Caequitas Sprites

[Caequitas]

Just started scratch spriting a few days ago with no prior experience and no knowledge of spriting itself. Go easy on me, but I'd appreciate some constructive criticism. Now I realize that I still have to work on my proportions and shading and coloring and, well, drawing. But practice makes perfect, so...here. These are the four sprites I've made since a couple of days ago. The order of earliest to latest is Paering, Memolug, Mortoun, and Dube Trainer. Sorry about the weird sizes for all but Dube Trainer, I had some problems with that.

Feel free to comment. I don't know why anyone would want to steal these, but please refrain from doing so.

 

[Nina]

Wheh, okay let's start with something simple. Line work.

AUGH; I was drawing up some visual references but I REALLY have to get ready for school NOW, so I can't write anything yet. So here's the picture, and I'll get back to you and explain it in 8 hours. owo;
Because we totally don't have computers at school and PC isn't blocked! D:

*ahem* Okay. The thing that is wrong with your linework is it's jaggedness and it isn't clean. Compare the claw of one of your creatures with the fin of Empoleon. Do you see how clean Empoleon's looks? The line with the red dot is how you do your lines. The line with the green dot is a better line that doesn't have the lines overlapping. The line with the blue dot is more like that of Empoleon's, in which it's second color makes it somewhat smothers. This one is ideal, but it might be better just to start with a line more akin to the green one. Try not to let any of the lines touch each other besides diagonally unless it's in a curve or point, like the end of your claws.

So I've marked the points in which you have excess lines in red. Now if you just simply go though and remove those pixels it looks very nasty doesn't it? You have to try and make it smoother. I didn't to the most perfect job, but I hope you see what I'm doing. I then added a lighter color to the outline in the direction of the light source, one per line normally, but there is no defined rule about it. Does it looks better to you?

The last is just a comparison of my version and your original version. I hope you see the difference and my thoughts about what could improve your spriting has helped you.
Uh oh, bell rung, I'll be off now!

 

[Caequitas]

Wow, I really appreciate you giving me some good examples. I see what you mean, it'll help me in the future. I'm sure it'll be a matter of patience to get all the lines smooth and in the right form, but that's what it takes. Thanks.

 

[Ben.]

Not to be picky.
But these would all be classed as pixel art.
If you want to sprites they need to be in 64x64 or D/P size.
There more fitting.
But you have potential, keep at it.
Good luck!

 

[Nina]

Not to be picky.
But these would all be classed as pixel art.
If you want to sprites they need to be in 64x64 or D/P size.
There more fitting.
But you have potential, keep at it.
Good luck!

To be super picky, a "sprite" is an image that goes into a larger scene in a game, so he does not have to adhear by pokemon sizes to call it a sprite. He just has to intend on putting them in a game. It's just assumed that he would try and use them for pokemon purposes. (We all know what assuming does...)
Some people classify pixel art as an overall category for sprites, tiles, and the work. I'm just a little irked because the non overall category of 'pixel art' is just like art in creating a picture for visual entertainment, not just a representation of a character, and just because it's not a 'proper' sprite doesn't mean you lug it in with the less defined category of art.
(Though like I said, it doesn't mean it isn't all pixel art, it's just comparing an illustration and concept art.)


OH, and you're welcome Caequitas. :) I'm happy it was useful. I like your name by the way.

 

[Caequitas]

Hah, thanks. And, @ Ben, I'm glad you believe I have potential.

Oh, yeah, by the way. I did say I had problems with the sizing, initially. I'm pretty sure that the trainer is the proper size, and I did that one most recently.