help with a fighter sprite?

[legofreak]

I'm not especially good with dynamic poses and I'm probably not gonna finish this but I was wondering if anyone could give me some pointers for future reference. 

relatively quick sketch

[Zee]

Here's some references.

http://www.spriters-resource.com/capcom/fighting/street/display.php?file=SSF_Feilong.gif

I recalled it cuz I go to that site frequently, and that pose reminded me of this guy's. If you practice that style you'll get better for sure.

[Gil]

Some edits, you should take it a little further still. I kinda like this piece.

[AdamAtomic]

legofreak I would skip gil's edit - what you need is some simple center of gravity and balance tweaks at this point, not smoothed out lines, and definitely not a thinner waist.  Right now it looks like your dude is gonna fall over, specifically to his front and right.  Falling over does not a frightening fighter make!  Well unless its drunk-fu.  But as you have not specified drunk fu, I'll assume a more traditional fighting style of some sort   His right foot should be moved forward (his forward) by at least half a foot.  I'd bring his shoulders back and to his left some as well.  Those two simple tweaks will go a LONG ways to balance your character!  Then you can worry about smoothing your lines.

[legofreak]

i didnt quite know if you meant his forward(facing) or his forward(foreground) so i just brought it into the foreground with lighter grays.
brought his shoulders and head back a little so he looks less slouched. i kinda want him low to the ground though...
this pose is supposed to have most of his weight on his right leg at the moment. if it were animated it would switch between slightly.
i wanted him to be kindof relaxed and loose but ready to strike.

[Helm]

Hello.

The center of gravity on your latest isn't too off... as you can see I didn't try to edit that too much, it's okay to be - or appear to be - a bit off balance when you're in an idle animation in a showy fictional martial arts video game. However I feel your still frame right now screams 'I AM DODGING A HIT' why? The torso is leaning to the left (ours) too much, the right arm is in an indecisive flail as if to parry and keep balance, that sort of thing. The head is obstructed and offers no clear visibility, doesn't seem to be looking towards the enemy too. On the anatomy level I felt it looked a bit as if the torso went directly to the legs, but the almighty crotch should not go unrepresented! I made an edit for you. I hope I can help.




I think, though this is up to personal preference, that the legs should however be edited further than my edit, so they rest on a perfect hori plane, as is the tradition with fighting games.