HOME | DD
martinhoulden — :::OLC atmosphere check:::
Published: 2007-03-23 19:02:16 +0000 UTC; Views: 1686; Favourites: 35; Downloads: 54
Redirect to original
Description
[::: OLC Atmosphere Check :::]Hey guys. Kinda a "spare day". Theres not really any such thing as a spare day but, theres nothing i needed to do today that is absolutely urgent. So i figured i would spend some time developing a digital atmosphere for my project one.last.chance.
Mmmm, buildings kinda bug me. They need straight lines but yet theyre very dificult to achieve digitall without cheating with some helpers. I'll keep trying to do it freehand, but i might have to resort to using some tools or something.
Any good help and advice on drawing environments digitall is very much appreciated!
All comments welcome and appreciated, thanks!
[::: OLC © Martin Houlden 2003 - 2007 :::]
Related content
Comments: 49
I admire your art very much! I hope someday I can make environments the way you do!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Man, I just ADORE the negative space in this. You just use it so effortlessly. Insta-fave
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
thankyou, you are too kind! u_u!
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
I'm not really experienced here, but when I imagine characters, settings, etc. in my head I pause and freeze the image. Then, I go back and recall what I can proceeding to ask myself what 'such and such's' purpose is. This helps add more of a story into the environment/characters themselves.
Hope this helps, if at all.
👍: 0 ⏩: 2
i'll keep it in mind for sure, thanks!
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
EDIT: 'Such and such's' refers to individual details in the environments and characters. I should have clarified that.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
wow....cool buildings......so stylish.....so shaded.....so.......awsome!!!
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Not sure if it helps... but if your using photoshop, try a lighter brush or something and hold shift, that gives you a straight lign, then paint overt it. that way its straightish and natural. or paint it first then use some shift action to tidy it up.
👍: 0 ⏩: 2
Lol, yeah..but i thought you were looking for vertical lines, and horizontal lines...dont think ive tried 45's before..You could new layer it, do it vertical then rotate...then merge.
Sorry for stating the obvious. If its any consolation, in looks freeking HOT!
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Yeah ... Shift is very nice, but it only works at 45 degree incementals! 
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
wow...cool...your so freakin talented......i don't like buildings either....but i like you pics
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
I quite like buildings that aren't perfectly straight. For me it makes them more "real", as having dead straight lines for buildings is often as hard to pull off without looking rediculous as wonky lined ones are. However in this piece you have definitely succeeded.
Although I love this, I find the "One Last Chance" at the bottom a major distraction that takes away from the focus image.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
hm..I am afraid there really is no shortcut to drawing straight lines for buildings other than practice. It's about how well you can control your brush strokes. If you're not working on a tablet very much, you surely only need some more routine.
Also, setting up a perspective grid is always a very good keeper for well-established architecture with straight lines etc.
Looking at this image in particular, you could have done the vertical and horizontal lines with the help of the shift key! In Photshop you can paint perfectly straight horizontal or vertical lines holding that key while painting (but I assume you actually already know that...?)!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
thanks man! And yeah ... i did know you can do that, i use it often when im doing graphic design work ... its just, ive always been taught "there is no such thing as a straight line in the natural world" so ive never used the line tool or ... straight line helpers when drawing digitally. But, i never thought about just ... using them as a guide?
Thanks for the input matey!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
no prob, man! Glad I could help! In fact you can also use the technique specifically for drawing/painting. Becasue by also having pen pressure activated you can give the lines some kind of natural look anyway. I guess it's the combination of both, freehand and occasionally perfect straight lines!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
yes indeed! The pressure senstivity is nice. It wasnt so much that, as just the idea of straight lines. But thanks! And, appreciated as always!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
yeah I know what you mean about buildings. It's hard to get the right balance between hard-edged regularity and a lived-in, human element.
That said I took some great reference photos in Cairo if ur interested [link]
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
awesome! I'll check it out, thanks!
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
I really like the buildings in this one, they look really moody, its great. Kinda wet and cold morning, thats what it akes me think of. Excellent!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
dude, this piece is amazing. the colours convey the mood really well, and i could almost feel the rainy day feeling from this piece. well done *thumbs up*
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
I like it.
I think not using rulers helped give it a sort of more naturalistic view. It's something many famous artists are known for.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
thats what i wanted to go for but ... i should maybe try a little different approach. I have an idea in mind, i'll try out for the next pic!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Looking forward to it.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Yea, use the line tool once in a while. You've already proven yourself enough that you are pretty good with free handing, so why not? Especially since the program has it, you might as well use it, heheh.
You might want to add a light mist or some fog in the greater distance there, since everything appears so clear. But since it is only raining a little, I suppose it's all good for now--but maybe you might want to try it out and see if it changes anything, I dunno.
The dark colors and distinct contrast hit me the most, and they really do add to the overall feel of the background. Great job and keep it up (^-^)!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
cooel. Well, i did TRY and add some atmospheric perspective. I mean, that big blue thing with the rivets popping out the top in the far background is meant to be an incomprehensibly large wall. But, im not sure if that came across quite right ... also, you can see the buildings fading out through the mist/fog, but, i think i agree - it needs to come even closer forward
Thanks for the input!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Yea, I can see the wall now that you pointed it out. I thought it was some kind of harbor skyline or something, heheh. But I guess it's just me.
No prob, glad I could help.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
mmmmmmmm pulse rifuls
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
i do like the aliens!
you mean LV426? Because, thats one of my main "inspirations" for the project. By inspiration, i mean ... as a kid, i loved the atmosphere of the bit outside, when theyre running inside the station, when its raining. It was only when the project started, and i had decided to make the project in this style, that i watched aliens and then realised how well that scene fitted.
mmmm maybe that makes sense.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
that's exatly what i had in mind
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Any good hints on how for me to not suck in comparison to you would be even MORE appreciated! I like it! Makes me feel like someone is just gonna yell "BIG OOOOOOO" from nowhere.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
I think the buildings hold a certain good unique charm to them! Something that fits in with the rest of the scape.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
What caught my eyes first were the way you painted the splashing rain drops on the ground, if I squinted while viewing this. Plus the overall tone to this scene gave it the more down pour feeling, it almost seemed photo-realistic! Nice job!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
cool, thanks! Yeah, the main aim was to create the atmosphere of downpour, more than anything else. The building design will inevitably change a lot. Any pointers to environment drawing mr master (who is a lot younger than me -_-)?
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Lol honestly I'm not a very good environment artist, nor am I anywhere near of master's level, but I guess is a very good environment artist, maybe you can reference off his works?
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
he sure is ... he's very good at what he does! I'll pay particular attention to him in future
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
in small view it looked like a photograph....
that aside, I love how you do rain on things, it looks really natural to me. alas, I cannot draw buildings at all, so I have to get references...
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
yeah im ok when it comes to tone and so on ... but its just getting it so that it looks like a photo/good when not squinting!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
I wasn't squinting, and I like the slight sketchy feel you have in full-view. 
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
cool ... thanks!
👍: 0 ⏩: 0