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How to improve composition in environment design.
Here we have the final shot and a storyboard panel. Let's look at how it went from one to the other.
A thread:
Here we have the final shot and a storyboard panel. Let's look at how it went from one to the other.
A thread:
My context is television animation but this applies to illustration, comics, etc. if you look at this storyboard panel as simply a rough concept regarding the environment.
It's the initial idea before the deeper thought or research but it gets the broad strokes down efficiently.
It's the initial idea before the deeper thought or research but it gets the broad strokes down efficiently.
Here's the storyboard again.
The bike is parked along the road on the side with the steps indicating the character's path to where he is now.
That's important to maintain but in this shot, the rest is mere set dressing. It's subject to improvement.
The bike is parked along the road on the side with the steps indicating the character's path to where he is now.
That's important to maintain but in this shot, the rest is mere set dressing. It's subject to improvement.
Composition is everything.
Let's rework it.
In the rough stage, I frame the character in the scene by building everything around him.
The vanishing point is behind his head to help direct the eye toward him.
Let's rework it.
In the rough stage, I frame the character in the scene by building everything around him.
The vanishing point is behind his head to help direct the eye toward him.
Specific examples of framing:
- The trailer roof supports on the left tilt above his head.
- The far trailer spans horizontally behind.
- An open yard is designed behind him (negative space).
- The car points toward him.
- The tree branch works with the angled roof supports.
- The trailer roof supports on the left tilt above his head.
- The far trailer spans horizontally behind.
- An open yard is designed behind him (negative space).
- The car points toward him.
- The tree branch works with the angled roof supports.
As I clean it up, I make sure the details also support the composition of framing the character.
- The bike angles toward him.
- The chairs, laundry machines, bucket, far left vent, etc all point to the character.
- The road is angled to be less harsh to not draw attention away.
- The bike angles toward him.
- The chairs, laundry machines, bucket, far left vent, etc all point to the character.
- The road is angled to be less harsh to not draw attention away.
In the final background design, when you're not concentrating on details and look at the whole, you can see how the composition creates a space for the character.
When all is colored and compiled, especially on a simple straight forward shot with one character in the center, it's the composition of the environment that makes this scene interesting and pleasing to view.
I often talk about designing background elements that literally point to the focus of a scene.
You can make it as obvious as you want. It's art.
But beware of doing it too much or you may lose what makes a place feel natural.
The real world doesn't point at things on purpose.
You can make it as obvious as you want. It's art.
But beware of doing it too much or you may lose what makes a place feel natural.
The real world doesn't point at things on purpose.
Other things to note about composition are depth and scale.
See how overlapping items create depth, even small things like the porch over bike wheel.
Notice how the largest items (the trailers and car) encompass the character regardless of the smaller details.
See how overlapping items create depth, even small things like the porch over bike wheel.
Notice how the largest items (the trailers and car) encompass the character regardless of the smaller details.
Also, this was a new location for the episode so I had carte blanche to create what I felt was right.
There were no established designs to hook up to.
When there are, composition choices will likely be restrained. That's fine too, just a different process, different challenges.
There were no established designs to hook up to.
When there are, composition choices will likely be restrained. That's fine too, just a different process, different challenges.
