Cave Village Environment

[Niam]

This is an environment I've been working on, I'm up to that stage where I want to detail it but it still seems weird : /
not sure if its the light/color/perspective ._.
any critique is welcomed! I have a strong heart >: )
(thanks!!)

[plundh]

Good work - I have some suggestions:

I think the composition works, but I prefer the other ones you posted in your sketchbook - they have more depth to them; more interesting spatial relationships and clearer foreground/mg/bg. It's hard to read what distance the middle structure is from the stuff in the back and the bridge connecting them does not sit well in space. The pole on top of the structure is confusing, and the bridge to the left could be more interesting coming forward instead of straight to the side. The floating rocks feel out of place.

As far as color, the biggest changes I'll suggest is toning down the contrast locally in some areas while increasing it on the image as a whole. Don't be afraid to go to black some places - this is a scarcely lit cave. Areas like the grass and red cloth could use a saturation boost. Use reference for color and observe mountains and cave for clues on how to make the rock formations more plausible and less cartoony (if that's what you want - you could also go the other way and exaggerate more, but don't stay inbetween).

A quick paintover to illustrate some of these points:

[JeffX99]

Nice concept - though extremely complex regarding form and light. Be more decisive about forms in light vs. forms in shadow. Those holes in the surface would cast relatively hard edged shadow (as opposed to very soft edged shadows like from cloud masses) and there would be a strong division between what is in light and what is in shadow. TBH I wouldn't attempt something like this without a model - either physical (like Jim Gurney would do) or 3D. Even a simple, small plasticene model for the ship thing inside a crinkled paper bag with holes in it would help.

And add a few people doing bits o' business.

[EricaZann]

I like the idea overall.

A couple of thoughts I have though...

One side is heavy on the visual interest, while the other side is not (house side strong/rock side boring).

I would suggest something like a cascading waterfall coming through small background ceiling hole (on
the side without houses). It could hit a few natural terraces and spill into the lower chasm area that is
currently just empty and dark creating a more visually interesting underground lake.

I would also do something at a small scale in the foreground, like a small caravan traversing a
precarious road along the cliff face towards the city. ...maybe a flock of birds or bats that
were spooked by the passage of the travellers.

[Niam]

thank you for all the crits! and plundh for awesome paintover!! D: big big help!!

made a few changes >"< i added light to the right so that it might not seem so boring (or is that distracting?)
also took out the floating rocks and deciding if i should add smth there instead

planning to add some people in the foreground tomorrow!