May Entry: The Ambush Inn

[meleeguy]

Short drop shadows added, it seems too flat otherwise. The plaster needs it own layer (so it can be very short), and the chimney needs its own also (taller).

### Latest WIP ###

[alucard339]

Your inn is looking better each time, but I would add texture to the floor (a cloud layer in screen or overlay in Photoshop), so it would not look so perfect.

Unless I'm mistaken, your windows seem to float on the wall. You should cut your wall as you did for your doors, so they will be part of the wall.


And finally I would try to add a noise layer to your ground dirt so it would look more real and sandy.


Continue the great work,
Alu.

[meleeguy]

Greetings Alucard,

More astute comments - this site is like the collective Yoda of map making.

I've set the windows into the walls, which I though about doing earlier but tried the lazy way out.

You people are merciless - in a good way.

I must mull over your other comments, can you recommend an easy way to add 'sand' to a colored cloud layer? I'm afraid I have alot to learn about PS still.

This is fun.

-meleeguy

### Latest WIP ###

[meleeguy]

I make the 26th the last day for submissions - can someone confirm that?

I'm really enjoying the 'challenge' regardless of the outcome, but I want to know when I can no longer tweak my map.

[alucard339]

Hi Mel,

If I read correctly, you need a little more explanation for the PS effects.

If not, look at it any way

I've use ur post version to do the following effect:

Step 1 - a cloud effect used on the stable floor

a) Create a new layer then use the filter/render/cloud effect. Don’t' forget to select good colors.
b) To make the cloud look more contrasting, redo a filter/render/different cloud effect on the same layer
c) Try some layer style effects: I've chose pin light with a 30% opacity, so it will just add a slight effect to the ground.

Step 2 - make the inn floor more real

- chose the floor layer then either double click where the "F" will be or right click and chose the blending option. Then go on pattern overlay play with the pattern option until you find the desired effect. Same here as step 1, keep the opacity low.

[alucard339]

Hi Mel,

Step 3 - the sand effect.

a) Make a cloud layer (as above) in a new layer, and then put a filter/render/fiber effect to it. Rotate and resize the layer to fit the wind effect on the sand then play with the layer effect (I chose color dodge and 50% opacity). Just make sure that this layer is just above the ground and not the stone walk.
b) I decided to put some more gray to the stone walk to make it come out more.

Step 4 - The windows

- Here some more advise to make them look more like windows:
a) In the blue ones, I have just cut out a portion on the exterior of the inn, but they still look funny.
b) In the red ones, I cut both side of the windows to make them more real: a window is supposed to be thinner than a wall.
c) Also make sure that your windows like those in the cabins look the same: ex.: the white side all to the exterior, so you will keep a real feeling to the map and not just a cut and paste feeling.

Hope it help u a bit,

Alu.

[Midgardsormr]

Another strategy for grunging things up and/or disrupting patterns is to find a nice, contrasty grunge image and apply it to the surfaces you want to change.

Go to http://www.cgtextures.com and look up the grunge category. Find yourself some filth that looks good and save the large version. Open the grungemap you selected and play with the brightness and contrast until the areas you don't want to see are white. Place the map over the object you want to dirty up and crop it to fit. Set the mode to multiply (keeps dark areas and makes lighter areas transparent), and the grunge map will look like it's part of your floor.

The attachments below should illustrate. The floor, the grunge, the modified grunge, and the two combined: