Observation Post

[schmeerlap]

We Scots have a word that ideally describes the kind of dreary, bleak, dull, damp days that we are often subjected to. Days that are devoid of light, warmth, and colour. And that word is "dreich".
But do we complain, whinge, gripe, and shimf about our weather? Do bears crap in the woods?

[masonspappy]

What's that structure up on the hill?

[Dune]

"dreich"

Which is perfect for people with less color vision. I happen to like misty greyish worlds too, as opposed to the overly colorful.

I like this one very much. The structure seems like a small shrine to celebrate Dreichness. I only think the foreground lacks perspective in the sense that you feel the grass and plants are really big. So I would say, plant a gravestone there (celtic cross?) for size reference, and you may want to put all grasses in tight patches and have the rest more like gravel interspersed with bare earth/mossy ground.
Or use DOF to blur the hill at front partly for more sense of depth and size.

[schmeerlap]

What's that structure up on the hill?

That's the eponymous  "Observation Post". To keep a lookout for sassenachs (the English) infiltrating Scotland without a passport. 

All good advice Ulco, and if I can summon the energy to make these alterations (I really am a lazy sod) I'll repost the result. DOF would certainly add to the dreichness.

[schmeerlap]

I used a Painted shader to mask the foreground for the stony ground and inverted the the same mask for the grass and wild heather. I persuaded my next door neighbour to walk down the slope to give an idea of scale (she's 5' 3"). I took a measurement across the bottom of the scene, nearest the camera (20 metres). So I think things are roughly to scale. I added the dark clouds thinking it would make the scene even gloomier, but was surprised to find a splash of sunshine. Scotland isn't so dreich after all. 
ps: I decided against using DOF as the mountain is the principal feature of the scene.

[Dune]

This totally makes sense and the result is very credible and strong! And I never thought Scotland was Dreich, we lived in Glenbuchat for almost a year, and traveled quite a bit around. What I remember most (apart from the midges) are the splendid sunspots gliding across the cloud-darkened hills. It made beautiful and dramatic photographs. Now you can just burn a hole in the sky and get your sunspot(s) without the traveling

[schmeerlap]

Thanks Ulco.
Ach those boggin' hoachin' midges. 

[mhaze]

Powerful landscape and super rocks though I'd like to see some denser grass.

[Mahnmut]

Great feeling of scale in that last version.
The observation post looks alien to me, reminds me of the caladan scenes of the new dune movie. Well, I think Caladan is just the scottish planet, so thats alright.
Best Regards,
J