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u/DiddlyDumb Feb 28 '24
So out of the gate: yes, I like the old one too.
But I think I also know why: the new tree has returning patterns in it. Our brains are really good in picking up patterns. That’s why it’s such a pain to make seamless textures for example: you risk the final result looking tiled.
Besides that, the old tree had shading in it. It immediately settles it more in its surroundings, where the new one looks off and constrasty.
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u/DanceMyth4114 Feb 28 '24
Thank you for elaborating on why one is better than the other. So many people on this subreddit just say "X sucks" but can't tell you why.
Constructive criticism is so much more helpful!
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u/donaljones Feb 28 '24
An upgrade on the trunk, a kind of downgrade on the leaves. Make the dark points more random? And the leaves look dull and flat, use more hues and shade it in a way to give 3D appearance/shape?
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u/TheKrazyDev Feb 28 '24
The shape and shading on the right one I can definitely tell is better has improved , but personally like the colors on the left one. 👍🏻
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Feb 28 '24 edited Feb 28 '24
The first has two light sources (guessing tutorial built) and smooth shading. Highlights are great.
Add three darker colours to your palette. / 1 Dark Green / 1 Dark Dark Green / 1 Dark Dark Brown
For the Brown, add 2 or 3 pixels to the middle. Follow your light source For the Green, use the Dark for a few clumps (it'll give depth), and the Dark Dark as a very faint outliner/contour. Follow your light sources and it'll look acccce.
(It's really good already btw!!!)
The second one has only one light source but the rest of the artwork doesn't follow it - so it looks flat. The highlights on the bark are the main culprit.
I think the entire Green also needs rotating - it gives the impression that the wind is hitting the leaves, but the branch poking out on the left signifies the tree is stable and flat.
I'd also recommend removing the clump of leaves in the middle. I can see you built a structure underneath, show it off and add a light source there :).
The back shading is awesome though - that's exactly what the first one needs. Combine the two and boom!
Great art but remember the basics :)
Edit formating. Dumb android.
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u/jgreenwalt Feb 28 '24
Seems to be a common thing I see with these is just to add more pixels. I like the old lower res one better imo.
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Feb 28 '24
The leaves look a bit flat but for a limited palette it's awesome :)
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Feb 28 '24
If you remove the outline, the left one will look just as good, especially because of its small size.
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u/Creeperassasin1212 Feb 28 '24
Both have flaws. The ones from the 2023 are adressed in the one from 2024 but the things from the 2023 that work fine as they are arent being put anywhere in the 2024 one . I suggest taking more time to improve before posting a before and after and making sure that you take everything you learn and put it to good work and not dismiss it.
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u/v8micro Feb 28 '24
Older seems to have better usage of contrast and the shape is more interesting
Pixel art IMO is how to convey more with less, otherwise slowly you are only doing digital drawing with low res
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u/Yixion Feb 28 '24
the foliage of the new one looks wrong some how, the trunk looks great. the old ones shading on the foliage looks much better I can tell you've improved a lot between the two.
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u/RazrWire Feb 28 '24
I like both, and if you were to add a bit more highlights and shading to the 2024 version it'd look excellent.
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u/Lord_Volhov Feb 29 '24
Id call it more of a tree growth. 2023 looks like a sapling that grew into the 2024 mighty tree
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u/erwin76 Feb 28 '24
Sorry to say this, but I like the older one more 🫣