Whatevery background

[Dualnames]

Well, I've been trying quite a little bit with photoshop and here's what I came up with.. I still think it needs stuff. This is not a game's style just some random art I need critic about:


Second version



Note: If you see it in a a reduced size it looks much much better

[TwinMoon]

I don't know what to say about it, other than that the sun (?) is so bright it hurts to look at this, and it also seems to be lying on top of the hills, instead of behind it.

Maybe if you explained what you were trying to do, we could tell you if you succeeded.

[Mr Flibble]

I'd smooth out those harsh colour boundaries to get rid of that "children's watercolour painting" look.

[bicilotti]

The sun should go in the very background (as it is now it seems to "flood" out of the sand - maybe it is wanted though).

Very evocative and I personally like the watercolour effect, expecially in the second pic. Also, the sunset should blind you, or it would look totally fake imho.

I really think it will be difficult to pixel a character that fits this kind of Bg though. End screen maybe?

[Ryan Timothy B]

I really don't know what I'm looking at.. It's either a sunset, or an atomic blast.

Whatever it is, it seems to trick my eyes/brain into thinking I'm staring at something bright.
It's like looking at the sun in a realistic game where they darken the surroundings and throw off sun glare.  Makes me squint every time until I realize it's not actually bright, and squinting is not going to help me see the 'surroundings' better. lol

[Gilbert]

I really don't know what I'm looking at.. It's either a sunset, or an atomic blast.

No, it is a hamburger!

As others have pointed out, I think the problem is it's not very recognisible. Also, the composition was too simple and is not interesting (well, simple images can be interesting and good, but this just looks like random splatting of (not-so-varied) colours on the canvas), giving the landscape a more lively shape may help (e.g. small hills).

[Dualnames]

It's supposed to be a sun(not an atomic blast, it's done so bright in purpose). It's also more of an intro scene, well, let's just get it out of me, if you see the HHGTG series intro(first episode) you'll notice that while the narrator is bubbling a bakcground with a very bright sun appears ecc ecc. In my picture, well there's the ground sky and sun..So anything I should add(an edit at my picture would be wonderful).

Now concerning MrFlibble's comment, can you give me any example of what you mean smoothing(I 'm quite new at this style).

[Mr Flibble]

When I saw the drawing I saw bands of solid colour, no sky or land, so I've tried to add a bit more definition. By "smoothing" I meant the elimination of those solid blocks of colour, and replacing them with more subtle gradients.
Basing this on the shot you referenced from the TV show as much as anything else.

A good way to show brightness is to show how the light affects surrounding objects, in addition to the flare.

[Questionable]

I have to agree that i can't quite tell what it is. BUT! I would hang it in my living room...

Just me, though...

[Dualnames]

Thanks, questionable. Well, I'll give it an edit based on Mr Flibble's comment. Thanks they proved to be very helpful and all.