The "Gary's Sprite Style" Experiment

[GaryCXJk]

Okay, so, for a few months I've been trying to figure out my own sprite style, mainly so that I could create a webcomic which I could eventually release in print or something, or at least monetize (since I suck at regular drawing). I mean, I can't just use Mega Man sprites and edit them to do that. That, and I eventually want to create a game.

However, I came to realize that I suck at coming up with styles, or creating anything from scratch, so I decided to practice a little bit, see if I can come up with something, and use that sprite as a basis.

So what I'm going to do is post a sprite, try to get some comments on them, come with a new sprite, probably making tweaks to the style, take what people like, retroactively add these changes to my old sprites, and continue this process.

So for now, here's a sprite of Blossom from the Powerpuff Girls.



It's not perfect at the moment. The main thing it lacks is shading. The thing is, I don't even know where the light source is coming from, or what works best. I think I should have come up with that when I started this one. I think I placed the light source directly above her due to the fact that I used selout that way, but I'm not sure, mainly because if that was the case the shading on her shirt is off.

Anyway, I was going to work on Blossom, but first of all, that would have been a bit counter-productive, as it's still the same type of character. That and whatever I do I can't get her face to appear right (although adding some shading did help a bit). So I decided to just sprite NicePeter. I haven't even started though, so you'll have to wait with that. I'm actually pretty excited to do this one.

[Gaia]

Also, the style is usually flat as seen in most official spriteworks considering this style, but in the main show features actual shading from time to time, and you can try taking advantage of that. Also, you can also try to build your character's proportionss from the ground up, like I'm doing now.

[Cobalt Blue]

Okay, so, for a few months I've been trying to figure out my own sprite style,

dont. its not something you force or figure. even though, "having a style" is nothing but drawing things in a particular way no one else has done before and stick to it for the sake of recognition, "havign a style" is ultimately a terrible goal. you'll ultimately sacrifice your creative liberty for the sake of portraying things in a fixed, standarized way just so people would know you did it, disregard if you could had done it better than that.

or even worse, justify your mistakes under the false belief that "they are part of your style".

[GaryCXJk]

Also, the style is usually flat as seen in most official spriteworks considering this style, but in the main show features actual shading from time to time, and you can try taking advantage of that. Also, you can also try to build your character's proportionss from the ground up, like I'm doing now.

Yeah, I still need to figure out the proportions even.

Right now I want to make a sprite comic that's basically thematically a mix between Scott Pilgrim and anime like Dragonball, but with a certain seriousness. I mean it's mostly going to be comedy, but it also plays certain elements straight.

Basically it's about a guy called Gil Diamond, who wants to be the greatest warrior of the planet. Warrior as in, the martial arts world champion. It takes place on a planet that revolves around the same elipsis as five other planets (which will be explained somewhere, I don't know where). The planet he's on is mostly competition based, hence the reason he wants to be a world champion.

Okay, so, for a few months I've been trying to figure out my own sprite style,

dont. its not something you force or figure. even though, "having a style" is nothing but drawing things in a particular way no one else has done before and stick to it for the sake of recognition, "havign a style" is ultimately a terrible goal. you'll ultimately sacrifice your creative liberty for the sake of portraying things in a fixed, standarized way just so people would know you did it, disregard if you could had done it better than that.

or even worse, justify your mistakes under the false belief that "they are part of your style".

It's more because I eventually want to monetize from it, and having several different art styles in a game or a comic is horrible. That, and I have aspergers. One of my obsessions is to put as many things in one style, and since Capcom vs. style is a bit too much and Mega Man ZX isn't much, I decided to just try something myself.

Now for half of all my games, I'll leave the style up to my bro, since he's the more creative one. For most of the other half, I'll be using 3D models anyway. It's actually mostly for this sprite comic.

And no, don't give me that "then just use an existing style", because, to reiterate, I cannot monetize from it if I eventually decide to do so.

Also, MUGEN. For some reason I can't stand style clashes in my MUGEN. Call me crazy, but I can't.

[megaMasquerain]

Gonna comment to elaborate on stuff Metaru said:

Your style (how you draw) can be important but I don't think it's something you should consciously work at. If you're studying the basics of art - anatomy, perspective, composition, etc. you're going to be drawing, and as you draw you'll be forming your own way of getting what you see or imagine down on paper (life drawing and referencing is good... like I'm one to talk through). Another way people develop their styles without realizing it is just by looking at art. It's the same kind of thing that happens when writers read - and, well, reading a lot is the number one advice you'll get as a writer. If you see something you like, you can examine aspects of it and figure out why you like it so much, and then consciously (or subconsciously) incorporate it into your own work while you're drawing.

I actually understand your situation - I have aspergers' too but you don't need to be on the spectrum to realize that 99% of the time style clashes in comics are awful. I don't think you need to worry all too much though. You don't need to find -your- style - you just need to keep everything you do for the comic consistent.


As for the sprite itself... the sel-out makes the lines look rather jagged (especially on the bow and the 'swoop' of the hair), and the legs stand out too much, because they're outlined in black while all the other outlines are lighter. Try a lighter grey?

[Goemar]

Yeah I would drop the whole "my style" thing and just go for consistency. So basically, as long as everything looks like they are in the same style, it doesn't matter what the style is.

I've kinda found that drawing is well, pretty damn important - so if you can't draw then, get practising. Draw, draw, draw - and then hit the whole sprite business (hopefully armed with a scanner).

[GaryCXJk]

Gonna comment to elaborate on stuff Metaru said:

Your style (how you draw) can be important but I don't think it's something you should consciously work at. If you're studying the basics of art - anatomy, perspective, composition, etc. you're going to be drawing, and as you draw you'll be forming your own way of getting what you see or imagine down on paper (life drawing and referencing is good... like I'm one to talk through). Another way people develop their styles without realizing it is just by looking at art. It's the same kind of thing that happens when writers read - and, well, reading a lot is the number one advice you'll get as a writer. If you see something you like, you can examine aspects of it and figure out why you like it so much, and then consciously (or subconsciously) incorporate it into your own work while you're drawing.

I actually understand your situation - I have aspergers' too but you don't need to be on the spectrum to realize that 99% of the time style clashes in comics are awful. I don't think you need to worry all too much though. You don't need to find -your- style - you just need to keep everything you do for the comic consistent.


As for the sprite itself... the sel-out makes the lines look rather jagged (especially on the bow and the 'swoop' of the hair), and the legs stand out too much, because they're outlined in black while all the other outlines are lighter. Try a lighter grey?

Actually, it's not just for my sprite comic itself. It's actually everything I want to put in one style. Tried to do that in Capcom vs. Style, but that turned out to be counter productive. So yeah, the single style thing isn't just for my sprite comic.

As for the lighter grey, I do have some lighter shades of grey in the sprite itself. I might try to use that, but I'm not sure if I already tried it or not.

Yeah I would drop the whole "my style" thing and just go for consistency. So basically, as long as everything looks like they are in the same style, it doesn't matter what the style is.

I've kinda found that drawing is well, pretty damn important - so if you can't draw then, get practising. Draw, draw, draw - and then hit the whole sprite business (hopefully armed with a scanner).

Actually, that's not entirely true. Just like people who can draw can't necessarily create sprites, it can work the other way around. Sure it can help, but it's not a prerequisite.

[megaMasquerain]

Actually, it's not just for my sprite comic itself. It's actually everything I want to put in one style. Tried to do that in Capcom vs. Style, but that turned out to be counter productive. So yeah, the single style thing isn't just for my sprite comic.

Just... draw, then? Like I said a style isn't something you practice, like anatomy or perspective. It sneaks up on you as you draw and observe. Eventually you'll look at your art and like what you see style-wise and you'll have something. It's just as easy to change up a style, too. Style is just the way you translate what you see/think to paper.

An analogy - the basics (anatomy, composition, perspective, use of color, etc) are the flesh and bones and organs of your art. Style is the clothes and accessories. You'll want to do the basics first, and THEN you'll have a better idea of what kind of "clothes" you want.

As for traditional art: You don't have to be amazing with a pencil or paint to make sprites, yeah, but traditional art is generally the easiest way to practice the basics. Personally I like using a tablet and a drawing program like SAI (since if you already have a tablet it's cheaper than buying all sorts of hardnesses of pencils and types of erasers and tons of sketchbooks) but I'm sure someone will come in and correct me on why working traditionally is better. And, well, you can know your pixel techniques like the back of your hand, but if you don't know the basics of art the stuff you make is gonna be mediocre at best.

I'm working through that problem myself now, so I would say try and balance your pixel work with some good ol' pencil (or tablet) studies.

[Doc Melonhead]

Like everyone else said, there IS NO "STYLE"; only artist that drew in their life time and therefore continues to grow as an artist. There's always room for improvement, and the more you improve, the more professional you become. Never aim for any style and focus on being a well established artist that are capable of drawing anything and everything (perspectives, backgrounds, EVERYTHING), even if it were as complexed as fuck.

Aim for the Top is all I got to say.