Like most learning artists, I have a problem with backgrounds. I'm slowly trying to destroy the awkward distance between background skills and myself, but it is a work in progress.
So I'm asking for help from you awesome people!
Throw some concept ideas in my general direction! Suggest a background of any kind. Once I get to it, I'll post it.
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I'm looking for thematic elements, specific locations, or color schemes. (So you could say, "I wanna see a mountain side" or you could say, "I want to see an icey place with a purple colored theme." or "do something with a depressing atmosphere" ect ect.)
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I've attached an example of what I've done recently. I enjoy playing around with colors and shapes. :>
Replies
I really like the backgrounds you've posted, really nice hues, especially those trees.
Have you checked out the book "Perspective for comic book artists" by David Chelsea?
It's a book all about how to tackle perspective, and not only does it cover pretty much everything, the whole book is done like a graphic novel, so it's very entertaining as well as instructive. I think you can get it on Amazon.
Anyway, I've found it very very useful with trying to make my backgrounds better.
As a background suggestion, can I add to Caleb Boye's suggestion of the temple? It would look cool if you did it in 2 point perspective, and added a dusty ancient israelite cityscape in the background of the background :)
For inspiration, check out this awesome scene done by Etoli on Deviantart, of Gethsemene.
Hope that inspires you!
I'm lazy. I use real backgrounds scan them in and edit them to look like drawings. (and I dont even do that well). but its a trick I took from manga comics. I think your backgrounds are WAY better than mine. btw I would like to see a backgrounds set in 60's retro. I always thought things during that time frame were cool.
My advice would be to never treat a background as an after-thought, or something just to stick behind the figure. It is an integral part of the image. Try to make it as enjoyable to render as the pose itself.
Also, I would suggest using detail selectively. The more detail you add to any object the more you pull that object into the foreground. So, a background where every element is equally detailed tends to be over-worked and a bit flat.
If an object is in the distance, let it lose some of it's detail. Sometimes the moon, for instance, is successful if it is presented as a simple circle in the sky. We may not need to see every surface detail as it will draw attention away from where we should be looking.
You may want to look at some paintings for insight. One of my favorites- Jean-Léon Gérôme- was an absolute master when it came to backgrounds. (As well as everything else.)
Here in "Solomon's Wall, Jerusalem", the wall loses most of it's fine detail as it recedes from us, and even the distant figure in white, and the building in the background have the impression of being blocked in and given just enough detail so we know what they are. (Plus, you should note this is simple one point perspective. Which goes to show you can create AMAZING images with the very basics of perspective drawing.)
I would do a Bing/Google search on him, and look at some of his work. Truly beautiful, and he simply excelled in backgrounds.
Hope that was helpful! Shalom!
I wanna see an impressionist take on the facade to Solomon's temple: idea, I believe the pomegranates on the two pillars were bronze but with a red hue like pomegranate seeds and that the gold plated doors must have been studded with precious stones to set off the bland yellow/brown that would otherwise dominate the scene.
http://www.templemount.org/templesolomon.jpg
http://wallpapers-diq.com/wallpapers/40/Ripe_Pomegranate.jpg
http://www.megalithic.co.uk/a558/a312/gallery/Middle_East/Iraq/Ur_-...
I think your backgrounds are not bad. I'm not a fan to the background either, but it's necessary in comic books. I don't have a pic for you to draw just some advice. When I draw a background I try put as much detail as I can. Even "over do it" in a way, just to make sure it looks as defined as the people I draw. Hope that helps some.