Is there a future for Uncle Scrooge (Onc' Picsou in French) as a pixel avatar?

Here are 2 versions, which one do you prefer?
#1 >   #2 >

I don't like so much the angry look of #1 for an avatar, there are so many angry avatars around

#2 is a bit more advanced, it is supposed to be more graphic and 'pixelled', but (once again) my hand and eye are unable to translate my half-formed ideas, so that the result looks just out of the comic book. Both actually look too much out of the book.
Hues in #2 have been shifted a bit.
13-14 colors + transp.

Sorry for the similarities with Manjaman's Urban duck, I'm trying hard to stay away from it!


I bought a 1977 Picsou Magazine to help me remember what he looks like, hadn't read that stuff for a long while.


Edit: 3 new versions, more angular:

# 3, 4, 5 >

# 4 = with white outlines; # 5 = ilkketarised, I probably won't keep that one but it's an interesting exercise. I'm not satisfied by the coat and hat in this one.


New edit:

#6 >

Sort of a mix between previous versions, cleaned up. The ilkketarised look remains, in the beak and eyes. 18 colors.


Edited by Manupix - 19 September 2009 at 12:46pm

Thanx Manjaman! You helped me see things I hadn't. (why is it so difficult to crit one's own work???)

I tried to improve the face volume and shading, at the same time taking more distance from the Disney char (but it's still him, I hope).

By grunge outline, I take it you mean the hat and coat? I can't really explain it, other than I thought it was cool, and I don't have a better idea... And thinking of it, it underlines his avarice.
In fact I first wanted them to be treated like the face, but: 1- I didn't find how to do it so far; 2- I'm afraid it would compete with the face.

And yes, the hat is dwarfed, initially to fit into the square canvas, and I like the additional meanness it conveys.

I did lower the hat's contrast and sat. Didn't touch the coat yet, enough for tonight!

#7 >

Edit: finally tried a new, smaller, cleaner hat: doesn't look bad!

#8 >


Edited by Manupix - 22 September 2009 at 5:02pm

I don't have much to say besides the fact that it looks good, but...
Are those glasses? I wasn't even able to see them before I looked at the 'angry' version in your first post. You might want to make those stand out more, they might look really cool with the style you have now.

More small fixes.
If no one objects, this might be uploaded soon.

#10 >

Done, after a last minute minor edit (some remnants of banding in the beak).


Edited by Manupix - 25 September 2009 at 2:39pm