Constructive Criticism Requested

Okay, here's the deal. I've been working all Saturday studying and recreating Final Fantasy II sprites, and now I've finally created the first sprite of my game.
The sprite has something wrong with it though. I can't figure out what it is that makes my sprite look so weird, so I'm asking all of you out there to tell me what's wrong with it. So if you have a free second, take a browse at this sprite, and if you can see what's making it look so crap, post your criticisms here.
(url="http://"http://www.users.bigpond.com/marr.family/grayspace/graycache/boy.gif")http://www.users.big...aycache/boy.gif(/url)

(The image is less than a kilobyte, so you won't need to wait at all for it to load.)

Thanks.

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Poor little Johnny, of whom we'll see no more, for what he thought was H2O was H2SO4.

Mr. Nero:

If by "weird" and "so crap" you mean "not like FF2", then I think one reason might be because of the gradients used in shading the sprite. I think FF just used blocks of color for highlights and shadows, rather than smooth blends, for its sprites. Also, try altering the black outline. Instead of all black, try using darker shades of whatever colors the outline is enclosing, like maybe brown for the face and hands.

Anyway, I think the actual drawing of the sprite is very good; hope you get some ideas from my suggestions.

myshkyn

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"I'll give the fans just what they want, and nothing else at all."

I think the actual picture looks fine, but the colours of the skin versus the clothing has a weird effect.... or maybe it's just me.

-Andiyar

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"Any good that I may do here, let me do now, for I may not pass this way again"

More specifically, the skin looks slightly metallic.

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Consider. If passion rules our reasoning, and we are ruled by logic, we are all simply unwitting slaves to emotion, pretending to be greater than what we truly are.

if you are working in Photoshop, try adding noise (not much though) to the sprite.. might go a long way in improving it.

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•the gradients are messing it up...hand shade for a better look.
•hair is too flat on top of his head
• he's got no shoes

you probably want to check out pixelation.cjb.net and pixeltutorial.cjb.net

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Thanks for your replies.
I don't mean 'not like FF2' by 'weird' and 'so crap', don't worry. I'm attempting to make original sprites, using the FF2 sprites as a 'basis'- not imitating the FF2 sprites outright.
Surprisingly, I didn't actually use gradients for anything in this picture, I hand-shaded it (mouse-shaded it, if you want to be picky.).
There are a few things I've taken note of, though:
I'll try using more than just black for the outlines,
I'll investigate the noise thing,
I'll make the shading a bit more complex or curvy, to make his skin less metallic,
I'll change the clothes colour from that slimy blue-grey.

I did actually notice the hair a bit when I was drawing this sprite, but when I tried to redo it, every time I'd either end up with a flat head or an afro.
The whole section of his lower body is meant to be boots, which is why it looks like he's got no shoes.

Again, thanks for the replies.

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Poor little Johnny, of whom we'll see no more, for what he thought was H2O was H2SO4.