[Unity] Barn Environment Critique
polycounter lvl 6
Hey guys! This is my newest environment for my portfolio, I'm mostly just looking for critique and areas to improve, so any help I'd really appreciate. Thank you!
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/QlXP3
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/QlXP3
Replies
I really love this - It feels very serene - great job!
It'd be nice if the dirt had no gloss to break up that overall glossy look.
I'll try getting a more dirty look to the roof to try and show some aging to the barn, as well as trying to tone down the brightness a little bit so everything doesn't look SO blown out. Looking back at my substance file for the barn itself I think I'd also benefit some by making the barn a darker red, like the reference you posted, while messing with some of the dirt/mud to get it to stand out a bit more.
I really appreciate the critique, sometimes when I look at my own work for long enough I feel like it really helps getting another set of eyes. this is going to help me out a ton
For me, I don't mind the blown out aspect of the image. Its a stylistic choice conveying heat on a really bright day, its a bit uncomfortable but so is real life. I feel like squinting my eyes and I'm just about reaching for my sunglasses over here, ha. If you want it to feel more comfortable though, yeah probably want to reign the lighting in a bit.
Compositionally, in the first view the top of the barn is leading into the trees which is leading into the windmill. I might look at a way to vary those heights by placement and/or asset resizing. Try to lead your viewers eye to the focal point (which I assume is the barn) of the image. Right now the lines are leading off the screen to the left. If you were to add tall silos to the left of the barn, that could assist with this view composition. Adding fences to help lead toward the center might help as well like the image below. Experiment with your assets a bit
The log splitting axe is super random to be in the middle of the wheat? field. If you really want it there, I'd clear out some wheat and add a woodpile, but I'd suggest moving it out of there.
The large vertical timbers on the windmill are a bit oversized, kind of cartoonish. I'd look more closely back at reference for that.
The roof lines are super straight and square. Depending on the age of the barn, the ridgeline (and everything else too) might have a bit more variation and sagging between the supporting members (trusses, etc.). It's subtle, but its nice
I'm not sure what the purpose of the fence is in the second view. You're enclosing... parts and a wood pile? What for exactly? You don't always have to make sure things make sense, but its really good practice to do so. Along those lines, it doesn't make sense to me for the wheat to be everywhere. The places where the farmers are working and walking would have hardpacked dirt, and maybe normal lawn grass, but not a harvestable product that costs money to seed.
I like the cupolas and I think they would read even better with a little more overhang on the roof. Also, I might place them around the quarter points of the ridge, and/or maybe add another. The ridgeline is long enough that it could support another cupola nicely.
In the third view, I can see the wheat? grass lines leading into the barn door, but if you're got yourself a functional barn here, the grass would be totally gone in the wheel ruts. Tractor tires eat up everything
There's no hardware for the barn door. Showing its functional parts like a barn door rail and hangars will up the believability.
In the asset grouping, I'd place the axe head on the ground. It looks like its about to fall over and hurt somebody walking by, haha
You've got some great assets and have done good work so far. Just keeping pushing it, looking at more reference, and make sure to have a focal intention with your rendered images. I'm excited to see where you go with this!