How do you guys build so nice I've been at this for hours and everythings UGLY

[HoneyedCupcake]

Mods in the image: Material Needs, Vies Blocks, Vanilla Varnished Planks

I've been referencing specifically doll/miniature sized houses because they work on a smaller scale than regular houses which I thought would help. And it KIND OF does???

[Brady_The]

I think the house looks pretty great. The first floor is a bit oppressive in size, overpowering the ground floor with its volume. Make the ground floor a bit taller and see how it changes the view.

[HoneyedCupcake]

4 minutes ago, Brady_The said:

I think the house looks pretty great. The first floor is a bit oppressive in size, overpowering the ground floor with its volume. Make the ground floor a bit taller and see how it changes the view.

THAT MIGHT WORK, I'll try that. I'm not very married to this bodyplan yet, I wanna just keep trying shapes until something looks both nice and feasible in survival

[LadyWYT]

Welcome to the forums(and the game)!

My first piece of advice: never get stuck in the trap of comparing your stuff to everyone else's. Oftentimes, we are own worst critics, and there's always going to be someone more skilled out there. The more important thing is to build whatever you want and enjoy the process. It doesn't always turn out how you'd like, but that is how we artists learn, no?

1 hour ago, Brady_The said:

The first floor is a bit oppressive in size, overpowering the ground floor with its volume. Make the ground floor a bit taller and see how it changes the view.

Actually, I like the ground floor as it is.  It has a rather cozy little feel to it. What throws the design off for me is the oak trim. It's not horrible, but the oak color is too similar to the daub color, meaning that the trim details don't really stand out that well while the darker colors of the roof and stones make those areas really pop. Switching the trim to the same color as the roof material would make a nicer contrast and allow those details to stand out from the daub much more easily.

[HoneyedCupcake]

24 minutes ago, LadyWYT said:

Welcome to the forums(and the game)!

My first piece of advice: never get stuck in the trap of comparing your stuff to everyone else's. Oftentimes, we are own worst critics, and there's always going to be someone more skilled out there. The more important thing is to build whatever you want and enjoy the process. It doesn't always turn out how you'd like, but that is how we artists learn, no?

Actually, I like the ground floor as it is.  It has a rather cozy little feel to it. What throws the design off for me is the oak trim. It's not horrible, but the oak color is too similar to the daub color, meaning that the trim details don't really stand out that well while the darker colors of the roof and stones make those areas really pop. Switching the trim to the same color as the roof material would make a nicer contrast and allow those details to stand out from the daub much more easily.

I MIGHT switch the trim, i went to check and unfortunately the mod (vanilla varnish) doesn't have beams available for their varnished wood, so I might switch to something similar

I also might try and build the way I do in minecraft, though i gotta keep more grounded because my main builds THERE are very big and cutesy and fantastical, and far more feasible to do in survival

I can rig up a snowman slavery chamber to get those nice white blocks, but i flinch thinking about harvesting wattle and daub

[LadyWYT]

22 minutes ago, HoneyedCupcake said:

I can rig up a snowman slavery chamber to get those nice white blocks, but i flinch thinking about harvesting wattle and daub

Quicklime can be turned into plaster blocks, which have a bright white texture similar to Minecraft's snow blocks. All you need is a source of limestone or chalk for the mass production of lime.

[Brady_The]

1 hour ago, HoneyedCupcake said:

I MIGHT switch the trim, i went to check and unfortunately the mod (vanilla varnish) doesn't have beams available for their varnished wood, so I might switch to something similar

1 hour ago, LadyWYT said:

What throws the design off for me is the oak trim.

I quite like the trim, but now that you mentioned and after another look, removing the canopy or replacing the dark with a lighter wood might already be enough of a change. As it currently stands the (porch) roof acts as a thick, dark border, minimising the size of the ground floor and making the whole issue worse by darkening the whole lower section.

Edited January 14 by Brady_The

[BlackMoonHowling]

I think your build has great bones, my one suggestion is the color palette, particularly the trim, could use some adjusting. I really like the overall shape

[Foe Hammer]

Welcome to the forums!

@LadyWYT is right on the money with not comparing yourself and your work after just starting, to the work and effort of those who have had longer to refine their skills. "There is always a bigger fish."

If you must compare to something, compare to your past self as a landmark of your progress.

What I recommend is chiseling the first floor walls back. I am a fan of the wood framed look and I knock the walls to about half thickness then frame it with support beams in a sectioned pattern, with areas that would need more structural strength I will use thicker blocks, like debarked logs.

 

This may just be my engineering side, but when building maybe give a thought to how the building would have to be built with the resources you have. Stone is strong for a foundation, but heavy and needs support, so it could be odd to have stone walls above wooden ones.

And do not be afraid to experiment and try a ton of different things. Giving yourself odd challenges can force you to think and build in a way you would not have (like choosing to build with no stone blocks, or even only stone).

Do not be discouraged, you got this!