CGTalk - Need some critique

tgrant

05-21-2007, 03:26 PM

Hello,

I'm relatively new to the forum, actually I've been a lurker for years and never have been brave enough to post till now. I guess I've come to the point where I just want to grow as an artist and get some feedback. I've been painting sketches of landcapes as of late and really have become interested in mattepainting over the last 2 years. Anyways I've been working on this picture and could use some help and suggestions to lead me in the right direction, especially compostionally. This is still a WIP. (THis is also my first try at combining a photo with 3D models and painting over them.)

Thanks,
-T.J.

Original Photo from Stock Exchange:
http://img2.putfile.com/thumb/5/14008363561.jpg (http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=5501402)

Here is what I've done with it:
http://img2.putfile.com/thumb/5/14008363566.jpg (http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=5501401)

JJASSO

05-21-2007, 06:54 PM

Hi , well nice integration on the elements , I think the horizon line from the sea looks too perfect, some blur or haze on the line will hide that perfection.
I think that talking about scale the castle could have been a little bigger , because as the focal node I think it need to have more presence
lighting is good, the background mountains and sky are great,
this is just my opinion , :)

cheers

tgrant

05-22-2007, 01:03 PM

Thanks for the reply and critique jamesvfx. I went back and edited the picture and added the haze on the horizon and made the castle a bit bigger. I also reduced the contrast on the castle a bit to push it a little further back from the camera. How does it look overall now?

Here is the updated picture:
http://img2.putfile.com/thumb/5/14107452948.jpg (http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=5508705)

Thanks again!
-T.J.

Cole

05-27-2007, 05:22 AM

Well it looks nice and realistic... but its kind of boring unfortunately. There aren't really any foreground elements and the mid/background elements are kind of small.

The good thing is it looks like a photo... the bad thing is it looks like a photo my grandma took without paying any attention to framing a good composition :( Another thing is that a very large portion of the plate is sky and sea... which isn't always a bad thing but you have a very calm sea and a plain sky, which really doesn't add much to the image.

If you were just going for a photorealistic image then you did great, but if you want a dynamic and engaging photo I would probably recommend a sky replacement and a sea overpaint. Personally I would also raise the castle up on a big hill to emphasize it against the skyline and paint a town below the walls to add some interest. Or something like that.

ExP

05-27-2007, 05:47 AM

-Looks like your key light (sun) needs to be shifted a little deeper towards the far left back.

-The far mountains on the left look too defined. Try adding slightly more haze. The same goes for the matte of the grass in front of the mountains. It needs to be softened.

-The horizon at the sea is still sharp at the very edge. Just go more toward the original image.

-The little "cliff" on the far right needs reflection on the water.

Other than that, looks really good.

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05-27-2007, 05:47 AM

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