How would you redesign Sonic?

[LoseR]

I wouldn't...

Seriously, the designs are fine as they are I think.

[The future]

Whoever did this wins by a mile.

[Cyrus]

Like this:

[JezMM]

*stares*

I... I'm not seeing it. Jet, anyway.

But Banjo? Oh, yeah. Totally there.

Lol, just the way you drew his spines reminds me of Jet's... hair/spines.

[lounge]

I really have a problem with the width of sonic's face and lack of facial expressions. I feel like they made his features too soft. Especially those brows look too toned down. In a lot of those 06 - '10 renders and artwork, he just looks visually boring. I don't like that he looks a lot younger than he did in the Adventure artwork. I really want them to emulate that style of the Adventure drawings into a 3d model. I just fell in love with that art style and the way he looked so cool. (But they would have to tone down the size of their feet, cause even in the drawings they did look too big.) The 2005 original sonic rush artwork was the last time I think that I liked the way they drew sonic. It had the right balance of edge and whatever.

Yes! I love that style. The way the gloves look, the nice tone of blue, the sharp features, the fingers. Maybe just make the face wider.

[Semi-colon e]

I probably wouldn't change the current design (Unleashed to present), just make him more expressive, which they're slowly introducing in like Generations. It's not much, but I consider it an improvement to previous less expressive times. Not so much in the renders, but in game it's a little noticeable. Give him Generations Classic levels of expressiveness and I'd like it even more.

Also am I the only one who never really liked the Adventure art THAT much? I mean it's not BAD or anything, but I always felt it was trying too hard to be cool and "totally radical maaaannn". I will say though I think the Advance and Rush games struck a nice balance between Adventure and what we have today. I wouldn't mind the 2D art if we ever got any again looking more like that than Adventure era.

[BlueBlurMe]

I think it is possible to make a hybrid of Classic and Modern. The belly would be close to classic, but not totally round. Shaped like a soft oval, I guess. I'd like the spikes to be a length inbetween the short Classic spikes and long Modern spikes. Being floppy would give the look some life, but I don't want it too be exaggeratedly floppy like now. It's like the Bratz hair in their movies. Floppy flop into their faces. Ok, maybe I'm exaggerating the flexibility of Sonics spikes. But the big butt between his eyes definitely has to go. Make that part of him show emotion other than anger like in Sonic X. The ears should portray emotion as well. The shoes, well I like all of them actually. I couldn't choose.

I like Amy's design, I don't think the hedgehog spikes fit her cute fashionable look. The dress I would make longer and flow.

Those panties look like a diaper.

Note: Ignore Sonia and Manic

This is my redesign for Sonic drawn by my girlfriend. I told her specifically what to do with Sonic. Blends nice features from old and new.

Amazing. He's not too tall either.

Edited May 6, 2012 by BlueBlurMe

[-blank-]

Let's see....

-First, I'd make him just a little...spikier, but in a simplistic way. Sort of, little spines sticking out of the larger ones, but again, it would be simple.

-Make the face more expressive. Nuff said.

I've got more, but I think it'd be better if I were to draw my rendition.

[Milo]

If Sonic ever gets a muscular/realistic/Petting Zoo People design (again) I want to be around the likes of these two images:

Edited May 7, 2012 by Zinos

[Blue Blood]

-First, I'd make him just a little...spikier, but in a simplistic way. Sort of, little spines sticking out of the larger ones, but again, it would be simple.

[Barry the Nomad]

I stayed away from this thread because I thought 95% of the suggestions looked awful. However, recently I've really come to like this take on Sonic:

Part classic, part modern. Actually reminds me a bit of the in-game SA1 model. I'd love to see this version in a game.

[Amuro]

I like both Modern Sonic and Classic Sonic, though my preference leans toward Modern, but if I were to change him, I'd shorten him a bit, make him look a bit more like Classic (or rather that bitchin' Nendoroid figurine which I'm getting in June ), and make his eyes a bit more... I dunno, lively. I'm not saying that I hate green eyes, I actually like them, but that light reflection you see in Sonic's eye is always at the bottom in CGI artwork. If not always, then most of the time. I know that's a small detail to be pointing out, but it always puts me off for some reason. That, and I'd shade the upper part of the green eye to look more alive. I'm not sure if my description makes sense (it did in my head ), but hopefully someone out there gets what I'm trying to say. Oh, and I'd give him the Soap shoes from SA2. Because they're Soap shoes. And they rock.

EDIT: I actually have a conceptual redesign of my own for Sonic, but I did it like a year ago. It's up on my deviantArt page. I can link it later if anyone's interested.

Edited May 7, 2012 by Amuro

[BlueBlurMe]

I really like seeing Classic and Modern. Sometimes I'm in the mood for one, and sometimes the other.

I really hate that spikey idea as well, though a lot of people have said that.

My favorite look for him would be a hybrid, as I said before. I really like the SA and SA2 styles of art, so I would like to see that, but spikes at a length halfway between Classic and Modern, shorter Sonic, and a roundish oval belly. Not totally circular, but a little oval (if that makes sense), and I'd like do see the SOAP shoes come back from time to time. I think working off of the SA, SA2 styles is a good idea.

[Nepenthe]

Considering what the fanbase has cranked out over the years, I don't think it's possible to draw a meaningful hybrid between the classic and modern designs that doesn't come out to be either the CD/OAV design rendered in the artist's particular style, Classic Sonic with green eyes as with that toy above, or Modern Sonic with black eyes. In fact, I'd be hard-pressed to even call the designs "hybrids" since that implies equal input between two things. Overall, it seems to me like the midpoint between the two design's aspects- things like height, body shape, quill length, etc.- are so minimal that merely drawing Sonic's features at that point results in something that is visually boring and hardly worth the effort.

[Kuzu]

I don't get why a hybrid is important to be honest, both designs have such minimal differences that people would hardly tell the difference, so what's the point? I know people have a preference for both Modern and Classic, but really, I don't think its worth bending backwards for both parties just to satisfy their needs based on their own preferences. There's nothing wrong with the Modern design, so there's no need to change it.

If anything, they can add a few superficial changes that some people have mentioned(Sharper looking spines, more expression on his face, etc.) but a redesign? Naw.

Edited May 7, 2012 by The Batman

[CrownSlayers Shadow]

I don't get why a hybrid is important to be honest, both designs have such minimal differences that people would hardly tell the difference, so what's the point? I know people have a preference for both Modern and Classic, but really, I don't think its worth bending backwards for both parties just to satisfy their needs based on their own preferences. There's nothing wrong with the Modern design, so there's no need to change it.

Well if there's one thing I've learned since Adult Swim's Toonami run on April Fools, it's nostalgia. A great reminder of the old and how much more memorable things are. That nostalgia boner you had seeing what you loved as a child come back and hug you as an adult as if it was saying "Did you miss me?" as you jump up and down like a giddy child on sugar (oh come on, who didn't do that on April Fools that day?). Kinda hard to beat that feeling. Some of the old shows you watch wipe the floor with the new shows that are on today to some older fans.

Of course, there's another thing that growing up has also taught me, and that's the fact that just because you liked something when you were 12 or so years old doesn't mean that anything after it sucks by comparison. I remember watching the 1980s Thundercats cartoon when I was young, and I loved the mess out of it. Nothing beats playing around as if you were pretending to be part of the series you loved back when you were little. However, If I compare the 1980s to the 2011 Thundercats, despite the former having the edge in nostalgia the 2011 version would beat it by a long shot in my eyes. The amount of energy it has in comparison just makes me look at the old as if it was done by a very decent amatuer. I'll still watch the old, but if would prefer the new in this case.

And I honestly don't think I could have picked a better relation in regards to the Sonic series, except for maybe the Megaman franchise (and boy would I have a field day with that).

So the way I see it, people who are trying to make a hybrid design of the Modern and Classic versions of Sonic are trying to combine the nostalgia of the latter with the energy of the former to appeal to both crowds. But I think the problem here is that in trying to mix the designs here, you'll end up sacrificing the greater appeals that each one had on it's own. That's not saying that trying to do so isn't an admirable thing to do, but considering how there are fans who want solely modern or classic and will complain if they don't get 100%, it's a bit of a futile effort.

Of course, that's just if you want to go about deconstructing it. But it's kind of a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation unless you make more separate mediums while still holding to a main one, which isn't exactly as easy as it sounds because then it's a question of which is part of the main series and a large portion of the fandom have a very sensitive and somewhat rigid look regarding to the main series

Edited May 8, 2012 by ChaosSupremeSonic

[Kuzu]

Well if there's one thing I've learned since Adult Swim's Toonami run on April Fools, it's nostalgia. A great reminder of the old and how much more memorable things are. That nostalgia boner you had seeing what you loved as a child come back and hug you as an adult as if it was saying "Did you miss me?" as you jump up and down like a giddy child on sugar (oh come on, who didn't do that on April Fools that day?). Kinda hard to beat that feeling. Some of the old shows you watch wipe the floor with the new shows that are on today to some older fans.

Of course, there's another thing that growing up has also taught me, and that's the fact that just because you liked something when you were 12 or so years old doesn't mean that anything after it sucks by comparison. I remember watching the 1980s Thundercats cartoon when I was young, and I loved the mess out of it. Nothing beats playing around as if you were pretending to be part of the series you loved back when you were little. However, If I compare the 1980s to the 2011 Thundercats, despite the former having the edge in nostalgia the 2011 version would beat it by a long shot in my eyes. The amount of energy it has in comparison just makes me look at the old as if it was done by a very decent amatuer. I'll still watch the old, but if would prefer the new in this case.

And I honestly don't think I could have picked a better relation in regards to the Sonic series, except for maybe the Megaman franchise (and boy would I have a field day with that).

So the way I see it, people who are trying to make a hybrid design of the Modern and Classic versions of Sonic are trying to combine the nostalgia of the latter with the energy of the former to appeal to both crowds. But I think the problem here is that in trying to mix the designs here, you'll end up sacrificing the greater appeals that each one had on it's own. That's not saying that trying to do so isn't an admirable thing to do, but considering how there are fans who want solely modern or classic and will complain if they don't get 100%, it's a bit of a futile effort.

Of course, that's just if you want to go about deconstructing it. But it's kind of a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation unless you make more separate mediums while still holding to a main one, which isn't exactly as easy as it sounds because then it's a question of which is part of the main series and a large portion of the fandom have a very sensitive and somewhat rigid look regarding to the main series

I understand Nostalgia plays a major role in it, but at the same time this isn't a program block, or even a retool of an old series its a design choice for a character. I mean how many people do you see complaining about X being different from the original Mega Man? Not many, I mean I understand Classic Sonic represents the period when the series was great, while Modern represents generally from mediocre to good, but still a design choice won't change the quality of the games, so it shouldn't matter what Sonic looks like. It makes people come off as a bunch of nostalgia whores when they're complaining about something that's not really a problem.

Edited May 8, 2012 by The Batman

[CrownSlayers Shadow]

I understand Nostalgia plays a major role in it, but at the same time this isn't a program block, or even a retool of an old series its a design choice for a character.

I know what this is. It's just that you find a better understanding sometimes when you look at yourself through other mediums and relate it to this. My point in bringing up Toonami and Thundercats was to show how the old things can make others reminiscence and how the new isn't worst than the old by default in the same way that Sonic does for his fans.

I mean how many people do you see complaining about X being different from the original Mega Man? Not many, I mean I understand Classic Sonic represents the period when the series was great, while Modern represents generally from mediocre to good, but still a design choice won't change the quality of the games, so it shouldn't matter what Sonic looks like. It makes people come off as a bunch of nostalgia whores when they're complaining about something that's not really a problem.

Well it's not a matter of the quality of the games, at least concerning this topic. It's more about the look.

Now frankly, people must have their nostalgia goggles cutting off the circulation to their heads if they think that a design choice will change things for the better from a visual standpoint. But at the same time, that doesn't mean people can't want what they had in the days of the old. The problem for that tho, is that there are those who enjoy some of the elements of the now, including many older fans who've been with the series since the beginning who prefer the newer look over the older one. So they can't exactly get that very easily if it looks like what they're wanting is being done to replace that of what others want.

Some people know that and would very much encourage Sonic Team to give these fans the middle finger and throw away the newer elements just so their group of fans can enjoy the series while the others are forced to like what they like or gtfo. Those who try to hybridize the two designs are seeking ways to bring two groups of fans into one whole group...of course, to whatever success they have, there are still some downsides to doing that. Now if you were to ask me, I would very much prefer to keep the modern design, but would see no problems in letting the classic fans have their taste of their preferences. I'd favor things more side-by-side instead of throwing away one just because you don't want to see it again, or because you don't like others enjoying it.

Edited May 8, 2012 by ChaosSupremeSonic

[Drawloverlala]

hello!

i still don't do my own Sonic redesign.. i mean for serious .. but around deviant art i've noticed very nice redesigns for Sonic..

 

beyond the different styles.. more anthros or more classic or modern..

 

i liked this one the most

i wouldn't mind if in the Sony Movie,  Sonic looks like this.. its kinda anthro on his body.. but still looks Sonic..

 

[Drawloverlala]

lol.. i posted here last time.. =3= heheh

 

here i found something really cute and pretty nice stylization of Sonic and friends

[Failinhearts]

lol.. i posted here last time.. =3= heheh

 

here i found something really cute and pretty nice stylization of Sonic and friends

 

My gosh, that is the cutest thing I've seen all day. (That isn't a certain blue haired magical girl)

 

 

 

These designs can definitely sustain a small comic strip series of their own, but not as a design for the entire franchise.

[Osmium]

I'd probably keep modern Sonic as he is, but I think that the spines on his back really should be enlarged. I hate how top heavy he looks now because of how small his back spines look compared to his cranial ones.

[Drawloverlala]

I'd probably keep modern Sonic as he is, but I think that the spines on his back really should be enlarged. I hate how top heavy he looks now because of how small his back spines look compared to his cranial ones.

 

dunno..

i think they are enough larger now

 

maybe if we unite them with the ones on his head..

like this,

 

i think even he looks more hedgehog.... sadly.. without that separation between head and body, i think it would be difficult to animate in 3D

and looks odd hehe

[Osmium]

dunno..

i think they are enough larger now

 

maybe if we unite them with the ones on his head..

like this,

 

i think even he looks more hedgehog.... sadly.. without that separation between head and body, i think it would be difficult to animate in 3D

and looks odd hehe

That's the main problem with uniting the spines, it would be a major pain in the ass to animate. When I was talking about connecting the spines, I was thinking about classic Sonic, I didn't realize how weird it would look on Modern Sonic. 

 

And I've never seen that official top pic before, wow, I think that looks pretty great. I didn't know they enlarged the back spines recently. 

[Blue Blood]

And I've never seen that official top pic before, wow, I think that looks pretty great. I didn't know they enlarged the back spines recently.