Background feedback and how to start paintovers?

Started by JoshuaSmyth, Tue 07/01/2014 05:48:19

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JoshuaSmyth

Here is my latest background


I'm quite happy with the composition, but I'm interested in trying to do a paint over to make it more in the 256 color style, say like the Blackwell series.

There are a lot of remake projects that seem to paint over an original EGA background, so any tips on how to get started doing this?

PS I have a copy of photoshop and a bamboo.

Anian

That tree on the left is a tad out of place because not only is it in the background (So it should be maybe less detailed) but then it has more details than the little trees in front of the fence or the bushes beneath the tree. You also should probably decide whether you want to put outlines on objects or not, mixing it all is kind of hard to pull off.

Other than that, the background looks nice. If you want to turn it into a more detailed drawing, first remove the textures you already put here (like the dots and speckles on pavement) and work by selecting flat areas and adding textures to them. Here's a Blackwell background in making video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JoOJHNZqUE4
I don't want the world, I just want your half

Andail

#2
Hi Joshua!

I think your background is over all pretty good. There are a few things I'm reacting on immediately, and they mostly have to do with colours. Granted, I wouldn't personally use that kind of perspective, but that's probably more a matter of taste.
However:
1. There are some colours that just shouldn't be there. Most noticably, the bright green tree(s). Not only are the small trees by the fance distracting (if you introduce a strong colour that's different from all the others, you'd better make it something worth focusing on), but they shouldn't be able to pick up that type of green. If you lowered their saturation considerably, and also turned them bluer, it'd work much better.
2. The fence and the door: Same issue really - unless these are bright yellow in normal light, there's no way they could turn this brown by night.
3. Window/sky colour interference. I feel a different kind of blue is necessary here, because my eyes are almost percieving the windows to be holes, through which I'm seeing the sky. In night time, windows are mostly really dark.
4. Focal point! As a result of your composition, the focal point in this picture is right above the door. What do you find there? A big, grey, empty surface is what you find there. The empties, most unicoloured, undetailed space in your entire picture is right where the eyes land naturally.
5. Anian said this already, but it's worth repeating - you can't make a background tree much more detailed than the foreground objects!

Edit:
Alright, made a quick edit to show my points. I haven't even drawn it in the correct resolution, so never mind the horrible pixel work, and I've used a filter gradient instead of a manually drawn one... anyhow.

I took the liberty of adding a lamp to the entrance, because I thought the scene needed a central light source somewhere. If you don't want a light here, put it elsewhere :)

JoshuaSmyth

Thanks guys!
I'll definitely have another go.

Tree's are my sticking point at the moment, I knew there was something a bit off about them, but now I've got a few leads to work with and some of the other feedback is helpful too.

Cheers,



JoshuaSmyth

#4
I've fixed it up a bit with some of the suggestions given.
Still not sure what to hang in that big empty space that is the storefront yet.


Monsieur OUXX

The latest version of your background is really pretty 32-colors style.
But weren't you trying to upgrade to 256 colors? You cancelled the gradients and softer texturing that Andail had introduced! 8-0
 

JoshuaSmyth

Quote from: Monsieur OUXX on Sat 11/01/2014 01:28:54
The latest version of your background is really pretty 32-colors style.
But weren't you trying to upgrade to 256 colors? You cancelled the gradients and softer texturing that Andail had introduced! 8-0

Yeah I was, but stepping stones...

jwalt

#7
Quote from: JoshuaSmyth on Fri 10/01/2014 08:15:57

Still not sure what to hang in that big empty space that is the storefront yet.


Andail's paintover added a cowboy hat to your sign. I'm wondering if a bigger version of the hat, in neon, might be appropriate for that empty space?

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