New Demon character - anatomy trouble! Please critique!

[spajjder]

Hi again.

I tried to study anatomy for this one, but not sure it looks right. I have looked at both pixelart examples, pictures and 3d models, but I am not sure it looks right.

Would appreciate any advice on the muscles on this one - tried to keep the palette limited, but there might be room for more colors.



This is supposed to be the Xivilai from Oblivion - https://en.uesp.net/wiki/File:OB-creature-Xivilai.jpg

*edit - would it look better with a second arm?  I want him to have a casual, but confident pose.

[fskn]

*edit - would it look better with a second arm?  I want him to have a casual, but confident pose.

I think it would, yes.



The top of his back looked kind of like a butt. Too exagerated and didn't really reflect much how muscles work there.
I would advise simplifying that part first and foremost.

Here's some reference for you for the future:





That guy has a lot of great anatomy tips, by the way.
https://www.deviantart.com/funkymonkey1945/gallery/53051270/tutorials

[spajjder]

Thank you fskn as always. You are a star!

I will study these and post again

... now that you mention it, it does look like a butt...  butt back

[fskn]

Thank you fskn as always. You are a star!

I will study these and post again

... now that you mention it, it does look like a butt...  butt back

That's his upper butt.

Glad to be of help.


A few corrections because I'm never satisfied with the stuff that I do. Mainly on the face:




How about:

[spajjder]

Hi there.

I did some edits

hope it looks better



Since the original design has some glowing tattoos and a necklace with metal on, I added them on the right, not sure it looks ok.

a little bit off topic but I want this guy to stand next to two other daedra designs I did. ... should I lighten him up a bit.. or do others look brighter?  If you want to match a color schema to others, what do you usually do, check sat and brightness to be on similar levels?



Edit - I tried changing the darkest shadow into the same as the other sprite, that looks better I think, at least together with others

[fskn]

Yeah, it unifies them a bit, I think...
That new color is darker than Xivilai's hair, though, so it doesn't work as well there. You may want to integrate the two better somehow, like, using some of that dark red in the hair. But... Maybe it's a bit too saturated to be in the shadow.

As for choosing and checking colors, I have no idea, so I can't help you with that, unfortunately. I use other people's palettes most of the time, but I don't do much pixel art anyways.

Anatomy-wise it looks much better on the back, but it kinda breaks when you get to the right arm and hand.

Watch this video from Proko to learn more about the form of the lower arm and its muscles:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPWmJj9l1_0

And whenever you can, watch these playlists to learn more about how to draw the human figure in general:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtG4P3lq8RHGuMuprDarMz_Y9Fbw_d2ws
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtG4P3lq8RHFBeVaruf2JjyQmZJH4__Zv

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I think that some forms work better as a unified mass rather than as individual muscles. For instance, you don't have to draw the separation between the hamstring muscles. But if you do, then they should reflect the overall form of the leg.

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There:


I tried making the right arm look more natural, even if not as relaxed as in my first revision (which I prefer).
But of course it all depends on what you want him to look like he's doing. And for that you're better off basing the pose on a photo rather than on a 3D model (if that's what you are doing).

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I've been thinking about that ear too... You could make it so that they wouldn't be as parallel to the side of the head, then the head wouldn't seem to be so much in profile, rather in a 3/4 view from the back.
And you could make the other ear peek a bit from the other side.

https://i.imgur.com/oNBJFve.png https://i.imgur.com/cY7usT7.gif

EDIT: Actually, that right arm looks way too bulbous, and either too close to the body, or the elbow is too far back.
I "fixed" it, while at the same time making him not as bulky as before:


Changed the left arm as well to a more symmetric pose.

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EDIT 2: Except now the legs look way too thick for the rest of the body.

There:

[spajjder]

Hello there.

Thank you for your advice fskn.

I changed the arm ears and colors a bit

sorry for late reply.. just trying to figure it out.
I sort of like him more buff. tried to study my arm in mirror

[fskn]

Here's the thing with the hand, though.
See the straight vertical line formed by the knuckles? And how the wrist is in a diagonal line? That line of the knuckles should be at most parallel with the wrist (well, the section of the wrist, which is perpendicular to the angle of the lower arm) to seem "comfortable".

Here's a quick half-assed edit:




And an otherwise good reference:

[spajjder]

Thank you as always fskn. It is much appreciated, and I do learn a ton here

That does indeed look better.
I would say my example looks like the bottom one a bit more, I wanted him to potentially be doing a spell or something.
Since they are summoners.
Anyway, I changed it a bit, here they are together.



Does anyone know how to karma? I really would want to give it.

[fskn]

Thank you as always fskn. It is much appreciated, and I do learn a ton here

My pleasure.

I would say my example looks like the bottom one a bit more, I wanted him to potentially be doing a spell or something.
Since they are summoners.

I see. Maybe he'd have to raise his arm a bit, then? Or perhaps rotate his arm so that the palm faces up, kind of like he's holding something in it...
You could try enacting something, standing in a pose that you'd think would be appropriate to have as reference. Take a photo of yourself doing that, or just go ahead and put it down on paper. Or get somebody else's photo or painting that you like... I believe there's a bunch on DeviantArt.

Does anyone know how to karma? I really would want to give it.

I don't think regular users can give Karma, but seriously, don't worry about it. We're all here to learn and improve ourselves.