Blacksmith - Critique

JeanLuis

Hello everyone, I was wondering if i could get some feedback on my current scene and how I can improve it. On another note, there is something i need help on, the shading on the trees. I am rendering in UE4 and wondering why i am getting odd shading on the trees (it is currently rendered in high lighting quality. Will it go away once i render in production quality? The lightmap resolution is 256, should I go higher?). Any feedback/critique is greatly appreciated it.

Thank you

Jean Luis

Fabi_G

Hey JeanLuis
I think your scene is missing some details to make it feel like an actual place.

I'd look up some image-references to figure out: 
- construction details (like corner connections, windows, support-beams)
- scale of building-elements (like diameter of the wall-trunks)
- environment around a work-place like this (distribution/density of vegetation, ground materials)

In the screenshot the ground-textures look a bit too low resolution.
I don't know how to fix the shading issue with the trees.

Good luck

Alex_J

I doubt medieval sawmills were churning out perfectly straight lumber. Looking at the thing from a distance, I think some slight variations on both the lumber and the cabin logs would add believability. 

About the cabin logs, most cabin-builders remove the bark to prevent rotting. Also it helps keep out a certain type of beetle which eats the logs. Maybe depends on part of the world, but such is the case here in Alaska. Maybe our blacksmith in this scene was a bit lazy, or strapped for time, and didn't strip the bark before he built his cabin. In that case, I'd still expect chunks of bark to have fallen off, and generally look less uniform. Even if the cabin was built yesterday, the trees are still hundreds, maybe thousands of years old to big that big.

Also, logs shouldn't be perfectly uniform, and there should be some chinking between the logs. A medieval dude living in the woods would probably use moss for this job. 

Also also about the cabin logs, generally the big logs go on the bottom, and they get smaller towards the top. A few reasons for building this way... look up cabin construction info or just look at more pictures of actual cabins to get a better idea.

Also, to reiterate above poster, consider "mowing the lawn" around the cabin. Likely the area immediately around the cabin is a space for activities, so there wouldn't be so much overgrowth.

Consider breaking up uniformity of roof both in color and in silhouette. 

All this isn't to say, "you must make a more realistic cabin." But if you go a little further with realistic details, which may mean spending a decent chunk of time really studying the subject matter, I think the scene will just look better even if the observer doesn't understand all the details.

Some sawed off tree trunks here and there would be a nice addition. Also a place for sawing (sawhorse) and splitting wood (big stump wiht a maul stuck in it). You simply won't find a cabin without a place for splitting wood. 

JeanLuis

Thank you both very much for your input, it is greatly appreciated it. I will begin working on the details you pointed out. 

Cheers

Alex_J

Well, I've mentioned a few things that I thought up off the top of my head (having some more experience than the lay person because I've built and lived in a cabin in the woods.)

But the real take-away is to dig deep into your subject. Taking the time to study your subject beforehand will go a long way into making a better scene. Sometimes simply looking at images may be enough, but if you've got time to watch documentaries, read articles, etc., I think it's really worthwhile. 

Check out this youtube video to get some insight into what building a cabin in the woods is like, and also living in one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYJKd0rkKss&list=PLHhsu-Vn6jZpBMVJ5Wncizf0wrCw1C0-V