Woods - Background c&c

[Daniel Thomas]

Hi! Currently working on my backgrounds for my game and I wanted to check in here and see what other people think.
What I like to know is:
1. Are the colors good? How do they make the background feel? suggestion?
2. Placements of the objects. Is there anything that you think would be placed at a better place? or removed? like trees, the cave, stone and bushes etc.
3. Anything else that you feel is odd? perspectiv? the frame in?
4. All suggestions are welcome :>

here is the background, click for bigger, click again for even bigger
(this is a scrolling background, and NO, the coloring isnt done.. its just some doodles to get the feel, DUH ):


thanks.

EDIT: Ill post a work in progress before I go to sleep. The fallen tree will get fixed, now it looks wierd. Think Ill add more contrast to the grass and add some texture to the road and trees. critice and comment..

[LilBlueSmurf]

I like it overall, it has a nice uplifting feel to it.  2 things stood out to me.
1.  The teals on the foreground trees.  I realize you are going for the blueish shadows a lot of sierra trees have, but it just doesn't look good to me in this case.  I think going all the way to black, or at least a dark brown and keeping it somewhat natural woud suit the style much better.
2.  The second is kind of weird and I have no clue why it stood out so much to me.  The fallen tree with the huge roots.  First, it looks like it would have fallen over from right where the tree next to it currently standing, very odd.  And second, it really seems like it should have a hole or good sized indent where the roots have come out.  I really doubt anyone would take time to fill up the hole in the middle of the woods.
Even though it is still just in a rough color state, it really seems like it belongs in an adventure game and seems to somehow impress the idea of a finished bg on you.

[Daniel Thomas]

thanks for the comments!
Yea, I remember that it crossed my mind about the fallen tree, somewhat i forgot move it more to the right when i scanned, it will be in the "fix" list for sure :>

Also, agree on that the foregrounds reflections are too bright, I think ill experiment some with it before I remove the cold-greenish. Ill check some references, dont think I have seen the sierra ones.

Thanks!
Keep the the comments and sugestion coming :>

[Haddas]

I would like the cave to be somewhat higher on the contrast scale and a little less bright. I love the edit. That grass is awesome.

[CaptainBinky]

Nice!
The left hand side path is less smooth than the right hand side - will you be smoothing this side, or roughening the other side? If you go with the smooth look, I think some cracks and/or little stone details on the path would help give it a bit more texture. I kind of like the rough look though - particularly on the trees and bushes. The twisty bark tree on the right of the cave looks especially nice.

[Tomas]

You're definitely on to something here. I really like this background and I have nothing to say about it really, except for maybe that you should darken the shadowing of the foreground objects and also the tree trunks in the background.

I just wanted to post this background from Curse of Monkey Island that has pretty much the same atmosphere and color scheme as your background. Could give you some ideas for colors perhaps. Good luck!

[LilBlueSmurf]

I did a quick paintover to maybe give you some ideas for the root hole, it's more of an older hole so grass has grown in a bit, also added some moss to the tree to make it look like it fell longer ago.

[Daniel Thomas]

Thanks for all input, havent done so much though, fixed the hole and worked some on adding warm colors.
@CaptainBinky: I have only worked on the rightside of the picture. So it will be smoothed.

Still bugged about the reflection light at the foreground, think ill need some expert help on that :>

the WIP:

[CaptainBinky]

I'd say that the green "reflected" light is too strong - darker and more subtle would IMO be nicer. On top of that I would paint some black twisty bark lines similar to that left hand tree that I banged on about earlier . While I think the smoothed look is very nice, I think it works more successfully on the grass (which is lovely) than it does on the tree trunks and rocks. Roughening those foreground elements could provide a nice contrast.

Can't wait to see the final image though. The colour scheme is gorgeous!

[LilBlueSmurf]

I agree on the reflections, maybe try aiming for a color that is more similar to darker, bluer shades of the bushes.  The hole looks much better now.  I thought it might look a bit off with the style, but I was wrong.  The path is what really sticks out to me now.  A couple things to think about:
-It is very wide, if it is used for wagons / horses, there would likely be deeper trails in path from wheels and the horses weight instead of being a kind of even uneven-ness.
-The hills/valleys are so pronounced and smooth that is almost seems liquid.
-Like many bgs I've seen here, the grass seems to me to be much clean edged.  No clumps in the path, no jutting sections into the trail, etc.
-Stones.  While it is not always the case that paths seem like they need stones, your surroundings seem to have quite a few large boulders which suggests a lot of rocks in the ground.  A lot of pebbles and some bigger rocks at the edgs of the trail would help.

Those are just some ideas, but I think you are going to need to play with the trail until you get your style.  It is just much to plain and smooth right now imo, and contrasts greatly with all the little details you've thrown in everywhere else.

[lo_res_man]

OHH! Wonderful! but could you fill in those white spots? theye are quite annoying. other then that, great!

[Daniel Thomas]

Been away over weekend, thanks for all inputs.

This is the latest "work in progress", please critic and comment.
Next step is probably adding texture.

[DonB]

Looking just very.. very original!.. i really like the pencil art.. great work!.. it got the words atmosphere written all over the place..

[lo_res_man]

CURSE my browser! Mine eyes see not but the thrice cusid "red X" OF DOOM. Pray thee artist, could you re post this art, mine heart yerns a viewing.

[Daniel Thomas]

works here, but the adress is: http://img238.imageshack.us/img238/3660/asduntitled52ag.png

I probably need to calibrate my monitor, then i can start adjusting contrast and hue etc,.

[lo_res_man]

Me Thks, nobel artist, Ah I see it now, what beuty, what richness, a wonderus backround! Keepeth up the good work!