Layout Discussion

[chickda]

Hey everyone, I am re doing my layout for next year being my 4th year in this hobby. I just wanted some input/ ideas for what I should do to make it better...?

This is 2023 Layout



New 2024 Layout - I have updated the 3D models to represent my front yard a bit more.
I will remove the smaller Mega Tree and put the strings on the house (just an idea, not sure if I will actually do this.)
I will finish the matrix and hoping it will fit where i have it.

This is what my house looks like.

 

[Johnnyboy]

Are you able to put anything on the grass? A row of mini trees and canes would work really well there.
Would able be cool to put some horizontal lines on the front wall, both at the top and at grass level.

A big prop or singing face on top of the chimney would be sweet as well! Heaps of options!

 

[chickda]

Are you able to put anything on the grass? A row of mini trees and canes would work really well there.
Would able be cool to put some horizontal lines on the front wall, both at the top and at grass level.

A big prop or singing face on top of the chimney would be sweet as well! Heaps of options!

I can put stuff on there however where the cars view it from the road, there is a hill so they won't be able to see it that easy as I have a retaining wall that kind of wraps around my front yard.

So the house sits up from the road and that's why I have everything there I suppose

 

[thewanderingpine]

Do you have a photo of your house with the lights from this year on it?

 

[chickda]

This is a screenshot

 

[Indigogyre]

So, what is the most common angle people view your show from? The picture with lights on is from your driveway I am guessing? I'm a symmetrical sort of person mostly, So, want things balanced, or at least try to. Is it possible to get a picture of the most common viewing angle? It looks like you have real trees up on the side along the retaining wall? I would not get rid of the smaller tree and just put the strips on the wall. To me it would seem to be light clutter. Just my opinion.

The real question for 2024, "What is your goal when adding more lights?" What is the motivation. (I'm going into year 4 also and I still don't know mine yet)

Is the big Megatree the center of the viewing? Mine used to be the center focal point and I moved it off to the side and cleared space behind it for more things. Maybe swap where the two MTs are and offset the smaller one to free up the house behind it to hold more props. I noticed the big MT is high off the ground which leaves room for some nice present props or something else to be in front. (I am thinking of doing the same thing where mine is.

If you swap the Megatree locations you can put the matrix on the wall and not overwhelm that space on the side of the house.

A lot of sequences like to group things in 8ths, to match the 8 scales or something. I'm learning to put things out in groups of 8. They don't have to be big things. 8 small stars, 8 candy canes, 8 different big snow flakes. 8 Spiral trees w/stars are easy and can add some extra impact without much pixel investments. 100 pixels per spiral tree and maybe 20 for the stars.

I'm starting to think of how to get the props to be more multi-dimensional. Maybe swap the roof outline with icicles and then you have a roofline and the icicles effect basically within the same space.

Those are some of my initial thoughts. I'm finding it easier to think of others layouts than my own right now.

 

[thewanderingpine]

Some shows make great use of strips on the house. There’s a show in kings park in particular. (See: https://www.tiktok.com/find/hardstyle-christmas-lights-kings-park from this year or their older videos on ACL: https://auschristmaslighting.com/locations/minh-tuan.23125/ )

how are you planning to use them?

 

[chickda]

So, what is the most common angle people view your show from? The picture with lights on is from your driveway I am guessing? I'm a symmetrical sort of person mostly, So, want things balanced, or at least try to. Is it possible to get a picture of the most common viewing angle? It looks like you have real trees up on the side along the retaining wall? I would not get rid of the smaller tree and just put the strips on the wall. To me it would seem to be light clutter. Just my opinion.

The real question for 2024, "What is your goal when adding more lights?" What is the motivation. (I'm going into year 4 also and I still don't know mine yet)

Is the big Megatree the center of the viewing? Mine used to be the center focal point and I moved it off to the side and cleared space behind it for more things. Maybe swap where the two MTs are and offset the smaller one to free up the house behind it to hold more props. I noticed the big MT is high off the ground which leaves room for some nice present props or something else to be in front. (I am thinking of doing the same thing where mine is.

If you swap the Megatree locations you can put the matrix on the wall and not overwhelm that space on the side of the house.

A lot of sequences like to group things in 8ths, to match the 8 scales or something. I'm learning to put things out in groups of 8. They don't have to be big things. 8 small stars, 8 candy canes, 8 different big snow flakes. 8 Spiral trees w/stars are easy and can add some extra impact without much pixel investments. 100 pixels per spiral tree and maybe 20 for the stars.

I'm starting to think of how to get the props to be more multi-dimensional. Maybe swap the roof outline with icicles and then you have a roofline and the icicles effect basically within the same space.

Those are some of my initial thoughts. I'm finding it easier to think of others layouts than my own right now.

I put the second smaller tree in this year because I could it second hand so it wasn't much work to get it up.
I think ill get rid of it because I have the bigger one which I think most people look at that being so big!
I don't think ill get too many new lights so that's not really my goal, but I think ill focus on house house effects more next year and if I have more lights on the house that will make it look better..? Maybe lol

Anyway the smaller tree is 16x100 @1" spacing so the strings are 2.5m each which I was thinking of putting on the house.

Icicles are an option I have thought about but still not sure about them, as stroring them is difficult.

I suppose I just thought I'd reach out and see what other people are doing