Will Champion (Coldplay)
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=10828
Printed Date: 17 November 2025 at 12:10am
Topic: Will Champion (Coldplay)
Posted By: tormi1000
Subject: Will Champion (Coldplay)
Date Posted: 15 August 2010 at 2:17pm
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Hello :) Making a portrait of Will Champion from the band Coldplay. All help is welcome :)
I will use this as ref 
outlines 
some progress... 
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Replies:
Posted By: Pragz
Date Posted: 15 August 2010 at 3:01pm
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What's with the bubble thing? Venture out and try other styles of shading. Don't be a one-trick pony! D: Otherwise, looks good so far. ------------- Hello - I'm new here. :) |
Posted By: tormi1000
Date Posted: 15 August 2010 at 3:45pm
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I like the bubble style :P
Here is some progress with the shirt 
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Posted By: Pumpkinbot
Date Posted: 15 August 2010 at 3:59pm
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Oh shiz! LOVE that ditherting! :D And his last name is really "Champions"? X) I could imagine their family singing. We are the Champions, my friends... |
Posted By: Manupix
Date Posted: 15 August 2010 at 4:40pm
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This is very large, but you know that by now... ;) More important: quote Manu: Make sure you have perfect shapes and shading before applying any texture / dithering, and don't use it where it isn't necessary. See what I mean? And I agree with Pragz: a choice of texture is not just 'coz I like it', it's got to convey something about the surface you draw. Bubbles are not necessarily the best choice for skin. |
Posted By: tormi1000
Date Posted: 15 August 2010 at 5:30pm
Okey, I see,I will try to find another texture for the skin, but I will keep the bubble texture on shirt it really fits there.
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Posted By: tormi1000
Date Posted: 15 August 2010 at 6:27pm
Edited skin
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Posted By: tormi1000
Date Posted: 16 August 2010 at 12:26am
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Before all you say this is way over dithered, think this is a beard it supposed to buy fuzzy and a bit blurry and it is natural for shadows to flow smoothly. If someone gives me an edit where it looks better, then I will change it. :)
Beard: 
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Posted By: StepDragon
Date Posted: 16 August 2010 at 12:49am
| *Jaw Drops* that's nice |
Posted By: tormi1000
Date Posted: 16 August 2010 at 1:32am
| Thanks :) |
Posted By: jeremy
Date Posted: 16 August 2010 at 2:11am
Agreed that you shouldn't go straight to dither. Your colours are all quite unsaturated; here's a quickish paintover: |
Posted By: PixelSnader
Date Posted: 16 August 2010 at 7:08pm
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Agree with jeremy. Blockout first, details later. ------------- ▄▄█ ▄▄█ ▄█▄ ▄█▄ |
Posted By: tormi1000
Date Posted: 16 August 2010 at 9:41pm
| All thanks for your help, but I will just say I have to travel away for a week and so I can`t use a computer just saying so you would not think I have quited on this. :) |
Posted By: ekobor
Date Posted: 17 August 2010 at 12:24pm
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I dunno, I like the bubbly thing; it feels like it connects thematically to his previous Coldplay piece, a connection that those of us who don't know the visages of the band members can use to link them. ------------- |
Posted By: cure
Date Posted: 17 August 2010 at 1:10pm
| irregular dithering has its uses, like for water or an irregular or bumpy surface. but when one needs to convey a smooth texture such as skin? either way, colors and forms need to be blocked in before dithering begins if he wants correct lighting/defined forms/good volumes. i don't think tying two pieces together stylistically warrants a move so detrimental to the individual piece. |
Posted By: StepDragon
Date Posted: 17 August 2010 at 6:04pm
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Originally posted by cure
either way, colors and forms need to be blocked in before dithering begins if he wants correct lighting/defined forms/good volumes I disagree in principle. I'm sure there are people out there who can do without it. However, its usually a good idea to do so. |
Posted By: tormi1000
Date Posted: 19 August 2010 at 2:21pm
Well this was a new experience, it was very weird! I really did not know what to do...., bu this what I blocked out.Sorry Jeremy for I using your palette I just donīt know much about colors and I used yours because they looked very good, in the final picture I will use my colors :P Pleas give me some more tips how to block, it is just totally new for me :D
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Posted By: Manupix
Date Posted: 20 August 2010 at 4:03am
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One way to do it is to find geometrical lines/polygons in the face. It's helpful to block shades, as it keeps you from imagining shapes you know and concentrate on actual shapes you see. There are certainly many ways to choose these lines, and mine are not very good, I'm new to this! ;) This are just guides, you don't have to keep those shapes as visible in the final work of course. You may, too. Search the forums, I'm sure Helm posted about it on Pixelation.  |
Posted By: tormi1000
Date Posted: 20 August 2010 at 1:19pm
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Thanks Manupix, it really helped! :)
Grid: 
Grid with colors: 
Only colors: 
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Posted By: PixelSnader
Date Posted: 20 August 2010 at 4:44pm
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No offense, but those 'polygon' based images just don't work. Geometry/topologywise they just make no sense.
Think lowpoly 3D model, not color blotches in the photo. Here are some good references:    ------------- ▄▄█ ▄▄█ ▄█▄ ▄█▄ |
Posted By: Manupix
Date Posted: 21 August 2010 at 4:03am
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Thanks Snader for clarifying, I wondered when doing it about this very point: polygons from perceived light or from known shape. As I said I'm no good at this. Btw, sorry Tormi, I hope I didn't lead you too much astray. However, light defines those shape polygons, I think (as in the 3D example), so they shouldn't be too far off the mark - should they? Except where beard and hair interfere of course. I wish I'd seriously start studying this.  |
Posted By: PixelSnader
Date Posted: 21 August 2010 at 9:10am
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where beard and hair interfere
That, and skin color, and ambient light, etc. A lot of things can mess around with our perception of colors, light, dark and such. You've probably seen this before: 
The big difference is this: You try to recreate the image, while I try to recreate the head.This leads to much more versatile and beneficial results. For instance, if you drew a lowpoly Champion, you could easily change the lighting to be from the left side, or from above, or both. It also leads to a better understan- ding of concepts such as shadow, volume and anatomy. Oh and a general statement here: doing another type of art (3d, painting, sculpting) will help you pixel better. Basic concepts like lighting carry over pretty well. ------------- ▄▄█ ▄▄█ ▄█▄ ▄█▄ |
Posted By: tormi1000
Date Posted: 24 August 2010 at 8:23am
| I am not going to quit on this but it will be a wile until I post again because this year I am going to the art school and there is much to be done before the new school start. :) |
Posted By: tormi1000
Date Posted: 24 August 2010 at 2:49pm
Ok I actually found time today so here is my latest version. Is it any better?
So what should I do next?... |
Posted By: tormi1000
Date Posted: 25 August 2010 at 6:42am
Should I go to dithering now? |
Posted By: tormi1000
Date Posted: 25 August 2010 at 8:06am
because nobody answered i got bored and did some dithering :D
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Posted By: PixelSnader
Date Posted: 25 August 2010 at 8:32am
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No, not yet. Now is a good time to add details like the dimple between the eyebrow, nicer ears, etc, soften shapes like the nose.
It would also be a good idea to add a secondary palette and start painting in the hair. Why a secondary palette? Because it works easier. You can optimize the total palette afterwards. Possibly a third and fourth palette for the glasses and shirt etc. As for the current shapes: close but could be even better. Try grabbing some alternative shots like these:   
to compare details and shapes. Here are some of my findings: -he's got a pretty clear bump on his forehead, like part of a sphere -the dimple center-under the lower lips is more pronounced than your WIP -your cheeks and chin look a bit saggy in comparison -his brows are a lot flatter, not as tubular as your image, and it has a fairly sharp ridge where they meets the temples (most people have that) -check the shape of his lips very closely. Looking at pictures of other mouths will help pin down the basic structure too. ------------- ▄▄█ ▄▄█ ▄█▄ ▄█▄ |
Posted By: PixelSnader
Date Posted: 25 August 2010 at 8:43am
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Just saw your update. You can bin that, it's WAY overdithered. ------------- ▄▄█ ▄▄█ ▄█▄ ▄█▄ |
Posted By: tormi1000
Date Posted: 25 August 2010 at 2:08pm
Thanks snader!
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Posted By: PixelSnader
Date Posted: 25 August 2010 at 5:54pm
Just wanted to show you this:
To show how much of an improvement you've already made, but also that you can push it even further. While painting this, and looking at your latest image, I noticed something. I think I've found out one problem you're having, which might be either the cause or re- sult of your heavy usage of dithering. You're trying to smooth things out too much. This is quite evident in the large shapes of the neck and forehead, but what tipped me off was the splotchy + shaped light part under his mouth. Don't be afraid to have some harsh shadows in places, in fact that's how reality is: soft smooth surfaces mixed up with angular shapes. If you look at the underside of the mustache in the reference pic, there's quite a sudden change in dark- ness. Similarly, the triangular spike on the cheek/jaw has a gradient in your image, but rather sudden color- changes in the reference image. In my paintover I fixed those 2 things. I also edited a few things based on the other shots i posted earlier, such as the forehead-ball-thing and where hair grows. I also 'made up' some extra detail around the neck (those muscles exist, but they're only very faintly visible in the ref pic) and added a faint rimlight. You can get pointers to get a more detailed image by using multiple references, and with time your knowledge of light and anatomy will grow, allowing you to make up some things. You'll also notice that the hairlines aren't 'clean'. This was done because IRL hair doesn't follow an exact line either. The spraycan was used, which is technically NPA, but I consider it a good tool while sketching. You can also opt to draw lines, scribble, or manually click a bunch of pixels to soften the hairlines a bit. So in short: -mix up angular and round forms, harsh and soft shading -get extra shape-info from other references -hairlines look better when they're a bit messy -sketches don't have to be pixelperfect, so you can use: ~larger brush ~spraycan ~scribbled lines/crosshatching ------------- ▄▄█ ▄▄█ ▄█▄ ▄█▄ |
Posted By: bannanawalrus
Date Posted: 26 August 2010 at 2:25am
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im gonna open a can o' worms here. i liked the first one better.
but then, thats just me, snaders probably has more artistic merit or something, i just dont like it. maybe the colours are too harsh? definitely the beard is too ginger.
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Posted By: tormi1000
Date Posted: 27 August 2010 at 2:56pm
Wow snader, your last comment really helped!!! Now I can really feel the progress. 
So here is what I have done: 
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Posted By: tormi1000
Date Posted: 27 August 2010 at 3:33pm
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Ops I forgot the cheek :)
I so want this to make it to the weekly showcase :P 
Hehe I forgot the lips to :P 
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Posted By: tormi1000
Date Posted: 27 August 2010 at 5:28pm
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Okey so experimented with dithering and colors
But I still got one BIG problem the forehead, :P keep it this way would be just too ugly, so i tried to dither it, just a little but then it looked like color reduced photo :S Rest of the picture is easy :) 
lol this picture has this old western kind a look :D |
Posted By: TheKovenant
Date Posted: 27 August 2010 at 5:45pm
| Really nice, much better than the "ginger beard", I look forward to final edit :) |
Posted By: tormi1000
Date Posted: 28 August 2010 at 3:35am
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Thanks Kovenant :)
But can someone tell me what I should do next and what can I do about the forehead:P 
It look jut like a cheap color reduced photo.......... |
Posted By: tormi1000
Date Posted: 28 August 2010 at 10:00am
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Dammit I give up! I cant fix the f...ing forehead.
Every time I edit the fore head it still turns out like s...t. Like this 
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Posted By: PixelSnader
Date Posted: 28 August 2010 at 12:34pm
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You could start by adding some subtle wrinkles to add a bit more detail. This also breaks up the surface a bit, so you can move your dither patterns over a bit.
You can also improve how you use dithering. Remember what I said about trying to smooth things out too much? That goes for dithering as well. It might also be an idea to use different dithering patterns. This for instance uses pretty agressive dithering: 
ignore the white dither. wtf was i thinking? but it doesn't just use it to soften. If you look at the nose, for instance, you can see a gradient going from the bottomleft to the topright, while the frontal plane is still clearly defined. Similarly, in the topright of the image, at the dark part of the hairline, you can see a few dithery spots where that indicate the hairline. In the same area, you can see how the shadow of my center-hairtuft slowly diffuses. You should stop thinking of dithering as purely a way to soften the image. See the indents in my forehead? The wrinkle in my neck? The line marking my right(image left) cheek? Those are areas that you would probably have tried to dither smooth. For instance, on Champion: -add forehead wrinkles -use dithering as an intermediate shade for more accurate shading (if you want, you can put in some temporary extra colors for that, and later replace them by dither) -use neater dithering (the +shapes in the dark area are really ugly and randomly placed) -think very very carefully about what you're trying to show. I spent a lot of time fiddling with only 10x10 pieces of dither (like next to the mouth) to get it to flow nicely -act natural, I think someone is following us.  ------------- ▄▄█ ▄▄█ ▄█▄ ▄█▄ |
Posted By: TheKovenant
Date Posted: 29 August 2010 at 1:02pm
| Personally I still think the beard looks bright... The picture shows a much darker contrast. Hopefully you will add a little more shading in there |