[wip] Exploring MCOL (self-portrait)

[skw]

Okay.  This is me.  The stuff is not yet MCOL error-checked.



The face is pretty much done (minus the space around the mouth and the mouth itself); the shirt isn't, I guess.  Any SCIENCE!!1 tips before I proceed to the background?

Thank you!

[ptoing]

When doing C64 pictures you should ALWAYS keep the border in mind and work with it when it suits the image.
Of course you can not pixel in the border (well you can with sprites, but that would take custom coding pretty much), but you can make the composition less rectangular and open feeling like this. The border can be any of the 16 colours as well, not just black.



What's the bg-colour on this? I guess one of the greys. Still you get shitloads of errors.

[skw]

Hmm.  Sure, I think I make use of the border in this one.  I'm planing to add a city panorama in the distance (or something alike) and utilize the greens -- so the whole palette is used.

Again, I don't quite understand -- does any MCOL picture need a border?  So, each of them that doesn't have it is custom-coded?  Man, it's more complex than I thought!

Ah, now I got it!  Thanks!

The errors.  Heheh, yeah -- but that .sma stuff works fine for this (though I have to reload every time I do a new check, it doesn't refresh).  The bg-color is light gray.

[ptoing]

what do you mean you have to reload every time? you mean the plugmake thing? You can draw on the image and then just click on the arrows for frame, or 1 or 2 if you are focused on the small plugmake window, and it will refresh the content

[Mathias]

Wow, nice C64 usage! Aren't the eyes a little lop-sided? - left eye seems to have drifted upward or vice versa. Sloth like Baby Ruth? (hopefully you don't get that reference, haha)

[skw]

ok, it's working fine now, ptoing.  thanks!

mathias:  hmm, personally I don't see any problems with the eyes.  I spend a few good minutes of setting them right, maybe in the new step below it's better?  thank you!  naw, heheh, I'm not even a massive baseball fan!  I was using many different references, basing mainly on this one (yeah, yeah, I know, quite silly: "look what a gangsta I am," but it's 2-3 years old now).



now MCOL-friendly!!1

plus something you might find useful, some color ramps based on a few Mirage's pieces:



now I'm thinking of some background.  not sure about the shirt, if it needs any more work.

to be continued.

[ptoing]

Looking good apart from some selout you have going on on the forehead

Also regarding Sloth and Baby Ruth, I reckon you have not seen goonies
http://www.derok.net/images/entertainment/goonies%20sloth.jpg

[Helm]

This is nice. The place where the shirt meets the neck, that inwards curve, I don't think the shirt should hug the shape of the neck unless you wear very tight shirts.

[skw]

Thank you.  Shit, that Goonies guy is really scary.  Surely not my reference!   Never seen before, though.



Alright!  The eyebrow ridge selout killed (refresh!), the shirt curve fixed (the whole stuff still needs some polishing), and the background kind of started.  What do you think?  I'm having the impression something's wrong with it.  Maybe it's too detailed?  Maybe too bright.  Just no idea of how to solve it.

I think I "skip" the border this time.

Think of McLean and "I drove my Chevy to the levy but the levy was dry. . .", or "I was a lonely teenage broncin' buck, with a pink carnation and a pickup truck~"

[Joshua]

I've really enjoyed watching you progress. I think you've come a long way, johnnyspade.

Though, when you put it on your new background (I love the truck and the Mclean reference btw  ) it seems as though you're in need of a little more contrast. Like, I would lighten up the reflected light, and darken the edge of the right (his right) side of his face.

Can't wait to see the foliage.