Ocarina of Time, Link Pixel Art

[Norlem]

So, i am very new to pixel art, actualy this is my first try,  here is the current verision:


So id like you guys to tell me what you think of it and what i should change to make it look better.


Regards, Norlem ^^

[Phlox]

i think the shield looks very good it just need some contrast on the colors. like make the darks darker and the lights lighter because the colors are too close.

However the structure of his body is very, well, how should i put this... not right.  His right arm its way to short and skinny and it looks like he couldn't hold that sword and his feet and legs are pointed to the left and right not the front how they normaly would be and his legs are also one size they aren't bigger at the thigh and smaller at the ankles.  the calf and knee should also be defined more since he is wearing tights.

Here are some threads on this sight that could help you:

http://www.wayofthepixel.net/pixelation/index.php?topic=4593.0

http://www.wayofthepixel.net/pixelation/index.php?topic=3467.0  (this one has a lot of good tools and tutorials in it along with references)

Update along with your update: The arm looks better because it doesn't just shrink really fast you can tell he had bulky clothes on, it fits his body better. You do need to fix the legs.

[Norlem]

Allright, got your Critism, ive changed the contrast on the shield, and, ive fixed the leggs, and here it is:

[Saitus]

It's very well done for a first attempt, we can tell what it is . I'd say try and make it look less flat, take a look at some clothing models and see how they would fit on a body. Add some folds or creases in the clothes to give it a better fool too. Another part that sticks out is the hair and face. The hair needs to be rethought, as it looks like it might be stemming out of the hat. Try making the hat look on top of the hair, and making the hair look more hair-like.  The face just needs to be mostly redone. Take into account the positioning of each facial feature. Lastly, try to get rid of the black outlines, and outline in a darker shade; while shading by shifting hues.

[Norlem]

Allright,

1, make him look less fat

2, make the clothes look more realistic with folds or creases.

3, Make the rethough the hair.

4, redo face, with taking note of each facial feuture.

5, change the black outlines for darker shades that fits the different hues.

Anything ells ? 

[Stwelin]

Perhaps google a reference, and make a slightly more dynamic pose. You'd never see link just standing around like this, holding his sword that way, shield up, smirking like a pervert.

for example: http://www.mario64.nl/toplink.gif

just an example.

[Andy Tran]

He looks good for a fan art of link. Yeah, a reference of link would help lots . I think he looks flat because of the clothes. I suggest redoing the whole thing lol. Good luck . 

[Norlem]

wait,s so i should redo the entire thing, and change the pose..? hmm sounds like a totaly new pixel art to me.

[baccaman21]

if at first you don't succeed and all that... tis the only way to learn...

Personally I quite like the naive style you've applied to this - whether that's intentional or not. Regardless of that the initial image you supplied does lack a certain 'gravitas' I think due to the fact it is a first piece. There's versions of Link you can copy, ranging from the 'realistic' to the super cute... I think you've gone out on a limb and tried to do your own rendition - call it style... nowt wrong with personalizing it.

I like the pose - it's amusing. No need to go for the over-dynamic if you don't want - it's got a certain wittiness to it as we're all used to seeing link in action poses.

SO, to start again or not start again... THAT is the question...

I'd be inclined to rework it perhaps... I think you'd learn a lot more by sticking with it and not going off track... don't be too afraid to really go in a push those pixels around... I'd certainly drop those black outlines... try going for a darker version or tone of the color the line is surrounding... (see my avatar for examples of this) - don't get into stippling until you can get some notion of shading using gradated tones... and learn to anti-alias a bit better.

Other than that... good going...

[Norlem]

Allright, i went for keeping it as it is so i may learn more for shading etc, so i made the guy thinner, wich gave him a nicer look, i also got rid of the blackoutlines, and this gave a pretty big step in his look:

[Mirre]

If you keep it up I think you will learn alot from working with this piece. There is good improvement so far.

There are a few anathomical errors that you might want to address. He doesn't have a neck for example, but most people don not have their heads attached directly to their shoulders. He also doesn't have knees (might be easier to edit this with shading). I'd suggest that you make his tunic a bit shorter and the legs slightly longer so that the knees are visible. The boots also look very narrow around the shins, so you might want to make them a bit fatter there, to show that his trousers (tights) are actually tucked into them. There is a very huge difference between his shoulders and then very slim over-arms, maybe make them a pixel or two wider? I would also suggest that you work some more on the face, making it slightly smaller, giving him a bit more realistic eyes (with whites in the eyes), a nose, and also either some hair at the sides of his face or ears. You have done a great job with the detail on the shield, but to weigh up the piece you need to add more details overall. First off - to make the clothing look less flat, you can study folds and try to apply them to the clothes. Just google "skirts", "shirts" or "tunic" and I'm sure you'll find some photo reference.

[Norlem]

Thanks for that critizm mirre, about the fold i am gonna try to study some pixel art, becouse i dont know how i am gonna make folds look realistic, anyone happen to have a good reference pic? and about the hair i am gonna add ears, and make the face a bit thinner at the sheek, aswell as add a bit of a neck, also gonna try to work on the tunic making it shorter and i am gonna try to shade so you see the knees could use a reference pixel art of a good way to show that aswell.. anyway thanks everyone i am gonna keep it up!

[philjones]

A few things:

- His hair does not seem to be casting enough shadow on his head.  Both adding more and slightly darkening what you already have would probably do the trick.
- More contrast in general to the skin tones would add more definition to the shape of the face.  You could also try adding in a nose using the darker skin tone.
- Perhaps try your hand at anti-aliasing, as mentioned before.
- Link is in fact left handed, as you can see in the earlier posted reference picture.  While your sheath is on the correct side, the sword and shield are reversed.
- His teeth ... delineation could be made more gray.

Keep up the good work!

[Norlem]

Hmm, at the moment i am stuck really could need a hint in form of an easy edit how to continue, sorry if this sounds like "HELLO LOL YOU MAKE MAI SPRITE K?" but i only mean like hints for what i should do to make him look better since my pixeling skills is very low i hope i dont sound stupid

Regards

Norlem

[Arachne]

Thanks for that critizm mirre, about the fold i am gonna try to study some pixel art, becouse i dont know how i am gonna make folds look realistic, anyone happen to have a good reference pic?

Google clothing. Or just take any piece of clothing you have around you and look at it. It's not rocket science, you just have to try not to focus too much on pixel art at first, but start with the basics. Anatomy, color theory, shading, etc. Pixel art is just like painting, except with a few additional tricks added.