I'm going with Kilotonnage, Sapphic Neko and Invincibelle. I had to think about that last one cuz theirs like too much clothing n stuff. 
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That's because I was using this as a reference:|
Originally Posted by Bubbawheat
I'm still not really seeing Suichiro's Burnt Matchstick.
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If I just recolored it like this, you'll probably see it more.
Funny enough, I was personally happiest with Matchstick, because the use of negative space as a frame and the slight hint at a chin and head only through the use of color was interesting. But alas, what's interesting as art is not necessarily what the public wants to see. That's been something that's plagued all artists for eons. :3
http://www.virtueverse.net/wiki/Massacre_Melanie -the original Fire/Dark Corruptor -
http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showthread.php?t=115217
The Guide to BURN
Fun! (Hi! Miss me?)
I'm easy.
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Vivace
Fun! (Hi! Miss me?)
I'm easy. |
Uh....hehehe....okay...
Nice one!
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Shadowshot Redux:
Of course, none of my characters are very well known but I ran with Shadowshot because it's probably one of my better costumes.
I may try someone else's tomorrow. I was too lazy today to focus on anyone besides me.
Attache @ deviantART
Attache's Anti-401k Art Collection
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Originally Posted by Suichiro
 Not every design minimizes well. But those that do, work really well. |
Hey thats keen
I like the curves
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We ALL like the curves, Miss Neko! |
Originally Posted by Sapphic_Neko
Hey thats keen
I like the curves |
And the straights, too, but the curves are the most fun!
Be Well!
Fireheart
Bubbawheat, here's some opinion on all of the minimals so far, but remember that I have less artistic credentials than you, so just opinions. Every opinion is valid, since it's about the maximum people recognizing a hero from the minimum number of graphic elements. A perfect "minnie" might still not be much good for anything other than "oh, that's X"... Opinions about minnies other than Bubba's are in grey, since they weren't asked for, and can be ignored.
- Bubbawheat's Matchstick - If you remove the neck (lower the head) and remove curves at the deltoids I would still know who it was. But those are trivial reductions, it is very close. Your character was designed for minimization from the beginning.
- Thornster - I mentioned before, I like the hornstache (tm). Hornstache! With an "H". Doh.
- Lounge Crooner! - I didn't get it at first, but I should have, this is brilliant. Perhaps the clothes don't need black outlines (but that's not related to my cluelessness).
- VexXxa - I apologise, I did not get this. The "belt" makes the cleavage look like butt cheeks, which would put those spikes on her back. I should have figured it out from just the magenta and the spikes, but Shuler's latest VexXxa picture had me forgetting the magenta.
- Fenian - I got this with green/orange and the clover (club). Either clover or lips would suffice for minimal, but they're all symbolic of her.
- Caemgen - it's all in the horn. Goatee is good too. Not sure about the thing above the goatee. Doesn't need the streak on the right (which makes him look chubby somehow).
- Alpha - The eye and the earpiece are iconic. To minimize, perhaps the white space could also be blue. The earpiece could be curved where it contacts the head to create a negative-space head (thanks Suichiro for giving me words). Might work, might not.
- Flashrains - I really like that you incorporated an eye in the chest detail.
You do have a lot of detail (cloth/cape), but it's as subtle as a gradient texture. Makes a great minnie. - U-naught - iconic, heraldic. Makes a great logo. Not minimal yet. From the costume, I see dark grey top, white bottom, jagged element between. Or perhaps her essence is in her binary face / pale hair, and the costume varies. I had a similar problem with Airhead, and chose to minimize costume, ignoring his unusual face.
- Airhead - Caemgen hinted at it. Stop with the merchandizing already.
- Sureshot - Dark Ether's advice was good, and the second version even better!
- Shiedara - looks good. Perhaps still works without the white stripe at the bottom.
- Savannah Nightwolf - I'm not sure if I've seen this hero. Anyone got a link?
- Comrade Hero - 90% minimum, before Suichiro removed the top part.
- AmeriKatt - This really worked for me. I don't know the character well, but with this minnie, I feel I know more (and I was intrigued enough to go look). The outline of the tail seems necessary to give depth.
- Tanks - Perhaps remove the head, remove as many squares of tartan as possible but still have it be tartan. I considered doing this one, but then yours appeared and is already so close to what I would have done.
- Suichiro's next four - Wow. Gradient = detail, but you use it very judiciously. You're definitely the master.
- Positron - Multiple gradients, outlines, duplicate details. I think this can be minimized further.
- Manticore - Seems busy. Perhaps focus on his unique hair, or lots of redness (no white background). Or something to do with his bow. Might work, might not.
- Sister Psyche - top half or bottom half of the image would suffice.
- Pink-person - Sorry I don't know who this is. Everyone else does, so I know it's just me
- Swan - Hah! Inconceivable. Although it could be the Michelin Man.
- Citadel - there seems like a lot of detail. But I still wouldn't change a thing. It is my favorite.
- Synapse - as a logo, perhaps doesn't need the pinched waist (neck?). If you removed the logo, would there be a way to capture the essence of Synapse? I cannot think of anything at all. This might be as far as he can go.
- Statesman - it was this, or the ridiculous mask. You made a good choice.
- Brawler - I liked the first version, just needs the lines to be cleaner/more geometric. The second version makes a good icon.
- Kilotonnage - brilliant again. So much, with so little.
- Sapphic Neko - Perhaps could be more hourglass. The pinched waist looked like a neck, I was trying to figure who has black hair in a 50's style. Otherwise, perfect.
- Invincibelle - I don't know this character yet.
- Suichiro's burnt matchstick - a technical success!
- Vivace - nice! Particularly how the cut-aways are V-shaped too.
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This is kinda fun
I'd thought I try my hand with my Main badger
Lady Lylith
Quote:
You know, I was taking a long look at this one and I've come to the conclusion that he needs the tie pin to complete the deal. While I think you've got the majority of his character in the simple colors and hint of a vest, it could still be someone else wearing a business suit. I get the sensation of "this looks familiar... is it Airhead?"|
Originally Posted by airhead
[*] Airhead - Caemgen hinted at it. Stop with the merchandizing already.
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When you add in the pin, it seals the deal. While it does add one more layer of complexity to the image, it's the detail that cements that this is Airhead and not anyone else. It also adds in the important color of yellow, which also evokes his hair. While you might not think it important, when you added that fifth color to the image, it made all the difference.
Since this is an exercise in "maximum with minimum," I think the key is to hit that maximum recognition while attempting it with as few details as possible. We all know that the visor makes it nobody other than TA, the scarf with the green means it's nobody but Deebs (scarf with blue would have been Turbo-Ski,) and the ankh makes it Soul Train. Without those elements that we connect with, it's not that very specific character. So I do agree with your original Airhead mini, I feel that you hit it dead on. Maximum Airhead with minimum details.
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Originally Posted by airhead
[*] Sapphic Neko - Perhaps could be more hourglass. The pinched waist looked like a neck, I was trying to figure who has black hair in a 50's style. Otherwise, perfect.
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I had a hell of a time with Sapphic, which is why I attempted it. Sapphic's design isn't what I would consider to be as iconic as many other characters, even though it's simple. That's because her design includes many separate details that all compete for attention. Is she defined by her ears? Is it the wings? The cleavage? :3
After studying for a long while, I decided that it's not any of those. Because in order for it to be Sapphic Neko and *not* one of the many other cat or succubus characters, I had to reference something unique to her. I eventually settled on the mid-drift top, with the black and white bands, as Neko herself suggested. If I did a blonde bob cut with white ears, it could have been Shia. If I added wings, I'd need to then draw a face to reference them. At that point, why would it be a mini? Instead I may as well draw her out completely. I avoid drawing faces or bodies whenever possible, as I feel that it starts to bypass the concept. The more that I have to draw, the more I failed.
Anyhow, that's my rambling for now. I've been enjoying the way this is turning out, because it's a potent way to study design while still being accessible to most everyone. That's a pretty rare combination, I find.
http://www.virtueverse.net/wiki/Massacre_Melanie -the original Fire/Dark Corruptor -
http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showthread.php?t=115217
The Guide to BURN
Cool, thanks Suichiro. I'll keep the tie-pin. Watch out for it in cereal boxes! And I think slightly straighter ribs would be a good touch. The waist you have already fits with the character's art.
Here's three retreads. Minimized too far?
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Good lord.
I instantly spotted Posi. Instantaneously.
Marvelous, Airhead.
Edit: Here, let's try this instead. By straightening the lines I could curve the skirt. I think that helped a lot.
http://www.virtueverse.net/wiki/Massacre_Melanie -the original Fire/Dark Corruptor -
http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showthread.php?t=115217
The Guide to BURN
@Airhead: That positron is the best so far... instantly conveys him and is unmistakable.
@Suichiro: Much better with the straightened ribs... I also thought the first one was a face and when I couldn't think of any hero
that matched the black hair etc... I started looking for what else it could be and figured out (lol) it was SN's figure.
How about...
Nice, CR. Negative space horn ftw
CR, your Manticore is definitely clearer than mine, having the mask. Perhaps a darker background would allow the outline element to be removed?
Strange, I was thinking something similar with horns, after seeing Scooter2's Lilith. I had no idea you could colour the tips differently. of Lilith's horns look somehow related to the mouth. Taking that to extreme:
Kinda creepy. Kinda pac man. I probably should have left this one alone.
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Quote:
Thanks PG. |
Originally Posted by Planet_Girl
Nice, CR. Negative space horn ftw
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@Airhead: Hmm I did consider making it a 2 color Manticore but wasn't sure it would look as nice or read as well... perhaps as you suggest just taking off the outline for the helm would simplify the image while keeping it looking like him. Heh I thought of a ghost from pacman when I saw that too (must be from all that Google pacman I did when the logo changed) but I think you are on to something there with Lylith maybe zoom in some more to show less black space and even crop out some of the horns... morbid horns are really distinct and you don't need to see all of them to recognize what they are.
Also thought this might be an improvement on my earlier attempt... whatcha guys think? Does one do the job better than the other?
CR, I think minimizing requires that you suck at art. Because you haven't, since you don't.
Perhaps try drawing the character like this... you get ten points. Each colour costs a point. Each straight line, half a point. Each simple curve, rectangle, triangle, circle or trapezoid, 1 point. A gradient, one point. If you run out of points, start again.
Although you have created some truly beautiful and iconic images (especially the blue-white face), that will among the few to have any use beyond this mad thread.
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Quote:
O Rly? |
Originally Posted by Vivace
Fun! (Hi! Miss me?)
I'm easy. |
Welcome back Viv!
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Originally Posted by airhead
.......CR, I think minimizing requires that you suck at art.......
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Ok how about taking this one...
and simplifying it even further reducing down to just simple shapes...
(there were only two colors to begin with so I can go much simpler there)
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Keen, I also liked the way you thought when making it.|
Originally Posted by Suichiro
Edit: Here, let's try this instead. By straightening the lines I could curve the skirt. I think that helped a lot.
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Specially since i have a metric ton of catgirl characters who all have a tail and ears (and young face 6 and same hair). It's that costume which i like most, she has others, but thats my fave one and the one i feel is hers and hers alone, no other char i made have something similar to that one.
I'm really liking these....keep up the good work, all!
My Deviant Art page link-link
CoH/V Fan Videos
Quote:
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Kinda creepy. Kinda pac man. I probably should have left this one alone. |
Nonsense. I'm kinda diggin it.. I use firefox and change the style to get rid of the icky red/blue from the hero/villian skins. for the most part my forums are black which gives this a different look. (basically just the head.)
My question is does this minimalize Lyl down enough? and is it still recognizable?
what would be a defining feature of a frankly complex costume?
My take on a certain well known face...
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Vivace
I'm easy.
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How did I miss this before?
<tackles Viv>
Hi.
CR...yours look more like propaganda posters...which are awesome. but theres something different between Suichi's and Yours. I like both styles but they are different.
Edit: Why do people keep thinking that the thing on Manticore's head is his hair?
It's part of the cowl, like armor plating. Justin Sinclair (aka the man behind the mask) has long, straight, past his shoulders hair, ala Alex Rose.
Heh. Invincebelle.
I dig Kilo's too.
TL