Feedback on small animation
Printed From: Pixel Joint
Category: Pixel Art
Forum Name: WIP (Work In Progress)
Forum Discription: Get crits and comments on your pixel WIPs and other art too!
URL: https://pixeljoint.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=18886
Printed Date: 10 September 2025 at 10:35pm
Topic: Feedback on small animation
Posted By: tonytony
Subject: Feedback on small animation
Date Posted: 16 May 2014 at 5:11am
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I'd like feedback on a small animation I just finished.
It is a simplified http://www.cyborgmatt.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Dota2_Model_Puck01_New.jpg - Puck from DotA 2. 
My reflection on it is that I shouldn't be lazy and use the rotate tool, since it creates AA = more colors. The image ended up using 48 colors due to this, instead of under 10, which is probably all I needed. Will try to follow CELS' guide in regards to that. I am quite ok with the static parts of the character. Because I used rotations the wings ended up looking much sloppier in the animation. What do you guys think? Any techniques you think I could learn from? Thank you very much. |
Replies:
Posted By: CELS
Date Posted: 16 May 2014 at 6:38am
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Good start!
Well, first of all, I would start out with as few details as possible. Try making the animation with only 2 or 3 colours, and then when you're happy with the animation overall, you add the details. Otherwise, you're going to be re-shading every limb and redrawing the face every time you make a change, which sucks. When you've reduced it to 2 or 3 colours (or just 1 blob of colour for each limb and wing), I would try to make the animation more dynamic. Right now, the body is completely locked and the wings look hard as steel. Imagine if the wings looked elastic, so you could see them bending from the air resistance every time they flap. And imagine if the arms and legs of your creature move a bit, everytime the flapping of his wings breaks his fall. Try to find some good reference videos, like this one: http://youtu.be/LZidl8niBdg?t=2m27s |
Posted By: tonytony
Date Posted: 16 May 2014 at 7:25am
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Originally posted by CELS
Good start! Well, first of all, I would start out with as few details as possible. Try making the animation with only 2 or 3 colours, and then when you're happy with the animation overall, you add the details. Otherwise, you're going to be re-shading every limb and redrawing the face every time you make a change, which sucks. When you've reduced it to 2 or 3 colours (or just 1 blob of colour for each limb and wing), I would try to make the animation more dynamic. Right now, the body is completely locked and the wings look hard as steel. Imagine if the wings looked elastic, so you could see them bending from the air resistance every time they flap. And imagine if the arms and legs of your creature move a bit, everytime the flapping of his wings breaks his fall. Try to find some good reference videos, like this one: http://youtu.be/LZidl8niBdg?t=2m27s Thank you so much - I found all of what you said to be useful. I do have another question, regarding color palettes. Is there a common way to come up with them? I often see this kind of thing: 
To a newbie like me, they kind of look like the same thing. If I was to restart and make a color palette first, I would do something like this: 
Which I see is the "Bad" (It also took a while to come up with this). Would anyone be able to offer any advice on that? Thank you. |
Posted By: jalonso
Date Posted: 16 May 2014 at 8:43am
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What you did there is just fine.
What's seen as weak with that kind of linear ramp palettes is that what you really have is a 4 color palettes with variations of those 4 colors. The other more organic palette is to extend your colors without adding anymore colors. This is done by choosing a shade where it works on multiple ramps. For example, your lightest pink and your darkest orange can be one single shade that works for both ramps then the lightest yellow would become your lightest blue/yellow. Notice in your ramps the 2 middle blues are rather close and probably 2 wasted shades where one could easily be used for both blue and purple ramps. These organic palettes are even more sensible when you are making a small sprite as you have here. ------------- |