how to improve my 1st bg?

[gonzalob6]

Hi! I`m Gonzalo, from Argentina.This is my firt time in the forum, my first days in AGS world and my second day drawing and painting bgs and characters. I don't know to draw and paint, i don't know to program... but i'm enthusiastic jeje. Well, i`ve done a bg,but it seems to be done for a child, comparing with the bgs i see in this forum.

here it is:
http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/1539/exteriorhotelts1.png

That "thing" want to be a hotel(in fact the hotel doesn't finished), the hotel where my character live. I have no doubt that my bg is the worse one than this forum has seen, and perhaps you have already noticed that is a compilation of another bg but i have to do it. I use Paint and Artgem. Paint because i don't find the copy and paste button in Artgem :S.

If you can give me some tips,or put the hotel name ( Σπάρτη ) on it, or improve the bg  : i'll be really happy. I try with turorials, manuals, but it's dificult to me.

Please, do not pay attention to my bad English.

[n3tgraph]

Somehow this image looks rather familiar....

doesn't matter though.


I think the windows next to the columns don't look right.
I don't know how to explain it in proper english, but the bottom plank of the window is in front of the column and that's odd.

Also i think the car is a bit too large.
And as a last point, I think blue is a rather odd colour for a building
But that could be the style you are working in.

Perhaps it's blue for a special reason or anything

[UP]

Somehow this image looks rather familiar....

I noticed that too

Also i think the car is a bit too large.

I'd rather say the building is a bit too small (and/or/besides, the car doesn't need to be that close to the building, though it does seem to be. I might make the car a bit smaller and the building a bit bigger, maybe)... Plus, it's lacking a roof. A building of that style would definately not have a flat roof. Or?

And as a last point, I think blue is a rather odd colour for a building

Hmm, well, I wouldn't say so. I know many blue buildings. Or maybe it's a cultural thing

The tree is a bit too flat comparing to the perspective of the wall or whatever there and the leaves. A bit of shading or something, perhaps?

And one thing, the very right side of the pic is totally empty, there seems to be nothing behind the building there.

[gonzalob6]

The blue? a simbolism of course(?) 

need a roof? my limitations don't let me know how to do it, but i'll work in that.

yes, the whole Bg need shading and some light but either don't know to do that 

thanks for your critics

[2ma2]

I think stylewise your image is ace. Very oldschool depicting. Perhaps adjust the saturation on the blue building, it is tough for the eyes.

Welcome to the community!

[Al_Ninio]

Hmm...

Edit: hmm, didn't notice the original poster mentioned he was using another background as a base.
CARRY ON

[Privateer Puddin']

Wasn't there a tutorial to do this? ¬¬

[ildu]

What's the problem? It's a tutorial for a reason. It's not an exact copy, so it's totally ok.

[gameboy]

. . . because i don't find the copy and paste button in Artgem . . .

Copy - "To Clipboard", Paste - "From Clipboard"

And also... the car and streetlight are a bit familiar too, so you've actually used two BGs. But it doesn't matter either.

Anyways, ways to improve it:
Try to use more natural and realistic colors. Maybe lower the saturation, not only the hotel, also the fence and the car.
The black colored windows make it look like the hotel is abandoned. ...or it's night time. But it's not, so I'd advise you to make the windows low-saturated light blue. Like in InCreator's tutorial. And also - the windows on the doors should be painted the same color as the other windows.
And the rear-window of the car... is it supposed to be a reflection from across the street?

And since you're using black outlines on most of the bg you should use them on the rest of the bg. For example on the streetlight and the outter-outlines of the taxi.

[Dan]

I dont think the window ledges should overlap the pillars near the doors. Infact I would move the windows at the edge of the building in a little and bring them all closer together, if you know what i mean.

[limeTree]

Try being crative,like drawing a big cool window in the middel where the restoraunt could be or somethng.
I use Ultimate paint and with some time i can make really cool looking backgrounds.
And yes,roof would be necessary,if you use Ultimate paint(Just like the main one on windows)you can just drav a few lines and solor it...lets say.....red(Joking)
And meaby you could get one side of the roof darker to make it shade.Meaby ill try doo something.Ill show later perhaps.

[gonzalob6]

Ok. Thanks to all. I`m working in shading.

I`ve got another question: i want to have the inventory visible in the down-right side of the screen and the buttons  ("talk to", "open", "give"...the iconbar?) in the lef side. For that i`ve the image of Maniac mansion deluxe with that actions ( http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/360/scummespoy8.gif in spanish of course ) How do i do that?

perhaps isn`t the righr forum, bur it worse open another topic 

[limeTree]

well,you can use the image only to extraxt the incons,you need to use GUI to set up the positions,try searching some that looks the way you want meaby

[Alynn]

Actually you set that as the gui background and just position your buttons over the particular areas that do whatever action.