very nice start. hmmm suggestions??? not really. I like what you have, I would maybe tell you to add more trees....... but I'm thinking that was your intent :) Heres' an idea. put some longer grass along the edge of the water. Well that's all I can think of, good luck, brholte

Love it! The composition is well done, very well balanced. Only thing I would do is change the sky. This, I think, would work better with a bright, pretty sky. ('Course, that may just be me. I like pretty skies. :-) Far as I know, you achieved exactly what you set out to.) And maybe up the frequency a little on the water in the pond. I love the texture on the house and on the rocks by the pond. If you want them, I have cattails that would be perfect right on the water's edge. Good luck in the tree lab! If your not back in a couple of days, we'll send in reinforcements ! :-) Mike

wow!!! this looks awesome so far--i love those stones up againts the water, overall composition looks great. the only suggestion i have would be to maybe add some light grass or dirt around the house so it isnt so "smoothed", but thats just my opinion. once again, this is looking great, and i cant wait to see the finished image!!

this is great so far... as for suggestions well here are a few... but i guess your onto it by now... 1. a little transition from grass to water... a little brown for ground effect woould be nice... photoshop can do that or you could do thats using the DTE or mat lab.... its up to you (but i guess your onto it by now...) 2. building textures needs a little bump map... but i guess you into it by now too... 3. tree is (i like to point out) very nice! no comments there... 4. the window is made of a GI SHeet? or am i just havign an eye problem... that a bout it... but heres the bet advice... follow what you think is right, and not what others think... we just show you what we see, but you have the control... it your art after all right? eyecon

I think you have a great scene here Catlin. The only thing that I would change would be to make the transition between water more defined on the left side of the picture. To me the water almost looks like it is higher than the grass over there. Perhaps a small "lip" of a bank there, or some reeds? Anyway I really do like this scene.

:-)

Catlin_mc I'm enjoying what I see here. If I may offer up my thoughts as a suggestion, It seems to me that the sky is a little dark, almost brooding. Somehow the dark sky and the dark shadows clash.Perhaps evening is coming or perhaps some impending storm. If you intend to keep the sky, may I suggest some light emanating from your windows. That would help to liven up the scene a bit.

I agree, this is well composed so far. Here's what I'd do, but I have an odd way of doing things :-) I'd put some more of that nice grass along the entire edge of the water, even by the rocks. Maybe a few more trees in the distance. And a brighter sky, perhaps, with some haze to make the mountains back there appear father away, which would also add some nice atmosphere. Have fun! Doug

oops father = farther freudian slip?

I think all the suggestions I wanted to make has been said. Beautiful work so far. That tree is definitely a keeper!

Wonderful work, Catlin. These rocks on the right side look fabulous.

Excellent!! Love this and I think your landscaping is fantastic. Other than the waters edge I think the transitions around the other things look great. The water itself looks a bit too reflective for my taste but it may be the look you want. Good luck in the lab, its fun there! Can't wait to see the finished results. Ang

Same here, I had a couple of suggestions, but I saw that others already said it. Beautiful composition, Catlin, and the water is excellent, with the right amount of reflections to give the pic a peaceful feeling. S.

Thanks for the input peeps. I plan on softening the transition between the water and grass on the left and more trees there will be.....if I survive the treelab. I was wanting to put a candle in one of the windows but I guess I need Stefanos approval before doing so. The amount of light given off by a radial for the candle would not affect much apart from the window, so hows about it DC? As for the sky well I made that sky specially for this image 'cos if you've ever been to the Highlands of Scotland you'll know that this is how the sky looks most of the time, unless you're really lucky. This sky in particular reminds me of most visits I've had to Glen Coe, you drive round a tight bend in the road, through 2 gigantic rocks and then you are confronted with the mountains. The sky is most always brooding there and makes for a very spooky atmosphere. I always thought Glen Coe was like that because of the battle between the Campbells and MacDonalds, that the aura of that terrible night somehow remains in this place. Catlin

The closest I've ever been to the Highlands of Scotland was when I was in a roadshow production of "Brigadoon". I got to be very comfortable wearing a kilt! Kilts can be very "liberating", especially if you wear them in the authentic fashion, lol.

I think the brooding sky is very appropriate to the mood of the piece, and I think the candle-lit interior would really accentuate the "knotwork" of the windows. One of my best friends is a Campbell and I delight in irritating him by playing a few bars of "The Campbells are Coming" when he comes to see my band play locally.

heh, all this talk about kilts reminds me of prom.... yep, i wore nothing but a kilt (and yes, there was nothing underneath!!) You should have seen everyones face :)... I've got a pic somewhere...... just hafta dig it up. brholte

Yes please Ben, lets see the pic.............8)

This is a very serene image Catlin.... I would suggest a couple of things but it appears those things have been suggested already and you have acknowledged them as well. Nice work so far. 8) ~ BryceXP ~

Catlin, The only thing that jumps out at me is the scale of the building - can't put my finger on it exactly. Otherwise it looks very nice - I especially like the color of the grass and the placement of the objects, especially the well. - TJ

LOL brholte, I wanna see that too! My daughter got to see a guy streak (yup naked) at the prom she went to. Even funnier, it turned out the kid who streaked was the son of a woman I worked with. The sad part was he got expelled from school because of it and had to repeat his senior year. The jerks seem to think a naked kid is a worse offense than those that get caught with booze or drugs. Oh well, he wasn't an A student. And it wasn't the first time he showed body parts. (got caught mooning also). Ang

Catlin: Hi! I like what you have so far but I'm worried about the proximity of the well to the tree. And the atmosphere....my brain isn't functioning well enough to make any real suggestions, so I'm hoping you'll have a think about this.......

What's wrong with the well and the tree Bryster? I'm not sure what you mean, I quite like it where it is. As for the atmosphere, it's just about to drizzle, you know that the UK weather is predominantly scattered showers. lol 8) Catlin

Wouldn't a tree's roots break through the well walls? Perhaps if the tree was further back in the picture.....?

It's ok Bryster I've posted another rendering and I think this time it's finished. I eventually figured out what you meant and rearanged the trees................there's more than one now. 8) Catlin