EOW 166 :: Treehouse

[Vulgar`]

EOW 166 :: Treehouse
suggested by ~Twig


Brief:

House(s) in the trees...




- Please specify which image is final in this thread!


DEADLINE: Thursday, June 16th (Extra time due to topic going up a little bit early)

[Blackball21]

this one sounds like fun, im so in

[ForScience]

This is one of my favorite things, I am in.

[Flame_Unquenchable]

Thought this topic was awesome, so here's a WIP.

Crits welcomed.

[Syle]

I am in on this as well. I've got some thumbnails going already. I'll post them when I get home.

I like the initial sketch up Flame. Good balance across the image. One thing that kind of jumped out at me first (and I may be TOTALLY wrong about this considering I am a noob myself) was the side plane of that floating pod seems to have the same treatment as the side plane of the distant floor in the background; but each seem to be on different eye levels, so I think they may be conflicting with one another? Again, I may be wrong, but I figured I'd ask anyways because I am sure there is a good lesson at hand either way.

Good start!

[Syle]

Some thumbnail sketch ideas. I am either going to go with #2 or #4.

[Syle]

So, this is my WIP. I decided to try out #2 first. I may give #4 a try too because I really need the practice...I may go for a night time vibe with that one...though, I have no idea how to do that exactly

Please, toss any critiques my way, I need the help. Those little red/burgundy blobs on the foremost tree are going to end up being little houses to establish the "tree house" theme.

[Syle]

Here is a WIP of the night time version of #4. I think I am choosing my colors with too much saturation I only put about 45 min into this one getting it set up and colors/values laid in. I need to gather some reference for this one because I have no idea how to paint night time values and hues. The little orange dots are the lights of the "tree house(s)".

[MagicPrincess]

I am not an environment artist but this topic sounded interesting and I thought I might lurk and add some critique. Please take everything I say with a grain of salt, I only wish to help better everyone on their process.

Flame Unquenchable -I like the initial concept very unique outlook on the topic. My critique would be to maybe add in more of a foreground element even if it's in silhouette or show us some vague distance to give us a sense of the world it's in. I'm very excited to see where you take this!

Syle -I like your first pic better than the second but, I think you might consider combining the two a bit by making the first into a nighttime scene. If you make the "houses" a little more prevalent on the trees and make them glow I think this could be really great. I agree with your assessment of too much saturation on the second one. My advice would be to maybe try an overlay layer on the first in a muted/dark blue and see how it turns out. You can play with the color of it and that might help set the mood a little more realistically. Good luck, i'll be keeping an eye on these!

[Flame_Unquenchable]

Syle - Thanks for the crits, I intended initially for the stairs and 'bridge' to be on the same plane but it got pushed backwards so I'm in the process of fixing it.

Princess - Thanks for the kind words and the suggestion. I intend to add more of the forest in the background, and try to build up a scene for this tree house to sit in.

Another sketchy drawing of some 'pendant houses' that I may try to incorporate into the previous drawing.

[+oas+]

@Flame: I personally am not diggin the current drawing you posted, it looks way too flat, but I do think if you were to have these houses dangling off off the tree a bit more, and enlarge them, you could have them sort of like lights, and have them illuminate the scene like chinese lanters.

[Flame_Unquenchable]

@Flame: I personally am not diggin the current drawing you posted, it looks way too flat, but I do think if you were to have these houses dangling off off the tree a bit more, and enlarge them, you could have them sort of like lights, and have them illuminate the scene like chinese lanters.

You're not liking the pendant houses, or my first post? Just for clarification the pendant houses I want to do as a backdrop to my previous thumb to try and add some background. But you're right they're looking flat, I will change that when I add them to the main drawing.

I'm glad we're on the same page about drop lighting and lanterns though, I was thinking that exactly!

[Dayle]

Hi. Really cool topic, I wanted to post a wip by now but still sorting out basic forms and getting references. So for now here is a quick concept sketch to show my thoughts. Its an early warning station designed to be fixed to tall trees and blend into their canopies. Will spend the weekend modelling to figure out the composition and perspective.

[Blackball21]

@ Dayle, do you watch king of the hill, cause that seems like something dale would come up with, just wonderin?

[Flame_Unquenchable]

I don't know why I'm really diggin' this EOW but I thought I'd share some inspiration, and some things that people have already built to get the creative juices flowing.

[LA-Fairy]

I need a smilie that rubs it's eyes in amazement!
Nice sketches and ideas y'all!

[Flame_Unquenchable]

Having to go on the road again this weekend, so I had to get some drawing in tonight. Made a little progress.

[+oas+]

You're not liking the pendant houses, or my first post? Just for clarification the pendant houses I want to do as a backdrop to my previous thumb to try and add some background. But you're right they're looking flat, I will change that when I add them to the main drawing.

I'm glad we're on the same page about drop lighting and lanterns though, I was thinking that exactly!

Hi Ohhhh!!!

[Ferroh]

Hey guys--this'll be my first real try ever at an environment. Or rather at a of the week. Or anything like that.

Wip

[Syle]

Two updates on my WIPs'. Any help/critique would be great! I think what is hurting me the most is the way I am laying down the paint...I feel like I am being very "gentle" with it...? Anyways, I'd love to know what is working and what's not.

Flame_Unquenchable: I'm digging the new mock up. The eye-level/perspective issue I pointed out earlier isn't catching my eye as much now, so perhaps it was a non issue...? Are you going to toss some color on that now? Also, thank you for the tree house photo refs!

Ferroh: That's looking solid! I wish I could lay paint down like that!

Dayle: Awesome start, lets see you flesh out a composition!

[+oas+]

Here's my entry so far. I was inspired by some of the Guild Wars 2 artwork and Daryl Mandryk, which is where the figure is based from.
I still need to work on the tree obviously, but I like where it's headed. CnC welcomed.

[snatti]

some very cool designs, i look forward to see everyones final image

[Urötskidoji]

Here´s my WIP:

[Dayle]

Blackball21 No I don't watch king of the hill but I know the character.

Flame Unquenchable Thanks for sharing those pics, really great, especially the built ones!

Urotskidoji (push push) keep going cos thats gonna be awesome.

Syle I like the compositions you've come up with but the brown / biege colour doesn't sit well with me (for the elevated image I mean). The blue and purple from the earlier wip is much more atmospheric. Also (it may be a pain at this stage) but why don't you change the second image to a low perspective of the first? You'll be able to acheive the same result but the viewer will know its the same place they're looking at.

I am going for a sleek space odyssey 2001 crossed with the base on Endor from Starwars, if it works... image below (insert copyrights, yadda yadda!?!)

[+oas+]

@Blankstate: I like the idea, but I think it would have a cooler effect on the image if the tree itself was all technological, not just the structures. I think it would mesh better, and make more sense. Also, I think if you extended the canvas down alot more, it would make for a more dramatic feel. If you added in some roots, but they were electrical wires, it might add to the feel, that those power the tree.

[Blankstate]

+oas+ Those are really excellent suggestions. Thank you. I like your image as well. You may be just in the early stages and plan on rendering the entire image but I like the more simplified graphic style and look to it as it stands. All it really needs is some more clarity and refinement on the concept of the tree dwelling imo. Reminds me a bit of this conceptual piece from Portal 2. Which is sweet.

[+oas+]

update: added in some more color, foliage.

I didn't see this til now, but the image quality looks pretty bad. Does anyone know how to not make it suck. My dimensions in PS are 1500x2500 @ 300 dpi. When I uploaded it to get the image code, I lowered the dimensions to 800x 1250. Any suggestions?

[Dayle]

Here's a wip. Got the references, composition and concept figured out. Next step, detailing.

[JSpayde]

update: added in some more color, foliage.

I didn't see this til now, but the image quality looks pretty bad. Does anyone know how to not make it suck. My dimensions in PS are 1500x2500 @ 300 dpi. When I uploaded it to get the image code, I lowered the dimensions to 800x 1250. Any suggestions?

Hm... are you "saving for web and devices"? It's under the File drop-down menu. Usually that works well for me.

[+oas+]