Thinking in pixels.

[AManofClay]

I'm pretty pleased with how this centaur is turning out. He's meant as a boss character. Maybe contrast the helmet more?

The first character is a Tengu, anthropomorphized bird people from Japanese mythology, I included mostly for scale. I'll upload a sheet of her some time down the line.

Tips, tricks, C+C would be appreicated.

[Cobalt Blue]

you are certainly lacking contrast as a whole on that centaur's colors. and the tengu is barely even readable.

also, according to wikipedia
"The earliest tengu were pictured with beaks, but this feature has often been humanized as an unnaturally long nose, which today is practically the tengu's defining characteristic in the popular imagination."

[Gors]

this kind of reminds me of earlier colored games such as Yie Ar Kung Fu. That is not a compliment though, as the sprites are blobby and really lacking in definition.

increase contrast and use the sprite's size as ally to make more details, and keep and eye on anatomy in both characters.

[BynineB]

If you were to hand me the first sprite without any information about it whatsoever, the first thought to my mind wouldn't be "tengu" but "muppet that has escaped from the loony bin". I can't fathom why it's standing in a weird sort of squat, why its feet are as big as its head, why it's wearing enormous red shorts, and why it doesn't appear to have any hands.

When I think tengu, I think of a creepy old man with a really long nose that assassinates people with bamboo poles. But you don't need to do that -creativity is part of art. However, if the word wouldn't even come to mind when I look at your sprite, there's an issue.

Of course, that's just on the design. The sprite is extremely bright and lacks contrast and definition, same as the centaur. The centaur also appears to change size and shape when it runs, which isn't a good thing.

[AManofClay]

and the tengu is barely even readable.

Okay so I'll experiment with the Nes Palette. Changed the pale skin tone to hopefully reflect the brown feathers a lot of the Tengu in the references have, to maybe cut away from some of the blue.

also, according to wikipedia
"The earliest tengu were pictured with beaks, but this feature has often been humanized as an unnaturally long nose, which today is practically the tengu's defining characteristic in the popular imagination."

Further into the article

[On Greater, Daitengu, and lesser, Katengu.]

"Daitengu are often pictured in a more human-like form than their underlings, and due to their long noses, they may also be called hanatakatengu (鼻高天狗, tall-nosed tengu?). Kotengu may conversely be depicted as more bird-like. They are sometimes called Karasu-Tengu."

The beak stays for now. Kind of a social hierarchy thing. Though I admit she's not very avian like otherwise.

this kind of reminds me of earlier colored games such as Yie Ar Kung Fu. That is not a compliment though, as the sprites are blobby and really lacking in definition.

increase contrast and use the sprite's size as ally to make more details, and keep an eye on anatomy in both characters.

Haha, I kind of want to try that game now. ^^; That said I’ll work to distance myself from the art style, as much as I can. Never was very good with anatomy.

If you were to hand me the first sprite without any information about it whatsoever, the first thought to my mind wouldn't be "tengu" but "muppet that has escaped from the loony bin". I can't fathom why it's standing in a weird sort of squat, why its feet are as big as its head, why it's wearing enormous red shorts, and why it doesn't appear to have any hands.

Good reason to change the skin tone, and quit avoiding black for the hair. It's the purple hair isn't it? The hands are under the wings. While not in use I wanted them to fold like a cloak or, gi. The rest I think I can chalk up to anatomy, tweeking the stance might help, and defintion for the pants.

Thank you all for the criticism.

[Belial]

Haha, I kind of want to try that game now. ^^;

No, you shouldn't. It's terrible.

The sprites are here though, if you'd like to see them.

[AManofClay]

Finally got enough stuff I'd like to show to warrant another post.



So, This is the current design of my tengu character.
There have been like three.
Ditched the heavy use of blues, and purples for reddish skin tones to lessen that Muppet look.
For the walk cycle I came across this NES game, Moon Crystal, and tried to use that as a reference.

Just for laughs I'll upload the second design:



Yeah...


Lastly these are just sprite edits of Boku Dracula.
Would really like to adopt a style like that so, I figure, sprite editing would be the first step in that direction.

[Cobalt Blue]

your current desing while improved in some elements, still carries the same problems as the original one in the first post. basically: poor color choices that lead to some serious case of poor readbility and contrast.