I would suggest getting your line art for this down in pixels before any coloring.  It's really so much easier to make changes.  It's something I've learned the hard way.  It seems like a pain at first, but it really saves a lot of time in the long run. 

For some things, yeah basic shapes are a good way to start.  Anatomy though, I'm finding it a lot easier for the line art first.  Maybe start out as basic shapes for the idea and then turn it into line art.  This is just my opinion though.  I'm sure everyone has their own technique.

This looks like it'll be pretty good size.  That's why I suggested it.

Yay, a sprite!

Okay, before you get too far, even if you think you can do a lot of fixing in pixels, I recommend you make a clean, workable sketch, first.

Something like this:

Use a 'balls and rods' technique to make an easily posable maquette (I'm used to the process, so I shortcut here directly to muscle outlines on the simple areas) and then you can flesh it out as a pixel (in a new layer, preferably, if you're using a programme like GIMP).

You'll never have to worry about proportions, and you won't get so attached to a part of the picture that you won't want to change it (for example, I reworked the arm on the right a few times to get the fist resting against the thigh correctly).

If it's not too much trouble, make a new sketch for me, so we can be sure your finished sprite will be built on a good foundation for easier finishing.

Thanks!

dpixel:  Thanks!  Hope it's helpful.

Well this is what i got
I know it's not good but i think it's better than the stick big head that i did previously LOL

Well thats because i suck at anatomy and proportions LOL anyways i think i do it better on paint (i guess) his right foot i want to be standing on his toes.

Yea i can try it out although let's see how it comes out :S maybe the pose is just killing it..

Great job - and I love that you are planning for future characters (and I notice a 'wireframe' structure beneath the face, which looks like it really helped this head come out great!) - I hope to see this new dude as your next topic when Shyub is done (then you can post whatever material you have backed up) but not until then please, I have a hard enough time keeping up with you young people! ;P

The props (proportions) of the new thighs/torso look much better.  But you accidentally introduced a flaw you didn't have before.  As a quick quiz, can you spot which arm is longer than the other?

Second, remember not to make the toes of your feet just a blob that hangs off the ankle (as on the rightside foot here).  For a fun exercise, take off your own shoe, hold it at arm's length in the rough position of your character, and sketch the outline - it's the perfect way to get a feel for the shape and volume of the foot.

Assuming they'll let you take off your shoe in art class, lol.

Hey, I still think it would be cool, instead of having his whole arm stretched out just to kinda have a more close-in arm, and put more detail on the finger. I think it would give him more of a BA look. 

Here's the Pixel version i got..
i change the right arm to have a movement where only the fingers throw the stick instead of the whole arm moving..
I kno there might be some errors but i think it's my best anatomy so far :)
Thanks for the tips Ninja

sure, it's better to refine the pose now than later.
while that im learning things

Yes, cant understand most of them since idk that much of anatomy names xD
I think if you got the image and had arrows pointing on the place and # it, it could be easier

Yeah, that looks great!

Now just lengthen the upper leg on the left, and I notice that the upper arm on the left needs to be a bit longer, too.

Lengthen the arm and worked around his left leg more.
 

Thank you, after fixing it ill start adding the solid blocks for his hair and clothing


Edited by RollerKingdom - 14 February 2010 at 9:40am

Wow, this is going really well, RK.

I def like the direction you're taking with the costume. If you want to have the leftside shorts' leg read as longer, you should probably make it even longer! Don't do this if it doesn't feel right for you, but ideas that pop up for me would be to have the cuff be past his knee and mirror the sleeve on the rightside arm (maybe even an extension that's the same colour, for a two tone look - can't be sure this would be good without trying it, though) or even make the cuff ragged, with torn bits that hang down? Just throwing stuff out there - let me know what was suggested in your own mind's eye.

The bands behind his legs made him look like his legs were chained together when I first glanced at it - and I was like, 'hey, the escaped demon look: cool!' If that bothers you, however, maybe you can get away with some artistic breeze and have them shifted out to one side. (kinda like the idea of bondage demon though, lol)

Okay so im starting to work on some parts, i want to get each section perfectly done before moving to the others, so right now ive worked on the head.. how does it look?


Ive also started to get some ideas for the clothing shading but i have a feeling this is coming out terrible :/ *sigh



Edited by RollerKingdom - 15 February 2010 at 10:22am

Yea, i think ill go to the color shape version, fix it and re-start, i guess the colors that are making it look weird atm :/ depending if i have a plan on changing the colors, i can fix the portrait later on

Wow, the head on the shoulders is perfectly placed!
I really like shiny things, and the colours in the top shirt go nicely together. So as long as the lighting is realistic, I got no problems with the top one (what did you think of the idea of using some kind of model to help with shadows and highlights - is it too much trouble?).

p.s. don't forget the nose and shorts leg ;)

Yes, in a face this size, a nose taking up that much area looks like a pink cat nose.

And I do like the top one.

well ninja seems to know a lot more about anatomy than me so maybe it's just you xD

I think you need to think more about his pose... right now it's unclear what he is doing. Why is one leg up in the air? Why is one hand tensed in front of him? It makes it look awkward. You got the proportions right, just the pose is stiff and doesn't quite make sense. If he is supposed to be walking to the viewer, then you need much more bend and tension on the foot that has weight on it. Right now it's essentially floating. Also, study leg shape more! I see a recurring problem in your pieces of oversimplified leg anatomy. You just make one popeye bulge in the middle of the calf, and ignore the knee. I scratched out a new silhouette of the arms head and torso:



As for the arms... figure out what you want them to be doing. if this guy is supposed to be walking then get a nice bend in the foot he has weight on and align his back foot so it looks like it is about to move forward and hit the ground. If he walked in his current pose then he would look like a penguin walking fool. Also, look at some run animations or walk animations and see what the arms are doing during it.

Last thing, I think your skin color is way too yellow! He looks almost jaundiced. Get some reds and pinks in there.

Anyway, keep it up man you've seriously improved since you first came here. Your anatomy knowledge, and overall knowledge has grown so much since you made the rock lee thing.

Here's the diff skin i tried to apply to see if it looks better but idk
im still feeling something horrible on this :/
ugh it's frustrating how you think you will are doing well but then it looks nasty ;/

Thank you, ill study some of the edit you made and RESTART everything again :/

Thanks for the idea too dpixel,
i've restarted it again and i think it's looking better now, ill go for a simple shading on his clothing like NaCl suggested