Background for C&C: outhouse (WIP)

JimmyShelter · Tue 10/01/2006 22:00:52

A work in progress: an outhouse I started drawing this evening.

2x

I tried to use too many colours, as my usual characters also don't have too much colours. But it's very boring this way.
How do I make the wood, the path, and especially the water look more interesting?

Any other comments are also welcome ofcourse!

Edit: In this thread I posted characters, their not directly for this background, but that's the style of my characters, doesn't really fit with this background... :S
http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/yabb/index.php?topic=24357.0

Edit 15 Jan:
2x

DonB · Tue 10/01/2006 23:43:18

This kind of background could be really scary if you would make it darker, but apparently that's not what you're aiming for..

anywayz.. I really like the background..

My improve point:
-Make waves or details in water

, then let's see what needs to be done more..

ildu · Tue 10/01/2006 23:48:17

This bg is worthy of a paintover, however it'll be tomorrow. I think the colors are very good and they look quite well-balanced. It's true that the path and the grass are the most interesting things in the image, and the eye is easily attracted to them, but it's mostly because they have more detail. Also, this toilet seems to sit on a background of boringness which you pointed out as the lake.

So first of all I think you should add some more stuff near the toilet. You want it to look interesting as it's the main focus of the bg. So you could add another support log next to the solitary one there. Then add two more on the other side and maybe place them slightly in different positions. You also need to add detail to the hut and probably most on the door. You need a sign or a carving or something to direct the viewer's eyes straight to the door. I would also make the roof a bit slanted towards the lake and actually make a whole roof element, so it's not just paneling. You could for example add some knots of rope on the support logs as well, and some jaggedness and inconsistency in the wood paneling on both the dock and the hut.

As for the water, you should start with some lighter color streaks along the shore to indicate movement. You could also add some gradient of sand to the shore showind through the water. After the bare essentials, you can start adding streaks throughout the whole water area roughly parallel to the shore. Don't make them too radical in shape and color, so they won't distract from the toilet. After this, you should be quite sorted. Some flowers perhaps on the grass won't do no bad neither.

Kweepa · Wed 11/01/2006 00:46:53

Is this an in-game background?
I would change the angle to something more adventure gamey - with a visible horizon.

I like the ripples in the shadow on the water.
The grass clumps are all a bit regular. I'd prefer some randomly sketched clumps.
The texture on the path is ugly - it looks more like chipboard.
The doorhandle might look better with the colours inverted.
Depending on the game style, some more details would work well - a tree, rocks in the water, bushes, posts, a sign, etc.

Darth Mandarb · Wed 11/01/2006 00:53:31

A good start!

The first thing that jumped out at me was the the outhouse appears to be all of one piece. Where to roof part meets the front part there's no "joints". Unless there was some serious mitre work done on all edges you'd be able to see the board's edges. But more than that ... there'd probably be some kind of facia (edge work) done to hold the thing together and give it more stability!

Something like this:

Hope it helps!

ScottDoom · Wed 11/01/2006 03:31:30

As SteveMcCrea mentioned, this background wouldn't work as a game background with the current point of view. A lower point of view would be needed unless your characters were angled in their view.

If you lower the viewpoint you can also add more to spruce up the background, such as some "marsh-grass" aroundt he lake edge and also a tree to the left behind the path.

I love your style though.

InCreator · Wed 11/01/2006 15:28:09

Plain color water looks very boring. Especially if it's all over the room.

A simple tech to give detail to water is to spray it over.

I used brighten/darken mode and self-drawn brush (the shape I drew lower left, into white box) and sprayed it randomly all around the water.

But though it's quite simple and cheap, it still gives somewhat too realistic feeling for your cartoony bg. Maybe there's a shape/workaround/way you could adjust this with your style?
Also, the shadow won't fit anymore. But I'm to lazy to make it better.

JimmyShelter · Sun 15/01/2006 15:37:10

A newer version:

2x

Thanks for all the comments. I worked on the image some more, hopefully it's a bit better now!

What I could use especially is some pointers on the path and the grass.

Kweepa · Sun 15/01/2006 17:38:29

Well, that's an amazing improvement!
The water is better than InC's (no offence InC!) and the reeds are excellent.
A second shade on the planks leading to the outhouse and as you say some work on the grass and path and you're done.
What I would do for the grass is to remove the duplicated clumps and just sketch some clumps with the pencil. Then roughen up the edge with the pencil too. The path I'm not so sure about.

[EDIT] Grass suggestion:

ladymeba · Sun 15/01/2006 19:17:14

A thought about the path - as it is a small outhouse the path seems too 'constructed' it might look more natural if it were a trodden path through the grass rather than the built one you have there...

JimmyShelter · Sun 15/01/2006 21:25:33

Thanks for the pointers, Steve.

here's the latest version!

2x

DonB · Mon 16/01/2006 14:27:29

Now that's a crazy-ass improvement..

keep up the good work!

InCreator · Mon 16/01/2006 15:48:41

The water *is* better. What bugs me is water at upper left- it's too plain there.

Also, the little round wave/ripple thingies supporting posts generate, should be lighter, not darker than water below them.
But I strongly recommend not to draw them at all, but add as animations directly into game. With alpha disappearing effect, so the move away from post and disappear... would be cool.

JimmyShelter · Mon 16/01/2006 16:11:18

Quote from: InCreator on Mon 16/01/2006 15:48:41
The water *is* better. What bugs me is water at upper left- it's too plain there.

I see what you mean, will work on that!

Quote
Also, the little round wave/ripple thingies supporting posts generate, should be lighter, not darker than water below them.
But I strongly recommend not to draw them at all, but add as animations directly into game. With alpha disappearing effect, so the move away from post and disappear... would be cool.

Cool idea! Thanks.

Damien · Mon 16/01/2006 22:19:52

Some nitpicking:

I suggest darkening the shades on the wood. Also, the roof of the shed looks weird. I don't know what you were going for, but now it looks like it's filled with dirt.

cpage · Mon 16/01/2006 22:52:23

Quote from: Damien on Mon 16/01/2006 22:19:52
I suggest darkening the shades on the wood. Also, the roof of the shed looks weird. I don't know what you were going for, but now it looks like it's filled with dirt.

I'm going to have to agree on the roof, Altho since it is an out house I thought it was filled with something much more disgusting

also just personally i would like to see a reflection or two in the water

ildu · Tue 17/01/2006 03:09:59

I don't see what the problem is with the roof. Looks like regular tar roofing to me.

JimmyShelter · Tue 17/01/2006 12:30:49

Quote from: cpage on Mon 16/01/2006 22:52:23
I'm going to have to agree on the roof, Altho since it is an out house I thought it was filled with something much more disgusting

also just personally i would like to see a reflection or two in the water

What do you guys suggest for the roof?

And reflections... makes sense, but I have no idea how I would add those. :

Do you think a silhouet from one or two trees on the foreground would help this picture?

DonB · Tue 17/01/2006 14:32:07

The roof is perfect mate.. really..

CoyoteJack · Wed 25/01/2006 01:58:16

Agreed. I love it.