Platform Action-RPG graphics - seeking help (wip)

[THE KAPPTIN]

Hi

I'm working on making an action RPG game and I really want the graphics to be as great as I can make them. So far I've made some grass tiles, and one of the main characters.
Tiles:

Character:
As you can see I have started working on a run animation for this character. That is one thing I am particularly unsure about and would really like help with. Should I add more frames? Is it bad how much her leg kicks forward (and how can I fix it)?
I have a semi-animated version of the sprite here for anyone that has a gif program handy to look at it: (unfortunately all I have for animation is Game Maker and the very clumsy UnFREEz).
(The image only animates once.)

All sorts of comments are appreciated but what I'm really looking for is edits and criticism to help me improve the graphics and the graphical style of the game. Things I'm especially concerned about are the run animation and making the girl's head and face look right. I plan to post all the graphics I do for the game here, until I'm satisfied that I know what I'm doing. Thanks for looking!

[TrevoriuS]

You should bend the knee of the front leg a bit as it shouldnt be this fully stretched
You could then lengthen the upper leg a slight bit as the distance kicked forward seems kind of right to me.
Oh btw - your character seems to be in a slightly angled perspective where your tiles are not, was it mend to be like that?

[THE KAPPTIN]

Thanks for replying,

I don't know what you mean with your second comment. In reply to the question, yep the character's meant to be standing at an angle because it just looks better. Once I get some edges done for the ground they'll be angled like the ground-edges in Donkey Kong Country and Battletoads.

[Draco9898]

The tiles feel too simplistic (not to mention tiny and grainy...), try making a pattern repeat over many tiles instead of 1 like 2 or 3. The super super saturated colors and the brightness of the colors just don't look that great to me, but it probably works if your going to FOR a cartoon look.

The walk cycle should be 8 frames if you can pull it off, 4 for the first leg, 4 for the other leg. Just keep it simple and copy the front leg's frames for the back legs', except render the back leg darker of course.

There was a 3d applet laying around somewhere on the web to help with perspective/run cycles, but I can't seem to find it.

This is a very nice tutorial I've found in the links thread in the general section, as it seems right up your alley. http://www.manningkrull.com/pixel_art/tutorials/walking.asp

[THE KAPPTIN]

Well, that's helpful. Thanks. I agree about the tiles being too small and "grainy". They really don't fit the style I was going for. I guess I will just have to come back to this topic once I've done some more work. : P