Blitz B&B background thing for C&C

[seaduck]

Hi!

Hope I'm not breaking any rules by re-posting my entry from the previous BG blitz here. Took me 4 days. But I'm not very happy about it and thought you might give me some hints as to what or how could I make better.



I think the gradients on the sea and sky look strange, but I don't know what to do about it. Tried to put waves all over the sea, but it looked just too noisy.

Oh and the beach is terrible, yes. I absolutely couldn't get that right.

My artistic skills are literally zero so I greatly appreciate all advice and/or paintovers.

[Nikolas]

I can't bother to count colors but it seems like EGA to me, just be looking at it. I actually like it very much. The fact that you didn't get many votes, or didn't win, was not due to your poor BG (which is not poor at all), but due to the high (Oh my god how good these people are!), quality of the rest...

A little critisism now:

The beach does not look like a beach really. I thought that it was rocks going down straight to the sea. There are no perspective problems and I love the chair on top of the little house. I would love having vacation there...

One little thing though about the sea. Traditionaly the sea grows darker the further you go from the sea. You did the exact opposite, which seems like the sea is getting deaper the closer it comes to the shore. This is kinda wrong.

I like the sky and the colors you chose, and maybe I would put a little more reflection to the sea, but the again with such an angle I would really consider doing even that.

The balloon in the right hand does not seem like one really. I had a hard time recognizing it.

The camera is placed inside a cave, or something? Cause the black edges on the top make it seem so.

On a practical point of view, it is a little waste of space, knowing that the character is going to be able to walk only near the house which is the 1/6th of the whole BG. It depends if this is for a game or not.

Anyway my skills are far worst than yours, don't say that they're zero. They're not!

Nikolas

[Scummbuddy]

I really like the piece. I believe the balloon should be removed, for only the fact that I would assume that it may be used in the game. I would see it as an animating object that bobs up and down or side to side as we are just enjoying the scenery. Plus, that will draw attention to it, revealing that it may have some importance.

The black silhouette on the top seems a bit akward to me. I don't think they are neccesary, but if you want them, I would then make them also shown along the bottom, in jagged rock formations.

The beach should be less colorful, since we are so far away, it should be rather all the same color.

I think there may be too much detail for the wood paneling on the outside of the hut, plus I found it a little hard to determine that you could walk on the roof and sit down.

I love the rope ladder. I would hate to use it whenever possible, but I love it.

I also agree that the horizon line is a bit too high, and yes, the water colors are reversed vertically.

Hopefully you wont take these crits hard because really everything else is stupendous!

[seaduck]

Thanks for the help, guys!

I think you've pretty much hit the nail on the head.

The fact that you didn't get many votes, or didn't win, was not due to your poor BG

Actually I was surprised and pleased about the votes. But that's not the reason I did the blitz for. I want to learn something... and while I was drawing the picture I just couldn't figure out how to draw the sea+beach+sky, that's why I posted the picture here.

EDIT: No, it's not EGA. 57 colors.. to much for EGA, too few for VGA.

The beach does not look like a beach really.

You're right, it doesn'tÃ, . I just couldn't get it right :'(

I love the chair on top of the little house. I would love having vacation there...

Bingo! That's EXACTLY what I had in mind when drawing this pictureÃ, 

The camera is placed inside a cave, or something? Cause the black edges on the top make it seem so.

Yes, I wanted to give the picture maximum depth. You're right, it doesn't look very good.

I love the rope ladder. I would hate to use it whenever possible, but I love it.

Quite insane, ain't itÃ, 

[scourge]

heya, i liked your bg. I especially liked the ladder, side cliff and the sun reflection I have no helpfull advice.