AuthorTopic: Death Lord - PixelArt Scene  (Read 17842 times)

Offline venatorinc

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Death Lord - PixelArt Scene

on: November 20, 2009, 02:17:05 pm
Hey,

just started on a new project, wanted to draw a (un)death lord still sitting in its throne, in the middle of a volcano/cave ;)
Made some line-art of the lord himself and his throne, background will come at last.


These are NOT the colors I will be using, just did this to make a difference between the throne and the lord himself.
Any comments/critics? Or should I already start coloring/shading?

Thanks,
Lorenzo

Offline CrazyMLC

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Re: Death Lord - PixelArt Scene

Reply #1 on: November 20, 2009, 03:11:55 pm
The undeath lord looks very anorexic and pathetic. I see no menacing look in his eyes, and he looks like he's just standing on short little legs.  :-\
Nothing a few touch-ups cant fix, I assure you!  ;D

Offline venatorinc

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Re: Death Lord - PixelArt Scene

Reply #2 on: November 20, 2009, 03:24:17 pm
I also thought the legs looked kinda weird. I'll edit that, but by the way:
it's his "corpse", he's only half-alive, so that's why he's anorexic  ;)
Also, he doesn't even have eyes XD Need to shade it so it looks like 2 empty holes  ;)

Offline QuaziGNRLnose

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Re: Death Lord - PixelArt Scene

Reply #3 on: November 20, 2009, 04:19:31 pm
i keep telling people this and your no exception, SCALE DOWN! why is it so big?! its going to be very difficult to make this look right at this size, especially when it has no realistic volumes to work with because of the rough line art!!!
half the size at least! especially if its one of your first pieces.
Originally posted by Jeff

I AM A GIANT DONUT MANATEE

Offline venatorinc

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Re: Death Lord - PixelArt Scene

Reply #4 on: November 20, 2009, 04:53:54 pm
i keep telling people this and your no exception, SCALE DOWN! why is it so big?! its going to be very difficult to make this look right at this size, especially when it has no realistic volumes to work with because of the rough line art!!!
half the size at least! especially if its one of your first pieces.

I love doing art on big scales. And no, it's not one of my first pixels. I've got over a year of experience  ;)
And it only looks really big thanks to the white bg, but that's just a preview of where the real background is coming.

Offline Ultimaodin

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Re: Death Lord - PixelArt Scene

Reply #5 on: November 20, 2009, 05:10:48 pm
@quaz- actually I personally found doing big images to start off with to be better. It helped me learn shapes, shading and dithering techniques especially when retricting the pallet. Big piecs are good to learn from as they require more to edit but they are easy to see what eeds to be edited. That's my personal oppinion. However it's usually better to do so with a referance and I get the feeling ven doesn't have such.
First off considering the view point of the chair the guys knees should go up and cover part of his waist line for visibility. The shoulder pads (argh I hate shoulder pads) look way too pointy, curve it a bit at the end. The chair's spikes are a bit ugly. The bottom one is good but the form of the thers are horrid. What programme are you using? If your using Paint Shop Pro or Photoshop, try selecting said spike and duplicating it.  Then try rotating and minimising slightly to get the idea of the shapes for the others and redrawn with the lines as an example. (when you rotate it will more than likely become blurred unless you're a weird arse like me who creates their line art as vector selections)

also what s with the rib/hip flab?

Offline venatorinc

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Re: Death Lord - PixelArt Scene

Reply #6 on: November 20, 2009, 05:23:37 pm
I just use Paint.. got kinda used to it :P
Edited:
-Throne spikes
-Shoulder pads
-Knees

Offline LoTekK

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Re: Death Lord - PixelArt Scene

Reply #7 on: November 20, 2009, 05:59:09 pm
Regardless of your over-a-year of experience, you may want to consider working a little smaller, if only to work on your lines. You appear to be rushing your lines, which wouldn't be so tempting on a smaller piece.



Then there's the aforementioned anatomical issues.

Offline Opacus

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Re: Death Lord - PixelArt Scene

Reply #8 on: November 20, 2009, 06:57:16 pm
Sorry to say but: A year of experience isn't that much. Especially not so with pixel art unless you're extremely talented.
I'd say the average pixelartist is only ready for such sizes after 4 years or so.

Anyway, here's my two cents:
For a dark lord he's hardly conveying any vibe. He doesn't look very dark, or evil. He's just kind of zombie sitting on a throne.
You want something as menacing as a darklord to have alot of pressence and make it all look very dramatic.
One thing that can help achieve this is an interesting perspective.

Your current image is hardly exciting. It's because we're just look straight at him, like he's a normal guy sitting on a normal char.
It's very undynamic, and very uninteresting. Here are 2 suggestions for you. The one a bit more extreme then the other but it illustrates my point.



And for inspiration:
http://www.pcpowerplay.com.au/games/images/news/0809/lichkingdate.jpg

Offline Ultimaodin

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Re: Death Lord - PixelArt Scene

Reply #9 on: November 20, 2009, 07:02:00 pm
Relax the shoulders themselves and make the elbows touch the arms of the chair, as right now the arm chairs look very far away from his body. The arms of the character himself look straight. Try sitting in an arm chair and see how your arms rest.
The knees need to be less rounded I think. Not sure how to explain.
The Spikes are definately improved however you have jaggies as Lotek stated. remember to use decendin patterns like: 8-6-4-3-2-1
never: 8-6-4-5-2-3-2-1-1

Oh and tilt the feet slightly outward, rarely ever do they sit flat and straight on.

Offline venatorinc

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Re: Death Lord - PixelArt Scene

Reply #10 on: November 20, 2009, 07:58:33 pm
@Opacus:
I said the "I have over a year of experience" sentence because QuaziGNRLnose said "especially when it's one of your first pixels". Also, I thought 1 year of experience was good for this art, I kinda have like... 2-3 years of experience, still not 4 like u said. And I only focused on improving my art since a year, so I don't have as much experience as I first thought  :o You got me thinkin :P
Doesn't mean I'm givin up of course. I think I'm redoing the WHOLE piece, I actually thought a corpse would look cool, but seeing ur Evil Lord (first pic) makes me think different :P I'm gonna redesign the whole thing  ;)

@Ultimaodin:
Yeah that's true. To be honest, I have rushed everything. I really want to make something awesome, but I don't have the patience :P I need to relax and just look at every line I put down ;)
In fact, the spikes are just created by settin a line, another one, another one, not paying attention to the pattern.

So yeah, I'm gonna redo the whole thing. Need to make this one count  >:(
I'll post the line-art soon.

Thanks,
Lorenzo.

PS: Opacus, I saw ur account and I see ur Dutch too. I believe I have spoken you before on msn :O

Offline venatorinc

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Re: Death Lord - PixelArt Scene

Reply #11 on: November 20, 2009, 08:34:12 pm
Made the new design, I think it looks way more exciting than the previous.



Crits?

Offline Ultimaodin

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Re: Death Lord - PixelArt Scene

Reply #12 on: November 20, 2009, 08:45:20 pm
Looks more like a tribal god to me. In fact I'd love to see this in an amazon ruin. Your lineart is already much better, but his six pack is a bit high up.
Take your time, you will be rewarded in the end. (this comming from me... hmmm)

Offline Tuna Unleashed

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Re: Death Lord - PixelArt Scene

Reply #13 on: November 20, 2009, 10:16:10 pm
the angle, pose and overall atmosphere could still be much more dramatic. also he seems to have little to no thighs

Offline venatorinc

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Re: Death Lord - PixelArt Scene

Reply #14 on: November 21, 2009, 10:26:33 am
Looks more like a tribal god to me. In fact I'd love to see this in an amazon ruin. Your lineart is already much better, but his six pack is a bit high up.
Take your time, you will be rewarded in the end. (this comming from me... hmmm)

Hmm, ur right.. Looks kinda like a tribal god indeed.. I think I'm switching to that idea  :y:

I gave him a weapon, and some thighs (Like Tuna Unleashed mentioned)



Should I do the background at last, or should I make rough lineart of that one too, in this same pixel?

Offline Ultimaodin

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Re: Death Lord - PixelArt Scene

Reply #15 on: November 21, 2009, 02:15:39 pm
Whoa the left arm (our right) looks very uncomfortable. Try having the elbow still touching the arm and te hand and weapon being only slightly away from the side of the chair. Alternatively try laying the spear across the chair gripped by his left and pointed upward and above his right hand. This gives him the appearance that he is willing and able to defend or attack from his seated position.

Offline venatorinc

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Re: Death Lord - PixelArt Scene

Reply #16 on: November 21, 2009, 03:05:23 pm
Editted:


-Weapon stance edit
-Six-Pack lowered

Offline Ultimaodin

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Re: Death Lord - PixelArt Scene

Reply #17 on: November 21, 2009, 03:36:31 pm
Much better, the feet are still bothering me though. See how Opacus has his turned out and stick out more on the outsides.

Also just curious what happened to his thumb.

Offline venatorinc

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Re: Death Lord - PixelArt Scene

Reply #18 on: November 21, 2009, 04:02:50 pm


Editted the feet, and the thumb. It was already there, but not easy to see :P

Offline McClaneGames

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Re: Death Lord - PixelArt Scene

Reply #19 on: November 21, 2009, 04:34:27 pm
The abdomen seems a little boxy, the body could use some more curves so that it does not have straight outlines.

Offline Ultimaodin

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Re: Death Lord - PixelArt Scene

Reply #20 on: November 21, 2009, 05:44:19 pm
Okay try holding a rod in your hand. See how the thumb goes the opposite way around to the fingers? That's what your missing with the thumb.

More prominent chest muscles would be an improvement. Right now I can't tell if that's a chest underline or a bone necklace.

Offline venatorinc

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Re: Death Lord - PixelArt Scene

Reply #21 on: November 22, 2009, 06:50:24 pm
Well, is this better?


tried adding a simple background:
« Last Edit: November 22, 2009, 08:03:41 pm by venatorinc »

Offline venatorinc

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Re: Death Lord - PixelArt Scene

Reply #22 on: November 26, 2009, 03:50:20 pm
Nobody? I'd like to know if this is a good point to start creating the real line-art and start coloring ???

Offline Gil

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Re: Death Lord - PixelArt Scene

Reply #23 on: November 26, 2009, 06:49:34 pm
While an improvement, still has the main faults from the original:

- legs look very odd, like he has no upper legs
- Abs are way too low, right now his belly button is in his crotch.

Offline 0xDB

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Re: Death Lord - PixelArt Scene

Reply #24 on: November 26, 2009, 07:48:40 pm
My 2cts:
-don't try to "wing" the perspective, do properly construct it (and take into consideration again what Opacus said, use a more interesting one)
-less mirroring of individual pieces, in fact, try not to mirror anything (shoulders, pillars, face, torso, legs, knees, well everything except the arms is mirrored)

Offline venatorinc

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Re: Death Lord - PixelArt Scene

Reply #25 on: November 26, 2009, 08:01:35 pm
how u mean "wing the perspective" ?

and I just mirrored this, beacause it's only a sketch. This is not the real line-art  ;)
Also I'll try improving those upper legs + abs

Offline 0xDB

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Re: Death Lord - PixelArt Scene

Reply #26 on: November 26, 2009, 08:12:00 pm
All I really meant to say was that I think you should properly construct the perspective. To wing something means to try to get something right(or done) without properly preparing for it (could be some slang I picked up somewhere).

Offline Bob Jones

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Re: Death Lord - PixelArt Scene

Reply #27 on: December 02, 2009, 03:54:26 am
He kinda looks like a Predator (from the movie).
As for crits, I would suggest giving him a bigger, as in more muscular, upper body, especially in the chest area. Seems to me that a tribal god of war would have some seriously ripped pecs. Same goes for arms. Muscles will make him look way more badass and interesting.

Offline Jeremy

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Re: Death Lord - PixelArt Scene

Reply #28 on: December 02, 2009, 12:57:32 pm
He looks uncomfortable in the chair. Look at Opacus' edits, how he can move his elbows out further and be in a more relaxed position. Knees being further in relative to the feet enhances this, a person in a position of power needs a powerful stance even though he's sitting.

You should also consider blocking out forms rather than struggling with lines, they give a better idea of shading and are easy to change 'round

I suck at words so here's an edit to show what I mean :)

Offline venatorinc

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Re: Death Lord - PixelArt Scene

Reply #29 on: December 02, 2009, 06:32:01 pm
I editted it more to the perspective of Opacus' edit. I think it looks really interesting now, also some problems might have been fixed. Any comments?

Offline micintexp

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Re: Death Lord - PixelArt Scene

Reply #30 on: December 02, 2009, 06:48:52 pm
Is it just me or the foot is just big enough?

Offline venatorinc

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Re: Death Lord - PixelArt Scene

Reply #31 on: December 02, 2009, 06:51:21 pm
I'm not sure what you mean..? the feet are big, but that's mostly because of the perspective. Also, I think I'm gonna edit the pose of his feet, look somewhat weird right now..

Offline Mathias

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Re: Death Lord - PixelArt Scene

Reply #32 on: December 02, 2009, 07:06:43 pm
Mammoth improvement, venatorinc!

Not really diggin the basic tribal deco on the throne, though. And true, the feet seem to need to be more solidly planted on the grounded, they're angle is odd.

I urge you to seriously consider some dramatic lighting, such as in Opacus' blue-lit edit. Though, your chosen environment is a volcano cave right? So then red/orange would be more likely - warm, not cold

 -ALTHOUGH-

undead/death lord/zombie makes me think of more sickly green and yellowy tints, like disease and decay, and macabre  . . . stuff . . . rot . . . etc. yep

Offline venatorinc

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Re: Death Lord - PixelArt Scene

Reply #33 on: December 03, 2009, 06:33:48 am
Well, I started with the idea of an undeath lord or something, then it became a tribal god, now I think it looks more like an undeath good again  :P
I don't know about the environment, I don't think a volcano would look perfect, like u said.

Maybe u guys can give me some ideas?
I think a dungeon is somewhat basic..

Offline Jeremy

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Re: Death Lord - PixelArt Scene

Reply #34 on: December 03, 2009, 10:07:43 am
Maybe being carried on a bamboo palanquin by minions? With a jungle background?

Offline venatorinc

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Re: Death Lord - PixelArt Scene

Reply #35 on: December 03, 2009, 04:40:39 pm
Nah, I don't think a jungle scene would look good on this... at last, he is undead, not a tribal god anymore  ;)
EDIT:


Changed feet. Should I start creating the real line art or do I have to sketch the background first?

Offline Jeremy

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Re: Death Lord - PixelArt Scene

Reply #36 on: December 04, 2009, 04:15:34 am
In that case, there probably shouldn't be a tribal design on the chair ;)

As I said before, it's a really good idea to try blocking in colours and then scribbling lines over that (Like Opacus' edit)

Conflicting ideas (like the tribal design, Norse-style boots  and the attire of the God) just muddy the idea you want to give.
The throne's not exactly angular and still looks to small, there's perspective issues too.

Here's an edit, note the really quite simple carving things on the throne.


I'd start to block in the background too, it'll give an idea on what colours to use.

Offline venatorinc

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Re: Death Lord - PixelArt Scene

Reply #37 on: December 04, 2009, 05:26:23 pm
so, what u exactly mean with "blocking in colors"?
Just simply adding colors and some basic shading, but not fully detailed work?

Offline Photocopier

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Re: Death Lord - PixelArt Scene

Reply #38 on: December 04, 2009, 08:11:37 pm
no, using your canvas as if painting a picture, using a bigger brush. then refining it.

Offline Jad

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Re: Death Lord - PixelArt Scene

Reply #39 on: December 04, 2009, 08:31:55 pm
Paint with colours, not outlines, is what it means
' _ '

Offline venatorinc

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Re: Death Lord - PixelArt Scene

Reply #40 on: December 05, 2009, 03:56:49 pm
So,, something like this?

Offline Photocopier

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Re: Death Lord - PixelArt Scene

Reply #41 on: December 05, 2009, 04:17:44 pm
yes, like that, his arms are looking wierd now.
you should try not to mirror so much aswell.

Offline Jeremy

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Re: Death Lord - PixelArt Scene

Reply #42 on: December 06, 2009, 01:44:00 am
Much better, now everyone can see where you're heading. Looks quite Nordic to me. I thought that he had bare legs and chest :P

Agreed on the mirroring, but if you make subtle changes it'll not look as rigid. The elbows are in the wrong place, they're squashed down next to him

Here's what I mean

And your throne lacks a back :P

Offline venatorinc

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Re: Death Lord - PixelArt Scene

Reply #43 on: December 06, 2009, 12:56:23 pm
oh of course :O :P
totally forgot that.

fixed arms
also editted the tummy a little  :y:


forgot the throne back again.. a well, will come.
« Last Edit: December 06, 2009, 12:58:08 pm by venatorinc »