn't use any dithering because I feel it's unnecessary at this size, but that's not to say you can't or shouldn't.
I also made that one dithered tree asymmetrical while I was at it.
« Last Edit: January 13, 2017, 03:59:34 pm by eishiya »

Offline Cherno

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Re: [C+C] [Feedback] 1-Bit Pixelart

Reply #4 on: January 13, 2017, 10:55:51 pm
^Great edits for the trees.

I also like the characters. Very small but also recognizeable.

Offline Ma3vis

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Re: [C+C] [Feedback] 1-Bit Pixelart

Reply #5 on: January 15, 2017, 06:33:56 am
Thank you for helping out

Made some updates



Pet peeve alert: That's a fir (or maybe a spruce), not a pine. This is a pine.
Here's an edit illustrating some of what I said in my earlier post, using solid areas of black and white to show the form:


Tried to edit your illustration down to a 16x16 sprite:
Then made my own -- is this an improvement any?





In mind to what you said about noise and demonstrated
I tried to fill in more rather than dither here - are these results better/readable?

In addition to the trees, I've worked on:
01. Brick Walls
02. Broad-Iron Fencing
03. Windmill
04. Samurai
05. Monster
06. Main

Note for the Brick Walls - I attempted to recreate a curvature wall as seen in castles
I think it's called either a "Bastion" or a "Roundel" (?), not sure

« Last Edit: January 16, 2017, 02:55:13 pm by Ma3vis »

Offline eishiya

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Re: [C+C] [Feedback] 1-Bit Pixelart

Reply #6 on: January 15, 2017, 04:19:15 pm
I recommend redoing the big tree yourself instead of using so much of my edit. I chose an arbitrary light source, which doesn't necessarily match the lighting you want to have on everything. I don't mind you using it, but I think you'd learn more by doing it yourself.

I think those smaller trees are definitely going in the right direction! Their forms are more readable than the old one, for the most part.
Try starting with a solid, shaded cone of the size you need, and then breaking up the edges to suggest detail. That might be a good way to make sure you're not over-dithering. Deliberately incorrectly-sized example:

You can do the same thing for other trees, just with different shapes.

The rounded walls don't read as rounded to me, but I think it's because of the perspective mismatch; the actual pixelling on them looks nice and readable, it's clear that the middle part is meant to pop. The walls have a flat top and bottom (as opposed to rounded), which suggests they're flat. A rounded wall would only have a flat top and bottom when viewer from the front (e.g. like in a side-scrolling game), but your layout suggests more of a top-down view. This is an issue with a lot of the sprites, but it's less noticeable on them because they're too small for the rounding to be prominent even if it was there.

Offline Ma3vis

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Re: [C+C] [Feedback] 1-Bit Pixelart

Reply #7 on: January 24, 2017, 07:33:18 pm




Could use advice on pretty much anything in the screenshot
Tried to make my own large tree but having problems once I start shading

. . .

New Updates




Any improvements?

Made some progress with own attempts and a few commissions
Still have a few issues however regarding select objects

01. the Windmill
02. the Big Shaded Tree
03. the Walkway
04. House Door
05. Small White Tree
06. the Brick Wall
07. Mossy Swamp Tree
08. the Log Fencing

Could use advice and critiques on such

Also, thank you @eishiya for all your help I appreciate it


The house and trees are in different scales. The door is about the same size as the smaller trees, which means the trees are person-sized. If you go for a more symbolic look that can be fine, but judging by the level of detail and the fact that you have larger trees, you're going for something a bit more realistic. In that case, your single-tile trees should be young trees and bushes, not miniature mature trees. The large tree in the right mockup is lit from below, unlike everything else.


Edit




Made modifications to some things
01 the Big Tree - tried to use some different shading with darker textures on bottom
02 the Walls - an attempt to use more detail to contrast the ground texture - still doesn't look right tho
03 the White Tree - drawn using a different shape
04 the Walkway - made using a different pattern


« Last Edit: September 14, 2017, 01:26:58 am by Ma3vis »

Offline Ma3vis

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Re: [C+C] [Feedback] 1-Bit Pixelart

Reply #8 on: March 08, 2017, 05:57:28 am
^Bump
« Last Edit: September 14, 2017, 01:26:41 am by Ma3vis »

Offline Ma3vis

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Re: [C+C] [Feedback] 1-Bit Pixelart

Reply #9 on: September 15, 2017, 01:05:57 am
Made more progress - working on the Colossus currently, or his hands to be accurate



Edited objects:

01. brick wall
02. swamp tree
03. small tower
04. large tree
05. coliseum
06. (added) water

Anyone with advice or contributions will be greatly appreciated