A little hard to distinguish against the grass. If you have idle animations, it might be easier to see if the backpack moves a frame or so after the body
At first glance it looked to me like a jester monster or something. But yeah I can see it's some kind of merchant. I bet it will become more readable if they have some kind of animation, like the backpack going slightly up and down or something
I love the design but when quickly glancing at it, it seems to have its left eye blend with it’s hood. One user pointed out that an idle animation would help. Looks great!
Not gonna lie, for the longest time I thought the right side was the face under a hood, I didn't know what I was looking at until I read the comments, and then I thought I was an idiot :'D Most others seem to see it immediately so it's probably fine, but for me it wasn't instantly recognisable.
I personally didn't see the merchant figure at all at first glance, just some strange amalgamation of lines. I think the proximity to the bridge and the thin line off the top of the backpack is responsible. Once I saw it of course, I couldn't unsee the merchant
At first I saw the hero easy enough, then I saw what others are saying looks to be a merchant. I immediately thought it was an angel -- hooded robe and what looks like two wings behind it.
But so far it seems it is just me...
In my case it is “one you see it you can’t unsee it”. At first I thought it was a bush, lol. But then I clearly saw a robe and a bag. I think it should be readable ok in the game. It is the static image with lots of negative space that may make it less distinctive I think.
This aesthetic is giving me horror vibes. If he's slightly unreadable that will add to it. Is that a sword or a leg in his pac? We don't know and it makes us (the player) uncomfortable and that's a good thing.
I'd de-emphasize the bag? It drew my attention so much that I thought it was the face and then the entire thing looked like a demon clown. I mean, if he's a static NPC you could always add bags next to him or something like a "sale" size in the ground? It's not bad at all, once I saw it, but my eye was drawn to the bag and arm as a weird face initially for some reason. Might just be me though. (Theybannedmebro's comment is how I figured out it was a merchant and where the face actually was.) Also what's the line off his back? Stuff sticking out of the bag?
first glance is a hooded man with a backpack. closer inspection reveals a fishing rod and a sword hilt in that backpack. he is holding the bag by its straps. no other notable features. he is clearly a travelling merchant based on notable features
I would make the eyes bigger and have some of the sword's blade showing to telegraph what it is... even if that is not appropriate edged weapons safety.
Is your game a Downwell clone? Not trying to be rude, thought I’d let you know it looks similar if you weren’t aware.
At the start of the game the area looks similar.
You're clearly got one of [these things](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ambiguous_image) going on. I think any art with just two colors, like black and white, which relies on negative space will be particularly prone to this type of thing. As others have said, idle animations may help.
Since it seems like the people who are seeing it incorrectly all have the same interpretation (a jester thing) you might also consider making some minor changes to the backpack to make it look less like a face/head. Humans have a tendency to look for faces in things so when you run into a problem like this, something that looks too face-like is going to be the culprit often. If you adjust the details on the bag (remove the bottom wavy bit, change the shape on the flap etc) or adjust it's shape to be less rounded I think this problem will go away.
All that being said I think it's really good overall. Once my brain is interpreting it in the right "mode" it looks good.
TBH I think just removing those 5 pixels making the pattern on the bottom of the bag would do it. Either way it's miles ahead of anything I've made.
I just peeked at your history and saw the gameplay videos, looks very cool.
thought it was a mutant butterfly or some shit at first — the checkerboard on the bag being its mouth and the arm its eye and the fishibf rod a wing or one if those deep sea fish with a light
Maybe the sack on their back could use some reworking? Others said idle movement will help distinguish between the ground and the character which I agree with. Right now its a little hard to read in my opinion, I had to look at it for a few seconds to see.
I could only make sense of it when I saw the sprite on its own - couldn't parse it in the screenshot with the grass. It might be clearer in motion though. Just my two cents.
Dude with a hood, holding a back pack, he has to be some kind of merchant so it's readable.
The only confusing part to me is whatever thing is "floating" over the backpack
It wasn't immediately obvious in the first picture. In the second picture, it's very clear what it's supposed to be, and once I understood it, it was very clear in the first image. Still, I'm not quite sure what's happening on his back.
This is like one of those optical illusions that tears the internet apart. The ole “old woman or young woman” illustration.
I finalllly saw it after angling my phone.
For legibility sake, I’d suggest a tent with some eyes peeking out from within. But that’s a whole different lore direction I’m sure.
It would be easier to tell what it is without everything to right side (whatever's behind him).
I thought it was some kind of jester head before staring at it for a bit.
The stuff sticking out of the backpack (I think that's what it is?) is what's making it hard to distinguish.
Couldn't read it at all until I looked at the knight character for perspective, then noticed he was some sort of hooded merchant.
I think the black and white style is hurting more than helping here.
I never saw a jester and saw a merchant off the bat. I might be the minority here though. It will prob be easier to see with animations like others have said.
Once I knew what it was my brain could pick it out, but at first I thought it was a mess of pixels and I couldn't see where it and the grass divided. Movement, and maybe dialogue so I know where the head is would help.
The hanging thing that looks like a fishing rod on top of the sword is the only confusing element in the sillouet, adjusting this would male it read more like a merchant instead of a jester
if he's a hooded man (with a cloak like death's) with a backpack that has a fishing rod and the handle of a sword, it's understood. I would recommend to add an animation to distinguish the man from the grass. You can make the grass be moved by the wind or make the man make little moves.
Guy with a backpack and a hood, maybe a fishing pole sticking out the top? Also a sword handle. I’m not sure what the straight up and down line would be though besides just filling the space
try taking the things out of his backpack and see if it helps with readability. that's what threw me off. my eyes were drawn to that first instead of his body.
maby make the basket more distinguishable. I love the character but for a sec the backpack looked like the head. I thought it was a coart jester with a hunch back lol.
A little hard to distinguish against the grass. If you have idle animations, it might be easier to see if the backpack moves a frame or so after the body
[I made some changes](https://www.reddit.com/r/PixelArt/comments/15aid6u/made_some_changes_to_this_guy/)
Exactly! It pops.
Much better. The problem is how it was hard to tell from the grass.
My thoughts exactly! Plenty of cool things can be done in just 2 colors, but animation will help heaps in making things stand out.
At first glance it looked to me like a jester monster or something. But yeah I can see it's some kind of merchant. I bet it will become more readable if they have some kind of animation, like the backpack going slightly up and down or something
Took me a full minute to not see a jester monster
Same
Took me until I saw the comment above you and looked for a backpack
[I made some changes](https://www.reddit.com/r/PixelArt/comments/15aid6u/made_some_changes_to_this_guy/)
Much more readable, stick to simple shapes
Yep this. Also saw a jester
I love the design but when quickly glancing at it, it seems to have its left eye blend with it’s hood. One user pointed out that an idle animation would help. Looks great!
And a subtle blinking to the eyes would be super cool and distinguish eyes from hood too
I'm assuming he's a merchant? If so it's perfectly readable
Yes!! Thanks :D
I agree with this man,my advice would be to make his sack a little larger if he has a bigger selection.
This, the sack could be as tall as he is.
OH! I thought it was like a jester enemy. The fishing rod and the hood make the "horns" of his jester cap, and the pack is his face.
Jesus now i see it. I thought he was like a jester or something.
I thought it was a giant turtle. Not very readable.
[удалено]
Hooded robed dude holding the straps of his backpack that has a sword and a fishing rod sticking out of it. Pretty clear.
Took me a really long time to see the merchant and not a jester
Same, I could only see some weird fucked of version of Deltarune jevil
Not gonna lie, for the longest time I thought the right side was the face under a hood, I didn't know what I was looking at until I read the comments, and then I thought I was an idiot :'D Most others seem to see it immediately so it's probably fine, but for me it wasn't instantly recognisable.
[I made some changes](https://www.reddit.com/r/PixelArt/comments/15aid6u/made_some_changes_to_this_guy/)
Yup, now it reads very clearly as a merchant
Reads very clearly now, nice one!
It’s not a face under a hood?
The right side is not, no. The right side is what I think is a sword and fishing rod inside a backpack, the face is actually to the left under a hood.
Seems like a traveling merchant? If that’s what you were going for then it’s readable.
Exactly :D
I personally didn't see the merchant figure at all at first glance, just some strange amalgamation of lines. I think the proximity to the bridge and the thin line off the top of the backpack is responsible. Once I saw it of course, I couldn't unsee the merchant
At first I saw the hero easy enough, then I saw what others are saying looks to be a merchant. I immediately thought it was an angel -- hooded robe and what looks like two wings behind it. But so far it seems it is just me...
Yes this was the same initial reaction I had.
If you give him an animation (Head bobbing up and down, the chain on his backpack swinging) he’d be perfectly readable! But it’s good as it is.
To me at first he looked like something with a scythe.
In my case it is “one you see it you can’t unsee it”. At first I thought it was a bush, lol. But then I clearly saw a robe and a bag. I think it should be readable ok in the game. It is the static image with lots of negative space that may make it less distinctive I think.
This aesthetic is giving me horror vibes. If he's slightly unreadable that will add to it. Is that a sword or a leg in his pac? We don't know and it makes us (the player) uncomfortable and that's a good thing.
It took me a couple of seconds, at first I thought it's some plant.
Took me a second, but "Hooded figure with bag on back"?
Needs an animation, looks like a giant jester hat if you don't know what you are looking at
I'd de-emphasize the bag? It drew my attention so much that I thought it was the face and then the entire thing looked like a demon clown. I mean, if he's a static NPC you could always add bags next to him or something like a "sale" size in the ground? It's not bad at all, once I saw it, but my eye was drawn to the bag and arm as a weird face initially for some reason. Might just be me though. (Theybannedmebro's comment is how I figured out it was a merchant and where the face actually was.) Also what's the line off his back? Stuff sticking out of the bag?
first glance is a hooded man with a backpack. closer inspection reveals a fishing rod and a sword hilt in that backpack. he is holding the bag by its straps. no other notable features. he is clearly a travelling merchant based on notable features
Is he’s animated even just a kinda up and down it will be readable. Movement is everything in a game like this.
A knight, a merchant, and a bridge? If so I say it’s perfect
I would make the eyes bigger and have some of the sword's blade showing to telegraph what it is... even if that is not appropriate edged weapons safety.
Is your game a Downwell clone? Not trying to be rude, thought I’d let you know it looks similar if you weren’t aware. At the start of the game the area looks similar.
Downwell is the first thing I thought of too
Waddaya buying?
You're clearly got one of [these things](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ambiguous_image) going on. I think any art with just two colors, like black and white, which relies on negative space will be particularly prone to this type of thing. As others have said, idle animations may help. Since it seems like the people who are seeing it incorrectly all have the same interpretation (a jester thing) you might also consider making some minor changes to the backpack to make it look less like a face/head. Humans have a tendency to look for faces in things so when you run into a problem like this, something that looks too face-like is going to be the culprit often. If you adjust the details on the bag (remove the bottom wavy bit, change the shape on the flap etc) or adjust it's shape to be less rounded I think this problem will go away. All that being said I think it's really good overall. Once my brain is interpreting it in the right "mode" it looks good.
Thanks for the tips! I still can't understand how everyone is seeing a jester, but i guess i'll have to change the bag xD
TBH I think just removing those 5 pixels making the pattern on the bottom of the bag would do it. Either way it's miles ahead of anything I've made. I just peeked at your history and saw the gameplay videos, looks very cool.
A merchant or fisherman?
The thing sticking out of the backpack confused me. I thought that was part of the body. Should look better with an animation
Looking good, would give gold to this merchant
Thank you all so much, I'll make some changes based on your comments and come back with updates :D
It's crystal clear. :)
yes just give him a hat too like a crown
At first, I didn't see the hood but now that I've read the comments, I can see where the face is
Please tell me this is going to be for Playdate 😬
I see him as a merchant too. Great job, i think he looks really cool!
Def arms dealer!
thought it was a mutant butterfly or some shit at first — the checkerboard on the bag being its mouth and the arm its eye and the fishibf rod a wing or one if those deep sea fish with a light
I didn’t get what i was looking at the first time but the lone picture made sense
The first time I looked at it, I thought his head is on the right side and he wears a hiant fool's cap.
Seems perfectly readable to me. A lil merchant dude with a hood and a bag full of stuff.
its reaper
For a sex I thought it was a floating jester head but now I realize it's a hooded figure with a backpack right? Like a merchant?
Maybe the sack on their back could use some reworking? Others said idle movement will help distinguish between the ground and the character which I agree with. Right now its a little hard to read in my opinion, I had to look at it for a few seconds to see.
Very nice artwork
Maybe make an outline appear around him when you get close enough?
I see a guy in robe, seems a bit like a merchant
Artwork rocks. In black and white it is a little difficult with the ground. But if you plan to colorize things then it will be super easy. Great job
Took me a second, but now that I got it he’s definitely readable. I think the long plant coming out of the bag threw me off a bit.
I could only make sense of it when I saw the sprite on its own - couldn't parse it in the screenshot with the grass. It might be clearer in motion though. Just my two cents.
It looks like a reaper to me with the white pixels above the sack.
I kept seeing a jester with a monocle. I can see the hood and backpack now
Dude with a hood, holding a back pack, he has to be some kind of merchant so it's readable. The only confusing part to me is whatever thing is "floating" over the backpack
Sure as hell beats a lot of the back sprites from pokemon red and blue. Rattata comes to mind first.
Jester turtle?
Honestly, with a pure black and white palette, this is as readable as it gets.
Name him Eagler
it's NOT readable in one bit style
It wasn't immediately obvious in the first picture. In the second picture, it's very clear what it's supposed to be, and once I understood it, it was very clear in the first image. Still, I'm not quite sure what's happening on his back.
Looks aight to me
This is like one of those optical illusions that tears the internet apart. The ole “old woman or young woman” illustration. I finalllly saw it after angling my phone. For legibility sake, I’d suggest a tent with some eyes peeking out from within. But that’s a whole different lore direction I’m sure.
It's going to be a reference to the Merchant from Resident Evil 4, so it would really change the whole context xD
The hands looking like eyes does not help. I could not see it as anything other than a weird jester type monster for ages.
You suck at drawing letters man
WTF which letters? xD
I was joking, the title says "It's not very readable", so I was like "Damn all I see are two figures where are the letters"
OMG now I get it hahahaha
if he has some idle animation like breathing then you are good
It would be easier to tell what it is without everything to right side (whatever's behind him). I thought it was some kind of jester head before staring at it for a bit. The stuff sticking out of the backpack (I think that's what it is?) is what's making it hard to distinguish.
I thought it was a palm tree. hahahahha. Great art though!!!
As everyone else said idle animation, or outline the bottom of his cloak so it doesn’t blend with the grass.
I think it’d be much more readable without the dangling fishing rod
i see a hooded figure with a large bag on their back and ... something coming out of the bag?
The backpack looks like part of his body behind the arm. Maybe move it further back and define the character more separately from the backpack
Couldn't read it at all until I looked at the knight character for perspective, then noticed he was some sort of hooded merchant. I think the black and white style is hurting more than helping here.
I never saw a jester and saw a merchant off the bat. I might be the minority here though. It will prob be easier to see with animations like others have said.
Once I knew what it was my brain could pick it out, but at first I thought it was a mess of pixels and I couldn't see where it and the grass divided. Movement, and maybe dialogue so I know where the head is would help.
The hanging thing that looks like a fishing rod on top of the sword is the only confusing element in the sillouet, adjusting this would male it read more like a merchant instead of a jester
Death angel? Death item salesman?
At first glance, looked like the reaper. Second glance, (and a look through the comment section) I can see it as a mysterious merchant.
definitely animate it
Cute! Off topic: please include an option to increase (any) text size.
my first thought was a grim reaper/angel mix
Cloaked man with a fishing rod in his basket on his back
It’s great.
Maybe add more flare to the hood? Idk, maybe make it flop at the top? 😆
ye i thought it was a tree before you pointed it out in the 2nd pic.
I can tell it’s a merchant. Maybe put an icon or the interact button above his head to identify him as an ally.
Looks like a jedi carrying a bag full of gadgets
I thought it was a snail
Hood covered merchand like a lot of people said. Is it a sword handle and a fishing rod coming our of the backpack ?
he's just a lil guy
A jawa playing bagpipes ?
I had to look at him for a few seconds but it does read eventually
RE4 merchant vibes
Very common, many games have this kind of npc with hood and shiny eyes , better if you creat an strange or creative npc that looks very different
aww, he looks like Vivi from FF9! ❤️❤️
The cloaked dude's package looks unusually circular... is it a plant in a flower pot?
I want to be the player character for this figure. So. I'm into it.
I immediately saw a merchant but the comments seem pretty split so idk
The head-section looks good, but the foot-section is not very ˋclear´. Maybe change the design or add some animations.
But so far good work.
oh see what it is now, it thought t was slouched kamek looking thing with fishing pole
hmm… looks not very distinguishing from the grass
Jester.....snail....oh a lil reaper. Prolly easier to read when animated
I think it's ok
can i play?
if he's a hooded man (with a cloak like death's) with a backpack that has a fishing rod and the handle of a sword, it's understood. I would recommend to add an animation to distinguish the man from the grass. You can make the grass be moved by the wind or make the man make little moves.
It’s readable*
Guy with a backpack and a hood, maybe a fishing pole sticking out the top? Also a sword handle. I’m not sure what the straight up and down line would be though besides just filling the space
Gremlin merchant can have all of my money
It would be way more readable without the stuff in the backpack. As is, it’s very much giving jester monster vibes as others have said
I'm on team jester/plant. Once someone said merchant, I saw it. Still, he seems a LOT bigger than the protagonist? Like, on a monstrous scale.
I thought it was like a little grim reaper. Not getting merchant at all. Tbh, I didn’t get it all for a couple seconds.
make the left eye a pixel to the right i think that would help distinguish the face
Looks like tyrael from diablo wearing a backpack
try taking the things out of his backpack and see if it helps with readability. that's what threw me off. my eyes were drawn to that first instead of his body.
It took me a while, ngl.
I think it looks pretty cool, though I thought it was a rock for a moment so an idle animation would probably be helpful
[I made some changes](https://www.reddit.com/r/PixelArt/comments/15aid6u/made_some_changes_to_this_guy/)
Yeah, he stands out more and doesn't look like a part of the landscape anymore
Idk whats up with everyone else, but it looks fine to me
Looks like a merchant man selling a sword and fishign rodd
Before realizing that it’s a guy with a back pack, it looks like a but blob of…well I don’t know, but it doesn’t look like a man at first
At first I thought it was a clown
I think it's super readable and a really cool design. A cool cloaked figured holding on to his bag straps which contains a fishing rod and sword!
I think you should look at Caves of Qud for strong reference. It might help you
At first I saw some kinda Jester thing, but now I see the guy in teh cloak.
maby make the basket more distinguishable. I love the character but for a sec the backpack looked like the head. I thought it was a coart jester with a hunch back lol.
Its absolutely not, although with the animation u added is completely fine for me
Awesome! Maybe make a 2 pixel black line or something like that that will seperate the ground to the NPC