My first hair (HK, still working on it)

[Azden]

Hello all, I'm sick of leeching other people's resources, all I do is search and search. So I decided to make my own sprites this time. I've managed to follow Venetia's Hair tutorial and it helped me alot, I like the hair while the char is moving down. However I've had problems with left-right and up, I just don't like them. I was wondering if anybody could teach me a little or point me to something that will help me with making my character's own hair, or armor for that matter. In general I just want to learn how to draw my own HK characters. Here is my sprite so far:

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a214/ ... arTest.png[/img]

Sorry to not be so clear, kinda saying many things at once however I'm very tired along with a headache. When the sprite walks down, I like that hair, content with it. It's when he's walking left-right or up that I dislike it, there's many things wrong with it and I need somebody to tell me how I could do better, like and example. Anyways I'll head to bed now and tomorrow I'll have a look at any comments.

PS: Don't mind the nudity, it's only a 2D sprite :P

Thanks in advance, Azden.

 

[RavenTDA]

Hmm the front view isn't too bad. You might want to lower the hair line a tad. Is that only two colors you got there? You don't have to sprite every strand of hair like that and it usually looks better if you clump it more. Take a look at some examples in say the rtp and such. The issue with the back is the middle. the hair is going in a strange direction. It shoudl be straight back more don't you think? There shouln't be that diagnoal to it. As for the side. It's the placement of the hair line. Far too low. It's almost become a beard and sideburns. Pick it up and don't forget where your part is. It look slicked back here. Also don't forget to add in shadows from the hair. It adds more depth.

 

[Venetia]

Thanks, Azden, for looking at my tutorial!

It seems like you nearly have the outline/fill portions down pat, but it's falling flat on the shading.

Let's see ...

Using this link :P : http://www.rmxp.org/forums/index.php?topic=36738.0

- I think the hair on the side view, covering the forehead, needs to be budged up about 2 pixels.

- The back view's strand-outlines in the very back of the head go "out" instead of down. You can probably simplify that to one line going down the back, and then reduce the thickness of the strand-outlines radiating to either side of the head.

- Don't forget to use all 6 colors, not just 2 or 3. Unless it's a waayyyyy simpler shape, 2-3 shades won't work as well.

- See steps 25-29 again, this'll apply for every view.

But to rectify what you have there with the least work:

First, select the midtone fill of the hair using the Magic Wand (or ... whatever equivalent your image editing software has. Basically, you're just selecting that one color).

Next, draw in the shade and highlight colors. It should only be a few "swoops". You'll see that the strand outlines are intact still but now you have a "guide".

Third, select (using the Magic Wand, etc) the outline color. Using the highlight/shade colors as a guide, draw in your midtone and highlight. Don't worry if the definition on most of your inner outlines is lost. Don't be afraid to recolor the outlines, especially around the "halos" and the upper-left portions of the scalp.


I'd like to see your progress!

 

[Azden]

Thanks Dark Angel, Yeah I noticed it was really diagonally screwed up, not sure why I even saved it then, I just have a problem with streaks going downward.

And Venetia, yeah I liked your tut! However I gave up on step 18 :D Yeah yeah yeah.. I know I gotta read more.. lol, I'm going to read the rest of it in the morning (I want an easy button..) I only used 3 shades because the other 3 shades that you have in your "palette" are brighter, and I'm trying to use dark brown hair. I still haven't really learned the best to pick colors out for my own palette to use. Oh and I use Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo X2. When I look at pixels for long long times it just frustrates me, I still gotta get used to that, I just end up deleting what I did, then retrying later, I finished the going down view yesterday, and today did the other views. I find weapons easier to do than hair, too many colors involved lol.

If you could help me out with selecting some colors for a palette, I'd greatly appretiate that. Once I post this I'm turning the PC off and sleeping :P. I'll try attempt Numero 3 tomorrow, thanks for the feedback people.

 

[Venetia]

The palette in that tut was only encompassing the very, very basic shades of brown, red, auburn, blonde, black, grey. People are more than welcome to make their own palettes. But 6 shades really seem to be key in making nice-looking HK hair, I've found--2, 3 won't do it unless you're doing a simpler, cartoony style.

When I get off work I'll see about devising a larger hair palette for you if you like.

 

[Azden]

Okay thanks, that'd be great! Just got back from school now (Gr.12), once I do some things around the house I'm gonna get back to that tutorial :P.

Good luck at work.

Edit: Nice hair by the way (On your example), It's gonna be a while before I become that good.

Edit 2: Yeah.. More than 3-4 colors would be really helpful lol.. I use the darkest for the outline, then the 2nd for the highlights, and then the other 2 for pretty much the color. I don't use the last color. I run out of colors too fast hehe. Really doesn't help out how I'm trying to do dark brown hair :P. Could you tell me a little about shading as well?