100x100 character portrait/icon

[ogatayhan92]

Slung some more pixels around tonight. I went with something bigger this time. I figure it's better to start with something larger and learn some basics before trying to do teeny tiny little guys.



Done in Furcadia's FSH Editor, which is like MSpaint +1. Has a decent palette of 236 colours in the sidebar and a few options that make it slightly more handy than Paint.

Anywho, I'm pretty happy with that little icon, though there's a few things that bug me. I know my contrast needs work.. I can never seem to get it just right. A little C+C won't hurt.

(Also, a little off topic, and a total noob question, but can someone explain "Pillow shading" to me? I've seen that term used here and there and am not quite sure what it is)

[Gors]

Pillowshading is when your lightsource is coming from the middle of the sprite. Since no objects are shaded like that (unless fire or something similar), it's considered bad. I'm no good at explaining, so I'll let someone else tell it for you :/

About the sprite, you've got skills Your hue-shifts are good and those ditherings work for me. The only thing that bugs me is your sprite's right side. Notice how his horn is darker at the right but his hair near his left ear isn't.

overall, good job. Nice to see more from you

[Vipershark]

This is a terrible example, but I think it'll definitely get the point across.

This is now normal shading is.


This is pillow shading.

Notice how the brightest shade is in the middle with the darkest shade around the outlines and the sprite looks terrible. Unlike everyone else here, I don't have a personal vendetta against pillow shading, and I actually think it looks good in certain cases, but you normally don't want to use it.

[ogatayhan92]

Thanks! I see what y'mean about pillow shading now. I can't think of a reason why I'd ever shade like that, so I think I'm safe there.

And thanks for the tip, Gorsal! I'll have a go at shading more in that area.

[AutumnSpire]

Very, very nice.

I have a small problem with the "irises" though, they need a more defined shape, and some anti-aliasing wouldn't hurt, either. Too much dithering is usually frowned upon, but it looks good here. Keep it up.