Fractal Softworks Forum

Starsector => Mods => Modding => Topic started by: mrsnuggles on May 16, 2012, 06:33:48 PM

Title: sprite coloring ideas
Post by: mrsnuggles on May 16, 2012, 06:33:48 PM
i have sprites or at least an outline but cant color them well
so some tips to color some depth into my ship would be apreciated  ;)

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Title: Re: sprite coloring ideas
Post by: mendonca on May 17, 2012, 12:38:41 AM
Hi there,

A few steps I have been using recently to achieve something which I have been reasonably happy with, which is really easy to achieve with limited amount of 'colouring' or science, but quite a lot of time, and heavily borrowing from David's original art.

STEP 1, OUTLINE:

(http://www.zen102301.zen.co.uk/starfarer/KRAKENOUTLINE.png)

STEP 2, COLOUR:

(http://www.zen102301.zen.co.uk/starfarer/KRAKENCOLOUR.png)

STEP 3, TEXTURE:

(http://www.zen102301.zen.co.uk/starfarer/KRAKENTEXTURE.png)

STEP 4, ALL TOGETHER:

(http://www.zen102301.zen.co.uk/starfarer/KRAKEN123.png)

Basic process is to have the outline on the background layer, have the colour on a multiply layer above the outline, and have the texture on an 'overlay' layer on the topmost. All the textures are selected from various contiguous areas from David's original art (and some of my stuff as well).

This is as per the Paint.net terminology.

From there I would work on an extra detail layer, add some specular highlights by hand (maybe a low opacity layer, drawing with white) and some shadows to 'finish it off', but you can get to this stage fairly quickly. Also, once the layers have all been flattened and you are happy with the sprite generally, you might want to do some touching up on a pixel by pixel basis.

I'm sure there are a bunch of other ways, but hope this helps?
Title: Re: sprite coloring ideas
Post by: vagyr on May 17, 2012, 05:13:42 AM
Another process is to open up your starfarer directory and go to the vanila ships.
Then see which one has a color scene close to what you want open it up and start copying the colors to make a pallet. Then you use that pallet to color your stuff. You can also use part of the preexisting sprites to create your own (its called kitbashing). Works for some...
Title: Re: sprite coloring ideas
Post by: WKOB on May 26, 2012, 11:48:24 PM
Spoiler
Hi there,

A few steps I have been using recently to achieve something which I have been reasonably happy with, which is really easy to achieve with limited amount of 'colouring' or science, but quite a lot of time, and heavily borrowing from David's original art.

STEP 1, OUTLINE:

(http://www.zen102301.zen.co.uk/starfarer/KRAKENOUTLINE.png)

STEP 2, COLOUR:

(http://www.zen102301.zen.co.uk/starfarer/KRAKENCOLOUR.png)

STEP 3, TEXTURE:

(http://www.zen102301.zen.co.uk/starfarer/KRAKENTEXTURE.png)

STEP 4, ALL TOGETHER:

(http://www.zen102301.zen.co.uk/starfarer/KRAKEN123.png)

Basic process is to have the outline on the background layer, have the colour on a multiply layer above the outline, and have the texture on an 'overlay' layer on the topmost. All the textures are selected from various contiguous areas from David's original art (and some of my stuff as well).

This is as per the Paint.net terminology.

From there I would work on an extra detail layer, add some specular highlights by hand (maybe a low opacity layer, drawing with white) and some shadows to 'finish it off', but you can get to this stage fairly quickly. Also, once the layers have all been flattened and you are happy with the sprite generally, you might want to do some touching up on a pixel by pixel basis.

I'm sure there are a bunch of other ways, but hope this helps?
[close]
Just wanted to put out that this style is neat and I'm gonna copy it for my next set of graphics.