Well this is just a very early sketch, basically i want to make another moke up but this time with madara (a strongest character from naruto) I got inspired after elf suggested it :)
This time i want to also add a title screen to my mock up..

Let's see how thing will get going after this :) Im sure it will be successful with your contribution of critics and etc! :)
My goal is to have a piece on my gallery with at least 10 faves :) I want make it this one :)

Stance is kinda weird, you should really just start shading, because when you start shading your going to end up changing your lines to make the piece flow more naturally.
Personally when I pixel, I try to stay away from line art, and just draw in values of color. Hopefully you know what I mean.

...?

How could i fix it then.. im really weak about anatomy but i still want to try it..

Fixed lighting on the landscape and fixed arm


Is the grass texture nice?


Edited by RollerKingdom - 23 January 2010 at 8:35pm

Does this look much better now?

Legs and new path looking better???



Edited by RollerKingdom - 23 January 2010 at 10:08pm

imo, colors are far too unbalanced and saturated.
For example the darkest green should reflect a bit of red in it and would lean into the brown side of green instead of this pure green you now have.

E:
I threw a gradient (NPA) over your art using the darkest red and the lightest green and overlayed it to find the colors. Quick and easy : D





Edited by jalonso - 24 January 2010 at 11:46am

Edited by jalonso - 24 January 2010 at 11:47am

No! This was just a way to show you how to find and refine your colors only. This is just a starting point from which to start and then refine individual colors as needed.
For example, one of the browns can be shifted to a redder hue to use for re-coloring the path. I was only concentrating on helping you find your palette.
Take your original. What's the use of that yellow?? It serves no purpose and it doesn't even show so its a wasted color...
By making a cohesive palette you'll be able to AA and smooth anything.


Edited by jalonso - 24 January 2010 at 12:03pm

It should be making life easier. Don't be your own stumbling block. Be patient, k.

yup! but incorporate variations of browns (greenish browns and reddish browns...even a grey or 2 that can be used on the character) as you work. Me thinks brown is the key neutralizer shade(s) that will make everything work and tie in.

Think of the palette as organic, so any color can be used anywhere at all. That's the key to a refined palette. For example, an individual shade is chosen not because it works in one place, but because it works ALL OVER the place.
You can choose a shade and work with it but you can come back and refine it later when working in other areas. Just be patient, step back look at your work and dive in again.

*Its football time so I'm logging off for now. Keep at it and keep showing progress :)


Edited by jalonso - 24 January 2010 at 12:43pm

What do you think of the landscape?
I believe im done with the grass.. now just need to add some more details to it by adding some flowers and log..
then gotta rework on the character, then sky, then the writing
*wowz..



Thanks Jalonso with the palette help, what program was that?

Hey, Roller!  You sure have put a lot of work into this in such a short time!

Your new legs do look better, but unfortunately it looks like you have the right leg and the right arm both swung back - they'd be opposite during a natural walk.

Also, I much prefer this grass texture:



The one on the hill above his head (it looks like a real pain to do that much detail though...) - but to keep it from looking too much like rock, you might want to avoid using such a dark black in it.

Having the two clumps of cloud made for better composition, IMHO.  Also, the flat shading looks better, but if you want to make them more 3-D, then don't use the method from your last post, try shading them with the same shapes as their own outline - otherwise they'll look like a pile of melted marshmallow!  (wish I could be more help on that, but all I know is how clouds look good, I've never pixelled them!)

Thank you so much for the tips, tbh the reason i didnt continue with that grass is because i thought it was looking horrible.. and i really like the grass atm, maybe ill be adding some logs and rocks on them to give more details..
Also ill fix the leg and arm position, thank you.
Thanks about the cloud, ill be detailing it more and the reason i removed one clump is because it might take the attention of the text too much when added.





aww but i want your help at least with the palette, you helped me improve it a lot by helping me change the grass palette, i got the feeling that i wanted of a dark atmosphere.. i just gotta find some good palette for the cloud so it won't blend in with the text when added..

Ive been starting the clouds detail and AA.. how is it coming so far?

Im really liking it so far especially because its my first time doing it



Thank you, ill be working on the AA so then i can just recolor later on


Edited by RollerKingdom - 24 January 2010 at 9:40pm

Thank you, im sure to fix it when back from school..
so i should remove the light grass part from the back hills and make them standing less?

Part of the reason I suggested using the first grass texture is because it looks great (a lot like pro work) and also because as r1k said, the far hills need to be less textured (notice in the first grass on the far hill that there are no individual clumps, but rather that it joins into pleasant furrows, which would happen with real grass as you moved away from it - you'd see group structure and not the peppering of individual grass blades).

As for the text interfering with the clouds, this should not be a problem with a properly designed font.  One method is to use a white and a black outline around the body of each letter, and then it can contrast with any colour.

Here is a picture of beautiful horizon clouds in a rich colour whose shape most matches the ones of your own picture.  They're lit from right to left, while yours are lit from left to right, but you can get the idea.  Note the number if little clumps that go into making big clumps, where light and dark shadows tend to fall, and so on.  Please keep both clumps of clouds as you had originally, as this balances the picture and helps keep the eye from being drawn away from Madara - if your font is designed well there won't be any problems.

Ahem, all this is just personal speculation of course, since I haven't tried it myself to see if it looks good, and I don't want to unduly influence your original vision - but I hope it was helpful, at least!  Thanks.

More then clouds it looks like he's heading for the huge marshmellow castle.
You need to make it more clear that it's cloud i suggest making it more misty of sorts, I think that would suit the tone of the piece more.
Also I have to say that I don't really think you've captured the likeness of the character completley I'm not sure if i would've recognized him.
Also maybe add som spots of burnt grass or something, anything to bring more details and mood to the piece.
I definetly think you're improving keep it up :D

Remember I said its a starting point to work from. Colors will always change here and there. Just keep color changes or additional colors within the 'string' of colors.
Type looks ok to me :)

Frankly, the cloud is a mess! The reason is that its so strong and contrasty to the sky that its almost a foreground feature or at least demands the viewers eye too much. It really needs to blend into the BG and not be a solid item between the mountains and the grass.
I think this piece by Ryona is a good example of sky/clound/ground blend.

well this was my latest update on the clouds to benefit the text a bit more..
That piece is amazing.. idk if i can apply it to mine :S
I can try but it might take some time to learn it :P


Also I would like to know which one looks better.. left or right?
(clouds all blending or leaving that one showing its back..

Also you kno the character i have on the squre below the screen
i think that hair color is better than the one on the picture right now.. don't you think so?


Edited by RollerKingdom - 25 January 2010 at 5:10pm

I think maybe darkening the clouds alittle at horizon level. Just alittle bit of it. Try and add a slightly brighter side to the mountains and a small gradient to the sky.

Ya thats what i was looking for too, thanks for the idea on the mountains, ill add one more on the middle and do the bright side and will work on the sky gradient as well.



OO this looks hawt, would you mind if i use that palette for the clouds :D?
also thanks for the edit on his face, it gives him a bit of more madness expression and the part of the outfit as well, ill just slighting smooth it.

now i wonder if the Madara text can come up better..

oo okay so you mean there is a bunch of colors on these clouds mixed together :o?