How would you redesign Sonic the Hedgehog?

I take the side that Sonic should remain "cartoony". I believe hardcore realism flew out the window when they green lighted the cyclops look. 'Batting around some ideas.

Interesting. Speaking of mascot colors, isn't purple associated with death in Japan? I recall for the Rayman 2 Japanese release the creators went out of their way to erase everything purple and yellow on the character models so as not to annoy gamers or something. Is purple viewed as a "badass color" by the Japanese public, or is it more complicated like the western culture's perception of pink?

 

I just want to say, I like your Sonic in the top of the first picture with a scarf, I think it looks cute.

 

I absolutely love B, D, and H's designs. But I would love to see D in game, seriously. It's like the werehog, without the "were". :v:

 

If you ask me, that looks nothing like a hog.

 

I like design "H", myself. It has its own cartoon style spin while still being faithful to Sonic's design. I can certainly see it being featured in a Saturday morning cartoon.

 

I think all of them are rather cute and charming. I agree that H is perhaps one of the best, but I like all of them, as they all have some kind of thing that makes them adorable imo, even on drugs K. Different ways to draw the hedgehog, yet very nice ways. They all have personality and aren't just random drawings on a piece of a paper. You really draw very well.

 

Vantoggle, why don't you have a DeviantART?

 

I just wanted to say that although that interview with Naoto about the 'American' aspect of Sonic only became available on this site a good year or so ago (according to what I've just been reading in this thread), I must make you all aware that details had been floating around for a good while about Sonic's development, whereby in a few interviews before, the team stated that Sonic was given his colours partly to give him a western feel. Another mascot in the development stages of the game that eventually became Sonic was a wolf draped with an American flag if I recall correctly.

Now I'm english, and I'm saying it from a totally non-American view point; Sonic was at least partly inspired in colour by the American flag. Part of westernising the character was giving him the whole fast food thing; chilidogs, burgers (specifically Happy Meals in the mid 2000's), and also his love of chilling out with shades on nice beaches and also surfing, which is stereotypical of a teenage american (according to early 90's SEGA).

 

I agree

Maybe it's because that just like any other creative output on the internet, it overrunned by immature crap.

 

Welcome to the whole entire internet, including parts of Sonic Retro. "Immature crap" should not be a barrier for people with actual talent.

 

Thank you all so much! Looks like H is a crowd favorite, I'll develop him more when time allows, probably mix features from some of the other designs.

Contrary to popular belief, what's successful on Deviantart isn't necessarily successful everywhere else. It's a nice place to keep in touch with friends and there are very talented people there if you know where to look, but if you want to get a good picture of the world of illustration, there are other places to do so.
http://cghub.com
http://nfgraphics.com/
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/
http://cartoonmodern.blogsome.com/
http://www.penciltestdepot.com/

And more sites that escape my memory.

Personally I fell out of habit of updating my account because of laziness studies. 8P

 

Whoops I totally just put you on my watch list sorry about that <3

 

J looked familiar to me, and now that I look at it closer, it reminds me of Bullet Bill. I think it looks cool, I'd love to see that in a game. He looks like he might be a torpedo or something.

 

Here's mine. :D

 

I have two I'd like to share:





What do you think?

 

I like em both, but the first one just looks like normal Sonic with some extra quills.

 

I don't think I'd be able to redesign Sonic and make him look good.

Although I would fix the running animation. Something about it throws me off.

 

I'm glad that you think something like Sonic lends itself towards exaggeration, because it most certainly does! I like designs A and E best. I'm trying to think of how his design would fit with the other designs you made on the rest of the cast.

Design A almost gives me a Namco feel with the mouth and proportions that somewhat remind me of lot of early character designs from that company. Big head and big body, wiry limbs. Not to mention how the few, well placed angular lines that gives those designs an iconic edge. Design E has the same sort of proportions, but it doesn't remind me of Namco anymore, which isn't a bad thing at all. This design is interesting to me because of how you drew his defining features pointing downward, which usually suggests an older character. Still youthful, but not a teenager.

My only nitpick with both of these designs is how close the ears and eyes are. I think maybe the ears on both designs could be placed a little further back on their heads to clear up some space on the sides. The details, simple as they are, won't get too crammed. Besides that one thing, they're very charming designs. Great work on them!

 

I'm liking A, E, D, and H or "HEAD." Seriously though, I really like those, the bad joke wasn't intentional. =P