this is very nice, i like it a lot. very 'tokyo jungle,' somehow. 

I'd try swapping out the colors  and keeping the lightest shade for the tusks or making the lighter shade more on the back and mid section so it has a more aerial approach to it. I'd try a bunch of different things and just see what looks better.

By the way, I don't know if you know about it already but if you want in-depth critique from people who really know what they're talking about you should try posting on pixelation. http://www.wayofthepixel.net/index.php

wow thanks for the detailed feedback man! so you think I should keep the colours on the body maybe at three? and leave the lighest shade for the tusks? or should I maybe replace the two lighter tones on the body with some more of the darkest shade? The animation is kind of meant to look like an exaggerated breathing kind of idle stance, and I'm not really sure how else I can draw something like that, although I do know what you mean with the getting smaller thing.. I animated it in parts, I did the head and body seperately to each other and joined them afterwards, which proved to be a bit of a headache :p thanks again though, I'll take some time to look at it again in the next few weeks when I have some time to spare off uni :)

I think the lightest color being on the body and the legs is rather unneccesary. It looks like there would be a lightsource on the ground, like a primitive caveman campfire as this beast travels through their village. The color could be used more sparingly, or only for the eye so an eye is clearly visible.

At this size readability is very important so with your shading and cluster making, you should really keep having a look at how readable everything is at the desired size.

The animation doesn't work quite as well because it looks as though he is just getting smaller and longer. The best way would be to do it the hard way. Draw each frame individially, or at least draw the keep partly differently to keep the proportions in check.


Overall though, I like this a lot. It's a really cool sprite. The issues I brought up do not detract too much from the style and cool-factor you have going on.