Christmas in the mid-19th century

[mediumaevum]

I initially intended to join BlenderGuru’s competition.

But I figured out I need some help and ideas on how to improve my Blender and other art skills.

This is my try for now:

[Orinoco]

Since it’s cold out, there will be fires in those fireplaces, and the chimneys will be hot. Hot enough to melt the snow around them. The water from the melted snow (including the bare patches) will run down the roof, and as it is dripping off the edge, will freeze again, creating icicles.

If this is an interior courtyard, there would not be any wind to create those snowdrifts in the foreground. The snow would fall into the courtyard and simply pile up at a uniform depth. If this is an exterior courtyard, the drifts would form along the walls, where the building blocks the wind and the snow falls to the ground. If drifts block doorways, someone would have come along to shovel them out. In both cases, the drifts are in the wrong place.

[mediumaevum]

@Orinoco

Since it’s cold out, there will be fires in those fireplaces, and the chimneys will be hot. Hot enough to melt the snow around them. The water from the melted snow (including the bare patches) will run down the roof, and as it is dripping off the edge, will freeze again, creating icicles.

If this is an interior courtyard, there would not be any wind to create those snowdrifts in the foreground. The snow would fall into the courtyard and simply pile up at a uniform depth. If this is an exterior courtyard, the drifts would form along the walls, where the building blocks the wind and the snow falls to the ground. If drifts block doorways, someone would have come along to shovel them out. In both cases, the drifts are in the wrong place.

Thanks for the constructive criticism.

I modified my image. Please review again:

[pcolapat]

when you do your final composition, I recommend not having the corner of the courtyard right in the center of your image. I would move the camera to the right or left and move the tree a little further away from the building somewhere in the mid-ground. I might even move it to the right side of the image where the building has less interesting features. Things to consider are foreground middle-ground and background, rule of thirds, so on and what not. Also have something in the foreground to draw the viewer into the image. Utilize that shoveled walkway to give some flow and depth to the image.

[mediumaevum]

@pcolapat

when you do your final composition, I recommend not having the corner of the courtyard right in the center of your image. I would move the camera to the right or left and move the tree a little further away from the building somewhere in the mid-ground. I might even move it to the right side of the image where the building has less interesting features. Things to consider are foreground middle-ground and background, rule of thirds, so on and what not. Also have something in the foreground to draw the viewer into the image. Utilize that shoveled walkway to give some flow and depth to the image.

I have been working on it again and added a sleigh in the foreground.

I don’t think it would be a good idea to not have the corner in the middle, as I want to show all of the elements in my building. I especially want to draw attention to the ladder/stairs.

[mediumaevum]

Anyone to comment?

[Xerubian]

Besides the fact that I’m missing some color to get the Christimas atmosphere, it’s a really nice scene that is pretty detailed. For now I would say continue and get some more life into it.

Andreas