King Dedede KSSU-styled revamp

[Shouty]

I've always wanted to redo King Dedede's sprites from Kirby Super Star Ultra. I was disappointed with them, considering that they're minor edits of the KA/Squeak Squad Dedede sprite. So far, I think I have the shape of the sprite down, but I need help with the shading, because I haven't quite mastered how sprites are shaded in this style, so that's where I need help the most.

If you think there's anything wrong with the proportions, however, feel free to point it out.

[Garamonde]

The lightsource on his left hand looks a bit off (looks like it could go more on the front of his hand a bit), but otherwise that looks good to me. The readability's actually pretty good on that still.

[Cobalt Blue]

wich one is the edited one

[Shouty]

I didn't edit the original sprite. The two sprites on the left are the KA/Squeak Squad and KSSU Dedede sprites. The ones on the right before Kirby are mine, with two different hand positions. Also, when you say left hand, do you mean the one that is holding the hammer, or the one that's free?

[Garamonde]

The free hand, our right.

[Ton]

The eyes look a bit sad because of the shading on top. You may want to lighted the white just a bit.

[Thunder Toes]

The lighting on the shoulder seems blocky and pointed, smooth it out a bit?

[Kitsu]

I'd have to say that I like the originals better. Yours looks stiff, and you have too many details, so it just looks kind of noisy.

[Shouty]

The free hand, our right.

Like this, right? I hope this is the correct hand you were talking about.

The free hand, our right.

I'm not sure if I want to keep it like this because it ignores how the hat casts a shadow on the head but not on the eyes.

The lighting on the shoulder seems blocky and pointed, smooth it out a bit?

This better?

I'd have to say that I like the originals better. Yours looks stiff, and you have too many details, so it just looks kind of noisy.

The proportions of Dedede in that sprite don't adhere to how he looks currently. Kirby's Epic Yarn confirmed and retconned that Dedede's clothing beneath his robe is a kimono, and Kirby Super Star Ultra was released after Brawl. About the sprite itself, the sash is all blurry, the hat is too orange, and the palette is washed out, just to name a few flaws. It was alright for Kirby Advance style, but I really thought it needed and upgrade.

[Gors]

yeah, it looks overshaded compared to Kirby.

tbh, Dedede is okay for me imo. Kirby itself is an edit of GBA Kirby soo

[Shouty]

Kirby's KSSU sprite is too large compared to the KA sprite for it to have been edited. It might've been used as a reference in making the KSSU sprite, but it's too small to edit into something larger. Even if it was an edit, Kirby is a simpler character compared to Dedede, so it would be harder to make Dedede's sprite look like new, and it doesn't. Comparing how Kirby is shaded to how Dedede's sprite was wouldn't make any sense either; as said before, Kirby's design is simpler, so it was my fault for putting Kirby's sprite next to Dedede's on the image. Dedede's design changed since before KSSU (but after Squeak Squad), so that doesn't justify the edited sprite.

[StarSock64]

Of course comparing Dedede's sprite to Kirby's make sense. Just because a sprite's bigger or has more parts to it, that doesn't make it okay to suddenly give it a different shading style. If a boss doesn't look right next to the game's -playable character-, or, y'know, every other sprite in the game (because it doesn't), then that's kind of a problem. It's overshaded and not very fitting so you can afford to try to fix it.

That said, I do like your lineart, though I didn't really have a problem with the other one either.

[Garamonde]

Like this, right? I hope this is the correct hand you were talking about.

I'm sorry I guess I should have specified... I was talking about the rightmost sprite next to Kirby, with the fist, but I like that new shading actually.

And yes it would be cool to have the new Dedede from Brawl in the KA/SSU style, so it doesn't really look cluttered to me.

[Shouty]

Of course comparing Dedede's sprite to Kirby's make sense. Just because a sprite's bigger or has more parts to it, that doesn't make it okay to suddenly give it a different shading style. If a boss doesn't look right next to the game's -playable character-, or, y'know, every other sprite in the game (because it doesn't), then that's kind of a problem. It's overshaded and not very fitting so you can afford to try to fix it.

That said, I do like your lineart, though I didn't really have a problem with the other one either.

If it's overshaded, then please tell me where, because looking at sprites of a random character such as Biospark, the way it and my Dedede sprite are shaded are not too dissimilar. Unless when you say "overshaded" or "a different shading style", you mean that there is too much contrast, and that each value needs to be more distinct, because I'm taking it to mean that there are too many values on the sprite, which wouldn't make any sense.

[Gors]

yeah, probably your sprite gives us the overshaded effect because the contrast in your sprite is higher. Biospark's highlights aren't as big and noticeable like in your Dedede's cloak, for example. Also too many white highlights might be the cause too.

Another thing: resizing sprites are also an edit.