AuthorTopic: Rainy Pathway  (Read 10105 times)

Offline Serena

  • 0001
  • *
  • Posts: 48
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile
    • Serena's Deviant Art

Rainy Pathway

on: March 14, 2007, 10:05:24 am
Well, I don't feel this piece is going all that well, but I figure that instead of scrapping it completely, I'd post it here.  Maybe some of you can help me.


It's supposed to be a rainy old cobblestone path. What's bugging me is that everything just seems flat...
Current Version:
« Last Edit: March 15, 2007, 02:08:55 pm by Serena »

Offline ejay

  • 0001
  • *
  • Posts: 47
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile

Re: Rainy Pathway

Reply #1 on: March 14, 2007, 11:40:33 am
I like it, I think it will look great once animated. As for the flatness - I tried a couple of repaints which I won't post since they're very rushed , but did help me get a couple of ideas-
- Try shading the stones so that the center is lighter than the sides, and add strong reflections around the lit area (I used a bright bluish color on top of each stone and a slightly darker yellow on the bottom.)
- Try letting the water seep deeper in some areas , right into the dark outline of the stones, rather than to be completely blocked by it.
« Last Edit: March 14, 2007, 11:42:17 am by ejay »

Hawk

  • Guest

Re: Rainy Pathway

Reply #2 on: March 14, 2007, 03:08:50 pm
If you want depth then what you have to do is add depth. Currently everything in this image has a 1 edge black border. Try making the apparent face's border a pixel larger, and try ditching black all together and use a dark brown. Next what you will need to do is actually put some depth into the water. Usually water just isn't some puddle that is bordered by grass, so you are going to have to fix that aspect. Then ontop of adding some color depth to the small puddles and removing the heavy white outline, your going to need to incorporate it to be seen through the grass blades etc. So finish uyp the grass, then the cobblestone path, and then work on additional props. such as the puddles. Lastly, you seem to be trying to incorporate rainfall into this image so what your going to need to do, is actually make it look like it's raining, and not just in those puddles. Try accenting certains areas, and add a bit of heavy mild-transparent gray contrast to do so.

Offline Serena

  • 0001
  • *
  • Posts: 48
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile
    • Serena's Deviant Art

Re: Rainy Pathway

Reply #3 on: March 14, 2007, 04:27:58 pm
If you want depth then what you have to do is add depth. Currently everything in this image has a 1 edge black border. Try making the apparent face's border a pixel larger, and try ditching black all together and use a dark brown. Next what you will need to do is actually put some depth into the water. Usually water just isn't some puddle that is bordered by grass, so you are going to have to fix that aspect. Then ontop of adding some color depth to the small puddles and removing the heavy white outline, your going to need to incorporate it to be seen through the grass blades etc. So finish uyp the grass, then the cobblestone path, and then work on additional props. such as the puddles. Lastly, you seem to be trying to incorporate rainfall into this image so what your going to need to do, is actually make it look like it's raining, and not just in those puddles. Try accenting certains areas, and add a bit of heavy mild-transparent gray contrast to do so.
Maybe your monitor is dark, but I did use dark brown... black was only used here and there.  Maybe the brown needs to be lightened up if it looks black, though.

Hawk

  • Guest

Re: Rainy Pathway

Reply #4 on: March 14, 2007, 04:39:10 pm
If you want depth then what you have to do is add depth. Currently everything in this image has a 1 edge black border. Try making the apparent face's border a pixel larger, and try ditching black all together and use a dark brown. Next what you will need to do is actually put some depth into the water. Usually water just isn't some puddle that is bordered by grass, so you are going to have to fix that aspect. Then ontop of adding some color depth to the small puddles and removing the heavy white outline, your going to need to incorporate it to be seen through the grass blades etc. So finish uyp the grass, then the cobblestone path, and then work on additional props. such as the puddles. Lastly, you seem to be trying to incorporate rainfall into this image so what your going to need to do, is actually make it look like it's raining, and not just in those puddles. Try accenting certains areas, and add a bit of heavy mild-transparent gray contrast to do so.
Maybe your monitor is dark, but I did use dark brown... black was only used here and there.  Maybe the brown needs to be lightened up if it looks black, though.
Ahh, well is hard to tell even when I enlightened my monitor screen. My apologies in that regard.

Offline philipptr

  • 0010
  • *
  • Posts: 261
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile

Re: Rainy Pathway

Reply #5 on: March 14, 2007, 04:41:41 pm
actually I really like this piece, made a littel to show you the only things I think this piece needs to make a perfect bg (if you don't want to make it a bg only, I think you could add trees, which would make it look less flat with their shadows)



changes:
-cleaned up a little (seemed a bit rushed here and there, but as its not ment to be a finished piece thats okay)
-made more use of some shades (imo, with such a limited palette you should try to get the most of the colours you have)
I didn't change it everywhere on the piece but I think you get the idea

Offline AdamAtomic

  • 0100
  • ***
  • Posts: 1188
  • Karma: +0/-0
  • natural born medic
    • View Profile
    • Adam Atomic

Re: Rainy Pathway

Reply #6 on: March 14, 2007, 06:20:57 pm
I don't see any blacks in there at all, maybe I am missing somethign though.  I think the main thing you have to do is push the perspective a little more.  You have what amounts to a little bit of pillowshading going on, and IMO that is what is hurting the piece the most.  If you get rid of the highlight line along the far edge of each stone I think that will make a tremendous difference.  I would also work on darkening the water when it gets thinner - as it is it looks almost more like concrete or ooze because it is so opaque.  Maybe you can show some of the ground detail below it showing through?

Jus tkeep thinking about the viewer's perspective on this scene and I think you will be able to work out the details that you are missing, this is a good piece already and it will be a great piece with just a few tweaks.

Offline Gil

  • 0100
  • ***
  • Posts: 1543
  • Karma: +1/-0
  • Too square to be hip
    • http://pixeljoint.com/p/475.htm
    • View Profile
    • My Portfolio

Re: Rainy Pathway

Reply #7 on: March 14, 2007, 09:26:12 pm
->

Notice the texture on the stones, the lighter outlines on the stones, higher contrast on the grass, and less contrast on the water

Offline Vale

  • 0001
  • *
  • Posts: 17
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile

Re: Rainy Pathway

Reply #8 on: March 14, 2007, 09:28:44 pm
I don't like youredit Gil. The whole thing looks less damp. I think you made everything a little too bright.

Offline Ricco, the Pirate

  • 0001
  • *
  • Posts: 32
  • Karma: +0/-0
  • Yarrrr
    • View Profile

Re: Rainy Pathway

Reply #9 on: March 14, 2007, 09:29:34 pm
I liked the older colors better, they give a rainy feel to the scene, like the sky was still clouded.