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[ajf]

actually i think i see the issue now

its because i'm shading it as if its 3d. gg2 is clearly 2d (if you haven't realized it yet) and has 2d-style art to accompany it (whaddya know).

i'll cut down on the shades i'm using and try to "flatten" the image.

For what it's worth, I'd prefer more, not less of these backgrounds. "Flat 3D" is quite dull for background art.

[Conan]

actually i think i see the issue now

its because i'm shading it as if its 3d. gg2 is clearly 2d (if you haven't realized it yet) and has 2d-style art to accompany it (whaddya know).

i'll cut down on the shades i'm using and try to "flatten" the image.

Could you show me how to do that once you're done? The main problem with my entry so far is that it's TOO flat.

well, um...
i took your image and improved it but i'd like to see how you can do. unless you want to make your entry a team-entry 

the trick is to imagine shadows and lighting angles. where do you want the light to come from? once you decide that, how will the form of the shape cast a shadow? what visible sides of the object won't be illuminated completely by the light?
use similar shades of colors. If you don't have paint.net I highly suggest you get that or gimp, since they have color controls that allow you to get color tones and shades.

For what it's worth, I'd prefer more, not less of these backgrounds. "Flat 3D" is quite dull for background art.

Cutting down on shades doesn't mean 3d is gone. I agree with sy; flattening it makes it fit in a lot better. I already tried cutting down the pyro's shades and it looks a hell of a lot more fitting.

either way, as i said before

i don't really like scrapping the style i have so far so i'm going to make two different pieces and then decide from there.

and yes i have a version w/o menu layer

[Conan]

Double post for updated OP.

If anyone has a picture of the original menuBG I'd like it.

oh yeah i'm not going to make two anymore its too much work for my lazy brain

[sy]

Wow, I'm beyond impressed!!!  very good
Anyways, constructive criticism and suggestions:
-spy's body looks awkwardly small compared to his head, or maybe just too thin (or maybe head is just too big)
-the multicolored thing in the spy's left hand (I'm assuming to be a sapper) isn't in GG2 so you might want to change that to a revolver
-the whole bottom right hand corner is kind of jumbled, I can't really make out anything in particular without looking hard
-spy's right arm looks like a stub.  perspective is really tough in pixel art, I usually just tend to avoid it.
-add some smoke coming from the cigarette

(click to show/hide)

Something simple like this

[notarctic]

Double post for updated OP.

If anyone has a picture of the original menuBG I'd like it.

oh yeah i'm not going to make two anymore its too much work for my lazy brain

heh which one?
https://github.com/Medo42/Gang-Garrison-2/blob/master/Source/gg2/Backgrounds/GameElements/MenuBackground1.png
https://github.com/Medo42/Gang-Garrison-2/blob/master/Source/gg2/Backgrounds/GameElements/MenuBackground2.png

[Conan]

heh which one?
https://github.com/Medo42/Gang-Garrison-2/blob/master/Source/gg2/Backgrounds/GameElements/MenuBackground1.png
https://github.com/Medo42/Gang-Garrison-2/blob/master/Source/gg2/Backgrounds/GameElements/MenuBackground2.png

I HAD A FEELING THERE WERE TWO
but i could only remember the tf2 logo group picture one

Wow, I'm beyond impressed!!!  very good
Anyways, constructive criticism and suggestions:
-spy's body looks awkwardly small compared to his head, or maybe just too thin (or maybe head is just too big) the spy has his left shoulder forward, but noted 
-the multicolored thing in the spy's left hand (I'm assuming to be a sapper) isn't in GG2 so you might want to change that to a revolver again, you're misinterpreting the color palette 
-the whole bottom right hand corner is kind of jumbled, I can't really make out anything in particular without looking hard see 2 and 4
-spy's right arm looks like a stub.  perspective is really tough in pixel art, I usually just tend to avoid it. it goes off the page but i'll add a bit of sleeve so its clear
-add some smoke coming from the cigarette Was going to do that 

[sy]

Wow, I'm beyond impressed!!!  very good
Anyways, constructive criticism and suggestions:
-spy's body looks awkwardly small compared to his head, or maybe just too thin (or maybe head is just too big) the spy has his left shoulder forward, but noted 
-the multicolored thing in the spy's left hand (I'm assuming to be a sapper) isn't in GG2 so you might want to change that to a revolver again, you're misinterpreting the color palette 
-the whole bottom right hand corner is kind of jumbled, I can't really make out anything in particular without looking hard see 2 and 4
-spy's right arm looks like a stub.  perspective is really tough in pixel art, I usually just tend to avoid it. it goes off the page but i'll add a bit of sleeve so its clear
-add some smoke coming from the cigarette Was going to do that 

I feel dumb
I usually just use the GG2 color palette, rather than making too many of my own colors

also, I think we got a little confused with left and right.  When I was talking about perspective being tough I was talking about the spies right hand which is on the left (the hand with the knife).  Ehh, hard to explain with words. 
anyways, heres something I drew a while back that demonstrates what I was trying to say about perspective

Things deeper into the picture tend to be darker, and by adding visible creases in the clothing and some dimpling, you can create a very subtle perception of depth

[notarctic]

heh which one?
https://github.com/Medo42/Gang-Garrison-2/blob/master/Source/gg2/Backgrounds/GameElements/MenuBackground1.png
https://github.com/Medo42/Gang-Garrison-2/blob/master/Source/gg2/Backgrounds/GameElements/MenuBackground2.png

I HAD A FEELING THERE WERE TWO
but i could only remember the tf2 logo group picture one

Wow, I'm beyond impressed!!!  very good
Anyways, constructive criticism and suggestions:
-spy's body looks awkwardly small compared to his head, or maybe just too thin (or maybe head is just too big) the spy has his left shoulder forward, but noted 
-the multicolored thing in the spy's left hand (I'm assuming to be a sapper) isn't in GG2 so you might want to change that to a revolver again, you're misinterpreting the color palette 
-the whole bottom right hand corner is kind of jumbled, I can't really make out anything in particular without looking hard see 2 and 4
-spy's right arm looks like a stub.  perspective is really tough in pixel art, I usually just tend to avoid it. it goes off the page but i'll add a bit of sleeve so its clear
-add some smoke coming from the cigarette Was going to do that 

lol, also you probably shouldn't ask for something out of the game, everything you need is right there in git

[Conan]

also, I think we got a little confused with left and right.  When I was talking about perspective being tough I was talking about the spies right hand which is on the left (the hand with the knife).  Ehh, hard to explain with words. i got it 
anyways, heres something I drew a while back that demonstrates what I was trying to say about perspective

Things deeper into the picture tend to be darker, and by adding visible creases in the clothing and some dimpling, you can create a very subtle perception of depth

i don't generally use dimpling because its too messy imo (always seems so with my art style, probably because I use so many shades), but I do use translucent layers to darken things as well as basic color changes.

i get what you want me to do but honestly, i think the more shades there are to this image the more difficult it will be to figure out what is going on. I generally apply perspective by using shapes and standard shading or complete-screen shading (not area shading, ie shading a whole half of the body darker). Either way, the perspective is forced so its not like you can see it any other way.

I did the reverse as well by enhancing the hue of the pyro so its clear the pyro is in front. here's the (tentative) final version.




EDIT:
sy, i meant to put the knife hand/forearm and the spy's head in the foreground. hand is above the pyro's head so its going to be illuminated.

[Nova]

Why is heavy healing medics stomach?

Also it seems way too complicated, you should try less colors.
It is nice art, but not for a menu background, but for .. well art.

[ajf]

To be honest, I liked the original best. It's simpler and I like the murky, mysterious background.

[Catman]

To be honest, I liked the original best. It's simpler and I like the murky, mysterious background.

That would just be bland and boring.

[Conan]

why does this happen with all my art 
it always gets overcomplicated and stuff

i anticipated those comments; i'll go work on cutting down the shades.

[Catman]

why does this happen with all my art 
it always gets overcomplicated and stuff

i anticipated those comments; i'll go work on cutting down the shades.

Yet my thread only has one reply. What does that mean?

[Conan]

To be honest, I liked the original best. It's simpler and I like the murky, mysterious background.

you mean the one without the medic and heavy? i get what you mean.

worked on cutting down the bg tones and emphasizing the firebug-infiltrator foreground. also simplified the smoke colors and made the cigarette stand out a bit more.
also took out the pyro's incendinary grenades because gg2 style.
going to look into using more GG2 colors, so i'll put in an update later today.

why does this happen with all my art 
it always gets overcomplicated and stuff

i anticipated those comments; i'll go work on cutting down the shades.

Yet my thread only has one reply. What does that mean?

means that your art is uncriticizable, at least the way it is now