New Project! Need props, deco and hero props recommendations

massimoF

hi,

I just started a new project and I would like to get your take on what should i put into the scene to populate its many areas and sections to maximize its wow factor.

it will go into my portfolio as of next year i will start looking for a job as material/environment artist.

My scene is inspired by a work from Aleksey Serebryakov:

this is my current blockout, viewpoint has changed and i'm not going for high-down shot anymore:

scene at  the moment looks a bit empty and I thought now was the perfect time to make adjustments and add wow props!

Please also let me know if you feel like i should change or remove something.
I'm not going to get offended, please help me get better!

Thanks for your help and time!

massimoF

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massimoF

bump

dur23

An easy way to generate ideas about what to add or make, in a scene like this, is to write a story about this place. Who owns it? Who are they?What's their culture like? What do they do? How does this building serve them?

As it stands i, like many others who have glanced at this thread, have no idea what we're looking at other than a building with a dam and water wheel.

teodar23

I suggest looking at other concept art and getting the much requested info from there. And stop bumping the thread, its not that kind of a forum.

massimoF

thanks for the feedbacks!

i'm using a second reference set now and created a backstory for the place (it's a blacksmith now and I will start adding props to make it look like a proper blacksmith)

here's a little update!

dur23

Great! Keep going!

Remember to take note of as many of the possibilities as you can. That doesn't mean execute on all of them, but just noting them might lead down a path to something you really love!

Some examples off the top of my head:
where do they eat? Get there food from?
Is it family? Do they tend to garden?
Import/Export/storage of raw resources? What resources?

massimoF

edit


getting near the deadline of the project!

here's another update, i still have the last 2 weeks to make it pop.

Please let me know if i should do or add anything in particular, if there's anything at all that really stands out and need correcting.

i'm working right now on the cart/carriage on the right, shape was too basic and i want something a bit more detailed before submitting.

it started with the first 2 cameras i recently added the 3rd one to have a bit better compositing and to have the water mill on the "rule of thirds" line.

thanks so much!

please help me and let me know what you think about this project

do you think it's portfolio material?

cheerios!

massimoF

added images and comments, thanks so much!

teodar23

Looks interesting.

I would make the water a bit transparent at least at the borders.

The lighting is a bit weird like the mill is being lit from inside. Are you using LPV or something like that?

I would add a bit more ssao to the scene.

The overall scene looks a tad overexposed, dunno if its a lut that you are using or actual exposure doing this.

massimoF

thanks teodar!

thanks for the water tip, i'll work on it.

to be honest i've been struggling to match reference lighting since the beginning and for some reason i can't get it right.

i'll try and fiddle a bit with light propagation! thanks for that

no lut, just lighting.

thanks again!

massimoF

Hiya!

just finished my project!

thanks for the help.

Please let me know what you think :D

cheers! Have a great weekend!

dur23

Overall i think you did great to fill out the details all over the place.

A small note here for next time, is that your wood is a little too "CG" or perfect for me. Wood is a pain in the ass to work with IRL and is rarely straight and without creases, cracks, splits, chips, and breaks. Even with modern tools, but way more so around this worlds abilities. This would be true of all the wood too, not just the big 12x12 ones i highlights above.

I personally love asking myself questions about the smallest of details. "How" is a good starting place for the questions:

How was this wood milled and by who? and how recently? how has the weather affected it?

I personally consider these little details to be the last 5% of a project. It's the finessing part of creation and it's probably the hardest part and sometimes takes the longest (so often times in production it gets dropped in favour of deadlines, which is understandable), but for personal projects i think it's the funnest and really hones your intuition around matter (after all we are recreating matter on our computers).

massimoF

thanks Dur for your feedback!

i'll probably post some shots on artstation as is

but i'll definitely go back after next project and try to fix the beams as instructed. it will add much more detail and realism since most of the building is wood and beams.

thanks so much!