[Antialias]

I'm not really sure on where I should go with this piece. I was going for a simplified sort of industrial/military setting, but I want to keep it fairly clutter free. Some things I plan on adding are reflections of the clouds in the windows, and reworking the clouds. Any comments or things I could do to make it better would be appreciated.

[Antialias]

Decided winter would give it a better look. Any input would be appreciated. Thanks

[faeklone]

I agree that the winter scene looks better. however the thing that I believe is making it hard to accept is the fact that the guard tower by the door isn't producing a cast shadow. It's nearly the same shape as the end of the wall, and as the pylon holding the gate, but it's not porducing a cast shadow. Another thing to try would be to go and tone down the shadows a bit more to make them stand out. don't be afriad to push values to the extremes. Most times it makes a picture work better. Last of all are the stacks above the guard booth. again the lack of a cast shadow comes into play, but also the fact that the stripe doesn't match the shading of the stacks themselves.

Kewl picture though, and I hope you get it so it looks perfect.
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"It's not the tools you use but how you use them that counts."

[Antialias]

Here's some of the suggestions worked in, plus some other ideas. One area I'm having trouble is how the shadow from the guard building would fall on the ground/yellow bar and possibly across the metal door. Also I'm not sure if the foot prints will add more character or if I should leave them out(I would continue them to the door or do something else).

[faeklone]

The crossbar is feeling a little too long for me. I see the guard rail at about the halfway mark of the guard shed, so there should be no way that the bar would extend that far. Also I think the shadow should actually hit about half way from where you have it, IE, cut the shadow in half, and maybe shorten the crossbar's length.

Also look at the door that the crossbar is blocking, tone down the doorframe that is on the right hand side. you have other areas in exactly the same spot, recieving the same amount of light and they're darker, make this one match. Also don't forget to match the shape of the stuff on top of the shed with the shadow on the ground or on the wall.

The footsteps are okay, but as they progress from back there to here, they slowly achieve our perspective, but the farther back they go the more out of perspective they feel.

And don't forget to give your snow the same dealing with shadows that you've given the rest of the scene. IF the road is clear, it must have been shoveled in some way, so there should be a pile of snow to either side of the road, and those would be dealing with light in the same way the rest of the picture is, except that it's a white material. You kinda deal with it beside the road, yet that's the only place where it's dealth with when it should be whereever the snow wasn't flat.
_________________
"It's not the tools you use but how you use them that counts."