Feb 2017
31 / 41
Feb 2017
Feb 2017
mariusthered
Feb '17

all the time and as much as i dislike them i keep challenging myself. I have just been hours working on the first page of my next season. I decided to put a person in a glass cell, yes that got confusing to color very quickly , but it's looking kinda cool now smile

I use background like characters to set the scene, it's always a challenge to think of a new place in the city people haven't seen yet , after all they dont want to see people stuck in the same bedrooms and classrooms with unchanging backgrounds.

Down_the_Rabbithole
Feb '17

About 99% of the time. Whenever I don't draw a new background I mostly reuse one that I've already used. I think it makes the world feel more real when there's always stuff behind the characters.

indagold
Feb '17

I wish I could get rid of people and just draw backgrounds. At this point backgrounds are my comic itself.

AlkseeyaKC
Feb '17

I draw in backgrounds as much as I can in my comic8. Even if it's a suggestion of where they are in a head shot panel. I think it's easier for a color comic though. It bugs me when I see comics where they have pages with-out backgrounds. I call it they Abyss when I see it, became that's where I feel the characters are when I read it.

nessiefynn
Feb '17

I try to include some background for at least the majority of panels on each page for my comic,and usually have a larger, scene setting background in at least one of those panels.

Kaykeactual fraggle
Feb '17

I would say 75% of my panels have backgrounds. I enjoy drawing them and I think background details can be a good story telling tool... but they can be really time consuming.

I usually drop them in close up panels of characters talking. If most of the background is going to be covered by word bubbles, then I don't want to spend a ton of time drawing it when I could be focusing on other panels. I also like to do designs or diagrams behind characters instead of setting backgrounds sometimes if they're feeling a strong emotion or explaining something.

Waterdrain
Feb '17

Since I'm working on a 4 panel comic, 95% of the time I'm drawing the backgrounds within the comic. =u=;;; I'm actually trying to steer away from drawing to many because it can get pretty repetitive if you're drawing the same environment over and over again. So I try to do an establishing shot and then leave the backgrounds as a gradient so the viewers still know where the characters are with in the story without having the struggle of making very panel extremely detailed.(Unless the scene changes)

isabelleArne
Feb '17
genjiOtori

This is exactly the thing, if they are good people will forget about it and they will add to the general niceness of your comic, but if they are bad it will just be terrible even if your characters are good and that people will notice !
I understand why people are scared of drawing bg, especially when perspective ( the scary word ) is involved, but bg are a big part of being a comic artist and should not be ignored.

Your page is actually an excellent exemple of the use of BG :wink:

Shanny8
Feb '17

Drawing backgrounds can be a pain, but they're a necessary pain. I'll admit, I dont make every panel background laden; just enough to give the reader a sense of where the characters are at- especially during action scenes. When dealing with quieter scenes, I'll try to add a little more backgrounds in the scenery.

efdvorsky
Feb '17

I...didn't really draw backgrounds until I started Cosmic Fish1 so lemme tell ya, it was a great way of getting the practice needed. |"D (Always learning though) but this decision has honestly paid off to the point I find them calming now.

I try to draw backgrounds at least 90% of the time, even if they're repeats? (I like repeated beats for pacing purposes or close-ups)

Though, I genuinely admire the people who can do a few lines and successfully get the message across. No joke, I've been trying to incorporate that in my comic but it's been a journey.

69Michi
Feb '17

When I first started my series, I didn't do enough background and they always look awkward so I tried to avoid them. But now I'm trying to include as much background as possible. 1, it helps defines your story, 2, it looks more professional. One of the best comment from my long time reader was "I SAW DEFINED BACKGROUND" I found it both hilarious and flattering somehow.

thekinginthesun
Feb '17

I only have one comic, which is The King in the Sun.

We draw it as often as we can, when the pacing allows us to. We are a duo, and my partner is responsible for the backgrounds. Without him, our webcomic would be filled with square houses, as I contracted the cannot-stand-drawing-backgrounds disease. It's a real issue.

It can be really time consuming, though. This one took him 4 days.

Image and video hosting by TinyPic1

ahhvecadoes
Feb '17

Basically, I use them in detail to set up scenes and portray a mood, less detailed when it's character-driven or dialogue-heavy scenes, and straight up black backgrounds for really important panels that need to suck you into the character completely.

I was so afraid of backgrounds and scenery for so long, but Heart Hex has pushed me a lot to get out of that comfort zone! My story takes place in Chicago, so luckily I have a lot of references (thanks Google Maps), plus I have apartment layouts made in various programs to get shots set up.

Outside of comics.... I tend to do a lot of portraiture and floral themes, so backgrounds aren't as necessary. I'll do them for small illustrations tho.

randomladyaj
Feb '17

For me, I find myself mainly using them at the beginning of a changed scene to establish where the character is at in the world. After that it's close up or minimum background. I don't like drawing backgrounds very much but I know that it's a necessity if you don't want your reader disoriented, imo.

genjiOtori
Feb '17

Thank you hearts blush

digitalvalium1
Feb '17

Backgrounds are difficult for me, so I have to make myself insert them. I'll generally use a background to establish a scene, or add drama in perspective to a shot. Sometimes I'll use a background to depict character differences and contrast personalities. I'm not that skillful, but I'm learning. Generally, though, when it's just a bust shot, I'll do something that underlines the emotional content of the dialogue because there's not enough body for body language to underscore the layers of communication.

ConradComics
Feb '17

Short answer: Roughly 2/3 of the time.

Long answer: It depends.

I find my style is fairly balanced when it comes to establishing shots, scenes that continue from locations set up in the establishing shots and close-ups. In establishing shots, my backgrounds are 'detailed' and usually take center stage. In the 'continuing' scenes, I usually just have impressions of backgrounds; like just a door and partial doorway if the characters are interacting with an already established door, or recently went through a door, or walking towards and then away from a door etc. In close-ups, I rarely have backgrounds.

Seeing as I'm balanced between those three types, that's where I came up with the roughly 2/3. Although, I have heard discussions where the background impressions in the continuing shots don't count as true-blue backgrounds. So, your mileage may vary.

ZatchZ
Feb '17

I just use a screentone. Mostly because I'm lazy, and they're public access.