Pixel Joint Forum: Fat horse?

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Yar
Midshipman

Joined: 25 August 2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 44

Topic: Fat horse?
Posted: 22 October 2006 at 1:20am

I'm having problems with this damn horse.

The body just doesn't seem right. Too fat? Short? Legs not long enough? Body too big as compared to head/legs?

I've looked at a few ref. photos, but short of redoing it entirely, I'm not able to find the anatomical problem that I'm sensing latently.

Any help and suggestions is/are appreciated.

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Pieface
Commander

Joined: 09 February 2006
Location: England
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 146

Posted: 22 October 2006 at 2:00am

make the legs a bit wider as horses have very muscly legs

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Omegavolt
Commander

Joined: 03 March 2005
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 227

Posted: 22 October 2006 at 11:05am

Actually, if you ask me, for this size horse, the legs are too thick at the top. They look like chicken legs right now. Thin the tops of the legs slightly and that should help.

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Yar
Midshipman

Joined: 25 August 2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 44

Posted: 25 October 2006 at 12:29pm

Thinned the 3 visible legs and changed some of the lighter selout to be more neutrally colored. Also brought the chest between the forelegs up a bit.
Any better?

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Yar
Midshipman

Joined: 25 August 2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 44

Posted: 30 October 2006 at 2:27pm

Updated w/ animations.
Each element (head movement,tail,hoof) has it's own set of frames which I'm planning on combining later (so they will move at the same time). Just laying them out as a resource for different combinations.

I think I may need to add a frame btwn the head down and head forward frames. I'm happy enough with the tail. The hoof scratch may need some more frames as well.

Tell me what ya think! C&C always appreciated.

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Souly
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Joined: 13 December 2020
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Posts: 2451

Posted: 30 October 2006 at 2:32pm

The tail and the head movement looks fine.
I think the leg needs to pull up a bit before kicking.

I am the jesus of PJ.

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Yar
Midshipman

Joined: 25 August 2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 44

Posted: 30 October 2006 at 3:06pm

Originally posted by Souly

The tail and the head movement looks fine.
I think the leg needs to pull up a bit before kicking.

Before the kick or after?
I was thinking of it as a ground scratch, so the hoof would move straight back and then come up.
I'll give it a go! Thanks!

Oh, and...does anyone think it's too dark? I messed around with the brightness/contrast in GGale, and part o' me thought it looked a bit better.
Any ideas?

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jalonso
Admiral
Admiral

Joined: 29 November 2022
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Posts: 13537

Posted: 30 October 2006 at 9:53pm

I may be too late since you've started animating. All four legs are too seperated, the front especially. The legs center should be more "under' the body. The thighs are muscly on the thight but taper in, giving that elegant horse thing.

PJs FAQ <•> Sticky Reads

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Yar
Midshipman

Joined: 25 August 2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 44

Posted: 31 October 2006 at 1:06pm

Originally posted by jalonso

All four legs are too seperated, the front especially. The legs center should be more "under' the body. The thighs are muscly on the thight but taper in, giving that elegant horse thing.

Hmmm...Ya might be right. Here's an edit (left) next to the original:

I totally agree with you Jalonso. But part of me is hoping that a horse shaped like my original above wouldn't be outside the realm of possibility. I dunno.
This might set me back a bit...

(Just for fun here's the two together as an abomination:

I thought about adding some disco lights or a polka band, but I decided to sleep instead. :) )

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jalonso
Admiral
Admiral

Joined: 29 November 2022
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Posts: 13537

Posted: 31 October 2006 at 10:15pm

There is nothing wrong with your original version. You thought it was the body being fat. To me it was the placement of the legs that looked odd. I like the revisded version but now think the lags are too long by one pixel

maybe wo.
Its quite a challenge to create iso animals, horses in particular, and you have done a great job.

PJs FAQ <•> Sticky Reads

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Yar
Midshipman

Joined: 25 August 2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 44

Posted: 01 November 2006 at 11:21pm

No worries!
I do appreciate the C&C, and I think you're very right about it. For a guy who claims not to know anatomy, you nailed the problem.
I did lengthen the legs 1-2 pixels in the edit, just to see. I think you might be right about that, as well.

Anyhoo, I'll probably stick with the shorter, wider version and claim it's a pack horse or something. I just don't want to go back and redo it, especially as I'm planning on 7 other directions with animations.

And, then the walking....

*shudder*

So, I dunno. I've already learned some things doing this sprite so far. Maybe I'll pick up some more. I'll keep this thread bouncing to the top every once and a while. :)

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jalonso
Admiral
Admiral

Joined: 29 November 2022
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 13537

Posted: 01 November 2006 at 11:35pm

Luckily there are many breeds of horses so you're clear

PJs FAQ <•> Sticky Reads

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Pixel_Outlaw
Commander

Joined: 01 September 2005
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 3829

Posted: 01 November 2006 at 11:35pm

Why are you using purple to shade when your other two colors are so close in hue?

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WIP (Work In Progress)
Pixel Joint Forum : Pixel Art : WIP (Work In Progress)

Author	Message
Yar Midshipman Joined: 25 August 2006 Online Status: Offline Posts: 44	Topic: Fat horse? Posted: 22 October 2006 at 1:20am
	I'm having problems with this damn horse. The body just doesn't seem right. Too fat? Short? Legs not long enough? Body too big as compared to head/legs? I've looked at a few ref. photos, but short of redoing it entirely, I'm not able to find the anatomical problem that I'm sensing latently. Any help and suggestions is/are appreciated.
	IP Logged

Pieface Commander Joined: 09 February 2006 Location: England Online Status: Offline Posts: 146	Posted: 22 October 2006 at 2:00am
	make the legs a bit wider as horses have very muscly legs
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Omegavolt Commander Joined: 03 March 2005 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 227	Posted: 22 October 2006 at 11:05am
	Actually, if you ask me, for this size horse, the legs are too thick at the top. They look like chicken legs right now. Thin the tops of the legs slightly and that should help.
	IP Logged

Yar Midshipman Joined: 25 August 2006 Online Status: Offline Posts: 44	Posted: 25 October 2006 at 12:29pm
	Thinned the 3 visible legs and changed some of the lighter selout to be more neutrally colored. Also brought the chest between the forelegs up a bit. Any better?
	IP Logged

Yar Midshipman Joined: 25 August 2006 Online Status: Offline Posts: 44	Posted: 30 October 2006 at 2:27pm
	Updated w/ animations. Each element (head movement,tail,hoof) has it's own set of frames which I'm planning on combining later (so they will move at the same time). Just laying them out as a resource for different combinations. I think I may need to add a frame btwn the head down and head forward frames. I'm happy enough with the tail. The hoof scratch may need some more frames as well. Tell me what ya think! C&C always appreciated.
	IP Logged

Souly Commander Joined: 13 December 2020 Online Status: Offline Posts: 2451	Posted: 30 October 2006 at 2:32pm
	The tail and the head movement looks fine. I think the leg needs to pull up a bit before kicking.
	I am the jesus of PJ.
	IP Logged

Yar Midshipman Joined: 25 August 2006 Online Status: Offline Posts: 44	Posted: 30 October 2006 at 3:06pm
	*Originally posted by Souly* The tail and the head movement looks fine. I think the leg needs to pull up a bit before kicking. Before the kick or after? I was thinking of it as a ground scratch, so the hoof would move straight back and then come up. I'll give it a go! Thanks! Oh, and...does anyone think it's too dark? I messed around with the brightness/contrast in GGale, and part o' me thought it looked a bit better. Any ideas?
	IP Logged

jalonso Admiral Joined: 29 November 2022 Online Status: Offline Posts: 13537	Posted: 30 October 2006 at 9:53pm
	I may be too late since you've started animating. All four legs are too seperated, the front especially. The legs center should be more "under' the body. The thighs are muscly on the thight but taper in, giving that elegant horse thing.
	PJs FAQ <•> Sticky Reads
	IP Logged

Yar Midshipman Joined: 25 August 2006 Online Status: Offline Posts: 44	Posted: 31 October 2006 at 1:06pm
	*Originally posted by jalonso* All four legs are too seperated, the front especially. The legs center should be more "under' the body. The thighs are muscly on the thight but taper in, giving that elegant horse thing. Hmmm...Ya might be right. Here's an edit (left) next to the original: I totally agree with you Jalonso. But part of me is hoping that a horse shaped like my original above wouldn't be outside the realm of possibility. I dunno. This might set me back a bit... (Just for fun here's the two together as an abomination: I thought about adding some disco lights or a polka band, but I decided to sleep instead. :) )
	IP Logged

jalonso Admiral Joined: 29 November 2022 Online Status: Offline Posts: 13537	Posted: 31 October 2006 at 10:15pm
	There is nothing wrong with your original version. You thought it was the body being fat. To me it was the placement of the legs that looked odd. I like the revisded version but now think the lags are too long by one pixel maybe wo. Its quite a challenge to create iso animals, horses in particular, and you have done a great job.
	PJs FAQ <•> Sticky Reads
	IP Logged

Yar Midshipman Joined: 25 August 2006 Online Status: Offline Posts: 44	Posted: 01 November 2006 at 11:21pm
	No worries! I do appreciate the C&C, and I think you're very right about it. For a guy who claims not to know anatomy, you nailed the problem. I did lengthen the legs 1-2 pixels in the edit, just to see. I think you might be right about that, as well. Anyhoo, I'll probably stick with the shorter, wider version and claim it's a pack horse or something. I just don't want to go back and redo it, especially as I'm planning on 7 other directions with animations. And, then the walking.... shudder So, I dunno. I've already learned some things doing this sprite so far. Maybe I'll pick up some more. I'll keep this thread bouncing to the top every once and a while. :)
	IP Logged

jalonso Admiral Joined: 29 November 2022 Online Status: Offline Posts: 13537	Posted: 01 November 2006 at 11:35pm
	Luckily there are many breeds of horses so you're clear
	PJs FAQ <•> Sticky Reads
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Pixel_Outlaw Commander Joined: 01 September 2005 Online Status: Offline Posts: 3829	Posted: 01 November 2006 at 11:35pm
	Why are you using purple to shade when your other two colors are so close in hue?

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