Dwarf Viking Man

[Rydin]

Hey folks,

I tried to pixel again, first time in a million years. I want to make an RPG character 32x32. Here he is:



Tell me how you think it can be improved! C+C 

This was my reference and inspiration: http://www.monkeyinthecage.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/DnD_Art-Caldwell_Bruenor-737x1024.jpg

[pistachio]

Yo secret santa guy I still have that thing on one of my HDDs. Cool (and inexplicable) to see a few returning faces anyhow. Out of curiosity what brings you back to the dojo?

Did an edit:



90% of this was simplifying, mostly shadows.
The rule of thumb is that the smaller the workspace the more brutal the simplifying has to be. Cut out a few details from the ref and from the original. STRONG lightsource = core shadows and more stuff you don't see = simplifying. Probably see it in action up there.

[Rydin]

This is a nice edit pistachio!

Harsher contrast between darks and lights really forces the shapes to be carved out. This is very nice!

I am somewhat philosophically pondering about the simplification however. I need to mentally wrestle with realistically trying to show what's there and how to symbolically reduce it to it's essence. Must think about this...

And to answer your question, I'm back at the dojo to improve myself and share where I can with others. I want to make the most of what I've got with what's in front of me.     (...that and I've been putzing with RPG maker and "art" in general lately. I do boring commercial layouts all day for work and it's refreshing nostalgia just to do stuff for the art of it.)

I appreciate your reply!

Cheers!