I just realized going through my 27+ toons now that most use subdued, darker colors for their clothing. This is somewhat because I usually make creatures, and their skin colors can vary widely and be quite colorful compared to the normal pale human skin, so the desaturated attire creates a simple contrast. (I almost never use the pitch black, though; my most common motif seems to be medium black or dark brown + gold/yellow + red, and some close variants thereof; never really thought hard about it either- just made whatever color scheme I liked at the time)
That said, I think we're getting two diff trends confused here. The black-redder's only major crime is being an over-used scheme. The bigger problems, somewhat highlighted by the OP but lost in the noise of the thread, are what I'd more call 'Vega Signs'- ie. the pitch/void detail-munching black paired w/ a garishly bright saturated color w/ high glow- doesn't have to be red. To me this is way way worse an offender, cause it is visually painful to look at. I mean, there is some overlap between the two, but if I had to pick between curtailing the black-redder population or the Vegas signs, I'd def go w/ the latter.
I just realized going through my 27+ toons now that most use subdued, darker colors for their clothing. This is somewhat because I usually make creatures, and their skin colors can vary widely and be quite colorful compared to the normal pale human skin, so the desaturated attire creates a simple contrast. (I almost never use the pitch black, though; my most common motif seems to be medium black or dark brown + gold/yellow + red, and some close variants thereof; never really thought hard about it either- just made whatever color scheme I liked at the time)
That said, I think we're getting two diff trends confused here. The black-redder's only major crime is being an over-used scheme. The bigger problems, somewhat highlighted by the OP but lost in the noise of the thread, are what I'd more call 'Vega Signs'- ie. the pitch/void detail-munching black paired w/ a garishly bright saturated color w/ high glow- doesn't have to be red. To me this is way way worse an offender, cause it is visually painful to look at. I mean, there is some overlap between the two, but if I had to pick between curtailing the black-redder population or the Vegas signs, I'd def go w/ the latter.
Well yes. Basically: having red and black doth not a blackredder make. It's the juxtoposition of the most extreme black and red (or other similarly garish colour) with no variation that makes a blackredder.
It's symptomatic of basically lazy design - a player that has no concept idea for the costume behind "black and red". When your thought process has not got past two colours, you need to take a little bit longer with your ideas.
That is true. Any color scheme can fall into that trap of only using 2-3 colors and not experimenting enough. I guess the popularity of black+red puts it at the forefront there.
Any color scheme can fall into that trap of only using 2-3 colors and not experimenting enough.
Wrong.
Using only 3 colors, actually, 2 main colors + third accent, is a classic comic book way, due to limitations of printing techniques in gold/silver/bronze age.
That's how Batman/Superman/Spiderman/early X-Men were made.
It's using oversaturated and obnoxious colors that makes costume painful to look at. With any number of colors, really.
Using only 3 colors, actually, 2 main colors + third accent, is a classic comic book way, due to limitations of printing techniques in gold/silver/bronze age.
sorry, I meant across multiple characters, not on a single one
♪ BlackReds, BlackReds whatcha gonna do? what you gonna do when they come for you? ♫
But seriously now, what were they thinking?
They have the ability to make Unique colorful characters and instead they make this... is Black & Red Supposed to be EDGY? How old are the players who make those characters?
This trend makes me Question other people's Artistic Visions
some of us just like black and red.......didn't know it was so heretical
however we don't use it for everything if that gives some relief
some of us just like black and red.......didn't know it was so heretical
however we don't use it for everything if that gives some relief
I like the combo of black and red a lot, it's just the tendency to see far too many characters that are a mass of blackest black and eye searing glowing (insert any number of colors here) that makes it not appealing to see on screen. I have plenty of black/red looks on several characters, but like it's been mentioned before, appeal is a personal opinion.
@Aleatha1011 in CO | Keeper of the Cheesecake since Nov. 2011| Bunni BOT is on PRIMUS! | Come check out my deviantart page!
I like the combo of black and red a lot, it's just the tendency to see far too many characters that are a mass of blackest black and eye searing glowing (insert any number of colors here) that makes it not appealing to see on screen. I have plenty of black/red looks on several characters, but like it's been mentioned before, appeal is a personal opinion.
aye
i only have one character that uses black and red in collaborations though its mostly black and a dim red with some smaller parts colored white
................... it's just the tendency to see far too many characters that are a mass of blackest black and eye searing glowing (insert any number of colors here) that makes it not appealing to see on screen.........
Like this filthy specimen I ran across in the PH yesterday.
This one's pretty out there. I can't tell what it's supposed to be. Robotic samurai deathwitch demon?
My advice to this guy, if he didn't want to be labeled a blackredder and really wanted to keep the colors, is to pick a theme for his character, something that someone could tell what's going on with him. Why are his hands on fire? Why is he robotic? Why the witch hat? Why covering the face? Why the samurai stuff? Pick one of these things, maaaybe two, and reduce. It literally looks like he just went through every costume piece category, picked what he thought looked coolest, and moved onto the next.
Though it's not my style, I do think the design looks kinda neat. I like the hat-goggles-mask thing he's got going on. I'd definitely set him up in some different colors though, and unify the armor into one category - tech, samurai, or medieval (his chest thing), not all three at once.
Black and red is indeed tough to pull off without looking bad. The biggest mistake I see are the shades, especially that really bright red. Also, lacking a third accent color just makes it look like a mess and seems very little effort went into it IMO. Some also appear to just use that color scheme with no real theme to the character. I have a few toons that utilize black/red (usually a darker or muted red) as long as it fits the theme and use an accent to color to give some depth.
The other problem is too much glow. When I see people with max glow on every piece, it blinks like crazy. It hides too much of the costume rather than having a subtle glow on key parts as accents.
Most of the "offending costumes" posted here could be made so much better by simply making a few adjustments to the shades, glow slider and overall color scheme.
What's wrong with black and red/other colors glowing? It's the hardest thing to pull off but that's why people try to do it.
Yeah.... about that... I don't like them, No offence but you are overusing this Combination
Too Much Black and Red, you are not letting your character Breath making them really common without making them Stand Out from the Crowd
Usually using a 3rd or 4th color and softer tone of Black and Red would help the case
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Red-check, Black-check, and even a third color white-check!
There is nothing wrong with the pieces used it's just...has anyone ever seen red dogtags? Red and black does not mean Badass! I would keep pants black, maybe even keep belt white but more gray. I would change the shirt to make a dull color...like a dull green or blue. And for godsakes, GET A TAN!
I think the piece on this one as well are fine but he needs to fine some unity. He could also keep it a black redder by using the darkest red and maybe some dark grays. And the shoulder areas could be more earthy in color and make that blend with hat, neck and legs. I think the 10th (i think) row going down has a eerier look than straight up black.
I dont even know where to start with this one...remove the glow, remove the red, remove the black...Now you are a naked cat albino? Perhaps a snow cat? I don't know...but if i was to save this I would first figure out my theme. Am I a cat or a demon? Then I would figure out what this guy is wearing. Am i in casual gear, am I fighting in this? What is the reason I am wearing this? I dont think the head is bad looking at all...even with the cat ears.
Now at first I was like, "oh look! Another black-redder!" But as I got closer I found he didnt fall into that as much...Yes it's a black redder...but more lighter black and not brightest red, which is important. I also learned a neat trick that the hip piece is actually showing under the tights...which is a nice clipping trick. Now I think he is going for more of a fire-ant look or some red wasp, so the color doesn't hurt that theme. If i had to do anything I would throw in some other colors, perhaps a dark yellow or brown to mix it up a little and some of the clipping areas bother me...which isn't a big deal really
^That last one isn't so bad. One to two shades darker red and maybe one shade lighter black and it might be okay. Obnoxious look-at-my-crotch dot aside.
I reckon this dude deserves a special honor. Such is his devotion to blackred that he even made his face red. I can almost admire that kind of dedication.
I don't think this one's too bad. Although a bit garish, he's mostly red, not black, and his black isn't the darkest one. Also gets points for not glowing or having a hideous aura. :biggrin:
WOW. That's one of the most jarring I've seen. I thought 3 days of Gravity Pulse would've prepared me for something like this, but I'm feeling kinda disoriented.
I just keep reminding myself: As long as that guy thinks it's a really cool-looking costume, that's all that matters. More power to him.
Yeesh. Looks like a multi-boxer. Haven't seen any such thing in CO.
I know of one but I'm not sure if they play anymore to be honest. They made quite amusing groups, some may remember the drones and queen bee that made random appearances at CCs.
Here's the player in cheese parodies (complete with the AFs) of the Kings (and Queen) of Edom that were called the Kings of Edam...
@Aleatha1011 in CO | Keeper of the Cheesecake since Nov. 2011| Bunni BOT is on PRIMUS! | Come check out my deviantart page!
Comments
That said, I think we're getting two diff trends confused here. The black-redder's only major crime is being an over-used scheme. The bigger problems, somewhat highlighted by the OP but lost in the noise of the thread, are what I'd more call 'Vega Signs'- ie. the pitch/void detail-munching black paired w/ a garishly bright saturated color w/ high glow- doesn't have to be red. To me this is way way worse an offender, cause it is visually painful to look at. I mean, there is some overlap between the two, but if I had to pick between curtailing the black-redder population or the Vegas signs, I'd def go w/ the latter.
- Be safe and have fun, champs - for science!
Well yes. Basically: having red and black doth not a blackredder make. It's the juxtoposition of the most extreme black and red (or other similarly garish colour) with no variation that makes a blackredder.
It's symptomatic of basically lazy design - a player that has no concept idea for the costume behind "black and red". When your thought process has not got past two colours, you need to take a little bit longer with your ideas.
- Be safe and have fun, champs - for science!
Wrong.
Using only 3 colors, actually, 2 main colors + third accent, is a classic comic book way, due to limitations of printing techniques in gold/silver/bronze age.
That's how Batman/Superman/Spiderman/early X-Men were made.
It's using oversaturated and obnoxious colors that makes costume painful to look at. With any number of colors, really.
sorry, I meant across multiple characters, not on a single one
- Be safe and have fun, champs - for science!
some of us just like black and red.......didn't know it was so heretical
however we don't use it for everything if that gives some relief
I like the combo of black and red a lot, it's just the tendency to see far too many characters that are a mass of blackest black and eye searing glowing (insert any number of colors here) that makes it not appealing to see on screen. I have plenty of black/red looks on several characters, but like it's been mentioned before, appeal is a personal opinion.
@Aleatha1011 in CO | Keeper of the Cheesecake since Nov. 2011| Bunni BOT is on PRIMUS! | Come check out my deviantart page!
aye
i only have one character that uses black and red in collaborations though its mostly black and a dim red with some smaller parts colored white
Like this filthy specimen I ran across in the PH yesterday.
:eek:
Click here to check out my costumes/milleniumguardian (MG) in-game/We need more tights, stances and moods
...although i do wonder what that would look like with a psychedelic colour scheme
Yup, the day i made him i was trying to think on a fitting concept for a soldier AT, when this hit my YT playlist
Glad you liked it :biggrin:
This one's pretty out there. I can't tell what it's supposed to be. Robotic samurai deathwitch demon?
My advice to this guy, if he didn't want to be labeled a blackredder and really wanted to keep the colors, is to pick a theme for his character, something that someone could tell what's going on with him. Why are his hands on fire? Why is he robotic? Why the witch hat? Why covering the face? Why the samurai stuff? Pick one of these things, maaaybe two, and reduce. It literally looks like he just went through every costume piece category, picked what he thought looked coolest, and moved onto the next.
Though it's not my style, I do think the design looks kinda neat. I like the hat-goggles-mask thing he's got going on. I'd definitely set him up in some different colors though, and unify the armor into one category - tech, samurai, or medieval (his chest thing), not all three at once.
But yes... consolidate the armor, drop the glow, use a more varied color scheme.
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The other problem is too much glow. When I see people with max glow on every piece, it blinks like crazy. It hides too much of the costume rather than having a subtle glow on key parts as accents.
Most of the "offending costumes" posted here could be made so much better by simply making a few adjustments to the shades, glow slider and overall color scheme.
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See? THIS is the Kind of Black & Redder I despise
EVERYTHING
PITCH BLACK BLACK
&
BLOODY GLOWING RED
Hurts your eyes doesn't it? It also doesn't allow the character to BREATH!
Yeah.... about that... I don't like them, No offence but you are overusing this Combination
Too Much Black and Red, you are not letting your character Breath making them really common without making them Stand Out from the Crowd
Usually using a 3rd or 4th color and softer tone of Black and Red would help the case
Red-check, Black-check, and even a third color white-check!
There is nothing wrong with the pieces used it's just...has anyone ever seen red dogtags? Red and black does not mean Badass! I would keep pants black, maybe even keep belt white but more gray. I would change the shirt to make a dull color...like a dull green or blue. And for godsakes, GET A TAN!
I think the piece on this one as well are fine but he needs to fine some unity. He could also keep it a black redder by using the darkest red and maybe some dark grays. And the shoulder areas could be more earthy in color and make that blend with hat, neck and legs. I think the 10th (i think) row going down has a eerier look than straight up black.
I dont even know where to start with this one...remove the glow, remove the red, remove the black...Now you are a naked cat albino? Perhaps a snow cat? I don't know...but if i was to save this I would first figure out my theme. Am I a cat or a demon? Then I would figure out what this guy is wearing. Am i in casual gear, am I fighting in this? What is the reason I am wearing this? I dont think the head is bad looking at all...even with the cat ears.
Now at first I was like, "oh look! Another black-redder!" But as I got closer I found he didnt fall into that as much...Yes it's a black redder...but more lighter black and not brightest red, which is important. I also learned a neat trick that the hip piece is actually showing under the tights...which is a nice clipping trick. Now I think he is going for more of a fire-ant look or some red wasp, so the color doesn't hurt that theme. If i had to do anything I would throw in some other colors, perhaps a dark yellow or brown to mix it up a little and some of the clipping areas bother me...which isn't a big deal really
I reckon this dude deserves a special honor. Such is his devotion to blackred that he even made his face red. I can almost admire that kind of dedication.
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I don't think this one's too bad. Although a bit garish, he's mostly red, not black, and his black isn't the darkest one. Also gets points for not glowing or having a hideous aura. :biggrin:
That's a pretty spot-on Manticore.
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Genius example here: channels a Voldo-ish vibe and "those" activities...
I just keep reminding myself: As long as that guy thinks it's a really cool-looking costume, that's all that matters. More power to him.
Judging from how bright it is, he'll need the power. :cool:
| The Phoenix - A Fiery Jack of All Trades | The Nightmare - Dark Summoner | The Ranger - Archery/DB DPS |
| The Packleader - Bestial Petmaster |
Yeesh. Looks like a multi-boxer. Haven't seen any such thing in CO.
I know of one but I'm not sure if they play anymore to be honest. They made quite amusing groups, some may remember the drones and queen bee that made random appearances at CCs.
Here's the player in cheese parodies (complete with the AFs) of the Kings (and Queen) of Edom that were called the Kings of Edam...
@Aleatha1011 in CO | Keeper of the Cheesecake since Nov. 2011| Bunni BOT is on PRIMUS! | Come check out my deviantart page!