Environment opinions!

[MrMatt]

Hello everyone at 3DTotal!
I've always come to this site to check out the amazing work that people produce and to gain inspiration from them, and I've finally got around to making a forum account!

I'm in my first year on the 3d animation/games art/vfx course course at the University of Hertfordshire, and one of my projects at the moment is to make an environment, using Maya paint effects, based on the phrase 'secret garden'...



After many changes to my design I'm at a point where I'm kind of stuck as to where to go next in regards to the focal point, and general population of the scene.
Originally I'd planned on the house being the focal point, but then added the jetty into the foreground and think it would best to concentrate on that..
I'm thinking of changing the lighting a bit and adding some lights floating in the water around the jetty.. But that's all I've got so far :/

Any opinions on these points, as well as critiques on how i could improve would be greatly appreciated, thanks!


And my first, long post... is over!!

[ServantOfTheNoise]

Well the grass looks like artificial turf and the water a bit like a toxic hazard. Break the grass up so it doesn't look so artificial. Now make advantage of lines within the building to create an interesting composition.

[MrMatt]

yeah the grass is looking pretty naff, and the water quite thick.. i'm not really clued up on water shaders, are there any tutorials or resources you could point me to?