Please help me make this better
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=17037
Printed Date: 08 April 2026 at 12:34pm
Topic: Please help me make this better
Posted By: Mars Haseugen
Subject: Please help me make this better
Date Posted: 01 September 2013 at 11:43am
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Hi Guys I'm baaaack! Started to pixel again as a break from the regular sized stuff and have invested some hours in this piece but I've been doing a fair bit on it and am looking for advice/edits to make it better! Any input/feedback appreciated and I'll upload it when it's to my satisfaction. Thanks guys!  Edit: so far I can see some nasty banding on the right hand side so i'll be fixing that! |
Replies:
Posted By: jalonso
Date Posted: 01 September 2013 at 12:44pm
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Its nice overall. You do have areas of funky/ugly lines. ------------- |
Posted By: Mars Haseugen
Date Posted: 01 September 2013 at 12:49pm
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I've been re-rendering some of the lines so that the pixels don't jump/step too much(i.e; from a 2 pixel height to a 4 pixel height) the only issue I encounter is sometimes if I try and curve or straighten the lines like this too much then the form of the line is lost :( any advice here? |
Posted By: Mars Haseugen
Date Posted: 04 September 2013 at 3:45am
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Well, after seeing some of the recent weekly showcase images I've decided that I'm going to put more effort into learning with this piece. It has undergone quite a change but I think it's looking better for it! I'll update as I polish it. Edit: Also in contrary to what I said earlier I would like to avoid drastic edits if possible (small edits to illustrate points/information are more than welcome though!) As I'd like to learn for myself instead of being spoon-fed.  |
Posted By: jalonso
Date Posted: 04 September 2013 at 5:56am
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Sometimes there is nothing we can do about ugly spots in the lineart. Use AA or cell-shade these areas to misdirect the viewer's eye. Lines don't have to be everywhere too so that real ugly spots unlined with spots of selout can also help these trouble spots. No formula other than try a spot and see if it reads clean.
Something that should always be aware off is to 'step' your lines everywhere you can. For example, take the bottom line of the shoe on the left (back foot looking left to right). That line is 1,1,3,4,6,3,6,4,2. a better line is 1,2,3,5,4,3,4,5 this way the line 'steps' in a more gradual way. The right foot shoe the line is 2,1,6,4,1,1,1,1,1,2,3,2 that's an ugly line so 1,2,5,3,2,1,1,1,1,2,2,3 would be far cleaner or if a line is ugly but hard to clean then omit the line in that spot and shade the area as a group of pixels/cluster. ------------- |
Posted By: Mars Haseugen
Date Posted: 04 September 2013 at 6:24am
Thanks Jal, that was really helpful! and I've edited with your suggestion. I'm going to work to make this my best piece of pixel-art to date! |
Posted By: Neonman
Date Posted: 04 September 2013 at 7:01am
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Hi Mars! I would be tempted to have a dark outline around the arm in the foreground. It is blending in with the shirt at the moment :) You also have a kink in the back forearm which I think needs addressing :) From a character pose point of view this is what I'd suggest: - Grit his teeth to add some intensity to his face. - splay his legs more to get him into a 'battle mode' - his arm in the foreground looks like it could be pushed back futher. At the moment it's giving him that Mr Burns look. More sinister than battle ready :) Overall though, cool looking character and I like your shading. :) Hope this helps! Neonman. |
Posted By: Mars Haseugen
Date Posted: 04 September 2013 at 7:51am
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Hi Neon! I just saw your thread, awesome skills and very much appreciate the input! This is an ongoing edit so any and all suggestions are welcome :) I'm not adverse to scrapping entire pieces of the design and you made me laugh; that arm does look gimpy/Mr Burns-ish. heres a quick rough with the things you suggested! I think I will continue with this new pose, thoughts?  |
Posted By: Neonman
Date Posted: 04 September 2013 at 8:22am
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Hi Mars! I'm very much admiring you ability to scrap your work and start again, that's a very professional mindset :) I think this new pose is a lot better! :) As a small tweak I'd make more of his gritted teeth to really show it off. Also, be careful with the nearest sword, it's shorter than the other one right now (you probably know this, but I thought I'd point it out anyway :) ) One last thing, maybe the back sword should be pointing towards the body but away from it? Just twist the wrist the other way should fix this :) If you need a sketch to show you what I mean, let me know :) Anyway, keep up the cool work, and thankyou for your kind words! :D all the best! Neonman. |
Posted By: Mars Haseugen
Date Posted: 07 September 2013 at 6:42am
Coming along nicely I think, but still much more to do before it's ready :)  |
Posted By: jalonso
Date Posted: 07 September 2013 at 8:15am
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Mars, you have gotten so much better overall at pixelling :) ------------- |
Posted By: Mars Haseugen
Date Posted: 07 September 2013 at 9:02am
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Wow Jal, thank-you for the kind comment it really means so much coming from somebody with your experience and skills! I am really trying with this piece not only to make something nice but also to observe and understand pixel-art as a medium. I hope to continue to learn and I really want to make this piece the best I can and to the best of my abilities, which seem to be evolving as it is re-touched and modified. I feel like it will be a little while until this is submitted and I may even make it part of a larger image (perhaps and RPG mock-up battle scene or something?) but that is way in the future. But I am certainly trying my best to concentrate at the pixel level and even out/polish the small details that serve to undo much of the hard work I put in. :) |
Posted By: jalonso
Date Posted: 07 September 2013 at 11:33am
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Originally posted by Mars Haseugen
...I am really trying with this piece not only to make something nice but also to observe and understand pixel-art as a medium... Finally >.< ...take your time. ------------- |
Posted By: Friend
Date Posted: 07 September 2013 at 1:21pm
| The only issue I see is the banding, especially around the sword, shirt and arms, but the colors and pose are so good it still looks great! |
Posted By: Mars Haseugen
Date Posted: 07 September 2013 at 7:16pm
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Hi Friend :) This is due to a poor understanding, attempt and implementation of AA.I hope to fix it as I come to understand it more. Thank you for your honesty and the kind words :) |
Posted By: Neonman
Date Posted: 08 September 2013 at 3:06pm
| This is looking great! A huge improvement from your initial piece at the top of this thread! :D |
Posted By: Mars Haseugen
Date Posted: 09 September 2013 at 2:28am
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Hi Neon! Nice to hear from you again and thank you for your help and kind words of encouragement! It is really quite satisfying seeing the progress made on this page from the original :) your suggestions on the pose really helped it it off. I've been playing around more with the weapons in his hand just for variation; before I move on to finer editing, clean up, textures AA etc. Let me know which you guys prefer (you might prefer the previous edit in which case that's fine too :) EDIT:forgot to say I've been playing with the idea of a tribal tattoo on that closest arm just for some variety/excitement  |
Posted By: Friend
Date Posted: 09 September 2013 at 9:12am
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to me it's a tie between 1 and 3. the lineart could use some refining. I trust you can refine it yourself but I can provide an edit if you need it |
Posted By: Mars Haseugen
Date Posted: 09 September 2013 at 9:28am
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Hey Friend :) I'm edging toward 3 too as I like the dual wield daggers :) Add yes, absolutely right it ALL needs refining but I want to start making final decisions to character design before I focus on making it look as polished as possible :) If you want to post some minor edits then please be my guest; any help with AA in particular would be so, so useful :) |
Posted By: Friend
Date Posted: 09 September 2013 at 10:27am
here you go |
Posted By: Neonman
Date Posted: 11 September 2013 at 8:56am
| Looking good :) I'd say move the sword that is pointing down a little bit more to the right because at the moment it looks a little he has a sword for a willy :P |