2: making an original sprite based on previous study

After finishing the study of one of my main inspirations for this project, I've decided to show the process by which I create new sprites. it's best to make sure you derived as much info as possible from your study of inspiration, as it's good to try and not reference the inspiration whilst spriting to avoid making things too similar unless you're going for an exact copy. 

to start with a sprite, I first find a pose. I did not use a reference for this, but in many cases, you can and should. after I have found my pose, I make a rough sketch of a stick figure frame, as seen below.

then, to continue, I expand upon said frame, adding character-specific details and fleshing out the character as a unique concept. remember to not over detail, as that can make your work hard to follow and not as pleasing to look at. I mark out the arms, legs, feet/shoes, head and hair, and the such to finish off the linework.

at this point, you should have a pretty decent idea of who this character is and how they will appear and act. this specific character is a riff on the late 90s to early 00s Western pop culture. this is the last phase where you can change the frame and build and look of the character without taking a lot of time, so make sure to experiment until satisfied! From here, we start to introduce basic coloring. for this style, each character has 3 colors, normally reduced to white, black, and one highlight color. for this character, I chose neon green to fit this characters aesthetic.
  



keep in mind, do not try to shade or anything until all of the characters has a base color set, otherwise your work can appear inconsistent with coloring schemes. keep in mind, not a set rule, as art is a creative expression and has no true rules. if for some reason your style needs that look, then by all means obtain that look. finally, we need to add the details that truly define a character. even 1 or 2 pixels can add quite a bit of personality, so be wary of this, and once again, do not over-detail. 

I really like how this sprite turned out, and to anyone who reads this, thank you once again for listening to my rambles.