Hey, all. You may know me from some other parts of the internet as Waroh, TheWario and sometimes Gaia_Cleaver.

Anyway, I've recently came back from a long absence of spriting and decided to start again with this sprite here:

Presea from Tales of Symphonia for anyone who'd like to know. I'm hoping to get any mistakes I've probably overlooked worked out on this first sprite before going to animation.

Comments and Criticism are appreciated!

How about trying to get the shape of the hands to look better? Her right hand looks rather wonky to me.

(06-07-2014, 12:02 PM)E-Man Wrote: How about trying to get the shape of the hands to look better? Her right hand looks rather wonky to me.

I think that's because of the way her hand is supposed to wrap around the weapon. When you have her unarmed, the only part that's shown is the part that is supposed to overlap what she's holding. I assume this is so that weapons can be switched?

@TheWario10; Maybe you could add an underlay with a completed hand, so when she's unarmed, her whole hand is still there.

It's wonky because it's the opposite hand of what it should be. The thumb should really be on the other side of it.
It being the hand holding the axe.

Otherwise, it's great looking sprite.

Actually the hand is correct. I know; I copied the pose IRL. It's an odd way to hold a weapon, sure, but it's probably not a combat pose.

(06-08-2014, 01:59 PM)Midi Wrote: Actually the hand is correct. I know; I copied the pose IRL. It's an odd way to hold a weapon, sure, but it's probably not a combat pose.

Well, here's the thing. I copied the pose in real life as well. And the hand is wrong.

So, either you messed up the pose in real life, or one of your hands has a thumb on the wrong side in real life.

The palm of the hand of the sprite is facing the viewer by the way.

(06-08-2014, 03:32 PM)Terminal Devastation Wrote:

(06-08-2014, 01:59 PM)Midi Wrote: Actually the hand is correct. I know; I copied the pose IRL. It's an odd way to hold a weapon, sure, but it's probably not a combat pose.

Well, here's the thing. I copied the pose in real life as well. And the hand is wrong.

So, either you messed up the pose in real life, or one of your hands has a thumb on the wrong side in real life.

The palm of the hand of the sprite is facing the viewer by the way.

Dude, really. Copy the pose. Hold your arm back, face your palm outward. The thumb is pointing back, just like in the picture. You're asking for a left hand on her right arm.

I think TD is seeing the thumb in the wrong place because he sees part of the palm as the thumb.

Haven't been able to work on this sprite like I wanted to, suddenly have lots more I have to do.

(06-07-2014, 02:53 PM)Midi Wrote: I think that's because of the way her hand is supposed to wrap around the weapon. When you have her unarmed, the only part that's shown is the part that is supposed to overlap what she's holding. I assume this is so that weapons can be switched?

@TheWario10; Maybe you could add an underlay with a completed hand, so when she's unarmed, her whole hand is still there.

Yeah that's the plan. Though I'm pretty doubtful I will make any other weapons for this sprite in particular, haha. Here's a little hand underlay, anyway.

(06-08-2014, 01:59 PM)Midi Wrote: It's an odd way to hold a weapon, sure, but it's probably not a combat pose.

It is odd, but it's pretty much her usual stance in battle. She drags the weapon across the ground while walking and running. Swings it with one arm too, in most cases.

Paladin Wrote:I think TD is seeing the thumb in the wrong place because he sees part of the palm as the thumb.

When I look at it long enough, it kind of does look like another thumb. Should I be concerned with that?

(06-08-2014, 04:53 PM)TheWario10 Wrote:

Paladin Wrote:I think TD is seeing the thumb in the wrong place because he sees part of the palm as the thumb.

When I look at it long enough, it kind of does look like another thumb. Should I be concerned with that?

Considering I had to look very hard to see what I think all of you are seeing as the thumb, you should be concerned with that.
Since, that possible thumb blends too well (looks more like a palm fold than a thumb like that) and the "palm" shading gives it more thumb like depth.

if THAT IS the thumb... her grip is either too small for the wider handle, or the thumb is positioned really uncomfortably/ (and maybe a tad long/short on one of the joints)

The problem is that the wrist is at a horribly unnatural and uncomfortable position which is making it look awkward.
The way it currently is, she's lifting that giant axe with nothing but her wrist.
Instead of having the hand be on top of the axe and having the wrist pointing almost directly toward the viewer, you should angle it more so the her hand is on the side of the axe with the top of the hand facing the viewers and her knuckles facing the ground.

(06-08-2014, 04:53 PM)TheWario10 Wrote: Yeah that's the plan. Though I'm pretty doubtful I will make any other weapons for this sprite in particular, haha. Here's a little hand underlay, anyway.

Oh, I'm going to have to agree with Viper and Terminal here. But don't sweat it, man! It's a mistake I make all the time. Personally, I'm absolutely rubbish at hands. I think an easy fix would be to flip the axe vertically so that it's facing upwards, slightly redo the shading on it and give her arm a bit of a bend upwards. Also, you should probably brighten that dark part on her palm. The way it's colored gives me the impression that that's her thumb.

(06-10-2014, 02:50 AM)DragonDePlatino Wrote: an easy fix would be to flip the axe vertically so that it's facing upwards

That might make it awkward again.
Unless I'm reading it wrong, I see it as having the very tip of the axe there sitting on the ground while her one hand is holding the handle (so that she isn't holding all the weight at all times, particularly in such an unrelaxed pose)

Doing it like that would probably be all right for something smaller, but having the head up in the air like that means she's lifting that whole thing with one hand and putting a lot of pressure on her wrist.

(06-10-2014, 03:46 AM)Vipershark Wrote:

(06-10-2014, 02:50 AM)DragonDePlatino Wrote: an easy fix would be to flip the axe vertically so that it's facing upwards

That might make it awkward again.
Unless I'm reading it wrong, I see it as having the very top of the axe there sitting on the ground while her one hand is holding the handle (so that she isn't holding all the weight at all times, particularly in such an unrelaxed pose)

Doing it like that would probably be all right for something smaller, but having the head up in the air like that means she's lifting that whole thing with one hand and putting a lot of pressure on her wrist.

Hmm...makes enough sense to me. A two-handed grip, I suppose? Guess we'll just have to see what TheWario10 ends up doing.