Utility: Sprite Editing Tutorial

[Burnsaber]

If you want to remove selection, just draw a simple line with lasso, then it will select "nothing".

Also, there are a lot commands in the menu you get when you right-click on the image.

[Ballbarian]

Also, at the top of the image (in windows at least) there is a "Select->None" menu item, or you can hit Shift+Ctrl+A.

GIMP certainly takes some getting used to, but it is very slick once you start getting a feel for things.

[llamabeast]

It would only be trying to move it anyway if you had the drag tool selected. If you have the pencil selected it won't try to move anything. I think perhaps having the whole image selected is the default, but I've never noticed because I don't normally have the drag tool selected.

[mabelode]

Hi everybody, first post here, i would like to say that this thread is really useful, reading it gave me the envy to create my own nation.

I had almost used photoshop before ( except at school ) and i've never been gifted in any form of art but i think the sprites i've created are not so bad.

I've put all the sprites i created in the jpeg file attached to this post so anybody can see them and give me some advices.

On the methods i've used: it was a mix of altering sprites from the game, using parts of resized pictures and some things i did myself. Each sprite has already an history and a place in my nation but i still have to organize all my ideas and write it all.

[Burnsaber]

First of all, welcome to the forums! I'm glad that this thread proved of inspiration to you.

I have a small personal dislike for taking pics of the internet and resizing them, but no worries, that's just my personal preferance. When I comment on the pics I'll use numbering starting from the top left and going right starting back from the left at the second row.

1) His right leg looks odd from knee-down. It should probably go straight down instead of curving inside. Otherwise it looks nice. What did you use as a base, if I may ask?

2) His grip on the trident is odd. He's holding it like a praying mantis. Try holding a broom or something horizontally and you'll notice it too. You could also shade the trident shaft a bit. If you can fit two colors, you should use two colors. The robe could perhaps use some shading.

3) The shoulderpad on the right probably shouldn't be that dark. It creates the feeling that he's holding his left hand way behind his back. The heads a bit blurry too.

4) I like this guy. He seems to be facing backwards thought. I'd suggest mirroring him horizontally and giving him more of a facial features (hair? face?).

5) the robe could use some shading here. Also the shield is a bit blurry, can't really make out any patterns. Is that supposed to be writing? If so, cool. Just make the writing darker (to make it stand out more) and take some lines away. Also the blade is tad too thick. It looks like total.. overkill. You know, it's tad more ridicilious than badass. I like the chest.

6) The same blade thing applies here. Also the insignia in his chest armor doesn't really stand out. I'd make it smaller but brighter. remember that it doesn't have to be a real symbol, just seem like one.

7) Apparently machine of some sort. Looks pretty good.

8) Sword thickness is problem here too. His left arm is also a bit too dark.

9) Sword thickness and robe shading. Otherwise pretty cool

10) Chest insignia. The sword isn't as thick as other, but could perhaps use some trimming.

11) His chest looks odd, but can't really put my finger on why.. He also deosn't seem to have any grip on the staff. Where is his hand? I really like the robe.

12) That red spearish thing needs shading. As does his robe. His pose is very menancing, I like it.

13) Sorry to sound so harsh, but this one needs a great deal of work. His pose is all over the place and he seems out of focus. Also if the guy is using a heavy two-handed weapon, he should wield it two-handed, otherwise it just looks silly.

14) Now this is one scary guy. He could use some shading below his head. I can't really say where his chest armor ends and head begins. The grip on the sword also looks odd. Perhaps show some hilt?

15) Pretty good.

I may sound harsh, but remember my prejudice against internet sprites. It may have affected my judgement. But I promised to critizise and that I will do.

I'd explain in more detail, but I'm in rush to go drinking.

[mabelode]

Originally Posted by Burnsaber

First of all, welcome to the forums! I'm glad that this thread proved of inspiration to you.

I have a small personal dislike for taking pics of the internet and resizing them, but no worries, that's just my personal preferance.

Yeah i know that some people don't really like this method but i just take some parts of pictures, like an interesting helmet on a guy from a game, a good looking weapon in a drawing, never the entire picture.

When I comment on the pics I'll use numbering starting from the top left and going right starting back from the left at the second row.


1) His right leg looks odd from knee-down. It should probably go straight down instead of curving inside. Otherwise it looks nice. What did you use as a base, if I may ask?

The base is a rain priest from LA Mictlan, and the legs are already like that on the original sprite


2) His grip on the trident is odd. He's holding it like a praying mantis. Try holding a broom or something horizontally and you'll notice it too. You could also shade the trident shaft a bit. If you can fit two colors, you should use two colors. The robe could perhaps use some shading.

Shading of the robe: that's a thing i have to do on all my sprites with robes, i already try but i'm not good at it, i hope i will improve with time.

The grip of the trident and the trident's shaft: i did not see these details but i think you're absolutly right, i will work on that.

3) The shoulderpad on the right probably shouldn't be that dark. It creates the feeling that he's holding his left hand way behind his back. The heads a bit blurry too.

Will work on that

4) I like this guy. He seems to be facing backwards thought. I'd suggest mirroring him horizontally and giving him more of a facial features (hair? face?).

Personally i like the pose, i find it twisted and dynamic so i think it will stay like that.
For the face: the concept of the sprite is a guy trapped in an armor covering all of is body and also his face ( but of course you did not know ) so no change needed.

5) the robe could use some shading here. Also the shield is a bit blurry, can't really make out any patterns. Is that supposed to be writing? If so, cool. Just make the writing darker (to make it stand out more) and take some lines away. Also the blade is tad too thick. It looks like total.. overkill. You know, it's tad more ridicilious than badass. I like the chest.

the blade: yeah, i wanted to make it big but i overdone it, will fix it

The shield: it is actually not writing, just some sort of texture but the writing idea is cool, i'll try to do it!

6) The same blade thing applies here. Also the insignia in his chest armor doesn't really stand out. I'd make it smaller but brighter. remember that it doesn't have to be a real symbol, just seem like one.

Will work on the chest but i like the blade.

7) Apparently machine of some sort. Looks pretty good.

In fact, that's a huge beast recovered with an even more huge armor but yeah it looks like a machine. But i already worked on that ( see the picture attached to this post)

8) Sword thickness is problem here too. His left arm is also a bit too dark.

Will fix that

9) Sword thickness and robe shading. Otherwise pretty cool

10) Chest insignia. The sword isn't as thick as other, but could perhaps use some trimming.

11) His chest looks odd, but can't really put my finger on why.. He also deosn't seem to have any grip on the staff. Where is his hand? I really like the robe.

did not realize his lack of a right hand, it will be fixed.

12) That red spearish thing needs shading. As does his robe. His pose is very menancing, I like it.


13) Sorry to sound so harsh, but this one needs a great deal of work. His pose is all over the place and he seems out of focus. Also if the guy is using a heavy two-handed weapon, he should wield it two-handed, otherwise it just looks silly.

I think i will change his pose to make him hold his weapon with two hands.



14) Now this is one scary guy. He could use some shading below his head. I can't really say where his chest armor ends and head begins. The grip on the sword also looks odd. Perhaps show some hilt?

Shading and a hilt, good ideas.
And he better be scary, he is the big badass leader of my nation

15) Pretty good.

Thanks ( he is my nation's pretender)

I may sound harsh, but remember my prejudice against internet sprites. It may have affected my judgement. But I promised to critizise and that I will do.

That was not harsh at all don't worry, just some honest and constructive criticism and that's what i wanted

I'd explain in more detail, but I'm in rush to go drinking.

Attached to this post is the picture of my sprites but with a changed armored beast looking less robotic and a new guy that i just finished.
Oh and sorry if my english is not perfect but it is not my first langage, hope nobody is gonna hate me for that.

[mabelode]

Sorry to double post but i did not find way to edit my precedent post.

Here is, attached, the picture with all of the sprites modified, and most of the problems fixed, still have to work on the robes shadings.

[Burnsaber]

Yeah, the blades look a lot better now. I especially now like the number 5 now. The robes could use a tad more shading still (when shading areas larger than 20 pixels, you should use at least 5 different shades of a color). I've just started experimenting with a techinque to use the "smudge" tool for shading. Results have been great, I'll probably make a pictured tutorial of it this weekend.

But anyways, here are some nitpicks.

12) I see you gave him the hand on the staff, but you overdid it. Should his hand be behind the staff with his fingers around the staff? Now it looks like his hand in front of the staff.

14) The two-handed grip is a lot better, but I think that his left shoulderpad is too close to his head, there probably should be some backround to separate them.

But anyways, these look a lot better than the first version. Keep up the good work! What kind of nation are you doing, by the way?

[mabelode]

Originally Posted by Burnsaber

Yeah, the blades look a lot better now. I especially now like the number 5 now. The robes could use a tad more shading still (when shading areas larger than 20 pixels, you should use at least 5 different shades of a color). I've just started experimenting with a techinque to use the "smudge" tool for shading. Results have been great, I'll probably make a pictured tutorial of it this weekend.

But anyways, here are some nitpicks.

12) I see you gave him the hand on the staff, but you overdid it. Should his hand be behind the staff with his fingers around the staff? Now it looks like his hand in front of the staff.

14) The two-handed grip is a lot better, but I think that his left shoulderpad is too close to his head, there probably should be some backround to separate them.

But anyways, these look a lot better than the first version. Keep up the good work! What kind of nation are you doing, by the way?

My idea is a nation that use magic crystals to make their weapons and other things. These crystals are only in some rare obscure caverns. So the has evolved around these caverns, building their cities on top of them to easily use and protect the crystals.

There are three styles of troops:
-Mostly heavily armored humans
-weak little amphibian grey creatures
-some huge beasts

The weakness of the nation will be: almost no ranged weapons, costly troops, no stealthy units except for one hero and limited magic ( water, earth and nothing else except for one hero )

I still have to develop some things but this give you a little idea of what will be this nation.

Since yesterday i've made new sprites, i think that i have all the units i need now, just have to do the attack sprites.

[BandarLover]

These look very good mabelode! I've no real critique on the pics themselves, Burn hit on everything that needs to be fixed but I love the stylized look you gave them. Kind of reminds me of some of Amos' mods.

My only question is, What the hell is the giant blue summon thing?! It will haunt my dreams, what ever the hell it is.

Good job!!