Help with my sprites?

[WonderPup]

Hello.

I posted these sprites over at RMN in the hopes I'd get several critiques, but I'm not getting as much feedback as I had hoped. If you all don't mind, I'd like to get some suggestions on what I could do to improve on them.

The original post is here.

In that post, I've been documenting nearly every edit that I've done to these so that you (or I) can see how they have progressed. I feel like they've come a very long way already, but they could still use some work. Also in the post is the original concept drawing for these.

Any feedback would be appreciated. These are my first sprites, and I'd like to get better.

Thanks!

Slime:

Slime animation frames:

Slime animated:



Ahriman:

Ahriman animation frames:

Ahriman animated:



Ogre:

Ogre animation frames:

Ogre animated:

[Zadaben]

I recolored the slime for you, increasing the contrast, removing the extra khaki color near the green, and added a shiny spot for depth.

[WonderPup]

I recolored the slime for you, increasing the contrast, removing the extra khaki color near the green, and added a shiny spot for depth.

If the light source is coming from directly above, is it okay to add a highlight like that?

[Hoeloe]

Of course it is. Shading is about portraying depth, otherwise it's totally pointless.

[gtkampos]

Very good work! It could be used to make a MMORPG game.

My suggestions is about the ogre. You could add more frames to make the walk more smooth. Add more contrast to him too.

[WonderPup]

I've made some changes to the ogre. Before, his hands were done incorrectly. He looked like he was on an exercise machine or something. I gave his arms what I felt were a more natural angle.



The problem I'm seeing right now is that his arms look backwards. I've played with it a lot to try and correct, but I'm not sure how. Does anyone know why his elbows appear to work the opposite way?

Regarding adding more frames, I've posted a question on the other site to see how many animation frames are allowed in the program (RPG Maker VX Ace) that many of the people over there use. I'm still waiting on the US release for it, so I don't have the answers myself. If more than three are allowed, I will add more frames in.

You all mentioned it needing more contrast. How can I achieve that without having the sprite turn into an eyesore? I keep playing around and adjusting the colors, but it always comes out as being overly- or under-saturated. The base color is a green, and I pull that green toward a yellow as it lightens. Is the problem that he is too green?

I'm also working to incorporate highlights into the slime. My design has him looking too opaque.

Thanks for all the input!

[Shade]

I've made some changes to the ogre. Before, his hands were done incorrectly. He looked like he was on an exercise machine or something. I gave his arms what I felt were a more natural angle.



The problem I'm seeing right now is that his arms look backwards. I've played with it a lot to try and correct, but I'm not sure how. Does anyone know why his elbows appear to work the opposite way!

For one thing, it looks like he has elbows on the front of his arm. Try moving them to the side.

[WonderPup]

I've made some changes to the ogre. Before, his hands were done incorrectly. He looked like he was on an exercise machine or something. I gave his arms what I felt were a more natural angle.



The problem I'm seeing right now is that his arms look backwards. I've played with it a lot to try and correct, but I'm not sure how. Does anyone know why his elbows appear to work the opposite way!

For one thing, it looks like he has elbows on the front of his arm. Try moving them to the side.

That's what I'm talking about. I haven't actually drawn elbows in at all. He has biceps, and I can't tell if those are the whole problem, part of the problem, or not problematic at all. I've done an animation with the biceps edited out, and with formless arms, it still looks the same.

Thank you for the input. I'll work on an edit that has his elbows pointed out slightly, having his upper arm and forearm forming an obtuse angle. It may be a couple of days before I can get it posted here (I'm going to be out of town tomorrow), but I'll put it up this weekend.

[WonderPup]

Okay, the elbows have been added, and it made a huge difference.



Now, does anyone have any suggestions on how to add more contrast? Should I pull the darker green more toward blue, maybe?

[Hoeloe]

Now it looks like he has tumours on his arms. Muscles aren't just ovals stuck on your arm with no depth to them, either get rid of them or try using shading to show them rather than an outline.

[WonderPup]

Now it looks like he has tumours on his arms. Muscles aren't just ovals stuck on your arm with no depth to them, either get rid of them or try using shading to show them rather than an outline.

The only time it appears to be an outline is when there is an arm being brought to the front. During the "standing" frame, the muscles are shaded. When an arm is in the background, you can't even observe the bicep at all.

Do others feel the same way about it? If so, I may introduce a fourth color for the skin.

[Butler]

I agree with Hoeloe, the muscles are just ovals anyway you look at them.