Hello! I'm struggling to find resources online and I know you make background for Elf and Warrior. I don't really understand how background art is used in each panel, I think you crop certain parts to frame certain moments?... But then how much actual BG art is needed? Do you have a way to determine how much to make? I feel like making set BG is more efficient than drawing a BG for each individual panel. Do you make generic BGs then add specifics with the characters? Lol HOW IS THIS MAGIC DONE..
Well I’m not sure if there is a set way to do it, but the way I approach BG’s for E&W is a similar way Animated shows do it. I Make higher resolution sets, and move my characters around on it and crop to fit the panels.
I don't know if there is a easier way to determine how much BG you're going to need, but my method involves laying out all the comic pages first, with a vague idea in my head of the setting and set pieces I will need. Usually just a few broad sketches of shapes of objects the characters are interacting with (e.g. stairs, door ways, bookshelves, whathaveyou).
Once I have the characters layed out, inked, and colored I determine what the main staging will look like. Am I just going to need one side of this room? or will I need a view from the other angle? will they need a place to exit? Am I going to need a window placed in a certain spot that will come into play later? Am I going to be reusing this stage later? or is this for sure a one time use stage?
Once I’ve determined what I’m going to need I sketch on a much higher rez file, ink and color that, Making sure I separate all my layers for easier editing later. Because if I ever need to reuse a stage, but its a different time of day, or different lighting conditions, I can easily go in, change the sky, or add some lighting effect and it makes future work so much easier.
though another thing I recommend is always over staging. especially if you think you will be returning to that location. Because if you have a little extra room in every direction, it give you more wiggle room for future scenes on that stage.
Now I don't know if this helps, or even if i described my process well enough. Maybe If I ever have some down time in the future, I can put together something that better illustrates the way I do backgrounds and how I use them in the comic. thank you for reaching out though! Please let me know if I can be of any other help.
jacobvanloon
gummygunk
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