So, the effect I'm trying to go for is a run-down, dirty, decrepid gas station in the middle of nowhere. I've been aiming for something rather more cartoony than I usually go for, though something about the colouring in the picture is bothering me, and I can't quite place it. I think some of the problems I get from colouring may be that I simply use "adjust brightness" when creating areas of higher lighting or shadow, and this may lead to the whole "dull" look that the colours have.
(http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o33/Nedraed/RM-1Outside320.png)
There's going to be an animating door where the big yellow gap is at the moment. Also, there are animated flies around the lamp. The J in the XJWJ sign above flickers, but I've as yet had difficulty in creating a good impression that the letters glow. All of the auras I do around them come out looking terrible - too opaque, too sudde, etc.
Currently right now it doesn't look so run down, I think you need some broken windows, cracks in the building, maybe add some weeds growing around the building, papers on the floor, oil stains. maybe make that tape around the pump yellow with black lines going through it, kinda like caution tape.
Maybe have one of those letters hanging at an angle like one of the screws came loose. If you make those letters up top glow some more, you can make one dark like it's burnt out.
Just a bunch of ideas to throw at you.
I think what you're worried about is the light more or less, which I think can be solved by looking at the objects like the fuel pumps and work more shadow and reflective light on them. There would be a strong glow on the side of them facing the store, and the side facing away would be much darker, for instance.
I think it'd be nice to at least see some subtle suggestion of what's inside the store too instead of a block of yellow light, even if its just the faint outline of shelves or something? Otherwise I think it's a great start!
If it's dark outside and lit inside, you will see whats there inside. Add a counter and some goods that might be sold there.
It there a reason it looks vertically stretched? I cannot imagine cars or people that high, unless it's something very cartoonish, like Monkey Island 4/DOTT
As for crits, shading under roof looks wrong -- the corner area where wall meets roof should not get light. You did it right in the bottom part where wall meets ground, giving a shadow there.
Yeah, the aim was kind of cartoony, but I think perhaps I'm still stuck a bit too much on "realism". I need to study more reference material (i.e. play more Sam and Max)