New guy looking for help
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=5287
Printed Date: 09 September 2025 at 9:29pm
Topic: New guy looking for help
Posted By: Skaka
Subject: New guy looking for help
Date Posted: 31 October 2007 at 6:02pm
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Hey I'm new on these forums and pretty new to pixel art ;] Anyways I've posted my first 2 pieces bellow and I'd like some of you guys to criticize it constructively and help me know how I could improve :) This is just a face of a dessert wondering dude in a cloak (inspired by Qui-Gon Jin): On this image I know the throne is a little crappy but I just slapped it together quickly to help you put the pic of her in context, otherwise she looks really weird just floating in mid air :P : Bonus points if anyone can guess who she's supposed to be :) *Edit: Don't know what I did't do this the first time round but credit to Visual Noise on some of the facial elements on Cleopatra :) ------------- Ars longa, vita brevis. |
Replies:
Posted By: Skaka
Date Posted: 31 October 2007 at 6:04pm
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Hmm for some reason I cant't see the pics I linked in the thread so I'll jost post the URLS: http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s285/steers_album/cloaked.png?t=1193879042 http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s285/steers_album/onthrone.png?t=1193878882 ------------- Ars longa, vita brevis. |
Posted By: greenraven
Date Posted: 31 October 2007 at 6:29pm
  Here you go, showing pics now. I'd say that's Cleopatra. Oh and welcome. -------------  "pwnage comes with patience, practice and planning." ~ Jalonso 
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Posted By: Larwick
Date Posted: 31 October 2007 at 6:42pm
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Moved to the WIP forum. No problem though, since they're easily mistakeable. Welcome to Pixeljoint Skaka! :D No CC from me for the moment cus i'm tired, but i'll watch over the thread. -------------  http://larw-ck.deviantart.com">
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Posted By: Skaka
Date Posted: 31 October 2007 at 6:44pm
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Thanks for the warm welcome guys and thanks to Raven for linking the images better than I could :P
------------- Ars longa, vita brevis. |
Posted By: jalonso
Date Posted: 31 October 2007 at 8:02pm
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I'd say your lines are a little dirty. There's no need for dithering especially 50/50. You have the needed colors to color block. On the Cleo, the gold are not 'gold'. Very nice on the selout do more of that. Maybe even add the asp. Anyhoo, welcome. ------------- |
Posted By: Skaka
Date Posted: 01 November 2007 at 1:11am
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Thanks for the CC jalonso :) I'll upload links to the updated images as soon as I finish them :) On the dithering thing that was kind of an experiment just to see if I could, but I guess when you're right you're right so I'm redoing that anyways :P On thing though, what do you mean by 'asp'? ------------- Ars longa, vita brevis. |
Posted By: jalonso
Date Posted: 01 November 2007 at 5:14am
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An asp is the type of snake that Cleopatra supposedly killed herself with. ps. she needs toes. ------------- |
Posted By: Skaka
Date Posted: 01 November 2007 at 5:46am
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Look closely there are about 3 pixels worth of toe poking out XD But you're right I might make her toes stick out a teensy bit more. Anyway I took most of the dither out of the desert man, but just left some in to see if I can sneak it past you :P I don't think it's noticeable without close scrutiny. Here's the dessert man pix (I hope the link works this time).:  ------------- Ars longa, vita brevis. |
Posted By: jalonso
Date Posted: 01 November 2007 at 8:36am
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Oh man I wasn't telling you what to do :) I was merely pointing out that dithering is called for when you have a color limit and need to blend. Here you had enough colors so I felt is wasn't needed. I find your latest version to be too pixelled. I think this would be fine with just color blocking and perhaps changing the BG to more of an interior candle/flame lit atmosphere. With darker/harder shading especially in the face. *edit? ------------- |
Posted By: Metaru
Date Posted: 01 November 2007 at 8:38am
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the ligth comes from the top left position, so i would reflect that in the face features and clothing. since he on a place with a high luminance, and he's facing oposite to the ligthsourcr, i would use strong shadows.
------------- I ate leel's babies |
Posted By: Skaka
Date Posted: 01 November 2007 at 9:22am
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Hmmmm I did have a version with stronger and harder shadows but I deleted it because it made the entire thing look like a formless mess :/ Oh and the reason I did it so 'pixelated' was because when I do just color blocking it starts looking like the man's cloak is made out of injection-molded plastic. So I just tried a little texture on the cloth ^^ Might upload new Cleo later tonight if I get round to it (English homework grrrr :P_
------------- Ars longa, vita brevis. |
Posted By: Skaka
Date Posted: 01 November 2007 at 10:24am
Here's an update on the dessert guy: I redid the shadows after reading through some tutorials and looking at some other art and I think it came out allot better =D So watcha think?  Also appart from the pixel technique I'd like to know what you guys think of the background and the proportions etc if that looks OK. ------------- Ars longa, vita brevis. |
Posted By: Skaka
Date Posted: 02 November 2007 at 12:17pm
Bah no-body's replying so I'm just gonna show the final version an be done with it. If any body thinks it's good enough for the gallery let me know ;] ------------- Ars longa, vita brevis. |
Posted By: spartan_117
Date Posted: 02 November 2007 at 12:27pm
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for one, your light source is out of place. The shadows and lighting on the guy suggest the light is coming from above and not from the side. ------------- |
Posted By: Metaru
Date Posted: 02 November 2007 at 12:57pm
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also, your face is pillowshaded. and ligth clearly comes from the sun, wich is located behind this guy, at the top rigth corner. the highlight on his cloak suggest that ligth soruces comes from somewhere rigth above him. this has a direct impact on how the shadows is projected over his face features, like the eyes and nose(specially the nose) i'll give you a rougth edit in a couple of minutes. don't get anxious waiting for replys. no one is going to run to answer in your thread. let it flow dude, let it flow. ------------- I ate leel's babies |
Posted By: Skaka
Date Posted: 02 November 2007 at 1:03pm
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Ok cool :)
------------- Ars longa, vita brevis. |
Posted By: Skaka
Date Posted: 02 November 2007 at 8:12pm
Yet another image update: Changed the shading on the face and completely redid the hood of the cloak. It's far from perfect and throws up a whole slew of other issues but I'll just see what you guys think of it first. PS: I spent most of the time re-doing this image thinking about how I myself will become a wandering desert man from going crazy over trying to do this pic right! ------------- Ars longa, vita brevis. |
Posted By: jalonso
Date Posted: 02 November 2007 at 8:24pm
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I like this coloring way better. Try coloring the nose using the lighter brown and even AA it a bit. Edit: why the green on the sun? ------------- |
Posted By: micr0softener
Date Posted: 03 November 2007 at 3:00am
| Okay. The image is pretty good at the moment, but keep thinking about that lighting- the inside of the hood should be black all the way through. Also, there would probably be some kind of shade down our side of the nose from the hood's shadow, given the now-strongly-directional lighting you've got going on. Good luck anyway. |
Posted By: Skaka
Date Posted: 03 November 2007 at 8:23am
YAIU:  Just some of the minor fixes that have been suggested. Don't really like the nose now becuase it's lost it's definition :/ ------------- Ars longa, vita brevis. |
Posted By: Metaru
Date Posted: 03 November 2007 at 8:31am
 also, we are focusing too much on the shadowing, so i didn't notice the fact that the hood is way more bigger than his head is suposed to/could be. ------------- I ate leel's babies |
Posted By: Skaka
Date Posted: 03 November 2007 at 10:31am
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Hey Metaru, thanks for the help but I :) I also think the head might be a little to big, but take into consideration the fact that his head is kind of bowed down so you can see the top, and also the eyes are supposed to be allot higher than in your shading :P Hmmm...maybe if I moved the nose and mouth up? ------------- Ars longa, vita brevis. |
Posted By: greenraven
Date Posted: 03 November 2007 at 12:42pm
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Something about the nose seems to bother me.
------------- "pwnage comes with patience, practice and planning." ~ Jalonso
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Posted By: Skaka
Date Posted: 03 November 2007 at 12:51pm
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Same here. I've been tearing my hair out trying to get it to look 'right'. What's really frustrating is just when I think I've got it, I look away for a sec and when I look again it looks awful. I'll update tomorrow again :P
------------- Ars longa, vita brevis. |
Posted By: Skaka
Date Posted: 03 November 2007 at 3:21pm
Another image update: I think I figured out what was wrong: The nose was too high :P That's why the head looks mis formed, the way the head is supposed to be position is so that only the lower half of his face is showing like so :  Yeah so anyway this time I tried the harsher shadows Metaru's fix, looks a little wierd but I'll work on it some more later (damn this pixel art stuff is hard how many versions is that now? XD) ------------- Ars longa, vita brevis. |
Posted By: jalonso
Date Posted: 03 November 2007 at 6:13pm
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Luke, that's the secret to good pixelart. You are on your way to Jedi-dom ;) ------------- |
Posted By: Skaka
Date Posted: 04 November 2007 at 6:00am
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Haha, ok Jalonso I will train long and hard :P Here's another image update I think I almost got it:  ------------- Ars longa, vita brevis. |
Posted By: jalonso
Date Posted: 04 November 2007 at 9:44am
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You never answered why the sun is green and red o.O I just find the BG all wrong for this guy. Its a cowboy BG not a monk's. ------------- |
Posted By: Skaka
Date Posted: 04 November 2007 at 10:07am
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Green and red?o0 It's supposed to be yellow and orange :/ Must be your screen or my screen :P Post a color fix /w what you think is the right colors then ^^ Also concerning the background he's supposed to be a dessert wanderer not a monk :P The cloak is supposed to protect his eyes and neck etc from the sun:P If I put him in a monastery then I'd have to completely re-do the lighting AGAIN and I might jump off a bridge then :P Like I said the man was inspired by the likes of Qui-Gon Jin and Obi-wan Kenobi :) ------------- Ars longa, vita brevis. |
Posted By: Skull Master
Date Posted: 04 November 2007 at 10:07am
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I don't like your last one as much as the one before it, but, wow! you've defiantly come a long way haven't you? ^^ ------------- 
leel: "At least I'm not claiming to a master in anything." lol, oops. Xp |
Posted By: jalonso
Date Posted: 04 November 2007 at 10:54am
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Pink shows colors that are wasted (3) used those 3 colors and invested in 3 blues. Tweaked the highlights and sun.  edit: Mac monitors do not lie :p ------------- |
Posted By: Hatch
Date Posted: 04 November 2007 at 10:58am
The head is teeny and bizarrely narrow. Certainly way to small for that cowl:
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Posted By: Skaka
Date Posted: 04 November 2007 at 11:37am
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Hatch look a few posts up and you'll see how the head is meant to be shaped :) But I understand that the face is narrow I'll post a fix later :P
------------- Ars longa, vita brevis. |
Posted By: Hatch
Date Posted: 04 November 2007 at 12:42pm
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I saw how the head is supposed to be shaped. The trouble is it looks nothing like that.
EDIT: zomg  ------------- |
Posted By: Skaka
Date Posted: 04 November 2007 at 2:00pm
Ok here's another update where I tried not to make his face look so thin while still using strong shadows: Thanks for the help hatch but I think you're remake went to far in the other direction but tell me if you think this looks wide enough :) ------------- Ars longa, vita brevis. |
Posted By: BlackDragon
Date Posted: 04 November 2007 at 4:14pm
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Much better! Looks more natural. ------------- "A little pain never hurt anyone." - Blueberry_Pie |
Posted By: Hatch
Date Posted: 04 November 2007 at 4:45pm
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The face definitely looks better, but it's pointing a different direction from the hood. Furthermore, the top half of the head, judging from the bridge of the nose, is facing a different direction from the bottom half of the head. ------------- |
Posted By: jalonso
Date Posted: 04 November 2007 at 4:53pm
What about my green sun edit 
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Posted By: Squirrelsquid
Date Posted: 04 November 2007 at 6:10pm
Posted By: Skaka
Date Posted: 05 November 2007 at 1:01am
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Yaya I'll get to the son! Oy vey :P
------------- Ars longa, vita brevis. |
Posted By: Metaru
Date Posted: 05 November 2007 at 8:15am
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i would take off that BG for now.
------------- I ate leel's babies |
Posted By: Skaka
Date Posted: 05 November 2007 at 9:38am
 Just another update. Removed the background and I'll redo it later. ------------- Ars longa, vita brevis. |
Posted By: Skaka
Date Posted: 06 November 2007 at 11:19am
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Heh looks like I completely drained you guys of CC :P
------------- Ars longa, vita brevis. |
Posted By: Metaru
Date Posted: 06 November 2007 at 11:43am
 avoid bumping your topics skaka ------------- I ate leel's babies |
Posted By: Hyrule_SwordsMa
Date Posted: 06 November 2007 at 12:02pm
| That ñlooks cool, member_profile.asp?PF=9586&FID=8 - Metaru He looks more matuyre!, but the cap still needs some work |
Posted By: Skaka
Date Posted: 06 November 2007 at 3:20pm
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Sorry about the bump then :P I've started to see how the cowl is too big so yeah I'm fixing that. You're fix actually looks pretty good except yeah gonna work on the cowl some more I'll post an update tomorrow sometime. Riddle me this though what should I do for a BG? I know Jalonso already said a sort of closed church with candles but the will completely mess up the shading and I might then have to do some serious self-harm! Oh and I missed your background change until now Jal sorry if I just seem like a noob who won't listen :P
------------- Ars longa, vita brevis. |
Posted By: Skaka
Date Posted: 07 November 2007 at 4:03am
Another update:  Smaller hood, redone the shadowing (again -.-). ------------- Ars longa, vita brevis. |
Posted By: Club Beuker
Date Posted: 07 November 2007 at 4:14am
| Nice work there, it really starts to look like a realistic pic. What some effort can do ;) |
Posted By: Skaka
Date Posted: 07 November 2007 at 9:41am
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Thanks Beuker, you got any suggestions on a BG though? 'Cause I'm pretty much stuck on this piece.
------------- Ars longa, vita brevis. |
Posted By: Squirrelsquid
Date Posted: 07 November 2007 at 10:31am
Posted By: Skaka
Date Posted: 08 November 2007 at 6:06am
 Before I dither the sky and declare this finished I want you guys' opinion on anything that might be wrong with the shadows or whatever to see if I missed anything. Also if anything could be done better to the background. ------------- Ars longa, vita brevis. |
Posted By: Skaka
Date Posted: 08 November 2007 at 4:04pm
Here's another update with the dithered bg and the vultures in the sky. The composition seems of to me anyone else think so? Anyway I did the bg myself because and differently from the edit because I don't want to be a thief. I'd like to use this as an avatar, but I want it to be good enough first so I can hide my noobcakeness :P ------------- Ars longa, vita brevis. |
Posted By: GeorgiePie
Date Posted: 08 November 2007 at 10:13pm
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I think it looks really good... but one thing, I strongly disagree about the black inside the hood, with that much sunlight it couldn't be that dark, not unless he was inside... maybe, with barely any light. Also, speaking of Jedi, he looks to be one.
Almost forgot, you did good texture on the hood but looks like you haven't added any to the rest of the cloak.
http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=Dunes&gbv=2 - http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=Dunes&gbv=2 It looks to be late afternoon, the dunes MIGHT be a bit too dark(shadows)... I'm not sure.
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Posted By: Skaka
Date Posted: 08 November 2007 at 11:53pm
  Both those pics have pretty bright lights but black in the back. It's exactly because there's so much sun (high luminosity) that the shadows are so dark :P Anywho here's an update with the body textured and the shadows un the dunes lightened a wee bit:  I think it's ready :P ------------- Ars longa, vita brevis. |
Posted By: GeorgiePie
Date Posted: 09 November 2007 at 12:13am
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Hmm... well I suppose, I think it has allot to do with the fabric.
Anyway, this is really good.
The dunes look very realistic! Nicely done =)
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Posted By: Skaka
Date Posted: 09 November 2007 at 1:24am
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Thanks man really appreciate it :) If any one the admins think this is gallery worthy please gimme the go-ahead so I can upload it!
------------- Ars longa, vita brevis. |
Posted By: Tirza
Date Posted: 10 November 2007 at 9:30am
Wow, nice work! I'm new too, but I can't draw for sh*t. 
Keep up the good the work. :)
Tirza |