hi! im hoping to become a storyboard artist but im not sure where to start learning... any tips? love your art btw💕
First of all I’m sure many people have taken different roads in storyboarding so there’s no RIGHT way to become a storyboard artist - these are just things that help me all the time.
REAL ADVICE: JUST START BOARDING. You can read all the books and tips in the world, but there’s no better learning tool than just going for it.
Rule number one - Have fun! If you don’t like it, its fine. One of the first boards I did was in high school as my part in a group book report just because I wanted to and it was awful, but it was fun! :)
If you’re looking for drawing tips I would say just start keeping a sketchbook and draw in the free time you have - observe from life, if you can go figure drawing that is also amazing for seeing and analyzing form. Be a sponge!
For drawing and storyboarding - the goal is to not show a series of pretty drawings, the goal is to draw well enough so your drawing skill level doesn’t restrict you from telling the stories you want to tell. Storyboarding isn’t really a drawing job, its a filmmaking job that uses drawings.
Good draftsmanship is just the tool to convey the ideas in your head, whats really going to make a good story artist is your attention to the filmmaking. Here are some quick bullet points I can think of for that sort of big “filmmaking” blanket term.
1. Characters and character relationships are key. Study screenwriting and take note of people in your life that have specific things about them that convey their unique personality! Your mom always taps her fingers on something when she’s thinking? Small things like that make characters feel real. They need to feel real to you when you’re drawing them! :)
2. Try to make your boards clear, concise and pay off whatever story you have set up. Show them to your friends and ask their opinion “Did that make sense?”.
3. Learn the language of film. What is a close-up? Whats the difference between a “pan” and a “tilt”? Why does that cut work or not work?
4. Watch movies and do film studies. Studying film is important. A lot of people will leave a movie and think “Hm. I didn’t like it.” yet not be sure how to articulate why, but they felt it. Start asking your self why.
5. Vary your shots and try different tones (esp when starting out!) Comedy, drama, action, romance etc. It not only helps you become a diverse storyteller, it also points you in the direction you like best.
6.Technical tip. Pay attention to geography in the shot, the 180 degree rule, making sure the space you’re drawing is convincing (this is where I’m trying to improve the most right now). You can draw a beautiful character, but if the space doesn’t feel right, then that’s going to distract from your storytelling. Remember to have the characters interact with the environment occasionally, it grounds any scene more!
7. LOOK UP TO THE PEOPLE storyboarding now! There’s so many incredibly talented artists working now that are literally a Google search away. Check out their blogs (Mark Kennedy’s is particularly a treasure trove of knowledge) and just stay excited! Whatever storyboarding job you aspire to whether its independent, TV or feature animation - set your bar there!
Hope that helps and good luck!
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