Jared Meyer
Veteran
Hi, I'm Jared and I suck at Photoshop.
I'd love to hear what, if anything, is working in this image but more importantly what's not. Any ideas how to make this better?
Retro scifi graphic - critiques?
- Thread starter Jared Meyer
- Start date
Hi, I'm Jared and I suck at Photoshop.
I'd love to hear what, if anything, is working in this image but more importantly what's not. Any ideas how to make this better?
Jeff Anderson
Custom Title!
Not exactly a PS genuis myself either, but I really like it. Looks cool to me. Whats it for?
Derrick_SA
Veteran
Still deciding on a name that you use a nonsense paragraph text?
looks cool though!
- Derrick
looks cool though!
- Derrick
Nathyn
Low Budget Ninja
Believe it or not the "Lorem Ipsum" is classical literature. The text is used because in it's original language it makes a great place holder because the reader will not be generally tempted to try to read it and will pass it off as, well, nonsense.
-Nate
Anhar_Miah
Veteran
Its from the treatise of ethics from a book titled "The Extremes of Good and Evil" by Cicero in 45 BC.
Gord.T
Still "Senior Member"
I like it but I'm not sure what your going for stylistic wise.
It's not really jumping out at me depth wise.
Looks pretty flat.
Ummm, maybe the texture on the ship could use a little more specular highlights (looks a little dull) and a little more detail/definition in the shadows, but that's a result of your minimal pallet choice I think.
I guess, lack of depth strikes me most.
Maybe some depth shadowing of the background might help? I don't know.
Did I mention depth?:beer:
It's not really jumping out at me depth wise.
Looks pretty flat.
Ummm, maybe the texture on the ship could use a little more specular highlights (looks a little dull) and a little more detail/definition in the shadows, but that's a result of your minimal pallet choice I think.
I guess, lack of depth strikes me most.
Maybe some depth shadowing of the background might help? I don't know.
Did I mention depth?:beer:
Jared Meyer
Veteran
Good crits everyone, thank you! Keep 'em coming.
Tried to address them in this version. Improvement or no? Little of both?
First one was more Metropolis/impressionist/contrasty, maybe a little WW2 propaganda poster-ish.
This one's softer overall, more details, more color. Closer to a 50's sci-fi poster maybe.
Tried to address them in this version. Improvement or no? Little of both?
First one was more Metropolis/impressionist/contrasty, maybe a little WW2 propaganda poster-ish.
This one's softer overall, more details, more color. Closer to a 50's sci-fi poster maybe.
ConspiracyPenguin
Nosey Penguin
The second one looks more dimensional to me. The blue coming out of the rockets is somewhat distracting to me for some reason, but that could be because I was looking very closely at every element. I like it, I think it has that classic feel you are going for.
Anhar_Miah
Veteran
maybe get rid of the light house, because it looks odd, it would make sense if the bottom half represents clouds and the top half is the open sky (ie. the stars shining).
Getting there.
edit: sorry if that sounded harsh!
Getting there.
edit: sorry if that sounded harsh!
Jared Meyer
Veteran
Anhar: Not harsh at all but I'm quite attached to the lighthouse!
Raptor: Thanks! One more version below - I tried to add a little more color to the sky near the lighthouse with a gradient like you suggested. It's subtle but maybe it's enough...?
Max: Thank you! That's exactly where I've been trying to go with this. Very cool.
Here's another one - very minor changes, maybe not noticeable at all. Backed off on the gold a little for the ship. Another gradient in the water and one to make the sky pop a little more by the lighthouse. Hopefully not a step backwards.
Raptor: Thanks! One more version below - I tried to add a little more color to the sky near the lighthouse with a gradient like you suggested. It's subtle but maybe it's enough...?
Max: Thank you! That's exactly where I've been trying to go with this. Very cool.
Here's another one - very minor changes, maybe not noticeable at all. Backed off on the gold a little for the ship. Another gradient in the water and one to make the sky pop a little more by the lighthouse. Hopefully not a step backwards.
Mark Harris
Pain in the ass
The last one looks really good. I feel like it's still a hair too "digital" looking for artwork of the time you're mimicking.
Like, check out my friend's site, where they indulge in some old soviet art:
http://www.fortytwosolutions.com/
I think leaning a hair more in the direction of a drawing would be the final tweak to make it perfect.
My 2 cents.
Like, check out my friend's site, where they indulge in some old soviet art:
http://www.fortytwosolutions.com/
I think leaning a hair more in the direction of a drawing would be the final tweak to make it perfect.
My 2 cents.
Gord.T
Still "Senior Member"
Ummm, thought I'd play around. Had a bit of a hard time getting what I wanted but killed a couple beer in the process. Could use some cloud overlays as well if we want to get nuts. I'm hungry now, must eat. Had some fun though.:beer:
(I kind of cheated. I used C4D to put the 3 lens flares (lighthouse, engine blast & red star) over the final PS output. Not real retro but, I love your pic and the old sci fi stuff. Manyanna.)
(I kind of cheated. I used C4D to put the 3 lens flares (lighthouse, engine blast & red star) over the final PS output. Not real retro but, I love your pic and the old sci fi stuff. Manyanna.)
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MattinSTL
Sound Modulator
I agree with losing the lighthouse... and I'd be tempted to do a campy "red planet" in place of the crashing surf.
If you absolutely need an element where the lighthouse was... I'd put a "rising planet or moon" in that place... or two astronauts in gear with one pointing at the ship in the foreground. (they don't need to be detailed... even "helmet heads" are good enough on silhouettes.)
If you absolutely need an element where the lighthouse was... I'd put a "rising planet or moon" in that place... or two astronauts in gear with one pointing at the ship in the foreground. (they don't need to be detailed... even "helmet heads" are good enough on silhouettes.)
J.R. Hudson
Spirit Animal
Wow
I love it ! The 2nd one is great !
I love it ! The 2nd one is great !
Jared Meyer
Veteran
Mark that's a cool site. I agree that my piece is a tad too photoshoppy. It does take away from the retro look. More judicious use of filters I guess. I've been playing with it all day and haven't found anything better yet.
Raptor, that's awesome. Not where I'm heading but it's a cool look. For better or worse I am a conservative user of flares and halos and whatnot so it's cool to see them applied. Nice work.
Matt, the lighthouse isn't totally arbitrary. I know it's not usually seen side by side with a spaceship but that's the feel I'm going for with this piece. 40's/50's sci-fi. Maybe it's a cruiser taking the family back inland for a picnic on the beach. This isn't a deep space/astronauts/O2 type of scene. Long way of saying I'm pretty happy with the elements at this point, but not 100% settled on the lighting or the filters/textures on the ship and water.
Raptor, that's awesome. Not where I'm heading but it's a cool look. For better or worse I am a conservative user of flares and halos and whatnot so it's cool to see them applied. Nice work.
Matt, the lighthouse isn't totally arbitrary. I know it's not usually seen side by side with a spaceship but that's the feel I'm going for with this piece. 40's/50's sci-fi. Maybe it's a cruiser taking the family back inland for a picnic on the beach.
This isn't a deep space/astronauts/O2 type of scene. Long way of saying I'm pretty happy with the elements at this point, but not 100% settled on the lighting or the filters/textures on the ship and water.