Style Imitation Portraits 7.3/15

[willfaulds]

So I decided it was time I dedicated some time to improving my pixel skills.

I've set myself a challenge for January: a pixel self portrait every two days... Hopefully this will kick me into gear.

Each portrait will be based on a selected, and referenced, artist's work.
I intend to emulate the selected work's style - to keep things simple (and easy ) I will work with the same palette and size restriction.
I will always include a WIP and a real brief write up.


Crits, edits, and anyone willing to join in very welcome.


================
No.1
Artist: Joshua Unknown (maybe someone can help me out here?) thanks Cow
Colour count : 9 (Originally 10 but I decided to ignore what I think is an accidental black shade)
Size: 62 x 80

Approach: very loose tablet beginning.
Style notes: emphasize asymmetry.
Difficulties: eyes of the correct racial background. hair highlights. strong 3d form definition.

ORIGINAL:

by Joshua

MINE:
=>
status: scrutinising

WIP:


================
No.2
Artist: Monsoon2d
Colour count : 14
Size: 90 x 74

Approach: colour blocking.
Style notes: symmetrical, flat paper box.
Difficulties: silhouette fitting style and long hair...
ORIGINAL:

by Monsoon2D

MINE:
=> => =>
status: complete

WIP:



================
No.3
Artist: Ikke
Colour count : 11
Size: 32 x 32

Approach: line art.
Style notes: symmetrical with limited exceptions bold & strong definition.
Difficulties: maintaining bold definition and likeness(ish)
ORIGINAL:

by Ikke

MINE:
=> => =>
status: complete

WIP:



================
No.4
Artist: Helm
Colour count : 10
Size: 100 x 100

Approach: ?
Style notes: wide pixels - this might be an issue with photoshop... NB
Difficulties: optimum use of palette
ORIGINAL:

by Helm

MINE:
=> = >
status: wip

WIP:
=>

NB. Anyone interested in using photoshop to produce a wide pixel piece here's the method I used improved by Ptoing.
1/ Create a new document with half the intended outcome width (in this case 50x100 [100x100 final])
2/ Change to wide pixel display: Image: Pixel Aspect Ratio: Anamorphic 2:1
  When complete
3/ Change to square pixel display: Image: Pixel Aspect Ratio: Square
4/ Double the horizontal size using: Image: Image Size: & the "Nearest Neighbour" resample option. (in this case 100x100)

This lets you work in and then save as wide pixels.


================
No.5
Artist: Ptoing
Colour count : <need to choose a head>
Size: ? x ?

Approach: i have a wip of ptoing's Ptoing WIP. will study and attempt a similar approach
Style notes: FUN. perfect angles. no aa.
Difficulties: Implying depth while maintaining simplistic shading and strong character.

ORIGINAL:

by Ptoing

MINE:
=> =>

WIP:


================
No.6
Artist: schrumpfkopf
Colour count : 14
Size: 83 x 84

Approach: super volume concentration.
Style notes: worried about dealing with these colours. but i love the palette
Difficulties: TBA

ORIGINAL:

by schrumpfkopf

MINE:
=> => => =>

WIP:


================
No.7
Artist: Ptoing
Colour count : <need to choose a head>
Size: 69 x 88

Approach: taking some time to digest recent advice and familiarise myself with this unusual pallette. Starting with a greyscale image to promote thought about values.
Style notes: simple limited yet expressive shading.
Difficulties: TBA

ORIGINAL:

by Ptoing

MINE:
A => =>
B => or
C =>

WIP:
A
B

================
No.8
Artist: Helm
Colour count : 17
Size: 128 x 128

Approach: thinking about values. identified a key skin tone palette and worked basic volumes with that.
Style notes: limited use of very dark darks. 'soft' shadows but still convincing depth. dither shading. grosteque.
Difficulties: TBA

ORIGINAL:

by Helm

MINE:
pose was too boring. concept wasn't personal...
=> => =>

WIP:

[infinitegames]

I've always really liked your work. What you did with the mockup to that naked guy game really inspired me. The self portrait is even more impressive.

By the way, and news on that game? I'd like to see its progress if you kept up with it.

[willfaulds]

thanks infinitegames. credit for the portrait really belongs to Joshua though - his idea etc.

i promise to sort ot some kind of dump and update to do with the naked pixel game - i have some flash assets and all sorts.

thanks again,

will

ps worked started on portrait number 2

[willfaulds]

status: WIP

[Opacus]

I think the purple AA on the last one against the hair hurts this alot. It looks jagged.
Thing is that Monsoon only used 90 degree angels, while you're using 45 degree angles at the head.
Same counts for the hair.
Get rid of the AA against the 90 degree lines, there's no AA needed on those. Since 90 degree lines usually look pretty smooth by themselves.

[willfaulds]

thanks opacus i knew i was being a bit untrue to the style there but was struggling. will address the purple areas in the next update.



better on the angles?

[willfaulds]

sorry to bump again but portrait 2 complete. crits very very welcome on any of them

[Leaf]

Portrait two looks awesome.

Ears are kind of pointy though. Then again, that might be because of the style?

[Indigo]

awesome stuff man.  Just a couple quick crits.

be careful with AAing on a 45 degree angle.  It just blurs it.  Normally this is not something that should be done, but if you use it right it can work.  Notice the areas monsoon AA's his lines and when he does not.

secondly, take note of how the lines of his portrait line up.  They form perfect squares and rectangles.  some of your lines you have don't align like that.

you did manage to capture the feel right though.  awesome job
-Dan

[willfaulds]

Cheers Indigo,

Yeah the 45 degree AA is a new beast to me. interesting though. are there any lines in particular you think I should sharpen up?

I had a go at lining up more of the lines to create squares in the composition but will have trouble to keep the likeness, its not great but its there, if I go much further. I'm not sure whether I prefer it or not so that means its time to sleep.



Leaf I might look at calming the internal lines down on the ears but silhouette wise its all for the style. Thanks though