Hello guys,
I finally got some time to work on a new personal and I really wanted to make something more illustrative this time.
Bellow is what I have so far but I’m not sure if I’m done…I wanted to ask you for opinions before I call it final, maybe a fresh eye can make it better 
Thanks in advance!
EDIT: see bellow for updateI’m not sure about the ship, should I remove it? Need to take a fresh look.
I’m also thinking on adding some houses/complex near the central big rock
Looks cool man. Coming from fresh eyes…
the central big rock still seems a bit flat to me and my eye focuses on that right away then the ship which i would image would be the focal point. I think it has to do with the formation… maybe make it different with some leaning action towards the ship or have a tunnel thru it… just to break things up. Also at the way bottom above the port with the “bushy” trees I thing you should clean up the edges… seems a little feathery and not really giving that natural random feel.
Suggestions… ez fixes. keep it up. Love pirate like mattes
the idea is great and some little port, with houses in the big rock could be great maybe another ship already there and the one is going away you could use some foam around it , also the foreground trees should be way darker in this kind of exposure, great work !
hey thanks for the input Jaime! I’ll try what you guys suggested and will update when it’s done
Hey, here’s an update:
I’ve added some houses by the rock. Nothing major to alter composition, but enough to give a good detail
I’ve darkened the foreground trees
Added foam around the ship
Fixed ‘bushy’ trees.
I think I’m there, let me know…
ship is pointing in wrong direction for me its leading the eye out of the composition. Your eye immediately goes to it as the eye goes straight to the highlight in the sails. Try flipping it as see what I mean. Looks a lot better now you corrected the exposure.
yes but that would make it point towards the central rock, where nothing happens…if I flip the ship, I need a subject for the big rock, even the need to replace it…whereas right now, the ship is leaving towards sea, in an atmospheric sunset
Hi Suirebit.
Just my quick opinion and maybe suggestion is that the transition between the elements are too visible(forest trees on the bottom and on the midground LHS).
What I am doin is, a selection of the layer, where I have the element(tree,hill,rock, etc.) and create new layer with selection and I make a gradient with the colour of the element behind, or sky. Gradient to transparent. And than you can play with intensity etc. It helps alot for mountains/trees/rocks etc. transition with other elements.And give a depth a bit 
You may know it, but I just mention for help
In other-is shaping very nicely! Keep working!
Gerardo.
My main concert i s still the big cliff. It still looks very flat. Add some more volume to the right edge by painting some highlights and shadows.
I dont know why but the Image looks very squezzed and stressed to me.
The Foregroundtree on the right somehow disturbes me a lot.
The Image is to Symmetrical and because of that, to clean and straight.
If the tree would be removed, the composition falls down from the Left to the right what could bring a more “unstressed” look and feel.
Maybe both Foregroundtrees should be removed to give the Image some Air.
Just my 2 cents
Cheers djart
I’ve seen it on mattepainting.org as a Showcase. But you going to finish the rocks in the middle right? There are only 2.sides of rock and the middle part and back part is missing is like from paper, if you know what I mean
Otherwise nice progress!
Gerardo.
Hey guys, thanks for the comments!
about the rock (degerardo, aksu)> yes, you are right about it, the problem is that I actually wanted a sharp, knife-life rock in there so I didn’t mind its look…if you were to comment on this earlier, I would’ve fix it before putting it up on that forum…I’ll see what I can do now
about the trees(djart)> Not really sure about this one…I think they both frame well and give some depth…can anyone else confirm it?
hmm. I’m sorry this post is so late, but this was in the finished work at the mattepainting.org and I had to sign in here for this… (and stand that 24hours message validating for new users) 
This is a great image, but it seems to have something disturbing. These are just my opinnions and critics is given only because I know you could do better. :twisted: Previous entry to the Legends “Hall of the Dragon Mist” is still one of those inspiring images I look from time to time.
Imho that the rock is the issue - on the other hand it makes this interesting, because it is different, but on the other hand it’s difficult as it is now. When thinking about the composition, it seems to be quite huge element at the center of the image (and as you said earlier - there is almost nothing). I have hard time taking my eyes of from it and the ship, which is quite short distange for eyes to travel in the image.
If the background story is about the gulf, safe haven for the pirates - I would like to see the gulf, let my eyes travel slowly in the curved shape of the coastline and notice all those details while traveling. Now there is the Rock (and the ship). So one suggestion is that the rock could go or be considerably smaller (not cutting the water -area in half). Then you could also remove the tree from right fg and maybe crop a bit from left. Even the ship could be flipped then (returning home from the battle?). Composition might be easier to look then (but maybe also more tradiotional, if not boring?).
The other option might be to make that rock worth looking - fill it with staff you could imagine in secret pirate haven - disguised lookout towers, a light beacon than could be seen only from one direction from the sea and cannons which could smite anyone who is (un)lucky enough to find that pirate haven…
And the minor points…
edit: and sometimes I have a big mouth. :shrug:
wow…that’s an essay Most of your observations are correct, but also the fact that without trees and with ship coming back, it would be too boring. The fact is that the trees really add to the depth and immersion, even though people don’t realize Try imagining it without them…
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