Lemma Soft Forums

the topic is now closed, thanks all again for the feedback <3

ok so, I don't really have any experience and I've just recently got my graphics tablet, so I'm not a pro artist or anything.
I have always wanted to become a visual novel artist but was never confident in my work, but since I want to study overseas (and the tuition fees are a bit too high for my parents) I decided I should give it a try and started training, observing art and comparing etc.

currently I feel like this is the most I can get out of myself and from now on I can only improve by time and experience so I decided to let myself out.

giving that depending on complexity
full body sprite $20~$35
CG $40~$70
BG (still training ~)

is it worth it ?
I already read Greeny's guide (which said "Your price is not a factor of your skills") but still I just don't want people to go like, too expensive or it's not that good.

thank you for your time, feedback is greatly appreciated C: <3

=UPDATE=
[attachment=7]bunny CG.png[/attachment][attachment=6]sketching.png[/attachment][attachment=5]warrior color2.jpg[/attachment][attachment=4]social bishies.jpg[/attachment][attachment=3]school girl.png[/attachment]

=UPDATE2=

ok so, free art really did the trick with my anatomy, I feel more ready than I was before creating this topic

so these two are free art
[attachment=1]free art 1.jpg[/attachment][attachment=0]free art 2.jpg[/attachment]

and this is my own design ~
[attachment=2]water bending2.jpg[/attachment]

I've improved this much only after drawing 2 free art pics. I can see how I'll be like after weeks of training
I'll try coloring them when I have the time. each one with different styles.
thanks everyone for your help, this community really is the best. can I marry everyone here ?

Hi, just wanted to say that your style is quite charming :3 Sorry I can't give much help with pricing.

Duskylli wrote:Hi, just wanted to say that your style is quite charming :3 Sorry I can't give much help with pricing.

aww thank you (///v///) I have always made traditional art so it was a bit tricky for me figuring out how to color Cx
thanks <33

IMO, the best way to know if your price is fair is to put up commissions in multiple places and see if anyone bites. If they don't purchase any at all, you should probably lower it until you get a steady business you can handle, then raise it as your skill and portfolio increases.

Right now, I'd say that it's a little pricey. Your shading is cell shaded which tends to be cheaper. And the proportions are not realistic which may put people off from your work. You also don't have any other pic examples posted which will further cause people to be unsure of your skill.

However, I have no idea about pricing so the best way is to test it out and see if anyone is interested.

SundownKid wrote:put up commissions in multiple places and see if anyone bites. If they don't purchase any at all, you should probably lower it

that was originally what I was planning to do, but then I thought since summer vacation is only 3 months, I wanted to do as much as possible (that is if I apply for a project) so that during school I wouldn't let my work interfere with my studying.

I was working on a soft shading sprite but then lost motivation cuz I gradually started feeling like it's not my style and it's not good enough

updated the post C:

also added a sketch that I made just for fun

THANKS BTW <3

I have to agree with SundownKid about being a little pricey. Your anatomy seems to bit off for the price you have set in mind. The coloring, as said, need to work out more. But I think not everybody will have the same thought as I am. It might turn out well in fact :3

Armee wrote:I have to agree with SundownKid about being a little pricey. Your anatomy seems to bit off for the price you have set in mind. The coloring, as said, need to work out more. But I think not everybody will have the same thought as I am. It might turn out well in fact :3

thank you for the encouragement :D
now I'm sure I should lower down the price, thank you guys <33

oh and if you can point out the mistakes this would help a lot.
I don't know any artists that can point out my wrongs so I was never sure weather what I'm doing is right or not.

The main problems in your drawings are: color, anatomy, gestures.
- color: In warrior.jpg, the values chosen make the colors very muddy. bunny CG.png looks better, but you could pull out much more light bouncing about to make it more interesting! Light bounces around everywhere!
- anatomy: I can't really pinpoint anything.
- gestures: By this, I mean they look stiff! If you look at things in real life, for the most part, you can see a lot of curves and rhythms in their form, posture, action, etc.

I would just suggest observing from real life (which I'm assuming from you are doing from your opening post), as well as looking at tutorials that really amazing artists make. I mean amazing as in, amazingly skillful with realism, or at least imitating realistic qualities when drawing in a different style. Those tutorials are a lot more trustworthy and helpful compared to your ordinary anime artist on dA, since... well, the former artists have (probably) been studying and practicing theories for quite a long time.

If you lurk around various other art sites, you can pick up advice fairly quickly.

I can't critique the art that much as I'm not a real pro. But, I noticed that your knight's pose is a little stiff. He also seems a bit short in stature.

Here are some tips on how to get more commissions, etc.:

- Have a more diverse portfolio, where you have females, animals, machines, etc. The more types of things you can draw in more art styles, the more people who will be interested in your work, the higher you can charge.
- Learn to do soft shading and more detailed cel shading. The soft shaded knight already looks a lot better than your cel shaded sprite, so you can definitely pull it off and it will be worth more and look better at first glance. In the CG your shading looks a little flat, no reflections or shinyness.

I personally find your prices better than most young artists I find around the 'net. Young artists undercharge themselves way too much but that's a rant for another day. That being said, your skills could use a bit more polish. I would lower them just a bit, but I wouldn't go any lower than what you're comfortable with.

@chocojax
ok so warrior.jpg was an old sprite so I know what you're talking about when you say muddy.
I just made another sprite and added more light as you suggested, I still feel like I have a long way to go tho. no matter how many tutorials or art I observe I just can't seem to get any better, that's why I said I don't feel like I might improve anymore unless I actually start working personally. ( I actually learn best by observing other people's art, that are really really good (not just anime style) )
I watch sycra on youtube , he's really amazing and can point out every little common mistake, and can basicaly draw and paint in many styles.
thank you for your help Cx <3

@SundownKid
thank you :D once I'm done with school I'll make sure to make as much as art as I can, to help improve my skills faster and to get more commission ~
in the image I just drew i add more shineyness (I think ?)
and I'll stick to soft shading since people like it better, I still prefer cell shading tho. I was mainly inspired by arts like these

THEY'RE JUST SOOO, GAAAH, PERFECT. ofc I'm nowhere near this good but that was my aim ;a;


@PhoenixStardust
yeah well I'm keeping the price around that number so I might make it a little bit cheaper depending on the market I find when I'm done with school. hopefully by then I'll be good enough to actually make it higher.
thank you :D

It's not like everyone likes soft shading better (I prefer cell shading as well), it still costs more as it takes more time but isn't doing what you like more important?

Chibisaso wrote:@chocojax
ok so warrior.jpg was an old sprite so I know what you're talking about when you say muddy.
I just made another sprite and added more light as you suggested, I still feel like I have a long way to go tho. no matter how many tutorials or art I observe I just can't seem to get any better, that's why I said I don't feel like I might improve anymore unless I actually start working personally. ( I actually learn best by observing other people's art, that are really really good (not just anime style) )
I watch sycra on youtube , he's really amazing and can point out every little common mistake, and can basicaly draw and paint in many styles.

(Sorry this isn't pricing advice)

A good way to build a portfolio is to show your life drawings since there is a "standard" for that. It may not be very exciting but it'll give a decent barometer for your skill level since practically all styles are built off of breaking/bending the rules of reality.

Practice and improvement take a long time for it to be noticeable. You need a lot of practice and it has to be a very specific kind of practice. I'm sure you can find customers at your current price but for your art I really do recommend what others have already suggested/pointed out, you have a ways to go but I'm sure you'll make it, you just have to keep at it.

I recommend consulting Loomis and using pixellovely for some practice. And since you seem to like the art from Dmmd I recommend looking at some of their design works to get a better grasp of how they arrive at their final designs. It may not be spelt out but maybe something will click about how they do their art.

Either way you do look like you need to brush up on your life drawings or at least understanding how underlying structure works. You just need to keep at it.

Actually, advice that I heard from an illustration agent that came to give a lecture at my university said that life drawing stuff, when it comes to work/employment stuff is completely redundant; it's more of a university portfolio thing. If someone wants your work, they'll want you for your style rather than how well you can copy a figure. Plus, most life drawing stuff is very rough and scrappy, when what you want for a work portfolio is full finished works or character development processes.

But yeah, life drawing is still important, I just wouldn't say having that in a work portfolio is necessary.

Fungii wrote:Actually, advice that I heard from an illustration agent that came to give a lecture at my university said that life drawing stuff, when it comes to work/employment stuff is completely redundant; it's more of a university portfolio thing. If someone wants your work, they'll want you for your style rather than how well you can copy a figure. Plus, most life drawing stuff is very rough and scrappy, when what you want for a work portfolio is full finished works or character development processes.

But yeah, life drawing is still important, I just wouldn't say having that in a work portfolio is necessary.

From my own experience (admittedly leaning towards much larger production and where replication is at times better valued) I've heard contradictory info given, the wisest course of action would be to cater your portfolio around your theoretical clients, and I guess understand that life drawing will almost never hurt your portfolio when presenting to randoms.

OP has stylized stuff to show off, variety in visuals or the fundamental stuff certainly wouldn't hurt them at this stage (and it will probably better help the rest of us help point them in the right direction for their art).