Adding atmosphere to my background

[ThreeOhFour]

Hi all.

Have just downloaded the Gimp and have decided to start trying out brushes, layers, and other fancy stuff rather than just plain hand pixels.

Have looked at a couple of examples and the like, then gave it a shot. Realised that I suck :p.

Here's a quick corridor I did in GraphicsGale:



And here's my Gimp edit:



I basically used the airbrush to smooth out the lines, with a little bit of the burn tool, used the dodge/burn tool to give the light a bit of brightness, and put a bluish layer over the top, then played around with the colour mix. I'm still not very happy with this - I was hoping to add atmosphere, but it isn't very atmospheric to me. Any help would be appreciated.

[Gilbert]

I'm not an expect in these kind of thing, but I'll suggest to increase the contrast, so to make the darkening shades darker, it may help making the background more atmospheric.

[ThreeOhFour]

Something like this?:



Upped shadow values, smudged to smooth shadows out.

[Gilbert]

Yes, that's what I meant. Depending on how "atmospheric" you want, personally I think the constrast can be even higher.

[ThreeOhFour]

Hmmm... is it overkill if I adjust the highlights as well? It is very contrasty now:

[space boy]

My suggestion

[ThreeOhFour]

What sort of technique did you use to achieve that effect, space boy?

[space boy]

1. Removed the shades from your original picture and added a new layer which I filled with black and set the transparency to 50%. Removed the unnecesary black with an eraser using a fuzzy circle brush 19x19(you can make straight lines by clicking one point then while holding shift clicking another point). Then softened the shadows further with gaussian blur 10x10.


2. Duplicated the previous layer and set transparency to 30%. Removed some more black(lines connecting the lamps and opposite wall) using the eraser with a fuzzy circle brush 19x19, but without additional gaussian blur.


3. On a third layer(30%-50% transparency) I darkened the area around the column and the farthest door by adding some black and softening it with a gaussian blur 40x40.

[ThreeOhFour]

Awesome! Thanks for the tips - these layer things are really useful, I guess. I've never actually used them before, so I'm keen to see what I can do with them. Will see what I can do with these tips!

[nihilyst]

2x


- added more shadows
- changed the tone a bit
- added reflections on floor

Hope that might help you.

cheers
nihilyst

[ThreeOhFour]

Nihilyst - I like those reflections, I'll definitely have a shot at adding those in. Also the redder tone looks pretty nice - I will have to have a shot at that.

[InCreator]

Nice background. I think that with proper lights, it's atmospheric enough.

I used 3ds max to remake this simple geometry and add 2 lights. Personally, I'd use more lights, but this one is just for show. It took 4 minutes to make, anyway.
Result is here...



If you simulate your lights in 3d software first, you'll get alot more proper lights and it's easy to shade then.

Same image, posterized down to 10 levels and desaturated for light aid:



Isn't it easy now to make lights realistic?

For this bg, add warning signs, more stuff on the walls. Maybe give floor some tiles or carpet or something. Otherwise, it looks too empty and flat. Also, note how doors look in 3D version: Usually doors don't look like they're painted onto wall, but are a bit inside the wall.

[seaduck]

Hm... how about adding some lens flares, too 

Now seriously, what this backgound really needs is some actual content... it's a corridor, sure... but there is not one single thing hinting to what kind of building, what era or country this is.

- I can see no materials, no decorations, not as much as a fly on the wall...
- the doors are just flat polygons... in which direction do they open? where's the handle or control panel or something?
- the ceiling is way off perspective
- the perspective is very aggressive, taking away screen area and forcing you to scale sprites beyond measure. Simple compositions are .. simple 

[Yup, I'm back, and meaner than ever ]

[ThreeOhFour]

InCreator and Seaduck - thanks for your tips. I've done some more work - I don't know if I've got enough content in here, but I hope so. Please tell me your thoughts.



I am pleased with the shape this is taking, and it took me really only an hour, which I think is quite good.

[nihilyst]

Wow, looks much better now.

[space boy]

It does indeed. A bit too bright for my taste though so I added some shadows(similar technique as before. new layer, partially transparent, all black except the light radius, gaussian blur)

[nihilyst]

Now, that I look at it a second time ... hm, I could be wrong here ... but where I live, doorhandles are on the left side.

[Candall]

where I live, doorhandles are on the left side.

Doesn't that depend upon which side of the door you're on?

[ThreeOhFour]

Space Boy - ah! Of course, I forgot that step. Ooops! Thanks for pointing that out. Nihilyst.... heh. Yeah, Candall's right.

[nihilyst]

Now that you mention it ... yeah ^^
I definitely should leave my room more often.