WIP - Monster World IV title screen characters

[Aggie Tsubi]

I've mostly been a lurker on here, but I figured it's about time I start showing my work. Several months ago, I very kindly received some help and advice in making a pattern from one of my favorite games, Monster World IV, here on the board, but I only just now got started on it. Monster World IV is a Mega Drive/Genesis game that originally came out only in Japan, and it's the last game in the Wonder Boy/Monster World series. Just this last year, though, it finally officially came out in English for the very first time, for Virtual Console, Xbox Live Arcade, and PlayStation Network. If you've never tried it, I heartily recommend both Monster World IV and the rest of the series.

I'm stitching the title screen image of the game's star, Asha, and her little animal buddy/helper, Pepe:



I barely have anything to show yet, but I started with the outlines near the center, which happens to be right about Asha's armpit.

[blackmageheart]

Holy crap, Monster World! Will definitely be following your progress.

[Aggie Tsubi]

Still no color, but at least things are starting to look recognizable.



I got pretty tired of sticking with 310 for so long, but I wanted to first use up all my black scraps from past projects before switching to something different. Well, that pile is finally gone, so on to some color!

[Aggie Tsubi]

Unfortunately, I had a setback once I started adding color. I decided to start with the greens of Asha's hair, and I first stitched a portion of the lightest green. As I was doing it, I just had this sinking feeling that it was much too dark, but I pressed on since I thought it might work out once I got some other colors on there and saw how they looked together. But once I started stitching up a portion of the darkest green, I realized that was much too dark as well, and I knew that the middle green was bound to be too dark. At that point, I decided to pick it all out. The green I had picked for the lightest tone would probably work pretty well as the middle tone, and the middle tone from before might be a good replacement for the darkest. But I don't have a suitable green for the lightest tone, so I'm going to make sure I pick up every Nile Green and Emerald Green I don't have the next time I head to Michaels. Then I'll figure out exactly which ones I should use.

So after feeling a little down and frustrated about that wasted work, I decided to just go back to safe, reliable black, despite getting tired of it before, because there's no way for me to mess that up. I stuck with that until I completely used up all the 310 I had, which got nearly all of the black done. All that's left is Asha's lower foot. Now to be brave and hope the next color I try will work out.

[blackmageheart]

Aww sorry about the setback, but glad you pressed on with the black. It's good progress!

Let me know if you need any help with colours and such.

[samarin]

Sorry about the unpicking! I usually just grab sharp scissors and snip the stitches to pull them out (wastes some thread but much faster).

I'm sure you know this, but just to be safe, check your blues before you start stitching them! I hate DMC blue range, it is quite annoying a sneaking and never does what you want it to do...

[Aggie Tsubi]

Yeah, I'm already obsessing over the blues. I think I have it narrowed down to the Turquoise Blues and Electric Blues as the only ones that could possibly work. I'm planning on just buying all six and deciding which three to go with then, but my local Michaels was all out of a couple of them last time I went.

[samarin]

I find michaels horrible at keeping things in stock. AT least for cross stitch. They have been out of 30x36 18 ct aida for months, as well as 310 black. I'm going to have to give in a start buying online if they dont fix their inability to keep items available.

[Aggie Tsubi]

I haven't had time to work on this much lately, but I did at least finish off the black and started with the colors:



I did a little bit of almost every color in the project, just to give them a test. The only ones I haven't stitched yet are white, which I'm not too worried about, and the three blues, since I'll need another trip to Michaels to get what I need (they did restock and I bought the blues I was talking about before, but I was wrong about them since I need something with a bit more of a hint of purple for the two darker shades). I know I never posted a picture of the greens I picked out before, but I'm much happier with the ones I'm using now. The middle shade on there now was being used as the lightest green before, so you can see what I mean about it being too dark before. Overall I'm pretty happy with all of the colors, but I'm open to feedback. If any of the colors are jumping out as being off, I'd love to know now while there's not much I'd have to pick out.

[samarin]

Been waiting to see more of this one! The greens look great, as do the other colors!