Lemma Soft Forums

Favor, please!
I'm kinda working on my first visual novel, and I have problems on the characters because I literally have zero talent in drawing anime characters. You see, the reason that this a favor, is because I don't have money for hiring some artist to draw for me, and I don't know anybody who can draw anime characters without copying. I'm only 15yrs old, so I really don't have money yet.
If someone is kind enough to help me, please! I would really appreciate it!
I'm also new here, so I'm glad to meet new friends! Oh, and I'm also writing my novel online. It's not that good, and I'm still a rookie, but if somebody here knows Identical Opposites which I'm posting in Novel Joy, that would be great! xD
So please, help me on this!

Ah, sorry for my lack of explanation and details. The genre is Romance. I only need 3 characters, which are boys, and I don't really need changing of clothes. I also don't need to change their gestures, just the facial expression. The setting is modern, with schools, buildings, and stuff.

The story, is all about a teenage girl (the player) who has become the leader of the Red Clan. As a leader of a clan, she became tough, and adding up what she experienced before becoming one, made her forget how to smile. But unlike any other clans (which they call "Mafias"), the Red Clan don't do any illegal businesses. They own many businesses all around the country, so since the Heroine is the leader, she owns everything. Now, as far as the story goes, it's either one of the 3 boys would end up with her and teaches her how good it is to smile again, or end up alone. So those are 4 endings.
The boys are:
1) Veil, the right hand of the Heroine. His personality is tough towards other people, but he deeply respects the Heroine since he has seen what she have gone through before becoming the leader. By respect, I mean he sometimes fear her because he knows what she is capable of doing with her own hands. (I mean, that's why she became a leader.)
Facial expressions that I need for him are: Emotionless, terrified, smiling, and confused.
For clothes: Formal attire, with a bit of a "bad boy" touch, since he is in a clan.
For his features, I don't really have anything particular in mind. Just as long as he is good looking, that's fine with me.

2) Eilix, the Heroine's best friend. He's very lively and kind, but he doesn't know anything about the Heroine being the leader of a clan, and how rich she is. He only knows that the Heroine lives alone in an apartment, and has a part-time job, just near their school (which is one of the businesses she owns in the town). Later on in the story, he finds out what the true identity of the Heroine is.
Facial expressions that I need for him are: Smiling, surprised, sad, and gloomy.
For clothes: school uniform. No need for the coat.
For his features: He has a wavy hair, blue colored. For his eyes, its color is lighter than his hair.

3) Fai, the childhood friend of the Heroine. He knew the Heroine back when she was still smiling, but when the Heroine moved away, they lost contact. 7 years later, he will attend a business meet up with his father. There, he will meet the Heroine once again. He then will realize that the business owner that his father is going to meet up with is her, so he concludes that life has been good to her, while he had a horrible childhood. But when he hears the true happenings that the Heroine had experienced during the 7 long years of her childhood, he begins to feel sorry for what he had said to her.
Facial expressions that I need for him are: Gentle smile, sad, surprised, and enraged.
For clothes: A casual attire that a rich person would wear.
For his features: Black hair with brown eyes.

Arigatou Guzaimasu,
Sakura Tommiko

Well, it inevitable one of us is going to point this out, but you may wish to read this thread before trying to recruit. People won't sign up for your project without knowing what it's about, or what the characters look like, etc. Check out some of the other threads in the recruitment forum posted by some of our more veteran members to get an idea.

Good luck with your project!

I literally have zero talent in drawing anime characters.

Being able to draw well is the result of practice, not something dumb like "talent".

If you're looking for help, it'd be helpful to specify just how much work needs to be done. I can imagine if you're asking for twelve sprites with eight poses each, you're stretching thin the limits of human generosity, but for one or two sprites, help comes flying more quickly. What do you need done?

My thoughts after reading this post: "wut?"
Aside from needing a person who can draw anime style, I have literally learned nothing from that pile of text. Some details would be nice, most artists like to see the details and know what they're getting into. Some have genres they favor, if your game is that genre, that might get you a bigger chance of getting artists.
Please specify what you need. How many characters, poses, outfit changes, are there 18+ scenes? Gore?

1. Your first post in this forum was asking people to do you a favour. That's not a good way to make a first impression.
Try joining in some conversations and a little about you in the guestbook.

2. You didn't tell us a single thing about your project. "I have a project" is not appealing. We all have projects, and we are very aware that a large percentage of first projects never see fruition.
You can get more attention by hyping up your project.

3. You didn't explain how much work you want done. That is a major warning sign.

4. There is nothing to show you have made any progress on this. An idea is worth exactly nothing, unless it's underway.
Tell us what you have so far.

5. You described your writing as "not very good". It doesn't exactly inspire confidence.
Provide a writing sample, and let us decide.

Good luck. People here are really nice, but be aware that you're making a very large request, so there are certain expectations in your part.

I hope this post read as a guide rather than a complaint. I certainly don't want to discourage anyone. Plus I don't mind deleting this on request, if you alter your original post.

Ah, sorry for my lack of explanation and details. The genre is Romance. I only need 3 characters, which are boys, and I don't really need changing of clothes. I also don't need to change their gestures, just the facial expression. The setting is modern, with schools, buildings, and stuff.
The story, is all about a teenage girl (the player) who has become the leader of the Red Clan. As a leader of a clan, she became tough, and adding up what she experienced before becoming one, made her forget how to smile. But unlike any other clans (which they call "Mafias"), the Red Clan don't do any illegal businesses. They own many businesses all around the country, so since the Heroine is the leader, she owns everything. Now, as far as the story goes, it's either one of the 3 boys would end up with her and teaches her how good it is to smile again, or end up alone. So those are 4 endings.
The boys are:
1) Veil, the right hand of the Heroine. His personality is tough towards other people, but he deeply respects the Heroine since he has seen what she have gone through before becoming the leader. By respect, I mean he sometimes fear her because he knows what she is capable of doing with her own hands. (I mean, that's why she became a leader.)
Facial expressions that I need for him are: Emotionless, terrified, smiling, and confused.
For clothes: Formal attire, with a bit of a "bad boy" touch, since he is in a clan.
For his features, I don't really have anything particular in mind. Just as long as he is good looking, that's fine with me.

2) Eilix, the Heroine's best friend. He's very lively and kind, but he doesn't know anything about the Heroine being the leader of a clan, and how rich she is. He only knows that the Heroine lives alone in an apartment, and has a part-time job, just near their school (which is one of the businesses she owns in the town). Later on in the story, he finds out what the true identity of the Heroine is.
Facial expressions that I need for him are: Smiling, surprised, sad, and gloomy.
For clothes: school uniform. No need for the coat.
For his features: He has a wavy hair, blue colored. For his eyes, its color is lighter than his hair.

3) Fai, the childhood friend of the Heroine. He knew the Heroine back when she was still smiling, but when the Heroine moved away, they lost contact. 7 years later, he will attend a business meet up with his father. There, he will meet the Heroine once again. He then will realize that the business owner that his father is going to meet up with is her, so he concludes that life has been good to her, while he had a horrible childhood. But when he hears the true happenings that the Heroine had experienced during the 7 long years of her childhood, he begins to feel sorry for what he had said to her.
Facial expressions that I need for him are: Gentle smile, sad, surprised, and enraged.
For clothes: A casual attire that a rich person would wear.
For his features: Black hair with brown eyes.

I hope these are enough, but if it's still not, I'd be happy to answer questions.
Thank you for all the things you guys have said. I've really learned a lot. I will work hard to follow your suggestions.

Arigatou Guzaimasu,
Sakura Tommiko

SakuraTommiko wrote: Arigatou Guzaimasu

I'm sorry for pointing this out but if you are trying to say "thank you" in Japanese, that should be "arigatou gozaimasu.


Nevertheless, good luck in looking for your artist.

SakuraTommiko wrote:Ah, sorry for my lack of explanation and details. The genre is Romance. I only need 3 characters, which are boys, and I don't really need changing of clothes. I also don't need to change their gestures, just the facial expression. The setting is modern, with schools, buildings, and stuff.
The story, is all about a teenage girl (the player) who has become the leader of the Red Clan. As a leader of a clan, she became tough, and adding up what she experienced before becoming one, made her forget how to smile. But unlike any other clans (which they call "Mafias"), the Red Clan don't do any illegal businesses. They own many businesses all around the country, so since the Heroine is the leader, she owns everything. Now, as far as the story goes, it's either one of the 3 boys would end up with her and teaches her how good it is to smile again, or end up alone. So those are 4 endings.
The boys are:
1) Veil, the right hand of the Heroine. His personality is tough towards other people, but he deeply respects the Heroine since he has seen what she have gone through before becoming the leader. By respect, I mean he sometimes fear her because he knows what she is capable of doing with her own hands. (I mean, that's why she became a leader.)
Facial expressions that I need for him are: Emotionless, terrified, smiling, and confused.
For clothes: Formal attire, with a bit of a "bad boy" touch, since he is in a clan.
For his features, I don't really have anything particular in mind. Just as long as he is good looking, that's fine with me.

2) Eilix, the Heroine's best friend. He's very lively and kind, but he doesn't know anything about the Heroine being the leader of a clan, and how rich she is. He only knows that the Heroine lives alone in an apartment, and has a part-time job, just near their school (which is one of the businesses she owns in the town). Later on in the story, he finds out what the true identity of the Heroine is.
Facial expressions that I need for him are: Smiling, surprised, sad, and gloomy.
For clothes: school uniform. No need for the coat.
For his features: He has a wavy hair, blue colored. For his eyes, its color is lighter than his hair.

3) Fai, the childhood friend of the Heroine. He knew the Heroine back when she was still smiling, but when the Heroine moved away, they lost contact. 7 years later, he will attend a business meet up with his father. There, he will meet the Heroine once again. He then will realize that the business owner that his father is going to meet up with is her, so he concludes that life has been good to her, while he had a horrible childhood. But when he hears the true happenings that the Heroine had experienced during the 7 long years of her childhood, he begins to feel sorry for what he had said to her.
Facial expressions that I need for him are: Gentle smile, sad, surprised, and enraged.
For clothes: A casual attire that a rich person would wear.
For his features: Black hair with brown eyes.

I hope these are enough, but if it's still not, I'd be happy to answer questions.
Thank you for all the things you guys have said. I've really learned a lot. I will work hard to follow your suggestions.

Arigatou Guzaimasu,
Sakura Tommiko

Well, now we're getting somewhere.

Have you started writing a script or is it all design at the moment? If you've got the script started (and hell, even if you don't) may I suggest using free resources to show the artists what you're bring to the table? For example, a small demo using THESE backgrounds and some of THESE sprites.

To put it bluntly, and I apologise if this comes off as rude but, asking for a free artist the second you walk into the forum is acting a bit brash. Not that you won't find an artist willing to work with you but you'll have to understand their skepticism in spending hours and hours of their time for free when there isn't a lot to show them past a basic plot outline. I suggest, while you are waiting for an artist, to make the demo to show you what you bring to the table in terms of writing and programming and simply use placeholder art until then. Even stick figures and solid color backgrounds are good enough to show in a demo.

Still, the story seems interesting enough, I sincerely hope you find an artist to help see this one through. Good luck!

Okay! Thank you for your suggestion, Kato. I'll try and make a demo right away! ^_^
And uhm... Enta, the size of your first sentence are a bit too small. I can't clearly read it... but anyway, I think I get what you mean... xD

Arigatou Gozaimasu,
Sakura Tommiko

That's much better.

Try editing your first post so then it will be easier to follow.

Check for updates on the recruitment subforums to see if any artists are looking to work for free (like auro, she so awesome). PM them with information and ask them if they could work with you. (Keep in mind, that's WITH you and not FOR you)

Drop by the guestbook if you'd like. Everyone's really nice here :3

Yes, I will follow what you've said. Thank you for the info, Itwasneveradream.
but uhm... Where could I find the sub forums?

Sakura Tommiko

That's where your topic is already.

It's great to see you have a really positive attitude towards all the recommendations you've recieved.
Sorry for flooding your recruitment topic though.

Anything is fine with me, if I have something new to learn. I can see that you guys found it harsh for me to request something like that, furthermore I'm new, and I understand what you guys mean. I would be lying if I said that I didn't feel anything when I read your posts, but I know that not everyone would appreciate what I've posted. Still, I'd like to thank everyone because you guys took the time to read my post, and teach me something valuable. Plus, the things you guys have said to me had also improved my discipline towards other people, and to myself. So I don't know how to thank you guys even more. ^_^

Sakura Tommiko

So basically, you want these three anime style-ish sprites with some different expressions? Or is there anything else?
What kind of anime style do you prefer in particular?

I like your attitude and what you've posted of your idea so far, so I might be able to help you for free if it's just those three sprites (and maybe one for the heroine if you want that too).
My regular art style looks like this, and there's only one sprite sample so far (which is why I'm offering to work for free - I need to build up that portfolio!). I can adapt to more anime-oriented styles as well though, there are more samples of that if you click "browse".

Anyway, send me a PM here if you're interested.

Wahoo!!! Thank you very much, Vilhelmina!!!

Arigatou Gozaimasu,
Sakura Tommiko