AuthorTopic: Frost Giant - Help  (Read 2939 times)

Offline hexcode

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Frost Giant - Help

on: October 12, 2017, 12:14:12 am
I'm making a Female Frost Giant holding an Axe. 64x32 and 32x32. How do you guys think I could improve it.
I was going for glimmering skin. And also a Castlevania Symphony of the Night approach without copying it entirely. Am I anti-aliasing to much? Is the color palette ok?
I want to learn more about what I'm doing right and wrong.

Thanks
« Last Edit: October 23, 2017, 01:47:09 am by hexcode »
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Offline Roach

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Re: Frost Giant - Help

Reply #1 on: October 12, 2017, 01:49:34 am
If I'm quite honest, I can't really think of anything much to improve on this. The style and colors are great. I like how visible the details are already. I'd call this a job well done.

Offline eishiya

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Re: Frost Giant - Help

Reply #2 on: October 12, 2017, 02:21:55 am
I also think you did a great job with the details. I do have nitpicks though 8]

I think the AA might be a bit much in some places - the shadows on her axe-arm and leg look so soft that they don't really help define the form. Her face looks like a blur rather than something with (implied) features because the AA takes up most of it.

I'm not sure what the dark area on her chest is meant to be, it doesn't read well to me on either sprite.
The sparkles on the skin don't really read well to me, they just look like poorly placed highlights. I think at these sizes it might be better to leave them out because they're too large to read as sparkles.

I think her skin could use more hue variation instead of being all blue, but it really depends on the look you want. I guess I like my ice-people looking like they have red blood, while some people do not.

In the smaller sprite, I feel the chest doesn't read well. Perhaps her shoulders are too high? The long torso might be a good match to the larger sprite, but I don't think it works at that size. Similarly, the 1px-high area where the waist is thinnest doesn't look good to me, I think it's best to have at least 2px of thinness there.

Offline Curly

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Re: Frost Giant - Help

Reply #3 on: October 12, 2017, 02:29:50 am
It looks pretty good. It reminded me to Castlevania SOTN before reading the post, so good job :lol:

By the way, the closest color to white in the palette doesn't match with the similar one in the sprite.
I feel the white color doesn't add anything to the piece, (but it could be because I'm using a crappy monitor right now) I made a little edit:



I'm not a big fan of that much antialiasing, but it doesn't look bad I guess. (Eishiya already commented about that while I was writing.)

Offline hexcode

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Re: Frost Giant - Help

Reply #4 on: October 12, 2017, 04:48:03 am
Thanks for the feedback guys - really appreciate it.

I think No.3 is definitely cleaner. In some ways I like No.1 still. But No.3 reads way clearer. What do you guys think could be improved now?
« Last Edit: October 23, 2017, 01:47:35 am by hexcode »
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Offline Roach

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Re: Frost Giant - Help

Reply #5 on: October 12, 2017, 09:59:00 pm
Go with whatever one you personally like the most, as it's your creation, but I agree I do like number one the most. Number 3 looks like quality was lost. and actually looks more unrealistic to me than one. 2 the colors are too similar for my taste. you can argue which tree in the forest is best for as long as you want, and drive yourself crazy.

In numbers one and 2 you lost some depth in the legs, and now they look like they are joined together, like a mermaid or a short dress or something. I think the key to this artpiece is to not overthink it, or overwork it.

The first one is very detailed, you can visibly see everything it's supposed to be, and have, clearly. It has depth, curves, lighting and shadows. 2 and 3 lost that, it became more flat and just looks sort of unrealistic.
I personally liked the over aliased look of the first one because it actually looks like her skin is ICY. It has a nice shine to it. Thats just what I think.

However for the smaller version, I would go with number 3.

Offline Curly

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Re: Frost Giant - Help

Reply #6 on: October 12, 2017, 10:57:14 pm
2 and 3 have lost the Castlevania feel, but they all look good. They're just slightly different styles.

Offline Robbie Harrison

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Re: Frost Giant - Help

Reply #7 on: October 12, 2017, 11:01:18 pm
I personnally prefer 2 over 3 but I think you should pick whichever you prefer :)

Offline hexcode

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Re: Frost Giant - Help

Reply #8 on: October 13, 2017, 12:30:09 am
Thanks guys.
Great tips all round. I kind think I'll go for a version between 2 and 3  just because it will need to face East/West and North also.
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