AuthorTopic: GR#223 - Improving my Spooky Ghost - Scenery Process & Animation  (Read 46779 times)

Offline Manupix

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Re: [WIP] Improving my spooky ghost

Reply #20 on: September 03, 2014, 12:11:57 pm
Mathias, you cheater you  :o

Ok, I have a few problems with this (potentially great) piece.

Perspective: to me it looked seen from a low angle, as the characters frontal view and lamp post (both versions) imply. Consequently I didn't see water at all in the bg, only fog. The pavement was partly inconsistent with that, but I saw the scene as taking place on some sort of hillock and all that would be needed in this case was some rounding of the pavement.
At such an angle we wouldn't (or barely) see anything behind the hillock.
The higher angle of view implied by the water is seriously inconsistent with the characters frontal view and lamp post; and more importantly, it's not as 'spooky' as the lower view.
Also it then looks that the dolls are standing just at the edge of the water, yet they're not dripping wet as if they had just emerged, we don't see a pavement-water transition, the presence of bushes and lamp at the edge of water is weird, etc.

Focus: I think the water, esp animated, takes too much attention from the characters anyway. You just want to give a few visual clues of where the scene is located. Also an elaborate scene animation which leaves the main potentially animated element(s) still (characters) looks unfinished to me.

Light: it's good, but could be more striking. Remember the inverse square law: the bushes on the left being 2 to 3 times more distant from the lamp than the large doll's head, they should look 4-9 times darker (whatever that means!). These bushes (also pavement and dress to a lesser extent) should be just hinted at with a few dark patches.
That might also help with the luminous eyes visibility.
If you keep going with the animation, you should have some low diffuse light in the dark phases, at least on the characters, to reduce the jarring blinking contrast.

Bushes: I'd go for some easier and more defined elements such as a few grass blades or other plants that could convey some atmosphere (twisted, lifeless, etc), rocks, derelict wall or fence, etc.

Offline Mathias

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Re: [WIP] Improving my spooky ghost

Reply #21 on: September 03, 2014, 12:41:15 pm
It's all Dan's fault! IM INNOCENT



Great points.
Gonna have to second you on all that.


As for focus, and the animated elements distracting from the focal point (the characters), I say animate the characters, too! Balance out the animations. Bring the whole scene to life.
Some ghostly, flowing shreds of lamp-lit fabric blowing gently in the breeze. Let's pick a direction for the breeze - either left or right. It'll move the foreground fog slowly across the screen AND cause the loose fabric shreds to gently blow in that direction.
Oh and uhh let's make the central figures semi-transparent and slightly levitating, like apparitions emerging from the fog. Why not.
« Last Edit: September 03, 2014, 02:16:38 pm by Mathias »

Offline Lakelezz

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Re: [WIP] Improving my spooky ghost

Reply #22 on: September 06, 2014, 02:46:45 pm
Thanks for the feedback and ideas!

Changes are made:
Removed the lake
Removed the bushes
and thought about some ways to give the dark-frame more reflection on the skin caused by the eyes.

Sadly there is not much to show right now. Animating fog is being very complicated for me!
I really think that Mathias' way of animating the lake was quite creative and I also took a look at the plugin (for dithering and stuff).
However there is no possibility to test the plugin since I do not own PS (only Elements, not even installed though).
I rather ask myself how other pixel artists are animating complex processes like moving fog, falling water, ...
"Via hand / pixeling everything on there own" or are they actually using/creating workarounds like in Mathias' example of the lake?

Offline Beetleking22

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Re: [WIP] Improving my spooky ghost

Reply #23 on: September 06, 2014, 06:30:03 pm
Bush looks noisy in my opinion.. It would look better with cleaner cluster and Add some leafs...... I did some edit but maybe this does not fit with the style of yours...


Offline Lakelezz

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Re: [WIP] Improving my spooky ghost

Reply #24 on: September 06, 2014, 08:20:06 pm
Your attempt on the bushes looks great but I am really afraid that it (as you assumed) does not fit into the piece.
That is why I should probably remove those bushes, since I am unable to fix them :(

Offline Lakelezz

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Re: [WIP] Improving my spooky ghost

Reply #25 on: September 07, 2014, 12:11:54 am
So, I have "sketched" some new background:



I recycled the upper part of the lantern - which I really want to use.
Do you think it draws too much attention? I could add something similar on the left side as well (i.g. a broken lantern, ..).
This piece is of course not done, lighting is just a rough idea and there is no texture added, yet.

What do you think? You can of course do edits on this sketch, to give me some more precised insight in your idea/suggestion/..
If somebody can still give me tips about the fog animation, I would be very thankful!
« Last Edit: September 07, 2014, 12:14:48 am by Lakelezz »

Offline lachrymose

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Re: [WIP] Improving my spooky ghost

Reply #26 on: September 07, 2014, 12:52:16 am
I think the perspective of the archway is off a bit. I don't think we should be able to see that shaded area next to the girl. Maybe?

Offline Lakelezz

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Re: [WIP] Improving my spooky ghost

Reply #27 on: September 07, 2014, 04:39:19 pm
Lachrymose, you probably mean the little girl (just to be sure, one could just call the woman a girl, too) and the left side of the right post?
I guess that is fine, looking at this example: http://image.shutterstock.com/display_pic_with_logo/805819/138358076/stock-photo-entrance-of-a-graveyard-with-a-closed-wrought-iron-gate-in-dark-gradient-back-138358076.jpg
You are able to look at both inner sides.
However I replaced the archway and changed the way you look at it (it is now rather from the bottom than directly on it).



I am totally confused. Still I am not sure if this background is a good idea...
Any suggestions or edits?

Offline Daimoth

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Re: [WIP] Improving my spooky ghost

Reply #28 on: September 07, 2014, 07:02:35 pm
It's a totally valid idea. So was the other one. It's a judgment call, man.

Offline Manupix

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Re: [WIP] Improving my spooky ghost

Reply #29 on: September 08, 2014, 05:28:16 pm
While not bad, I don't think it brings anything to the piece.
A patch of pavement poorly lit by an antique lamp post, lost in spooky darkness is all you need to fire anyone's imagination :D