Discover and read the best of Twitter Threads about #BackgroundDesign
Most recents (10)
I've designed so many grungy alleys in #BigCityGreens, it was time for something different.
Research brought me to this electrical mess strewn between buildings. I kept it up and out of the way of the ground level action of the characters.
How'd I draw this? A breakdown thread:
Research brought me to this electrical mess strewn between buildings. I kept it up and out of the way of the ground level action of the characters.
How'd I draw this? A breakdown thread:
First, here's the storyboard panel which reused part of a different alley I had once drawn.
Since this is the location of the climax of the episode, I felt the alley needed more visual tension to support the story.
Since this is the location of the climax of the episode, I felt the alley needed more visual tension to support the story.
Let's get technical: perspective.
I chose a vanishing point near where the shady guy is looking.
By shifting the vanishing point to the left of center, we feel like the camera is more with that character.
Then I built the structure of the alley from there.
I chose a vanishing point near where the shady guy is looking.
By shifting the vanishing point to the left of center, we feel like the camera is more with that character.
Then I built the structure of the alley from there.
Drawing this background reminded me of when I saw my favorite 90s grunge band live in concert in 1996.
Smashing pumpkins is classic Disney. #LegendOfSleepyHollow
When you get a chance to draw something different and wild, go all out.
Push your creative and technical boundaries.
#BigCityGreens #BackgroundDesign #DreamSequence
Push your creative and technical boundaries.
#BigCityGreens #BackgroundDesign #DreamSequence
Stairs can be tough to draw.
But by drawing them, they become easier.
That's how you take on the hard stuff.
But by drawing them, they become easier.
That's how you take on the hard stuff.
Here's some insight into how I planned this scene.
I chose my vanishing point (purple +) and constructed perspective grids from there.
Then I roughed in the numerous ground planes and stairways connecting them. This was the fun part because I could be spontaneous with design.
I chose my vanishing point (purple +) and constructed perspective grids from there.
Then I roughed in the numerous ground planes and stairways connecting them. This was the fun part because I could be spontaneous with design.
The office of the CEO.
Modern and sparse.
A few personal items on the desk.
It's all about the view, being able to look down on others.
#BackgroundDesign #BigCityGreens #Disney
Modern and sparse.
A few personal items on the desk.
It's all about the view, being able to look down on others.
#BackgroundDesign #BigCityGreens #Disney
This is more complicated than it looks.
Those aren’t just random buildings in the distance.
The shape of the skyline had to be designed around the character action within the sequence.
Those aren’t just random buildings in the distance.
The shape of the skyline had to be designed around the character action within the sequence.
Here’s the final shot with its stark high contrast lighting.
Went all out on the Santa's Village setup at Hudkin's Department Store.
A lot of that chair detail was covered up by the big man himself, but it was worth drawing to make it a special chair.
#BackgroundDesign #BigCityGreens #Disney
A lot of that chair detail was covered up by the big man himself, but it was worth drawing to make it a special chair.
#BackgroundDesign #BigCityGreens #Disney
A lot of action happens within this setup.
Everything except that North Pole sign is seen again and gets destroyed.
I only drew the pole in this scene to have a compositional filler. But again, most of it was covered up by characters. #ohwell
Everything except that North Pole sign is seen again and gets destroyed.
I only drew the pole in this scene to have a compositional filler. But again, most of it was covered up by characters. #ohwell
Here's the clip of the destruction.
How to make snow.
Step 1: Take previously drawn background of house in summer.
Step 2: Draw snow layer for winter.
Step 3: Draw even more snow for Christmas morning.
Serve with eggnog.
#BackgroundDesign #BigCityGreens #Disney #animation
Step 1: Take previously drawn background of house in summer.
Step 2: Draw snow layer for winter.
Step 3: Draw even more snow for Christmas morning.
Serve with eggnog.
#BackgroundDesign #BigCityGreens #Disney #animation
How I actually did it, is I lightened the house drawing, drew the snow on a layer over it, masked white between the layers to fill in the snow, restored the house lines to dark, and wallah! Winter in Big City.
I'm a native Chicagoan who grew up with strong winters. I also lived at over 8k feet elevation in the Colorado Rocky Mountains.
I know snow. I know how it lands, drifts, clumps, and melts.
But if I didn't. I'd do the research.
I know snow. I know how it lands, drifts, clumps, and melts.
But if I didn't. I'd do the research.
A challenging angle on Skee-Ball.
The storyboard was very rough on this one so I essentially figured out the perspective from scratch.
You can see in my blue rough the vanishing point marked as a + below the popcorn box.
#BackgroundDesign #BigCityGreens #Disney
The storyboard was very rough on this one so I essentially figured out the perspective from scratch.
You can see in my blue rough the vanishing point marked as a + below the popcorn box.
#BackgroundDesign #BigCityGreens #Disney
I put those floor mats at the front of the skee-ball as design elements to extend the machine out farther.
This clarifies things instead of the machine ending abruptly at a vertical point in the perspective.
Imagine it without the mats. You should see what I mean.
This clarifies things instead of the machine ending abruptly at a vertical point in the perspective.
Imagine it without the mats. You should see what I mean.
Those two motorcycle games. Drew it once. Copy and paste.
I don’t actually do that often because:
1) Their perspectives would differ and I can be a stickler regarding perspective.
2) I’ve been designing backgrounds since the paper era and I sometimes draw with that mindset.
I don’t actually do that often because:
1) Their perspectives would differ and I can be a stickler regarding perspective.
2) I’ve been designing backgrounds since the paper era and I sometimes draw with that mindset.
Symmetrical compositions are fun because you get to be selective with the elements that subtly break the symmetry.
Upshot of traffic on an extension bridge.
The vehicles break up the mirrored halves, yet the entire scene remains symmetrical.
#BackgroundDesign #BigCityGreens
Upshot of traffic on an extension bridge.
The vehicles break up the mirrored halves, yet the entire scene remains symmetrical.
#BackgroundDesign #BigCityGreens
Even the stars help break up the symmetry to give the scene a more natural feel.
The world isn't symmetrical. Life is full of imbalance. Thus, purely symmetrical art can feel unsettling.
Avoiding pure symmetry in a symmetrical composition helps to ground a scene in the human experience.
Avoiding pure symmetry in a symmetrical composition helps to ground a scene in the human experience.
Even when I design simple animation backgrounds, I try to make them beautiful and pleasing.
The textures of this worn wooden floor are as carefully laid out as I would the design of an entire room.
Composition matters in every shot.
#BigCityGreens #BackgroundDesign
The textures of this worn wooden floor are as carefully laid out as I would the design of an entire room.
Composition matters in every shot.
#BigCityGreens #BackgroundDesign
@DisneyTVA Times I posted a super complex background that took me days to draw, and it got less reception on social media than than these floorboards so far.
Internet, you so wacky.
Internet, you so wacky.
How to go from storyboard to final background design for TV animation.
A step-by-step thread:
A step-by-step thread:
First things first: perspective.
I take that storyboard panel with its wonky, quickly drawn angles, and I fix the perspective.
In this case, I laid down grids to define the walls and floor planes.
No vanishing points. I eye-balled this one.
I take that storyboard panel with its wonky, quickly drawn angles, and I fix the perspective.
In this case, I laid down grids to define the walls and floor planes.
No vanishing points. I eye-balled this one.
Then I roughly draw in everything using the grids as guides to put every object in perspective.
I refine composition, placing things at correct distances and giving them correct scale.
I avoid and resolve tangents.
This sometimes takes trial-and-error. That's fine.
I refine composition, placing things at correct distances and giving them correct scale.
I avoid and resolve tangents.
This sometimes takes trial-and-error. That's fine.
