47 replies to this topic

[Plasmocat]

I set about editing all the portraits in BG1 because I wanted to use Tutu to improve the BG1 interface but at the same time really don't like the BG1 style of portraits. They are too dark and indistinct, and the characters' skin have weird bruise-like colorings. Rather than continue to use pics of completely different characters to hedge the problem, I decided to do a revamp of the whole works.

A few notes on the pics:

I completely overhauled Shar Teel and Faldorn because it's just my preference to have better-looking ppl in my games.

I also completely overhauled Coran, making him look more like a BG2-style elf rather than a mutant human.

I gave Alora red hair instead of pink because I didn't want her to compete or become confused with Imoen.

I made two versions of Xzar, one presenting him in the colors he wears in BG1 and one reflecting the colors he wears in BG2.

I didn't make replacement portraits for most characters who have portraits already in BG2, such as Imoen and Minsc. However I did edit the BG1 Jaheira portrait mainly because I wanted to use it as a PC, so I threw that one in the bag, too.

All that said, here's the link to the portraits because I'm too lazy to embed them in the thread. It'll save SHS bandwidth anyhow.

http://catalogingjun...style/index.htm

Please enjoy with my compliments!

[leahnkain]

Faldorn,Branwen　and Shar Teel look excellent. (Much better than the originals)Once again your talent shines. You are truly amazing at doing BG pictures.

[Shadowhawke]

I agree. Faldorn actually looks far, far more than bearable now, it's excellent. . And your Safana portrait is wonderful.

[Kaeloree]

<3

[Archmage Silver]

Nicely done Plasmo, I agree that almost all of them are better than the originals (You should have expected me to argue that some of the origs. were better, after all, I do like some of the BG II paper dolls better than the BG I ones ). I'm not sure if they are a bit sharper than the original BG II portraits or if it is just me... good job on them anyway.

[Deathsangel]

Very Well done Plasmocat. Some portraits indeed improved. How do you add them to a BG1 game?

Comments:

Faldorn and Shar-teel greatly improved. Like Khalid, Garrick and Xan (ears more notable and gone with the hideous nails) also a lot. Though others are great as well.

The colour in BG2 that Xzar has I always thought were generated because he was wearing a robe of the evil archmage. If you put one on him in BG1, he looks very much alike he is shown in BG2.

Other portrait then you gave for Montaron then the one you made for the MftW

Now the somewhat lesser things... I somehow miss somewhat the lines with Yeslick. I always considered him a wat older Dwarf and his old picture to me seemed to resemble some age and worries. This one is just a bit too smooth skin for my taste

It looks to me if the lower earring of Coran is floating in mid air instead of being in his ear and I can't make out his background by the way. Though I absolutely agree his portrait is now way better and clearly visible now an elf instead of a human.

[edit] It is Dynaheir by the way not Dynahei

Edited by Deathsangel, 29 May 2006 - 02:34 AM.

[Grim Squeaker]

Damn that's good work! Gotta say I'm particularly impressed by the Safana portrait. Shame it'd be tricky to actually use that one for a BG2 Safana (unless you just wanted it for her cameo).

[Plasmocat]

Thank you all for your wonderfully kind comments.

leahnkain, Shadowhawke, K'aeloree

Archmage:

I'm not sure if they are a bit sharper than the original BG II portraits or if it is just me... good job on them anyway.

Um. I'm not sure what you mean there, but thank you all the same. Heheheh.

Deathsangel

Very Well done Plasmocat. Some portraits indeed improved. How do you add them to a BG1 game?

Thank you.

Someone is looking into making it into a portrait pack mod for me, but I thought I'd put this out so ppl could see them in the meantime. I could post the .zip file with the other sizes so you could download them & dump them into your override folder ...

Other portrait then you gave for Montaron then the one you made for the MftW

Yup. Twas what gave me the push to go on with the rest of them.

Now the somewhat lesser things... I somehow miss somewhat the lines with Yeslick. I always considered him a wat older Dwarf and his old picture to me seemed to resemble some age and worries. This one is just a bit too smooth skin for my taste

Yeah, I thought about that too. But at the last drafting it was between getting rid of his splotchy color or saving the texture of his skin. I may go back at some later point for further polishing. Or unpolishing as the case may be.

It looks to me if the lower earring of Coran is floating in mid air instead of being in his ear and I can't make out his background by the way. Though I absolutely agree his portrait is now way better and clearly visible now an elf instead of a human.

Yes. Coran has been a challenge in a lot of ways. Another someone was helping me with some critiquing on his, but even so ... his gives me problems like I don't have for most charactes. I'll very likely be revisting him as well at some point.

[edit] It is Dynaheir by the way not Dynahei

Doh! Typo!

Damn that's good work! Gotta say I'm particularly impressed by the Safana portrait. Shame it'd be tricky to actually use that one for a BG2 Safana (unless you just wanted it for her cameo).

Thank you. I really only thought about how she'd be used in BGI, but that would be an interesting addition, wouldn't it?

[Archmage Silver]

Um. I'm not sure what you mean there, but thank you all the same. Heheheh.

I meant that they look like you used sharpening tool on them and now they look a bit sharper than the orig. BG II ones, at least to me.

[IronOx]

Faldorn is simply amazing! Branwen also looks very good, I never liked her 'I can bully you around' or 'I'm tough' look. My third favorite is Yeslick, always saw him as wise and calm gnome so remove the lines makes him look like that.

I must say it once again, Faldorn is AMAZING. Is there any way I can use her new portrait?

[Grim Squeaker]

Damn that's good work! Gotta say I'm particularly impressed by the Safana portrait. Shame it'd be tricky to actually use that one for a BG2 Safana (unless you just wanted it for her cameo).

Thank you. I really only thought about how she'd be used in BGI, but that would be an interesting addition, wouldn't it?

You'd have to somehow get around the fact she's 1) died and 2) even if she somehow survived, she'd just betray you. Still, it's something to ponder.

[Yovaneth]

Erm... can I have the zipfile please? Like - yesterday?

-Y-

[Plasmocat]

Thank you again for all of your wonderful comments & suggestions. As a matter of fact, Deathsangel, your suggestions about Coran's ear & background gave me some inspiration. So I gave him another go and am much happier with his update. There's still something about his eyes that make me want to keep at it (eta. although I used Jaheira's BG2 portrait's eyes as a model to make it "canon" so to speak), but this is the version I've liked best so far.

http://catalogingjun.../CoranH_jpg.htm

After that I took another look at Yeslick and took a cue from both IronOx and Deathsangel. I didn't return his lines to him because he didn't really have lines so much as a lot of shadowing. So I touched up his lighting a bit and I think (imo) that it's made him look a little older while leaving him that sense of peace about him.

http://catalogingjun...eslickH_jpg.htm

And just for you, Yovaneth, I've done a bit of sharpening on some of the other .bmps and included these updates in a fresh .zip file. Enjoy!

http://catalogingjun...itsBG2style.zip



Btw, for the curious, my favorites are Shar Teel and Safana although I'm very fond of all of them. I'd have to be, I've been working on this for a little over half a year.

Edited by Plasmocat, 30 May 2006 - 08:26 PM.

[Kellen]

As a note I believe Eldoth is fully Human, yet his left ear is a bit pointed.

I must say I like Jaheira's Fladorn's and Brawnwen's the best. Though Tiax Quayle and Xzar's are well liked as well.

[AnnabelleRose]

Flawless work as always, Plasmocat!

If this was not going to be it's own portrait mod, I would so be nagging you for use of all of these portraits for the ToC.

Edited by MajorTomSawyer, 31 May 2006 - 06:58 AM.

[Deva]

Faldorn is haawt. <3 And so is Branwen! *Saves* I also like that you made Dynaheir a bit more female looking. ^^ And less shiny and purple. Shiny, purple Dynaheir used to frighten me a little.

Coran frightens me a little though. *Cowers.*

Amazing job!

[Grunker]

I like what you did to Faldorn. That squirrel-attack-mode she had going in BG1 was really weird

What's up with Coran and the tooth-paste smile?

[Black Mage]

I am constantly awed by your skill, Plasmo. Well done.

My personal favorite is Branwen, followed by Kivan, although all are excellent, save for Coran and Ajantis who look... well, odd.

[Azazello]

As a note I believe Eldoth is fully Human, yet his left ear is a bit pointed.

Some humans have pointy ears. Yes, it's true! :ahem:

Just learned about this from G3 Forum. Plasmocat, verrry sweet work. 9.9 out of 10 (don't like all of them but hey personal taste and all that).

I'm curious why you didn't do Imoen. I'm been looking for a "playful yet mature" image which neither the BG1 or 2 versions satisfy. I imagine that a new edit will be needed, similar to your work on Faldorn and Shar-Teel.

[Plasmocat]

More thanks to everyone who added their compliments & suggestions.

Re: scary Coran with toothpaste smile. The big smile is/was meant to evoke the similarly scary smile of the orginal Coran as Troma-mutant portrait. As a character (having played the mod as well as the game version), he struck me as a con man who relies on his smiling charm to get him what he wants. That it would be a little *too* bright or maybe feel forced/false on some level seemed natural to me; but that may be simply because I saw him as a little too satisfied with himself.

I agree that this portrait is still in its awkward stage, but since I like this version than any of my previous attempts and MUCH better than the original, this one will hang around until I get another burst of inspirational problem-solving. But constructive suggestions are always welcome.



Re: Ajantis. Yes, I was surprised no one brought up his portrait sooner. BM, I don't know what you were picking up on that bothered you about Ajantis, but for me it's his helm. Reconstructing it from the shadows wasn't easy and could even be argued as being unsuccessful. When I read what you wrote, I had a V-8 moment (as in slapping my forehead--a reference that dates me!). I don't know why I haven't tried replacing his helm altogether like I did Faldorn & Shar Teel's entire heads. That will probably be my next approach.

Re: Imoen. You know, I didn't think about the idea of replacing Imoen's portrait. Both portraits lack the playful attitude Imoen displays in her sound sets, but end up wrong for different reasons. The first one doesn't quite capture her innocence sparkiness, and the second one keeps her stuck in the pathos she starts the game with but which her soundset seems to later belie. Maybe I will take up that edit after all.



Re: Eldoth's pointy ear. Actually, I don't think that's really so much a pointy ear as it is a reflection of light on a ridge while the outer edge sort of disappears in shadow due to the angle of his head. To me his ear would be way too small and not in symmetry with his other ear if that was the whole thing. Could be a matter of blending. But I'll trust Azazello's assertion that some humans have pointy ears if s/he tells us how s/he knows.

Edited by Plasmocat, 03 June 2006 - 11:29 AM.