Speed's Pixel Cluster v2.0

[monkeybard]

Well, we're two different people after all, so it's expected that some of the impressions and opinions I have of your art will conflict with your own. I sometimes feel like offering critique can come off as "No, I'm more skilled than you, and if I were in charge than I would do this instead of that because this is clearly the better way to go about it", which would make me feel horrible if I do come off as such but I know that you're very receptive of my comments and that I can help you look at your art in slightly different manner that will help you improve in the future.

In regards to my spiel about the background, I recognised that Elrond pointed out a lot of the flaws in the harmony but I think the main thing I was trying to express were possible methods with which you can consider constructing your palettes in future pieces of the same scale.



I reckon you almost nailed it with the shading on this one! Using the shade of orange from the flame throughout all of Charmeleon was a great call and really brings the sprite together; especially the subtle specks of it you used to tint the belly in a sense. The only things I can see that could be improved on would mainly be the outlines. As it is, the shading is incredibly smooth and wonderful; which brings attention to how the outlines, while the linework is great, end up looking a little bit more jagged than perhaps intended. The contrast between the outlines and the colours is a bit higher than I would say the contrast is between each shade and how it's shaded, and I think smoothing out the outline with some aliasing, probably on the outer edge, would benefit the sprite. In addition to this, I've noted that you really stick to darker outlines in general, as opposed to say many of my sprites (like my recent WAR entry) where I quite happily put much lighter colours in the outlines. There's no better or worse to these methods, but the main thing to note here is the back of Charmeleon. By nature, a line of diagonal pixels simply appear to be thinner than a vertical and horizontal line of pixels. Rather than having a straight barrier between the shades and the white background, diagonal outlines allow a lot more of the background to influence how we interpret the shades and the outline colours, and the bottom line here is that the consistently dark outline you've used is subtly broken by the outline on the back of Charmeleon. I recognise that the colour used is the same as anywhere else, but if you simply look at it at 100% it gives off the impression that it's a bit lighter, which in turn creates expectations that this lighting effect on the outline would be present elsewhere on the sprite; and alas it is not. In addition to this, the single pixel where the back meets the tail feels the most noticeably 'jagged' or out-of-place, and while it seems to be there to give the tail a bit more of a curve, it would be better off perhaps a pixel longer or absent.

If there were any major hiccups with the shading, I would have to point out the stray yellow highlight on the offside of Charmeleon's belly. I recognise that there is a very subtle secondary light source which enriches the depth of the limbs and claws, but the yellow highlight on the belly does still look a bit out of place. I like that the red has a slight shift towards blue with the shadows, and it looks great with the yellower highlights (it's seriously a very good ramp for red) and that in turn makes the away-from-light zone of Charmeleon a bit of a no-go for more yellowey colours. On that note as well I feel like you could've been more adventurous with the shadows on the belly and shifting it towards green, which kind of goes against what I'm saying with the whole shadows =/= yellow thing but it's more about using colder colours away from the literally hot light source. There's nothing wrong with the palette as it is and cold browny colours obviously exist and are fine, but shifting in the other direction (in other words making it less red) and using a desaturated shade is another way you could've gone about it to put a little oomph and variety/balance in the palette.

The specks of red in the iris is a neat subtle addition, but the orange may have been excessive in the eye white. It's a cool effect, but it kind of makes the eye a little murkier than you perhaps might have intended. Unless it is intended, which in that case ignore this statement. I will personally add that using yellow to alias the eye would've been sufficient, and to add to this, I feel like putting a hint of a more saturated yellow on the light side of the claw would've also pushed the shading effect a little further, because as it is the claws are very standard. I also think the shading pattern was overdone a little on the claws; and it's more of a preference thing but I think using a darker shade on the other side of the 'main shadow line' of the claw would look a little better.

I don't have time for it right now, but I'll look at Flygon in more depth later if you want me to. I think the bottom line is that I find the palette of Flygon a tad drab, but I'll take another look.

The Gengar is coming along very nicely! Only real comments I have on the shading at the moment would be to make the right arm a little brighter possibly, and I think that the highlights above the edges of the mouth should be shadows instead, but that's dependant on what you're trying to communicate with that. On the pose and linework itself, I think the right leg could be moved a little further up along the right side of the body to make the pose a little bit more dynamic and I think the general shape would improve as well.