Aug / Sep 17 Lite Challenge: Mossford

[Straf]

I've nicked a thatch texture from the link in this thread (referred to as Redrobe's thatch) and set about some of the rooftops. I've also coloured all the trees in but I've lost the variegated effect. Maybe I can reproduce it. I'm also going to try to find some interesting texture(s) to use on the other roofs.

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There are only a few days left and there's still quite a lot to do!

[Straf]

One final update before bed.

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[Bogie]

Colors & textures coming along nice, I like the thatch roofs. It is nice to see the trees all colored in, but the variegated look was better, if you can get back to that.

[Straf]

Thanks Bogie. It's a lot of trial and error. I hope you like the trees again. I've also added a few other bits and bobs, gave the other buildings some roofs, etc.

Some labelling and then if I get the chance I think I'll try to throw in some finishing touches.

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[Straf]

It was looking a bit too white so I've added a basic parchment layer and give the plate some colour.

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[Straf]

I've been pilfering. I've been pilfering Mouse's textures I wanted to put a sort of gardeny looking thing to the houses and so I have used Mouse's city grass texture. I tried the bison one but it looked too odd. I'm not all that convinced about this - perhaps it's too contrasting with the background land texture/colour. I could play about with layer opacity a bit. Anyway I have decided I need some fields or something. I might go in and individualise the gardens with some floral colours and some hedges. This thing is turning epic now in terms of the number of layers it has!

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[Bogie]

Looks very good, almost done!

[Mouse]

What's that? You been rifling my albums, Straf?

You're more than welcome

Grass is a really difficult one to get right. That's why I have a couple of alternatives for people to try. You could try increased transparency, or mess with the colours. Another thing that might work better for you is reducing the scale of the texture. All you have to do is open the actual pattern file you created (it should be in the list of recent files), and scale it down, overwrite the pattern file, then refresh the patterns palette, and fill the layer again with the pattern at its new scale (or fill a copy of the layer, just in case it looks worse than before)

The number of layers can be reduced by using two main files - the first with the basic background layers, and the second with an exported png or jpg of the first file as a compound background layer, and its own set of foreground layers on top of that.

That way you halve the number of layers by splitting them between 2 files, and you don't lose any flexibility because you haven't merged anything down in either file. (Idea by courtesy of ChickPea).

Even though you seem to have doubts about the use of the texture(s), I think it looks great. It really gives the composition (the pattern on the page) a boost. Looking great, Straf

[Straf]

Thanks for the encouragement Bogie and Mouse sometimes when I've tried a few options and one looks better than the others there's a tendency to see it as not quite fitting. I wonder if some boundaries like hedges, fences and walls might help the gardens look like they're not just patches stuck on with duct tape

[Mouse]

Oh. Is that what you call it?

Oh dear. You are so going to laugh your socks off now. I always called it duck tape before now!!!

Quack quack ooops!

I think hedges would be a nice touch, but no need to go overboard on them. Some people have walls instead, or nothing at all - just like it is.