Grom the Barbarian

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jearrr
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Grom the Barbarian

Post by jearrr »

Of the King of Barbarians

In the days of high adventure,
From the far north like a storm ,
came a barbarian man with the name of Grom,
hardened by lizards mines and savage lands,
to break kingdoms with strong hands.


Beeing no graphic artist at all, I wanted to give it a try and make a small, easy and quick unit graphic for Wesnoth. As always, things turn out much more difficult than they appear to be. However, I somehow managed to bring back a somehow acceptable unit to life without the use of Frankensteins repository. Anyone wants to throw the first stone?

Madames et messieurs, je vous presente
gromshowcase.png
gromshowcase.png (18.24 KiB) Viewed 3758 times
Versions a, b and c are very early sketch drafts. Version d was a drastlical palette change without bringing in the desired contrast into the graphic. Finally, after much feedback and correction, version e brought the right mix.
Thank You very much for the excellent critique and help!

Piotr
Last edited by jearrr on August 17th, 2010, 10:08 pm, edited 7 times in total.
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thespaceinvader
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Re: My first pixel: a barbarian anti-hero

Post by thespaceinvader »

Not bad, indeed for a first try, very nice work. Needs a lot more contrast, and I know you're trying to avoid using mainline material, but taking a mainline palette is no bad thing, particularly for flesh. Keep it up =)
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jearrr
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Re: My first pixel: a barbarian anti-hero

Post by jearrr »

Thanks!

I will try to improve the savage!
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Dixie
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Re: My first pixel: a barbarian anti-hero

Post by Dixie »

I also think you should make the torso smaller and the legs a bit longer (move the belt up). Consider using some mainline reference for size, too, just as a guide as to around where his foot should be, his waist, shoulders, top of his head, etc. So it can fit more with other wesnoth sprites. Afterward, you are of course free to make him a bit bigger or whatever relative to other units of the same level to reflect his character.

Keep it up! :)
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jearrr
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Re: My first pixel: a barbarian anti-hero

Post by jearrr »

Dixie wrote:I also think you should make the torso smaller and the legs a bit longer (move the belt up). Consider using some mainline reference for size, too, just as a guide as to around where his foot should be, his waist, shoulders, top of his head, etc. So it can fit more with other wesnoth sprites. Afterward, you are of course free to make him a bit bigger or whatever relative to other units of the same level to reflect his character.
Thank You for the feedback. I have used the propotions of one of the mainline characters as general outline. It fits quite well -
but I have to agree absolutely on Your objection on the height of the belt: I is definatly too low. Regarding the broad shoulders I can only refer to all demi-god slaying, strong barbarian men that worked in saurian slave mines in their early childhood. You can bet that this is a hell of a work-out!

Version two has corrected colors.

To-do:
- correct belt height
- adjust some of the colors
- correct shadow

Again, many thanks for the suggestions.

Cheers!
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Fog
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Re: My first pixel: a barbarian anti-hero

Post by Fog »

Do you know how to use Team Colouring? It appears that you tried to mimic the magenta, but ingame you have to use a predetermined palette that can be found here.

Image

You need much, much more contrast. I would recommend starting with a darker base to force you to restrict the amount highlights and increase the amount of lowlights.
Ecce, in caelo! Est avem! Minime, est vehiculum aerem! Minime, est virum Latinum!
jearrr
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Re: My first pixel: a barbarian anti-hero

Post by jearrr »

Fog wrote:Do you know how to use Team Colouring? It appears that you tried to mimic the magenta, but ingame you have to use a predetermined palette that can be found here.

...
Thanks, I looked into it and fixed the it according to the TC palette.
Fog wrote: You need much, much more contrast. I would recommend starting with a darker base to force you to restrict the amount highlights and increase the amount of lowlights.
I am working on the contrast. Version three is much darker, has longer legs, and will give me more room to adjust the light. Gracias!
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Speedbrain
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Re: My first pixel: a barbarian anti-hero

Post by Speedbrain »

:shock: Wow, that's a lot of improvement from version 1 to version 3. Nice work.
I noticed his left hand holding the sword looks backwards. The back of his hand would be on the other side of the sword and the side visible would be his thumb and fingers curled back around.
I hope that makes sense. Currently it looks like either a right hand or he is holding his hand upside down, which presumably he wouldn't do with a sword.

I agree with the other posters. This is really good for a beginner. :)
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Dixie
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Re: My first pixel: a barbarian anti-hero

Post by Dixie »

Number 3 is darker indeed, but is still awefully flat. Shade more! Even if it has a bit more shading then previous versions (and it's not even all that well placed), it still tremendously lack shading. Look at mainline units for reference.
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jearrr
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Re: My first pixel: a barbarian anti-hero

Post by jearrr »

Thanks speedbrain and dixie,

I will look more into lightening effects. In my opinion this is the most difficult part. I also corrected the mistake with the sword in version 4. Thanks for pointing that out.

Cheers!
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Zerovirus
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Re: My first pixel: a barbarian anti-hero

Post by Zerovirus »

I'd like to offer congratulations on the rate at which you're learning. For a beginner, you're progressing very quickly. Nice work!
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Sapient
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Re: My first pixel: a barbarian anti-hero

Post by Sapient »

Get rid of the solid black lines and replace them with shadows and highlights.
That black line under his chin is particularly bad.
Also, your colors need more contrast variation. Right now they look like solid patches of a single color.
http://www.wesnoth.org/wiki/User:Sapient... "Looks like your skills saved us again. Uh, well at least, they saved Soarin's apple pie."
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Fog
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Re: My first pixel: a barbarian anti-hero

Post by Fog »

Wow. Great job! Your colour choices in the latest versions are much better. Although I understand your colour choices in version 2 were from mainline, these new ones imply that he "worked in saurian slave mines in his early childhood". To keep things in correct perspective, you should make his right hand larger, as his other hand is larger, yet farther from the viewer. Generally in Wesnoth sprites the mouth (and many other facial features as well, but you've already made them and they're good) is not drawn, take the Elvish Archer for example. Also eyes are drawn without irises. You seem to have added more... Umm.. Highlights, but the are minimal. Still, more contrast is needed. Don't let me put you down though! You're improving and learning very quickly.
Ecce, in caelo! Est avem! Minime, est vehiculum aerem! Minime, est virum Latinum!
jearrr
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Re: My first pixel: a barbarian anti-hero

Post by jearrr »

Thanks for all the compliments and the (very) constructive critique! They sure helped a lot! Right now I am a bit short on time, but I will get the savage when I find some. We will see if I manage to make an update today, for playing with the light is the most challenging part for me.
Sapient wrote:... Also, your colors need more contrast variation. Right now they look like solid patches of a single color.
I understand what that the solid black lines are disturbing. But what is meant by contrast variation? Simply the variation of color-tones in order to avoid those single color patches? I will definatly do that, but first I need to get a closer look on other unit images.
Fog wrote:Wow. Great job! Your colour choices in the latest versions are much better. Although I understand your colour choices in version 2 were from mainline, these new ones imply that he "worked in saurian slave mines in his early childhood". To keep things in correct perspective, you should make his right hand larger, as his other hand is larger, yet farther from the viewer. Generally in Wesnoth sprites the mouth (and many other facial features as well, but you've already made them and they're good) is not drawn, take the Elvish Archer for example. Also eyes are drawn without irises. You seem to have added more... Umm.. Highlights, but the are minimal. Still, more contrast is needed. Don't let me put you down though! You're improving and learning very quickly.
I absolutely agree on the hand. Regarding the facial details, I hoped to avoid any expression of friendlyness in his face. The ice-cold-blue eyes are part of that. I can remove them if that makes the sprite not fit the other unit images.

Again, thanks for the critics, for I take them seriously.
jearrr
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Re: My first pixel: a barbarian anti-hero

Post by jearrr »

Not sure I am satisfied with the last version.

I know that I have to increase the contrasts in order to produce effects that refect material, shape and direction, but I think I am not there yet.

Is the left fist OK, or should I increase it even further? What about the eyes/face features?

Cheers!
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