Desert Tree (wip?)

[Tindy]

I have here a tree made for the desert. It's quite large (6x5, I believe), but I think I did a pretty nice job rendering it.  However....

The shadow.

I hate the shadow.

I need your help :D  What can I do to make the shadow look better?  Also, any C&C you have for the tree itself is gladly appreciated.

Spoiler

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v413/VevilaD/tree-2.png[/img]

 

[meian]

It doesn't look like the base of the tree could support the weight of the rest of the tree; like it's on the verge of constantly falling over. The base would expand out as the tree grew, for just that reason.

But it certainly does remind me of the dead mesquites around here. ;3

 

[Tindy]

Hmm...Well, I can't use a photoshop generated shadow because a)I don't have photoshop and b) it wouldn't blend with RTP.

Any experienced spriters out there?  I don't usually deal with shadows, so...

 

[Devon Jacobs]

There, I didnt do much but now it has some depth to its base.
http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll96 ... tree-2.png[/img]

 

[NoNick]

take this and color the shadow like u want it to be.
http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/3253/gfdsgdw6.png[/img]

 

[Despain]

NoNick, I understand that you're trying to help, but I'd suggest that you don't push people in the wrong direction.

 

[RavenTDA]

D: yeah dude not a good shadow. The ground is flat and it shouldn't be floating off somwhere like that.

As for the original make your tree stump longer and wider at the base. I feel like this tree should be hella taller. You might want to ditch that grainy-sandy texture going on as well. Are you trying to dither? Maybe you are over doing it. Especially in the base. the base could use more of that lighter hylight and that lightest tone could go much more contrasted so we can see it more.

As for the shadow. It's much too massed to fit the tree... as in the branches are so open and thin that shadow would never be one big whole piece like that. Try mimicking the branch pattern in the shadow.

The branches are very nice. :D I do very much like this so far.

 

[Devon Jacobs]

Is my base to thin? I should have lightened it...or maybe a lighter shadow. Its hard to tell on that bright white backround.

 

[Tindy]

Well, I took it from a photo, only made a few slight changes - I agree, the base oughta be fatter, but I don't think it should be much taller (if at all - it's already bigger than the standard RTP trees).

EDIT: How does this look?

Spoiler

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v413/VevilaD/tree-4.png[/img]

 

[k3v_man]

Well, I took it from a photo, only made a few slight changes - I agree, the base oughta be fatter, but I don't think it should be much taller (if at all - it's already bigger than the standard RTP trees).

EDIT: How does this look?

Spoiler

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v413/VevilaD/tree-4.png[/img]

i think that looks really good =]

some parts look a little bit thicker than they should but a lot better

 

[Devon Jacobs]

It still looks like a side view, you need more depth at the trunk.