DeCoolest Art

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DeCoolest_Cat
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DeCoolest Art

Post by DeCoolest_Cat »

I am working on a campaign, Kalbruk's Journey, and it uses almost completely art from other creators. I am not in a position to download GIMP or other applications, so I'm stuck using MS Pain(t). However, I have created these portraits for the main characters of my campaign, along with some other creatures. For any feedback I would like to know if they look like bears, and any ways to make them more realistic. I will have to use these, because no one else is going to make bear portraits, so making them better would be amazing.

I know the Bolkuvek pictures are ''different'', but it fits his character. Download the campaign to find what it is! #plugsarefun

Since MS Paint can't use transparency, if anyone would take these and make the backgrounds transparent, I would be very thankful!
Attachments
does it look too demonic? He's just supposed to look dangerous
does it look too demonic? He's just supposed to look dangerous
polarbear.png
torinkulk.png
brownbear.png
Author of beta campaign Kalbruk's Journey - My art thread - My collection of single player scenarios: The Archives
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DeCoolest_Cat
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Re: DeCoolest Art

Post by DeCoolest_Cat »

Here are the rest:
Attachments
bolkuvek3.png
bolkuvek2.png
bolkuvek1.png
Author of beta campaign Kalbruk's Journey - My art thread - My collection of single player scenarios: The Archives
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nuorc
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Re: DeCoolest Art

Post by nuorc »

Hi Cat, jumping right at a campaign? :D
DeCoolest_Cat wrote:I would like to know if they look like bears, and any ways to make them more realistic.
I think they look like bears. (And better than anything I could come up with.) A few points from a total amateur about the top of the head:
ralkutar123.png
ralkutar123.png (85.37 KiB) Viewed 7044 times
1. There seems to be an extra line, making a loop and reaching into the ear; maybe you could clean that up.
2. I don't get the dent in the ear.
3. The whole top of his head looks funny to me; maybe you could make it a bit more 'organic'?
Spoiler:
DeCoolest_Cat wrote:if anyone would take these and make the backgrounds transparent
Like this?
ralkutar-t.png
ralkutar-t.png (84.7 KiB) Viewed 7044 times
If that's what you need and your pics are final I can do the lot for you.
I have a cunning plan.
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Midnight_Carnival
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Re: DeCoolest Art

Post by Midnight_Carnival »

These are portraits for bears?
I'm interested to know what kind of campaign features so many talking bears, it sounds unique.

As for how to make it look threatening without looking demonic, I have a few suggestions:

In my opinion the red 'glow like' area around the eyes on your polar bear(?) doesn't really work.
I suggest making the muzzle more prominent, possibly larger and the nostrils flaring as well as the mouth slightly open and the fangs slightly showing.
Red irised eyes which don't glow could still work as long as they are a dark red.
The hair could be more bristly without the regular black line around it, animals bristle when they are upset.
...apparenly we can't go with it or something.
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DeCoolest_Cat
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Re: DeCoolest Art

Post by DeCoolest_Cat »

I am still in the process of remaking those portraits, but meanwhile I've created some bear rider sprites for my campaign. I know Kwandulin has made other bear rider sprites, but I wanted to make my own. This is mostly because I want the bears to be the same ones as in the campaign already. However, if these turn out bad, I will not be against using Kwandulin's. Again, I have created these using MS Paint, so no transparency (so if anyone wants to make them transparent, please do). I made these using the franken-pack, so all the grey outlines are from the separate pieces. I don't think I can get rid of them (especially the spear on rider1) without trying to recreate the different parts, which would almost definitely look bad. :?
Attachments
This could either be the base sprite or the attack anim
This could either be the base sprite or the attack anim
rider2.png (3.78 KiB) Viewed 6878 times
The level 1 bear rider
The level 1 bear rider
rider1.png (3.63 KiB) Viewed 6878 times
Author of beta campaign Kalbruk's Journey - My art thread - My collection of single player scenarios: The Archives
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nuorc
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Re: DeCoolest Art

Post by nuorc »

DeCoolest_Cat wrote:transparent ... outlines ...
rider1-t.png
rider1-t.png (4.13 KiB) Viewed 6854 times
rider2-t2.png
rider2-t2.png (4.24 KiB) Viewed 6854 times

Something like this?
I have a cunning plan.
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beetlenaut
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Re: DeCoolest Art

Post by beetlenaut »

DeCoolest_Cat wrote:f anyone wants to make them transparent, please do
There are lots of online drawing programs. I bet you can find some that can handle transparency, and they will almost automatically have better tools that MS Paint.
DeCoolest_Cat wrote:any ways to make them more realistic
Look at how the mainline artists handle fur, like for the wolf riders and yeti (in 1.13). They don't try to draw lots of individual hairs, but they still end up looking very shaggy. They also shade white fur with colors like yellow, brown, and blue, which you do see in a polar bear's fur if you look at some photos of them. They use even more colors for brown animals.
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Elvish_King
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Re: DeCoolest Art

Post by Elvish_King »

If you have problems with your painting program, I would recommend using Paint.NET. It is easy to handle and you can make quikly transparent backgrounds. There are several other programs you could use (e.g. Gimp) but I think Paint.NET is the most simpel one for beginners.
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GunChleoc
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Re: DeCoolest Art

Post by GunChleoc »

Paint.net requires downloading and installing, which OP can't do ;)

So, it has to be pre-installed or online.
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Sire
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Re: DeCoolest Art

Post by Sire »

I'm not much of an artist, when when working with pixel art I personally use Piskel. I mainly picked it up because it can do transparency, which normal MS Paint cannot, but it can also be used online and seems to be extremely useful when one wants to make pixel animations. It is easy to use, especially from a person who does not normally dabble in art.

Hopefully this information proves to be useful.
Current Projects: [Sire's Scenarios] || [Red Winter Reborn]
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DeCoolest_Cat
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Re: DeCoolest Art

Post by DeCoolest_Cat »

Sire wrote:I'm not much of an artist, when when working with pixel art I personally use Piskel. I mainly picked it up because it can do transparency, which normal MS Paint cannot, but it can also be used online and seems to be extremely useful when one wants to make pixel animations. It is easy to use, especially from a person who does not normally dabble in art.

Hopefully this information proves to be useful.
Thanks Sire. This fixes all the problems I have with MS Paint, which was... everything.
Author of beta campaign Kalbruk's Journey - My art thread - My collection of single player scenarios: The Archives
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Midnight_Carnival
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Re: DeCoolest Art

Post by Midnight_Carnival »

In my opnion it is always better to draw/frank your own. Even if you are not so skilled, it is better to make soemthing which looks kind of like the unit in your campaign/era than have to use someone else's and adapt a whole lot of stuff. Apart from which, although you shouldn't count on it, it is not totally unheard of for a good campaign with lousy artwork (not saying that your sprites are bad, I'm just talking about why it's better to draw your own :mrgreen: ) to be adopted and refurbished by a more skilled artist.
Anyway, you are busy improving and people who draw their own normally get better and better so you might find that you draw really great sprites by the time you've finished everything else.

Regarding the portraits: Ok, bearRIDERS featuring in the campaign make a lot more sense!
Perhaps the big bear's head with the Dwarf looking over the top?

At the risk of starting a flamewar, my advise to you re which progoram to use is to go with Gimp.
Many will go on long epic rants about what this one can that the other can't in the legendary Photoshop vs Gimp war: for my purposes and at my very basic level of skill I find both of them equally easy to use and the issue of how "intuitive" one is depends largely on how used to the other you have become. As I see it, Gimp can do everything I need Photoshop to do but Gimp is free as are upgrades, updates and patches for Gimp. I have no experience of Piksel and it may be better than Gimp, but it is never a bad idea to play around with various programs as long as you don't get so caught up in the fancy effects and filters that you forget how to draw.
...apparenly we can't go with it or something.
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DeCoolest_Cat
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Re: DeCoolest Art

Post by DeCoolest_Cat »

Midnight_Carnival wrote:In my opnion it is always better to draw/frank your own... (not saying that your sprites are bad, I'm just talking about why it's better to draw your own :mrgreen: )
I am creating my own sprites, which you have seen 1 of. I hope I haven't come across as wanting others to make art for me. That was not my intention. I'll most likely upload them tomorrow.
Regarding the portraits: Ok, bearRIDERS featuring in the campaign make a lot more sense!
Perhaps the big bear's head with the Dwarf looking over the top?
Not to turn this into my campaign development thread, so I'll try and make this explanation short. You play as bears (I know it sounds crazy but bear with me... hahaha...) trying to escape a lich. Some dwarves plan to defeat the lich, so they use bear riders for above ground battles. The main bears are used by the dwarves. So the bear portraits are used for the actual bears, but rider portraits will be probably made too.
I have no experience of Piksel and it may be better than Gimp
Piskel works for my needs, so I doubt I'll be using Gimp, mostly because it is download free and works well.
Author of beta campaign Kalbruk's Journey - My art thread - My collection of single player scenarios: The Archives
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beetlenaut
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Re: DeCoolest Art

Post by beetlenaut »

I just remembered that I saw a polar bear sprite a while ago from Vyncyn: viewtopic.php?f=23&t=41706&p=583364#p583364. It's pretty nice, so it might be useful.
Campaigns: Dead Water,
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Secrets of the Ancients,
and WML Guide
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DeCoolest_Cat
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Re: DeCoolest Art

Post by DeCoolest_Cat »

beetlenaut wrote:I just remembered that I saw a polar bear sprite a while ago from Vyncyn: viewtopic.php?f=23&t=41706&p=583364#p583364. It's pretty nice, so it might be useful.
Yes, I have seen that sprite. In fact, I asked vyncyn for use about 2 months ago (I know you don't need to but nvm). I am using it in my campaign. Thanks anyways though.
Author of beta campaign Kalbruk's Journey - My art thread - My collection of single player scenarios: The Archives
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