Backgrounds: How to not hate them.

Backgrounds: How to not hate them.
« on: Feb 15, 2013, 09:04 AM »
Backgrounds... Most people go "wah wah wah I HATE backgrounds!!"

Well, man the f up and at least pretend to enjoy them. Eventually, you will genuinely like them. Seriously!

If you're trying to get your character approved, I can tell you that backgrounds are a HUGE deal to the approval committee. I think I've declined more people for lack of backgrounds than anything else. How will you get better at them if you never draw them, hmm?


Things to avoid:
One thing that I've noticed is that we all make the same mistakes... here are the things that if you realize you do them, you should make an effort to change!

City-scapes as grey boxes
We have ALL done this! I am definitely guilty of this.

The problem is that you lay down your perspective grid, then slap boxes on as building, and make them grey. DONE.

Yeah, some buildings are boxes, but are they all?






Don't forget things like:
Windows, window panes, doors, signs and ads, street lights, street signs, sidewalks, bushes and hedges, traffic lights, cars, shops with products in the front windows, power lines, garbage cans, dumpsters, trash cans, mail boxes, telephone poles, bricks, siding, building address numbers, alleyways, fences, gates, drainage and sewer openings, construction, posters, billboards, residential and commercial buildings, tunnels, bridges, pedestrians, graffiti, stairs, garbage ....


My house is boring and I own nothing

I like to show people this comic if they haven't read it yet for inspiration for putting stuff in the backgrounds of your comics
http://entervoid.com/index.php?action=comic%3bid=2540

Look at all the stuff! There's so much detail and cool things to look at without being horribly cluttered.

Put stuff in the backgrounds of your comics. Seriously, just think about the setting and google up some images to inspire you if you can't think of anything.
Avoid drawing a big empty room with nothing to look at.

Where are they? Coffee shop? We can add patrons, tables, art on the walls, windows, magazine rack, menu board, wooden floor, ceiling fans, employees ... just avoid making it boring!

I am standing against this solid backdrop of color. How convenient.
I know it's tedious at times, but try to avoid having absolutely nothing but color background. Sometimes it's appropriate for dramatic effect to occasionally do this, but in general you should actually draw in a background.
Even if it's simple, there are things you can do to create a simple background without avoiding drawing one at all.

For example, let's say my character is against a wall.

It's pretty easy just to do something like the left example but just having the wall as the backdrop ... but the right example shows a few simple added things to make it a little more interesting.

I slapped something behind my character. That's good, right?

The problem here is that you should be thinking of your character EXISTING IN A SPACE instead of having stuff behind them. Try to draw the environment first, THEN place your character in it.

Stop thinking of backgrounds as backdrops, and start approaching them as as ENVIRONMENT that your character is in. This might be a little strange at first, but it's going to make everything a lot nicer looking.


Things you should do

LOOK AT REFERENCE PHOTOS PLEASE
If it's for inspiration or if you're just trying to understand a certain view point ... PLEASE use this magical thing called the internet to look up some of the billions of photos available to you.

Flickr.com
deviantart.com
google.com

Just use them! Even if it's just to get ideas. Searching for certain cities works really well if you are drawing cities. Try Manhattan or Tokyo ... or "tokyo street" for different view points. You'll see things you didn't think of adding before!

LEARN PERSPECTIVE
There's a perspective thread if you'd like to brush up
http://entervoid.com/index.php?topic=10652.0


MIX IT UP
Use different "camera angles" to make your pages more diverse and interesting. Not everything has to be a head on shot.

TILT THE HORIZON




WORM'S EYE VIEW




BIRD'S EYE VIEW



PLACE CAMERA AT INTERESTING SPOTS





TL;DR
Inspire yourself by looking at interesting and great photos and comics.
Make it fun for yourself, rather than thinking of backgrounds as tedious.
Make backgrounds and environments just as important as your characters.


Re: Backgrounds: How to not hate them.
« Reply #1 on: Feb 15, 2013, 10:41 AM »
Very helpful! TY :D
\'Ello...

Re: Backgrounds: How to not hate them.
« Reply #2 on: Feb 15, 2013, 01:24 PM »
Awesome stuff! Here is the big rule of thumb I keep in mind when doing comics...

You don't need a background in every panel, most comics don't do this. But by god, even if you're maximum lazy, put at least 1 background on each page. If you want to see how hilariously bad a comic can be without backgrounds, read the manga Bleach. I seriously have no idea where the characters currently are, because I think the last 50 chapters have taken place in a white void of nothingness.

No, seriously, here is the latest chapter of Bleach. http://mangastream.com/read/bleach/39972534/1 You should all look at this comic and tell me where the hell this thing takes place. This manga alone shows you how important backgrounds are.

Now during action scenes you can definitely get away with ignoring backgrounds to an extent(lots of backgrounds will hinder the pacing of the fight itself), but again, 1 background per page minimum. Don't be Kubo Tite. The man has assistants and still doesn't draw backgrounds.
Kittens wearins mittens

Re: Backgrounds: How to not hate them.
« Reply #3 on: Feb 15, 2013, 01:40 PM »
maximum lazy

Re: Backgrounds: How to not hate them.
« Reply #4 on: Feb 15, 2013, 03:20 PM »
i love this thread!

 

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