New scape

Just a little before and after, im pretty happy with it to be fair
Also all ears to anything i could add or make better

I like "after"

imw said:

I like "after"

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Thank you, its surprising how bad the old one looks, i used to think it looked ok untill i changed it

Both look great

Not gonna lie, I thought the rocks in the "before" pic were potatoes

Galvin88 said:

Just a little before and after, im pretty happy with it to be fair
Also all ears to anything i could add or make better

Click to expand...

I do have a recommendation with the rocks... If you can, try to spread them out a bit more to make caves around the tank instead of one large one. Otherwise I like the plant layout.

I personally think the rock pile is to centralised and no real coordination with the rock markings so the rocks look placed instead of a natural look. I don't want to sound to critical but it's what my eyes first see.

Rocky998 said:

Not gonna lie, I thought the rocks in the "before" pic were potatoes

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they where big smooth rock i found in the back garden

Brighton Fan said:

I personally think the rock pile is to centralised and no real coordination with the rock markings so the rocks look placed instead of a natural look. I don't want to sound to critical but it's what my eyes first see.

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No its fine thank you, like i said im open to how to make it loom better

I think it's looks ok. But like already mentioned it is probably too central. Composition wise the simplest way to get a "pleasing' layout is to divide it into thirds horizontally and vertically. Then you want the main points of focus to be somewhere these lines meet.

It also helps to have the "lines" of the tank flow towards the point of focus. You pretty much have that bit going on well already, it just needs shifting to the right a bit.

Quick MS paint below to try and show what I mean. You want the middle of the main rock pile to be on the right hand line then keep a similar curve as you have now running down the the left. This point it in a "pleasing" space and the curve of the rocks draws your eyes to the main point of focus.



Edit: If you look at the photo in my sig that is another example of what Im talking about. I had the main point of focus on the left side 1/3rd of the way in. The second point of focus was on the right, again 1/3rd of the way in. I then had a line that leads from the minor point of focus to the main point of focus.

xxBarneyxx said:

I think it's looks ok. But like already mentioned it is probably too central. Composition wise the simplest way to get a "pleasing' layout is to divide it into thirds horizontally and vertically. Then you want the main points of focus to be somewhere these lines meet.

It also helps to have the "lines" of the tank flow towards the point of focus. You pretty much have that bit going on well already, it just needs shifting to the right a bit.

Quick MS paint below to try and show what I mean. You want the middle of the main rock pile to be on the right hand line then keep a similar curve as you have now running down the the left. This point it in a "pleasing" space and the curve of the rocks draws your eyes to the main point of focus.

View attachment 143186

Edit: If you look at the photo in my sig that is another example of what Im talking about. I had the main point of focus on the left side 1/3rd of the way in. The second point of focus was on the right, again 1/3rd of the way in. I then had a line that leads from the minor point of focus to the main point of focus.

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Thanks for the advice, i think i may need to invest in abit more rock

Galvin88 said:

Thanks for the advice, i think i may need to invest in abit more rock

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lol I actually think you will be fine with what you have. If it was me I would try and keep the layout of the hardscape you have right now but just shift it to the right. The look of it is actually really nice but because it is so central it "feels off".

xxBarneyxx said:

lol I actually think you will be fine with what you have. If it was me I would try and keep the layout of the hardscape you have right now but just shift it to the right. The look of it is actually really nice but because it is so central it "feels off".

Click to expand...

Iv basically just changed it, read your comment amd completely forgot about it be8ng central

lol. Yeah, again it doesn't look bad but the fact its right in the middle makes it "feel" wrong. There is no main point of focus which kind of makes your eye jump all over which then makes your brain go "this doesn't look 'nice'".

Because the rocks are the lightest thing in the tank that will always be the first thing people will look at. With this layout the rocks draw you right into the middle but then you have the wood sticking up on either side which pulls your focus in both directions. The wood being straight up and down is pulling the focus up and down but then there is nothing for your eyes to actually focus on so again it doesn't feel "nice" to your brain.

In the scape I drew over the wood was at an angle that draw the eye in a nice curve towards the main of point of focus, the rocks. The rocks and wood had a nice overall curve to them and actually worked really well. It was just too central. That's what I mean by having the "lines" drawing you towards the main point of focus.

Short version is. Stick the lightest/biggest bits 1/3 of the way in from the edge of the tank. Have everything else in the tank kind of pointing to or leading itself up to that point.

Edit: Sorry edited to add. Don't feel you have to do any of that either. Just wanted to try and share a few ticks I have picked up but its not the only way to do it and at the end of the day you are the one looking at it everyday so as long as you like it then its all great!

last attempt, tried to follow your suggestions, im either no good at this pr just not understanding .

Thanks for your help , i am happier with this last one tho .