Jon's Sprites

[jimmyjw88]

Jon, please use the "EDIT" button on the top right corner.
As for the sprite, try use existing colours, example, Agrias, Wizard, Chemist or if you want purple-ish blue, Prince Larg perhaps.

[mav]

Just take colors from existing sprites, like Jimmy just mentioned. As for the sprite itself, it looks okay. It's hard to judge though, since you've only provided the forward-facing frame (which is always the strangest looking). I think you should raise the entire hat one pixel, make sure the three shades for yellows all look different (right now the two lighter shades are nearly identical), and make sure that there's not outlining or pillow shading.

[Jon]

Okay thank you, I will do all that, but what is pillow shading? I don't know because I am new to spriting units...(or I am plain ignorant to this term). I was gonna use a combo of Agrias for the blue colors and a (Temple?)Divine Knight for the golden and yellow colors from the armor (Kletian or Izlude or Volmav, ect.) I am about half way done with the 3/4th view and will post that one up next. Hopefully, this sprite gets better and not worse, because I really really like Cannoneers/Pirates (it can be a pirate captain, can't it?) I will raise the hat 1 pixel, but that will mean more fore head or hair...bummer...

[mav]

This is a pretty decent guide that outlines what pillow shading is and how to avoid it.

[Kagebunji]

Will do, and whoa! Dude, Kagebunji, I saw some of your FF9 stuff, nice work! Shockingly good actually! In the Show/Hide box under your name, I like the 1st Steiner's body but the 2nd's coloring better. Zidane looks uncanny in FFT form, but I think (just my opinion) his tail is skinnier and longer. Awesome!

Well the first Steiner is by Jimmy, 2nd is by me. Jimmy also did Vivi, Beatrix isn't done by any of us (as said in note), and all the rest is mine. With Zidane there are problems, his hair is hard to do, but I have one idea, about tail I cannot do a thing, it's already long, it may crash with other frames if it will be really bad. I personally like Garnet most. Thanks for kind words, but Jimmy is a part of this project as well so credits go to him too

[Jon]

Nice work Jimmy for FF9

[jimmyjw88]

http://www.natomic.com/hosted/marks/mpat/shading.html

[Jon]

Haha thank you very much Jimmy, but Mav posted that first. Thanks anyways; this guide rocks! Oh horrors, oh tragedy! My sprite has pillow shading! Just look at the hat! I need help...I will redo it as best as I can and post it tomorrow or the day after(hopefully I will be done with the 3/4 view also). Actually, a question to you pro spriters: why do I need to use colors from already existing units? I made a custom Kletian with a blue robe and black armor on my own and he came out fine (well in game at least...)

[Kagebunji]

When you use existing palettes, you can be sure nothing wil be saturated, that's preety much all. You asked pro spriter though, but I'm not one

[Jon]

Here is the front and 3/4ths views. Thanks Kagebunji, I changed all the colors only to Agrias's blues and Kletian's armor gold(yellow-goldish). The rest are the Mediators original colors. Hope it is only 16...please please please tell me if the hat is alright and if you want, I mean if any of you aren't too busy...please take a crack at the hat and improve it if you can...you have no idea how hard it is drawing it from 3/4ths!! It's crazy! Merry Christmas to y'all!

[Kagebunji]

Good job Jon, it doesn't look that bad. If you want to see how many colors you are currently have, download GraphicsGale, this is quite good program for messing with palettes.

[Jon]

Thanks! Also, yes, I have exactly 16 colors, what a relief I have gotten rid of the almost black color trim around the hat, I think that was your advice Kagebunji, and now it looks better. I think (not 100% sure) that all the almost black color outlines on the units always only appear below something else (example hands, hats, between legs and under arms, ect.) so technically speaking, it would not make much sense if I outlined the Cannoneer's hat. Good idea Kage! Also, I plan to call this unit either Captain or Colonel...need advice on that, too haha...any ideas anyone?

[Kagebunji]

Clolonel, yeah that's good, name the job Colonel, and I will name it Roy Campbell(Colonel from MGS). Also, I wanted to tell you, call me Kage

[jimmyjw88]

2x / 3x please and thank you. I think its looking good.
And Merry Xmas to all.

[mav]

This is surprisingly good. It's not perfect yet, but holy crap, this is one of the best first attempts I've seen in a while. Great work. My only suggestions thus far are to raise the hat one pixel (on both views) and remove the dark gray outline from above the hat. What sprite are you using as your base or reference? Male Oracle? Just be sure to keep the shading consistent.

Seriously, this is really nice. Keep up the good work, Jon.

[Jon]

Okay, now I have a  problem - I can't for the life of me get the side view correct when it comes to the hat. I am desperate...I have been playing around with the hat for like 1 1/2 hours now (just the hat!!) *sigh* Someone please help...I made another example under the "?"...


@Mav- Thank you very much! Besides that moogle I never finished and the cola bear, this is in theory (when I am done) the first real sprite I did(sprite sheet wise). It is the Mediator btw...

[Kagebunji]

This hat will be used for Bikke when you will be done for sure

Looking good so far, about hat I can't suggest anything, I'm not too good at it.

[Jon]

Finally, I hope this side view with that blasted hat is acceptable:



Looks like a Mexican Sombraro (or however you spell it)...

@Mav- If I raise the hat 1 pixel, what do I do then? Add more dark brown as hair or make the lesser brown as fore head...? I have no idea whatsoever with that...

[mav]

The hat is looking better (kinda) but what happened to the body? The gold outline should be similar to the shape of his arm, not a straight line. While you're at it, go ahead and remove the yellow line on the chest and make it blue (add shadows as necessary). By the way, you are editing this at the in-game size, right; not the blown up size? I'm noticing that some of the lines don't have the correct pixel length/size. Work on it to-scale or else things will get screwed up really quickly.

[Jon]

No worries, that was a cropping mistake, and I will fix it later. Thanks for the info, I didn't even notice the arm...