GR#083 - Old Dead Tree - Composition

[slym]

Here's what i have so far:



I am pretty lost about how to make the tree actually look like a tree. Critique?

[Juninho]

the tree is very good, just trying to improve the leaves being confused with the clouds and the trunk tapers slightly.

Here are some references that you can use :
http://www.google.com.br/search?q=tree+and+sun
http://www.google.com.br/search?q=tree+and+sky

[Reo]

Well since it is an old dead tree, It probably shouldn't have leaves right?

[adcrusher524]

I think those are actually clouds in the background. you might want to clear that up, it's easily mis-read.

[Facet]

This looks quite a bit like a tree , what specifically are you having trouble with?

Old, dead wood is often bleached very pale by the sun and exposure to the elements. You could lose bark selectively to sell the idea of it being long dead.

[slym]

Hopefully that fixed the weird readability issues. There's just something about this scene that I reallly dislike and I'm not sure what it is. It just feels like the scene is just a bunch of random crap shoved into a canvas.

[Charlieton]

There's just something about this scene that I reallly dislike and I'm not sure what it is. It just feels like the scene is just a bunch of random crap shoved into a canvas.

I think part of the problem is that you put the object (dead tree) in the center of the composition. In a landscape art piece like this, you want to put the object a bit to the side. If you'd do that, as well as make the canvas a bit wider, it would open up more space and thus it wouldn't feel as busy and cramped up.

Maybe there's a requirement for the image to have these measurements? Either way, I think you have to put the tree off-center somehow. You might have to make the tree smaller to fit such requirements, and not have it too busy-looking.

[Facet]

I really wish you would have given more for me and others to go on here but I like your work and the idea for this so far so here goes.

Finding a direction (idea & composition that you like) should really have been worked out in a set of thumbnails or sketches before you embarked on rendering anything; particularly because getting a pixel-level finish over a large area is pretty laborious and you really don't want to expend that effort on something you're not fond of or that you'll have to redraw later.

If it doesn't look good in a thumbnail it probably still won't even after you've potentially sunk hours into the rendering process.

If you'll allow me to reach a bit beyond the remit of specific critique; from what I've seen of your other work composition always feels like an afterthought. A lot of people, myself included are reluctant to embrace composition sometimes but it really amounts only to doing on a macro scale what you've already doing well on a micro one; namely creating pleasing shapes, leading the eye and finding a sense of balance.  

In my quick 'n dirty paint-over I've just shunted the tree over into a lazy rule-of-thirds type deal but you could really find something more interesting here. You've defined a strong light source then seemingly ignored it; crepuscular light generally leaves long, warm shadows and the tree & back of the hillock should cast a bunch of shadows; this also helps to ground it, integrating it into the scene. Colours I've barely touched but you had one long fairly monochromatic ramp; perhaps you were intending to sort this out later but I would block in from the beginning.

If any of the above sounds a bit overbearing I apologise, know that I do like your work and that this is intentioned as constructive.    



Edit: Grammar, spelling. Also noticed weekly challenge had ended, sorry. Hope you got something out of this anyway.