I think you have a really good concept for this sprite. As well as being pretty original, it’s also asymmetrical (which is a good thing when most amateur adventure game sprites are simply mirrored down the middle). I like the nice curve you have going down the center of the figure.
Even for a cartoon style, I think you should move away from the black outline and use a darker shade of the color as an outline (the exception to this would be maybe if you were making a high-res game like CMI).
When I redo the outline, I’m going to change its shape slightly, as everything looks a bit shaky. Exaggeration is the key to making a good cartoon.
I’m not sure what’s on his right hand, is it a glove? And is he supposed to have a ponytail? (You can always add these in if I got it wrong)
His guitar, which looks to be a strat, would not have tuning pegs on both sides (like an acoustic). The fingerboard should be larger as well.
As for colors, I think his skin is a bit yellow (on my monitor, anyways).
Sorry about the lack of steps, I really only did some pixel pushing.
You may notice I sharpened the edges of his shorts (making them less blob-like). I also took out the third shade, leaving just the color and its outline for most of the sprite. The temptation here would be to shade or add more detail, but that would just make this sprite very difficult to animate.
Total colors: 17
Skin: 2
Shorts: 2
Shoes: 2
Shirt: 2
Hair: 4!
Guitar: 5 (gray is from shoes, white is from shirt)
I want to stay true to your original pic, and I think the above sprite is a fair representation of that, but this is what I would do to it (just a matter of opinion). Here I go, adding detail again… (If you don’t like this next pic, just ignore. It’ll go away)
Except for the blue hair, this dude looks too square to be in a band. Hopefully, these additions should “punk” him up a bit.
1. First of all, it looks like he’s playing unplugged. This is not good, but don’t worry. I will fix that.
2. Every serious musician has a spiked leather bracelet. This dude is a serious musician. Thus, this dude has a spiked bracelet. Well, at least now he will.
3. His shorts are a bit generic. I’m going to lengthen them and turn them black (with mandatory chains).
4. Those white socks and high-heeled boots have to go. They’re so yesterday.
5. Yellow looks fine on taxi cabs, but it doesn’t belong on a kick-ass guitar like this one.
6. The beater is a good look, but it needs something on the front (maybe a skull with flaming scorpions coming out its nostrils).
7. Those sunglasses aren’t even his. He was just borrowing them from one of the Blues Brothers. Besides, what’s the point of wearing mascara then?
8. A little blue armpit hair isn’t a bad touch.
9. Nothing says hardcore like some seriously warped tattoos.
10. A little black nail polish can’t hurt either. (Because every good list has 10)
Believe it or not, this image uses the same number of colors as the other one did.
Enjoy!
Ian