Medisinyl's Bead Sprites

[Medisinyl]

Thanks to Satoshi I was able to get a head start with some information and he also provided the pixel image of the car I wanted to do.  You'll notice I've made some changes based on an actual Ferrari 328 GTS (I realize the RR car is not intended to be based on a GTS, but it is had some GTS to begin with as well [their car is a bit of a Ferrari mutt].  Though I've opted to keep the top red as opposed to black).  This is the image I had to work with from the actual game (Rad Racer):



This is one of those games that I didn't originally own as a kid, but my one of my friends had it that everyone wanted to play, but not everyone got to as much as they wanted, thus it became viewed as even better than it is perhaps, but it is certainly one of the best racing games for the NES (IMO), and I have many fond memories of it.  I hope to upload the finished product later today (Thurs.).  You may get an idea of the size this will be based on the amount of boards (nothing has been ironed yet--and until then, changes may still be made [I am considering US side marker lights, but only have the right color beads for the front--I have removed the small circle one in front of the door]).  I notice the dark grey beads look brighter in the photo as well, though I was hoping for something inbetween those colors to look more appropriate--I clearly changed the wheel quite a bit as well, making it larger in the process and switching the wheel emblem to the yellow Ferrari horse (look really really close and you can see it  ). 









EDIT:

Still working on it.  Below is my first attempt at fixing the weird look of the original where the roof meets the windshield (looks like something is missing or had been smashed in  )--some things still look odd (perspective to the rest of the car perhaps) and I shifted everything over a notch in trying to fix it (I'll wait until the rest of the car is done before making the decision to change it again or not--it has been a pain [fixing one problem tends to create another one  ).

[satoshi_matrix]

looks good man. something to consider: when you iron it, apply much more heat on one side to the other (I don't iron one side even at all most of the time). The side that you iron will look much worse up close than the side you don't, so something to keep in mind is the fact that the inverse of whatever side you iron will be the better looking side. In simpler words, the sprite you are making currently faces to the left. If you iron it, it will face towards the right. If you're cool with that, by all means go ahead. But if not, you'll want to switch it around. That can be done by pattycaking two boards together and carefully flipping each one and then reconnecting them. Since this sprite will be way too large for standard ironing paper, unless you have special sized sheets, try using parchment paper instead. avoid wax paper, that will melt!

[manuel]

Wow, that's huge!
Can't wait to see the finished car.

[Blue Protoman]

Are you trying to compete with S_M?

[manuel]

Can't they just both enjoy the same hobby?
There's no competition.

[Blue Protoman]

Unrecognized sarcasm is unrecognized.

[Medisinyl]

looks good man. something to consider: when you iron it, apply much more heat on one side to the other (I don't iron one side even at all most of the time). The side that you iron will look much worse up close than the side you don't, so something to keep in mind is the fact that the inverse of whatever side you iron will be the better looking side. In simpler words, the sprite you are making currently faces to the left. If you iron it, it will face towards the right. If you're cool with that, by all means go ahead. But if not, you'll want to switch it around. That can be done by pattycaking two boards together and carefully flipping each one and then reconnecting them. Since this sprite will be way too large for standard ironing paper, unless you have special sized sheets, try using parchment paper instead. avoid wax paper, that will melt!

I actually do have a roll of parchment paper that could cover the whole thing at once if I so choose (as you say that works [though I did get some of the smaller stuff with the green boards I picked up at the Michael's craft store]).  And as you've noticed, I have done the sprite backwards so that the un-ironed side will be the good side (I've seen some terrible iron jobs online and am going about it the way you seem to prefer for the more even and consistent result [and your sprites all look good the way you leave them--I certainly don't want to risk ruining this one as it has taken me a long time]).  

Here are a couple more progress shots (I will have enough boards thankfully [I was worried before getting close to the top that the roof might have gone over]):




I'll take a shot with a quarter and silver dollar when it is done to give an easy reference of size.

Are you trying to compete with S_M?

What's the point?  I could never out-do Super Pig anyway   

[nintendodork]

That's a nice sprite...big too!  I can't wait to see the finished model.  You should make a small business out of this like Satoshi, there are a few people who really like this stuff.

[Medisinyl]

/\  Thanks.  Though considering how much time is put into these, I don't see how doing these for money could be in any way profitable.  However, after doing some things I want to do, I may consider doing custom projects for people to fund the hobby (it would be fun to do them anyway).  If there is interest, then we'll see.


I ended up going to sleep not long after my last post, but the sprite is at some stage of completion now.  There are several areas I may still adjust, so it isn't ready for ironing.  I know for sure that I want to rethink the rear end as the game sprite doesn't look right at all.  I considered posting where it is at as another progress shot, but figure I will wait and do everything once it is done (that may wait for tomorrow now).   

[Medisinyl]

Alright, here is one last teaser shot before I do the finishing touches and iron it (I won't be posting the final photos until tomorrow--I'll do a magic trick with it too  ).  You may notice a slight change to the front tire shape as I took some beads out of it from the sprite image (different from my other posted tire pics--the rear was changed in a similar fashion).  It is pictured with a US quarter and an NES Rad Racer cart so that you can get an idea of how big this thing is.

[Rogles]

Oh my god... It's huge. XD

[nintendodork]

WHOA!!  It's bigger than I thought!  Also, nice decision with changing the color of the wheel.  It looked a little ...almost...flat in the other picture

[manuel]

Unrecognized sarcasm is unrecognized.

Your sentence didn't sound sarcastic in the least.
Better check your definition of sarcasm. 

[Medisinyl]

WHOA!!  It's bigger than I thought!  Also, nice decision with changing the color of the wheel.  It looked a little ...almost...flat in the other picture

I figured that is the kind of response I'd get with the comparison--for someone unfamiliar with these beads, it is impossible to tell how large these things are without something to compare to.

And I believe you meant changing the "contour" as opposed to "color" in reference to making it look less flat 

EDIT:

Here are a couple my girlfriend did.  The green one is from some TV show (she saw someone else had done it when I showed her some things online).  On the mermaid, she did the mermaid, then I added the attack swirl and since she had already ironed the mermaid down on both sides, I had to cut off the sides, then I flattened it to some extent to hide the ugliness.  I think I prefer it flat, but it warps the job somewhat and would take way too much time time to do it properly.

 



EDIT #2:  I'm about to start something else that will be a custom mix, so I'm not sure how it will end up yet or how big it will be, etc.--hopefully not too massive.  This one will involve Lolo from the Eggerland/Lolo games games as well, but I hope to do an actual game shot featuring Lala, but calculated about 16,500 beads for what I wanted to do  and highly doubt I even have the beads for that right now.  I suppose I'll have to place another order soon now as the Rad Racer car took up quite a chunk of my 50k order already (this is getting expensive  ).  Thankfully I now have a better idea of what the colors actually are and what I will need most. 

[Rob64]

Invader Zim's side kick disguise