Concept Environment

[DAMJAN]

I know I should have posted a progress of my speed painting environment to get the best out of critiques but, here is the final. I might go back in and fix it later. Either way, this will help me improve.

[blu yu away]

The environment itself looks great, especially the water but the village just seems a bit off. Seems like it was an afterthought and didn't have anywhere near the amount of attention put into it. There is no clear perspective or uniformity in design. Just my opinion though. Also, with the waterfalls being the same color as the sky it almost looks like large cracks in the mountainside.

[DAMJAN]

Thanks, what color of the waterfall you think would look nice? I was going for the uniformity of the village to show that they don't know much about architecture but rather they know how to make it colorful. I'm not sure how to add good amount of detail to small village shacks. If you or anyone else has a better idea to replace village with something else I'm up for it. The thing is, it looks empty and boring without something there.

[blu yu away]

For the waterfall I would go with a much lighter approach. More white with some greens and blues mixed in. Lookin at some pictures (a couple links below) online this seems to be the case. As for the village I would imagine it would have a more wood shack look to it (see last link). As a replacement I think some sort of ruins could work pretty well.
http://images.nbii.gov/RFemmer/D_med...t%20shrpnd.jpg
http://www.usefilm.com/images/4/9/2/...140-medium.jpg
http://images.paraorkut.com/img/wall...galow-1499.jpg

[DAMJAN]

Thanks once more.

[NealTse]

Since the waterfall's surrounded by all those trees wouldn't it absorb more green?

It's pretty but really heavily saturated overall, maybe you could bring the intensity down in your shadows and the blue of the sky.

[DAMJAN]

Intensity is just my personal preference. I'll try and is how it looks like with reduced intensity in those areas. Good point for the waterfalls Neal. Thanks.

[K-san]

I don't mind the intensity so much. Gotta admit, that's what made me click on the link. I agree pretty much with what has already been said. Very nice quick painting you have. The waterfall color....something lighter? In a lot of "majestic" waterfall pics, the water looks almost white. I'm not saying go white, but a lighter variation of whatever you choose perhaps.

[DAMJAN]

Thanks K-san.

[Lhune]

Waterfalls, unless they are very short, are white. When water falls down it scatters and partially evaporates, air mixes with the water and it turns white, especially when it falls down away from the rocks. When it's still in contact with the rocks, parts of the rock colours (though slightly darker) will still shine through here and there.

I quite like the saturation of the piece, if I'm honest. The houses remind me of the Gameboy Pokémon games, though. I think that indeed wooden shacks or some ruins (or perhaps a ship skeleton) would fit in better .

[DAMJAN]

Lhune, thanks. Woow, ship skeleton is a great idea. Do you have any good reference photos of it? I'll look for them as well.

[Lhune]

No particularly good ones, but I've found you some pictures you might be able to use as a ref to make up your own ship skeleton .

x
x
x
x

[Scarf]

The little buildings could use a little more detail, but not too much since they are far away. I like the brushwork you did in the trees though.

[DAMJAN]

Here is the update.

[Quigleyer]

I'm going to be the asshole here... sorry man!

The water looks too "good" for everything else. While I'm not going to guess one way or the other, I'd say off the bat it LOOKS like a photo superimposed (pretty well...) into a more painted image. So does that rock to the right.

The reflection in the water was almost a nice touch, but just looks like you overlay airbrushed it on. It feels like that reflection should be on still water, whereas your water is far from still. What maximizes this uncomfortable feeling I get from this is the reflection of the light source on the water. It breaks and acts as a normal reflection... and is right beside the boat's reflection.

For the painted areas versus the (apparent!) photo elements I'd suggest... well... try using a few tree photos blended in with those trees. If I'm not mistaken this is something James Paick does and does well, so he might be worth checking out if you don't already do so.

The clouds are a little airbrushed as well. I know it's a WIP but I would begin to add some form to those.

Great colors!

[Lhune]

Must say that the shipwreck looks much better than the houses you started with . Otherwise agreed with Quigleyer, keep at it!

[Quigleyer]

I was flipping through the mattepainting.org showcase for examples of stuff to help out. I think I found the water reflection point. I could have just founda photo

http://www.mattepainting.org/gallery...serialNumber=2

[Scarf]

I really like that shipwreck better than the houses, actually. Nice!

All I can really say is that your water looks like it's in its final stage while everything else is lagging on behind. I can't really say anything else other than get some more detail in on the rest; I'd love to see the rock/cave to the left as finished at the giant rock to the right. >w0

[DAMJAN]

Quigleyer, I'm kind of lost in your comments. I'm not clearly understanding what you are trying to say. I did use photos as texture for my rock and water. Why is that a problem? I see many artists use that technique. Anyways, for the clouds, I used same technique that Brachna does in his speed paintings as well as in other areas. He doesn't focuses much on defining the clouds either. Thanks on the comments. If you can elaborate it more so I can understand it better.

[Quigleyer]

It's not a problem until I can discern the different elements as what they are. As is I don't think the trees are as convincing as the elements you used textures for, and it's probably because those elements themselves don't contain the same amount of textures. Please don't take my comments the wrong way, I have no problem with this kind of technique.

The trees are pretty focal here. They bring your eye to that area of the canvas due to their vibrant colors, but then they lose me due to the fact that they don't look as real as the water. They feel "fluffy". Here I was suggesting you could in fact add some of the same kinds of heavy textures into the trees and then paint over them. This would, in my opinion, bring about a more unified effect and bring the trees into the same world.

The lightsource is reflecting off of the ripples in the water, whereas the reflection underneath the shored boat looks as though it's on calmer waters. The places where the ripples/waves turn away from us would lack a reflection. It's these little inconsistencies that draw my attention. It's a shame that the things we see as "wrong" are the things we pick up on the most.

I think there's enough empty sky up there to add form to the clouds and I stand by that. You don't have to agree and I'm perfectly fine with that, but my critique on that section stands.

There was no ill will or concern for lack of skill here. As far as painting it looks like you know what you're doing. As far as texturing it looks as though you know what you're doing. As far as the two working combined I think you could work a little more on that. I don't think it's a problem you texture to that extent, I think it's a problem you don't do it more frequently to unify it. It is getting there though, and I love the colors your image is showing off.

I hope that made sense. If not please just say something again and I'll try to use my words!

[DAMJAN]

Quigleyer, Thanks you so much. Now I really understand what you are trying to say. I didn't take your comment the wrong way at all. I'm taking it as a constructive criticism. We are all here to get better and I'm no different. I'll definitely work on those areas and try to post the update. When it comes to clouds, what suggestions you have that I can do to add the volume?

[Quigleyer]

I was thinking you would just need one more, lower, value for the clouds closer to the viewer (the mountain range the same color as the sky found within the cloud to the horizon is pretty brilliant and simple- and would probably not work so well if you added another value to those farther clouds). Nothing huge, just some subtle value (with some blue from the sky) that allows the lit areas of the cloud to stand out more. Here are some clouds I found. The second one might be a bit much:

http://www.toposrealestate.org/cahuitabeach.jpg
http://articles.directorym.com/Image...aragraphId=665

[monotony]

this is a really nice environment, man. And I like the changes you'vemade to it so far.
lovely bright colors as well.
what bugs me abit is the general placement of the waterfall here. generally I'd expect a stream to carve through the djungle before you can actually have this kind of waterfall.
right here it seems to spring right from the mountaintop. just something that came to my mind, hope it makes any sense...
I don't know if and how I'd change it. You could either add more trees in the gap you have there right now or change the waterfall to another scene of interest.
maybe some ancient ruins the sun shines on.
But that might change what you had in mind too much.

[DAMJAN]

Here comes another update. I didn't have good quality tree pictures to use as a texture so this might not look that great? I've worked on the clouds as well.

[Falchion]

Slick. Just make sure that you're covering up what needs to be covered up. There's a bit of cloud sticking through the trees on the right side of the delta-thingie.

[DAMJAN]

Falchion, thanks. I'm not seeing that area you are talking about.

[linhhoang]

it is beautifull . i like it