Need help with CO animation

Hey guys, I want to make an animated CO out of this propeller (which took waaay too long to draw). But I have very little ability with art things. So can anyone help? If it needs to be re-coloured that's fine.

It would help if you also tell us what you want to achieve. I mean, we could possibly have that as a still image move around, but I bet you're looking into some form of rotation animation?

Here's what I could do so far. Doesn't look like it's actually spinning, needs some difference between closer and further parts.

It would help if you also tell us what you want to achieve. I mean, we could possibly have that as a still image move around, but I bet you're looking into some form of rotation animation?

Oh sorry. I guess I wasn't real clear about that. But yes, I'm looking for a rotation animation.

Here's what I could do so far. Doesn't look like it's actually spinning, needs some difference between closer and further parts.

Hey thanks! I tried it out and it looked really good at first and then it just looked like it was wobbling. I might try re-drawing it and using your work as a template to animate the new one.

If you make the blade that is in the back lighter of color, (the further away the lighter) it should look 3D.

If you make the blade that is in the back lighter of color, (the further away the lighter) it should look 3D.

Great Idea. But I would make the distant blade slightly transparent instead. Assuming knytt stories' creative tools can handle transparency.   

Making a 3d effect like this is where blender shines. Attached is an example (it is probably too dissimilar to what your initial post had) of what can be done in blender in about ~5-10 minutes.
Blender also antialiases it, so it should look nice. I also added an effect where the back blade becomes lighter when it is further away, otherwise it would just be as 2d as GrayFace's spritesheet.
Seriously though, most game art nowadays has some sort of 3d package used somewhere in the workflow, because it makes some operations (such as animating 2d sprites) much easier.

Edit: yes, the picture does have an alpha channel. it just doesn't look like it in the preview.

Very nice work, smeagle!

Yes, that looks very nice indeed! It's actually almost exactly what I had in mind. Would it be okay if I used it for my level? Giving due credit, of course.

Sure, go ahead! If you want me to add anything else to it (maybe motionblur?) just ask, I can easily add it to the spritesheet from the project file.

Well, we can't have this animation looking that good. It'll make everything else look like crap! Haha, I'm kidding.