Ana's Updated Sprites

[Mercenary Lord]

Justifications for issues (that can be rectified with experimentation and hard work) isn't really what people post stuff online for.

In my unprofessional advice, rather than explain why you can't, won't, or didn't do something someone talks about or suggests, try doing what they talked about. If it ends up looking worse, then you were right all along, but sometimes it ends up looking better.

Nothing stops people from giving feedback like the posting artist explaining why they didn't do this or that. It's much more encouraging to the critic if the critee(?) responds by trying what they advised, even if they don't end up keeping it.

[Parrhesia]

Even something simple like a cross along the shield and a steel trim along the sides would probably make it a lot more visually interesting. You don't have to go intricate.

[Anacybele]

I guess, but at this point it would take me ages to update it because I've used it in a lot of content already (talking about the stationary sprite). If I hadn't, I'd most certainly do what you're suggesting, no questions asked. I just don't feel like going back through all that stuff right now to swap out old sprites for updated ones. Maybe in the future though, who knows.

[Book of Ereshkigal]

You don't need to go back and update old ones. At the very least, improve this one so you can do better on different ones Just say he got new armor

Edited February 1, 2014 by L95

[Mercenary Lord]

If you want future sprites to look better or improve, then you have to take what people are telling you now, and apply it to the sprite they're talking about now, so you can internalize and use it in the future. By saying "I can't because X" or "I would, but Y", you're just hand-waving away progress.

[Anacybele]

If you want future sprites to look better or improve, then you have to take what people are telling you now, and apply it to the sprite they're talking about now, so you can internalize and use it in the future. By saying "I can't because X" or "I would, but Y", you're just hand-waving away progress.

Hey, I never said I wouldn't use your advice on future sprites. :/

[Mercenary Lord]

I'm aware, but unless you start trying to use it now (and I'm speaking for advice in general here), by the time the "next one" rolls around, you'll have either forgotten it, or found a reason why you don't have to follow it.

[Anacybele]

I come back to this thread often to re-read people's critique. Same with my art thread. Don't worry, I won't forget. ;)

[Anacybele]

Oh man, it's been five months since the last post in here, but I've finally gotten back to spriting. Remember when I said Royce would be the next mug in the line up? Well, I'm a woman of my word! ^^

He's based off of Caellach from Sacred Stones. Caellach has exactly the kind of face I had in mind for Royce, just younger, although this was purely coincidence. Also spliced Marcus's hair. I drew the armor myself. It's pretty much Dragonlord armor, since that's what Royce basically is even though he has his own unique class that, as I stated a long time ago, allows him to wield dark magic as well as axes and lances.

But as I described when I posted his mother, Isis, Royce is the prince of Melora and is the most evil character in the story. His heart is colder than ice. Surprisingly, he used to be a good person and his younger sister, Erys, looked up to him. But for some strange reason, he gradually deteriorated into the heartless cold-blooded killer that he now is (this is eventually explained, just to point out). He even murdered the people that were his friends because they didn't like his change and he branded them traitors. He enjoys nothing less than making his enemies suffer and he usually won't hesitate to kill someone that gets in his way. If he does hesitate, he either likes the idea of making them suffer better or he leaves his target severely wounded as a message to his foes. He'll even make his own troops and people suffer if they don't support him. And he'll kill anyone, even children.

In fact, Royce is so ruthless and frightening that he intimidates his own mother sometimes. He hates Bernard, the commander of an organization known as the Red Claw which Isis hired, and wishes he could make the man suffer in the most horrible way possible, but Royce knows that they'd have even less of a chance of succeeding in their mission without him. He also holds disdain for Shigo, another high-ranking Meloran due to his treachery and decision to pursue his own goals. Unfortunately for Royce, not even he can defeat Shigo, although he has come close.

Edited July 7, 2014 by Anacybele

[Dandragon]

Oh man, it's been five months since the last post in here, but I've finally gotten back to spriting. Remember when I said Royce would be the next mug in the line up? Well, I'm a woman of my word! ^^

He's based off of Caellach from Sacred Stones. Caellach has exactly the kind of face I had in mind for Royce, just younger, although this was purely coincidence. Also spliced Marcus's hair. I drew the armor myself. It's pretty much Dragonlord armor, since that's what Royce basically is even though he has his own unique class that, as I stated a long time ago, allows him to wield dark magic as well as axes and lances.

But as I described when I posted his mother, Isis, Royce is the prince of Melora and is the most evil character in the story. His heart is colder than ice. Surprisingly, he used to be a good person and his younger sister, Erys, looked up to him. But for some strange reason, he gradually deteriorated into the heartless cold-blooded killer that he now is (this is eventually explained, just to point out). He even murdered the people that were his friends because they didn't like his change and he branded them traitors. He enjoys nothing less than making his enemies suffer and he usually won't hesitate to kill someone that gets in his way. If he does hesitate, he either likes the idea of making them suffer better or he leaves his target severely wounded as a message to his foes. He'll even make his own troops and people suffer if they don't support him. And he'll kill anyone, even children.

In fact, Royce is so ruthless and frightening that he intimidates his own mother sometimes. He hates Bernard, the commander of an organization known as the Red Claw which Isis hired, and wishes he could make the man suffer in the most horrible way possible, but Royce knows that they'd have even less of a chance of succeeding in their mission without him. He also holds disdain for Shigo, another high-ranking Meloran due to his treachery and decision to pursue his own goals. Unfortunately for Royce, not even he can defeat Shigo, although he has come close.

Royce

sounds like someone pronouncing rice the same way "nice" is mispronounced as "noice" or "noyce".

Also I presume he is a dragon rider? No, Dan. You're stupid. He;s obviously a bishop.

[Anacybele]

Yep, he rides a wyvern. A black wyvern named Shadow, to be precise.

I just noticed a part of the armor that I forgot to shade though, ugh. >_<

EDIT: There, all good now. :P

Edited July 7, 2014 by Anacybele

[Dandragon]

I don't see a difference o_o

[Anacybele]

It wasn't easy to see. It took me awhile to spot it myself. But it was a small area on the shoulder guard to the left (Royce's right). :P

[Kon]

His armour looks really pillow shaded >_<

Try easing up on the shading, especially against the borderline and around the trim.

[Anacybele]

Uh, I don't see how it's pillow shaded. I was avoiding it entirely. o_O

[Kon]

You can still end up pillow shading even when you try to avoid it, although the colors of his armour don't help much. The lightest shade is way too light compared to the second and third, and coupled with the dark trim makes it look worse than it might actually be.

Sorry if this sounds really weird, I really suck at explaining things >_<

I can try changing the colors on his armour to give you a better idea of what I'm talking about, if you like.

Edited July 7, 2014 by Kon

[Anacybele]

Oh, I see. Well, his armor is supposed to be silver with black lining... And the closest thing I could find to silver was on the generic FE7 soldier and Wallace. I felt that the latter was a little too light and the lightest shade on the former was too dark.

But go ahead as long as you can stick to the silver and black color scheme.

[Book of Ereshkigal]

Hm, the biggest example of pillow shading is the left shoulder (our point of view.) Why is the far edge so dark? Especially since that armor is a round shape that bends outward, there is nothing obstructing it.

I think the biggest issue is you're AA'ing/Banding a lot. This makes everything around the trim blurry, and interferes with your shading because the banding is actually taking up shading space. Shading>AA IMO. Prioritize shading something over trying to AA it. Large amounts of AA make it look like there are shadows where you don't intend them to be.

I'm bad at explanations, so here is a side by side comparison. :B

You're trying to anti alias too much. Try looking at 45 degree angle banding and the rest of the "banding" section. (Though FE sprites use banding in a way to make the trim look like it is raised, so use carefully, in your sprite, the darkest shade of the trim already does this, you need to lessen the Anti aliasing with the armor colors)

Also, this is unrelated, but flip the sprite horizontally every now and again, this works wonders for helping your brain to see things that you may not notice after staring at it forever.

Edited July 7, 2014 by L95

[Kon]

Ah, stupid phone DX

Edited July 7, 2014 by Kon

[Anacybele]

But aren't you supposed to anti-alias? I'm just really confused. Before I was told to anti-alias more. And now I'm being told not to. I apologize, I WANT to do what you're saying, but I'm just not sure how.

I looked at that link though, it's pretty informative. I learned a lot from it.

[Kon]

Oh, I see. Well, his armor is supposed to be silver with black lining... And the closest thing I could find to silver was on the generic FE7 soldier and Wallace. I felt that the latter was a little too light and the lightest shade on the former was too dark.

But go ahead as long as you can stick to the silver and black color scheme.

Alright, I'll have to do it when I get off of work in the morning. I might try to fix the shadowy ng to give you a hetter reference of what to do, but I know you don't like people messing with your sprites >_<

[Anacybele]

Oh, I'm okay with it as long as the person gets permission. Otherwise, yeah, I don't really like other people messing with my stuff. It's nothing personal, it's just that I'm always afraid that my work will wind up in the wrong hands. I've had it stolen more than once.

[Book of Ereshkigal]

But aren't you supposed to anti-alias? I'm just really confused. Before I was told to anti-alias more. And now I'm being told not to. I apologize, I WANT to do what you're saying, but I'm just not sure how.

I looked at that link though, it's pretty informative. I learned a lot from it.

Nothing to apologize for~

I think Kon is already making an example(?), but I'm glad the link was really helpful (I know I found it helpful)

[Anacybele]

Yeah, though Kon said he can't do it until he's off work tomorrow morning. I'll be around all day since I'm off work tomorrow myself, so yeah, it's fine with me.

But at least the neck and tunic collar are fine? I colored that myself too. And no one is saying it's pillow shaded. I'm just kinda disappointed that I failed with the armor when I've been trying so hard NOT to pillow shade.

Edited July 7, 2014 by Anacybele

[Siuloir]

Uh, I don't see how it's pillow shaded. I was avoiding it entirely. o_O

The light source is kinda inconsistent. With FE mugs, its almost always in the upper left.

As far as colors go, if you have a decent-ish graphics program (Paint.net is free, as are all functions of GraphicsGale not involving gifs, and GraphicsGale is amazing), try messing with the HSV of existing Fire Emblem colors if you're lacking in a shade that will blend fluidly.

Yeah, though Kon said he can't do it until he's off work tomorrow morning. I'll be around all day since I'm off work tomorrow myself, so yeah, it's fine with me.

But at least the neck and tunic collar are fine? I colored that myself too. And no one is saying it's pillow shaded. I'm just kinda disappointed that I failed with the armor when I've been trying so hard NOT to pillow shade.

His neck does seem a little thin compared to the outer metal collar/gorget, but the red undertunic looks fine. Kon and L95 are far more experienced mug spriters than I, so I happily defer to them. PixelJoint is a really really good read for sprites, though.