Another n00b with a n00bish background

[EvilLord]

Hi,
i've been reading these forums for a few months, and have been practising my drawing 'skills' a bit before i start making a proper game. This is one of my (not very good) backgrounds, what can i do to improve it?



It is supposed to the back of a cheap nasty hotel. I'd really appreciate some cricisism on how to improve it.

[Phemar]

I think you should either lose the outlines or put the whole pic into outlines, not a mixture of both. That gradient has got to go. I think the door is waay too big too.

[DontTreadOnMe]

Isnt it meant to be a fire exit? i cant think of a good reason for wanting to go into a burning building. Unless its a joke.

[Ashen]

I'm with Zor on the gradients (door, sign, cardboard box), also the textures on the walls. The door does look a little big, but aren't fire exits meant to be easy to use? (And, it would be Exit, unless, like Don'tTreadOnMe said, it's a joke.)

Another thing is the tree. I like it a lot, but it's kinda blurry/fuzzy, which doesn't really fit with the sharp outlines in the rest of the image. Also, it'll make walkbehinds a right pain to do.

I'm not really getting the hotel vibe from it. If I hadn't read that, I'd have guessed it was the back of a school gym, or something. Don't know what to do about that, though. Maybe put a sign on the door, with the name on it?

[EvilLord]

Thanks 4 the advice, i'll see what it looks like without the outlines + gradient. The fire entrance is supposed to be a joke - it enables you to enter a burning building safely and easily.Ã,  I think the fuzz might have come from converting it to a jpeg.

EDIT: done that, made the whole scene a bit darker because its meant to be late evening. the tree still looks a bit crap, how can i draw better trees?