I tryied to remaster that spring last week but I forgot to post it here: About the bubbles, I'll not be able to update them right now since I'm having A LOT of exams and CEEs so I'll only be really active here after the middle of November. =/ (And I forgot to remaster the big bubble and the bubbles of the ground)
Its been a while but heres an updated version of the gate: As well I did the blue blob since it was simple:
Thanks guys for the replies, Please can someone re-post ME's version of the bubbles so I can alter or even adapt his style on the artwork. Cheers, Veej
Wow, so much cool stuff. Let's start: AIR BUBBLES: ME's had a great shading on them but a small problem with outlines which are really thin. Vijay's first version shades are too blockish. Remember that we have now disposed of 256 step colors limit, every shade must bend into each other. (Sonic on the contribution guidelines as you have seen is Uber-version) Second version has a fantastic opacity, but the light is too soft and should be sharper. I suggest to work on the first version, adding the cool opacity from the second version, then: -Use the same outline thickness for all the bubbles (Use the Red marked one's) -The Air Bubble group isn't correct as per bubble number and placement, I made outlines with different colors for each bubble! -Pay attention to the Green mark on the original big bubble, there is the highest, yet visible opacity setting. Hmm.. I get the idea that you are not using grids for work! Are you working on an imported 100% original frame? (taken from the database)or you resized it? Because the original frame is blurred and this may cause a problem in the final remastering! -The gate metal shade is too round, try using higher contrast color shades on the edges. Blob is really cool!! -Only thing missing is the original "light blue pixels", which seems to be water trails to me (it comes out a liquid tube, after all!) Much better than the previous one! -Post your work at 100% size. (the 100% size is this one. -Leg shapes are great, just the darker shades are missing! -The big screw has a central hole too large -Remove the two white spots on the head, those are bolts, so you may want to replace them! -The yellow area is done by metal plates assembled, so get them more definition is important Both are really nice! ME's version is a great remastering, as per shapes and gradient use, still the color shades need to be more. -The coil needs to be more defined -Metal shading on the lower edged clips Hodgy's is a very nice first attempt!! I suggest: -Shape over ME's version (ME's have an alternative version of coils, you can try keeping them vertical like your version) -Make the coils smaller -The first coil near the spring have the shadow from the spring itself. That's why in the original there is a black area!
Thanks Vincent, That should give me enough to do the necessary tweaks to the bubbles. On another note, seeing as you mentioned that we "now disposed of 256 step colors limit", I am currently working on tails where I have used the stepped graidiant look, is it safe to say I can revert back to the gradient or even use the mesh tool (which I love the look of is used properly)? I know it shouldn't look tacky but will give it a go. Cheers, Veej
You're welcome Vjay! About Tails (which I'm SO CURIOUS to see!) shading: For pratical use, I'm going to continue remastering Sonic's frames with few colors shades and only at LAST I will add the final Uber touch. (improving / fixing shapes is much faster and easier, with a few color shades to move) I strongly suggest you to do the same, and remember, for characters only manual shades!
Cool! That answers my question nicely. I'm at present doing the redraw of what you had created, just polishing it off and hopefully will try to post that up later on. Thanks, ^_^
Hello once again. The bubbles are now in line with the original highlights that is on the bottom of the bubble, also the the thickness of the line is now more in line with the original. May need some more tweaking and would be happy to post up the AI file, but let me know your thoughts. Cheers, Vijay
Hello, Attached are a version of the leaves, please feel free to comment on it, again its built in AI. Thanks, Vijay
Thanks for the input Vincent!! So are we okay to use gradients as opposed to stepped shading? As long as we are careful with it?
I was aligning it actually, I seemed to resized it by accident.... I'll fix it. Yes, I am using the original sprite at its exact size, but jpgs and all other image formats get blurred when imported into flash...same thing happened with the platform. I'll get back to work on the shading. As for the blob, I didn't add anything else because, like you said before not to add any bubbles and such which I think it is.... but if there is anything else wrong with it, please let me know.
Thanks for the help Vincent! I might go back to it if I have the time but ME has it pretty much sorted and I feel that my time would be better spent if I worked on something that hasn't been re-drawn yet. I guess I could try the other two frames of the CPZ spring. EDIT: Couldnt help myself. I don't like lewaving things unfinished :s I have added: 1) More shades for the shine on the spring itself and the base of it. 2) Shadowing on the spring. 3) Made the spring coils thinner.
Great work everyone, it's amazing to see so much quality work accomplished in a short time. Vijay - your leaves have a good base for shading, but I would still add more color layers to create a true blended look. The general shapes need some reworking however. The one on the top left should flare slightly up and to the left moreso than it currently is and the bottom left one doesn't have any inward curve to it on the left side like the current remastering does. Almost the exact same issues with the leaves on the right as well. Once I get my tablet hooked up later today, I should be able to point out what I mean by this if it isn't clear. I'm liking the direction your bubbles are heading so far. The air pocket bubble collection doesn't have the bottom three bubbles all equally sized though. As for general coloring, I tend to prefer more layers to add detail instead of gradients, as it gives the artist more control, but I'm definitely not against using gradients. Correct coloring on bubbles is a tricky business, no doubt. Airguitar - Vincent covered most of what I noticed already. I would recommend further refining the 'nose' area to more of a funnel shape and correcting the curve on the left eye (left to our perspective, right to that of the badnik). It looks fairly odd going straight only to suddenly curve to match the head! More shading is of course a given, but I'm glad to see you're paying attention to the critiques given and getting your basic shapes in order first. RGX - Fantastic work as always; the blob especially appeals to me. The gate feels a bit too soft for me. Maybe add a plating style look to the grey metal area on the side? So much new talent!
<!--quoteo(post=237245:date=Oct 23 2008, 08:14 PM:name=Hodgy)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Hodgy @ Oct 23 2008, 08:14 PM) I have added: 1) More shades for the shine on the spring itself and the base of it. 2) Shadowing on the spring. 3) Made the spring coils thinner.[/quote] Oh no Hodgy! You got the HD virus too!! :D Jokes apart, you are getting it. The Shadowed part is top notch as it gives depth to the frame. You can improve your art as much as you want even if, of course, is preferred to do not make many double work! -Add even more inbetweens colors, especially on reds and yellows. No color steps must be visible. (Except metal or wanted effects) -The top red shade needs to be blended like ME's version (the original spotlight pixels were distant for some sort of dithering effect), also please reduce the top part thickness, it should be half the height. -Coils are too thick, and its metal must be darker -Some dirty edges comes out from coils, polish them up -Make the base clips longer, as ME's version --- Vijay.. Fantastic results! About the bubble's shading really nothing to say. It looks extremely HD! -About the lower left spotlight shade, it's slightly different: it's brightest part should to be closer to the bottom part. -The upper right part of bubble outline should be lighter like in the original Next improvement you'll do on it, will be an approved contribution. Holly Leaves, like them! :D -Remember they also need more detail as leaf veins: -The lower left leaf's shape is completely different from the original! :v: --- Air Guitar Yes you can use them, BUT remember that gradients should be generally MANUALLY done. --- I join CK in complimenting all of you for these impressive new contributions.
As you can see im not having much luck with this spring But I have increased the number of gradients that I have used. I have also re-arranged some parts of my previous picture for better effect.
I put alittle more creativity onto these: Updated Gate: -Fixed size -Changes shading I also tried the metal pillar: (I made the purple areas glow, If you guys don't like it, I'll remove it.) @CK: Thanks for the compliment before.
Gate: The gate looks great and I wouldn't change anything on it. Pillar: I think the glow is fitting there but it might not fly with everyone else. It looks like some of your shadows are off a bit so maybe a little refining of the original would help if it isn't just from the image compression. Great work otherwise.
About the bubbles, I thought I'd take a screenshot of Vista's bubble screensaver Obviously the 'contents' of the bubble are nothing alike, but this gives us an idea of what can be achieved with a bubble Vista's on the left, Vijay's on the right [just ignore the background there, I did this very quickly]
The difference in the gate is subtle but well worth it. Nicely done! For the time being, I wouldn't worry about the coloring on the pillar as far as glows go. If you look at CPZ, you'll see that the colors rotate through a preset spectrum (that 4x rip just happened to capture its violet phase). In the case of the S2HD, this will probably be accomplished using an effect from the game's engine, just like the water effects in the tubes for that area.
Fantastic!!! The only problem I have is the softness of outer edges. They must be pixel perfect like the bottom part! Wow, great Stuff also on CPZ pillar, really. Let's perfect it: -Yellow: the metal spotlight should be moved a little bit up, as it has tiling problems (shown in the pic below) -Blue:The pillar's shine area could be expanded a little, more like a round metal tube. -Green:add the missing white reflection from the original The far darker tubes have their shadings flipped! the right border on the original has the dark shade, yours have the spotlight! -Red(sorry I marked it too high!):Remove the neon glow on outer metal, it may cause problems in animation. As you can see that is the same solution as the CPZ Platform, follow the original shading on the top line so it tiles correctly. Hodgy nice upgrades on the shades and spring! (but Add even more shades! :D) now we have two main problems: -Missing the spotlight reflection -Still having irregular edges out of coils P.s. Don't forget also the pixelled yellow spotlight that must be fixed like the spring's!!
