Johny Pixel art week 31/01 - 6/02/2014

Diary week 31/01/2014 - 6/02/2014

Johny - Pixel art

For this week, I had to transform the main character into a pixel art one and make him look like he is the main character (e.g. apply a colour overlay, or make him stand out in one way or another).

The pixel art chosen for this game was the 16bit style, so this is how Johny, the main character looks

like:

The size of the character was decided by the team, in order to match and fit the environment. So the size I have worked with, was 128x160 pixels.  I have kept the colouring to 3 shades per each colour, (base colour,  shading and highlight) to follow through with the 16 bit Pixel art style. The outlines were done in a darker shade of the base colour for each part of the body/item of clothing (we have all decided against the black outlines, as that would have made the characters look much harsher and the game itself is aimed at a young audience - 11-12 years old school children). 

As this was my very first attempt at pixel art, I had to do some research into the subject and I have found some really good tutorials on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GECdvBzkaCs. I found this very useful and have taken into account Zack Finfrock's tips when I have built Johny. 

If everything part of the body / item of clothing is kept on a separate layer, it was pretty easy to go back and add the highlight / shading to it.  I have also found very useful to have a separate layer with the colour palette  ( the different values of  each colour used for the individual items), so whenever I needed to go back and modify something, I could just use the colour picker and keep everything consistent. 

Character concept art Week 27-31.01.2014

Diary week 27/-1/2014 - 31/01/2014

Character concept art ( 3 more characters)

During this week, my assignment was to customise one of the characters I have created (Pixie), and to be more exact, I have been asked to add some glasses to see how she would look and also, to add colour and create a digital version of the other shortlisted characters.

As the starting point for the characters, I have created a Photoshop version of them, where I have done each item of clothing and each feature on a different layer. This was all with future customisation in mind. So, if, in the future we will decide to change Pixie's hair colour, we will be able to literately just drop in a different colour into the masked hair layer.

Below there are pictures of Pixie with shades as well as spectacles, and also, the team have requested me to create a digital version of "Football girl" as well as the "Running Dude".

Pixie with shades

Pixie with spectacles

                     

Football girl

Running dude

The "Running dude" is not quite finished, as I was rushing it a bit, but the idea was conveyed. We now know what he would look like, in colour. Of course, all parts of the body (clothing) have been created in Photoshop on separate layers, so any further customisation will be easily approached. We haven't yet decided on a colour scheme, but as I have just mentioned, that wouldn't be difficult to change and adapt.