New to concept

[SeannaeS]

Ok, so this is my 2nd time trying to post this, don't know why it didn't work the first time. Anyway I'm new at trying concept art and I've been watching video tutorials on YouTube from the amazing Feng Zhu. This is my first ever piece. Obviously with some flaws but I am new and hope to improve.

Yesterday I decide to give it a shot and this is my result. Not the best outcome but I'm still learning and I thought I'd share my progress.

Thanks for checking it out.

Edit: Sorry, I'm new to the site and have just registered yesterday.

[Black Spot]

Post art not links.

[DAMJAN]

Don't make the trees in foreground that dark and add some mid tones to it. Add waves to the water. The white foam thing will be at the edge where water and the land meets. Put some flying ships so that they are coming from our view but a bit to the side to add 3d space. The cracks where the castle is make it look cartoonish. I would change that castle around. Add some clouds and the rest is work on your rendering technique.

[David_a_ray]

Welcome to C.A. SeannaeS!

I like what you’ve got thus far. You’ve got your center of interest, and some nice ships leading to it. Composition-wise, I think it might be more interesting if one of the towers was a little bit shorter than the other. I think the effect of having the viewer standing on the side of a mountain looking across some kind of lake is cool as well. However, I feel like we should be seeing more of the mountain as we look toward the bottom of the screen. Finally, remember that plants tend to grow toward the sky regardless of the incline of terrain.

Best of luck to you!

[DAMJAN]

One more thing from me, the way the trees in foreground are placed lead my eye towards the center of the lake. Fix that and make the trees be all on the same level.

[L!nK]

Hey, pretty good job to begin with.
Here's my contribution:



First off all, the focus of attention of the piece it's on the lake, like DAMJAN said.
Putting some more sky on top and less trees on the bottom can fix this.
Adding some details like birds can help to a better sense of scale and break the monotony of the space around that part of the mountain.
The horizon wasn't straight, and it seems that the same "overlay layer" was used to add blue and purple to the far horizon and the mountain.

Hope it helps you!

[Chris Sanders]

I think the best way to emphasis the size of the tower is to show it from the base. Here's what i'm thinking.

[SeannaeS]

Hey, thanks for all the advice guys. Very much appreciated. I'm been practising what you've all said and I'm going to take the advice and use them in my next piece. Hopefully I improve!

[sone_one]

Hey, thanks for all the advice guys. Very much appreciated. I'm been practising what you've all said and I'm going to take the advice and use them in my next piece. Hopefully I improve!

why not use it in this one? the quote with the 10.000 drawings that have to be done to reach a professional level is not ment to be taken literally. youll learn way more if you go back to that picture adapting it, keeping the crit you recieved in mind. it actually accounts for 4.57 pictures .

the problem i see with all those tutorial vids, is that i see a growing attitude in starters, that you have just to mimic the procedure and mark-making. thats not the point why pictures are successful or not though. its the result of a constant effort to make the best of your initial idea, based on knowledge aquired by practice and information (reading yields quite good results in rare cases aswell... ive been told ^^).

chris sanders' suggestion is a good one if youre aiming for an illustration of a castle with drama and impact.

[SeannaeS]

Hello there again

Sorry I've been pretty busy over the weekend with work, the joys of being a Bartender but I had some spare time tonight so I done another fairly quick practice (Keep in mind I'm a beginner at this). I'm not to sure what to think of it? anyway, here it is so far... any tips on how to move along?

[Chris Sanders]

If you want to learn how to paint, scrap all the custom tree brushes. In fact drop all of the custom brushes. paint with a standard chalk, or even better just a hard round and soft round. When you know how to build form with a standard brush you can do what you want. But until you do they will hurt your growth as an artist.

[Giacomo]

the problem i see with all those tutorial vids, is that i see a growing attitude in starters, that you have just to mimic the procedure and mark-making.

This, with proper capitalization and punctutation.

SeannaeS: for the next one, you might want to try making a pencil drawing of the landscape you have in your head. Then scan that in and paint over it. You'll be a lot more in control, which is important.

[DAMJAN]

I agree about the brushes thing, you're using textures way too early. The new update is more interesting but, don't put your focal point in the dead center. Also, add atmospheric perspective to the second mountain. That way it will show that there is a huge distance between the 2 and the bridge is connecting it. The air balloon needs to be dark as well and have a well defined highlight from the light source that's coming from behind the mountains. Add highlights to those 2 mountains as well. I would also make the canvas a little bit wider. Here is my quick take on it to illustrate the point. I know it looks bad but I wasn't going for a finished piece. Look for reference of trees, rock and the lighting. When it's dark, things that are closer to us are brither and things that get further, get darker