How to Draw and Color Backgrounds plus Composition

Develop composition skills by arranging objects in a scene to establish depth, foreground and background, using overlapping and a dominant figure, with hands-on thumbnail exercises.

Arrange three provided images: a tree, a man, and another gunfighter, into various compositions to create a pleasing layout while you learn to draw and color backgrounds.

Learn how to set mood in art by choosing panel orientation and subject placement to emphasize facial expression and body language, and to balance background, framing, and narrative focus.

Explore how to evoke romance by adjusting spacing and camera proximity to set mood. Learn to arrange characters, emphasize close ups or distant views, and convey a man proposing.

Analyze David tenures' work to spot how the nine rules of composition are used, often all together in a master painting, as you complete this exercise.

Explore area in composition by choosing how much of the frame or panel your subject occupies, using proximity to reveal emotion, and size variation for storytelling.

Explore using space in panels and canvases to convey mood, from close-ups of faces to distant shots, and vary subject size and panel shapes.

Explore framing in drawing by using cropping, overlapping elements, and foreground structures to compose dynamic scenes, whether a cabin, spaceship, or landscapes, while guiding spacing and edge placement.

Explore framing your subject with thumbnail sketches in vertical and horizontal compositions, using arches, bridges, trees, or tunnels to place subjects and avoid blank canvas edges.

Apply rule 4 spacing to add variety by varying size, spacing, and white space around objects. Place subjects on access lines to enhance composition and reference the rule of thirds.

Learn to use value and color to make the center of interest pop by contrasting foreground subjects with brighter hues and duller backgrounds, guided by the rule of thirds.

Use value, color, and contrast to guide attention to the center of interest. Sketch in traditional or digital media, exploring 30% lighter vs 70% darker values.

Apply the 70/30 rule to backgrounds and composition by using 70 percent cool colors and 30 percent warm to draw center of interest. Increase contrast and vary value and texture.

Explore rule seven leading lines to guide the viewer's eye to the center of interest, using shapes, patterns, symmetry, overlapping, and background design to improve composition.

Use three objects—a tree, clouds, and water—to create leading lines that guide the viewer’s eye to the center of interest, then share thumbnail sketches for feedback.

Explore a quick overview of perspective drawing from one-point to three-point, with horizon line, vanishing points, how turning objects reveals different planes, and quick tips with SketchUp.

Practice perspective drawing by creating a simple scene in single point perspective, then tilt one object to two-point perspective, and upload an image as a comment.

Sketch the background to establish mood, world, and genre, using perspective and the rule of thirds with negative and positive space to frame characters amid holographic displays and flying vehicles.

Trace a Google Sketchup layout to build a three-point perspective city background with archways, buildings, and streets, while integrating cars, a flying vehicle, and glowing lights.

Ink backgrounds with layered workflow, using separate sketch and ink layers, color overlays and brush variations to create depth, perspective, and emphasis on foreground elements.

Lay out the values in black and white to establish depth, then build color with layers, highlights, and neon lighting reflections to heighten foreground contrast.

Apply base colors to the background with cool nighttime blues, layering lights, reflections, and contrast, including orange window highlights.

Learn to add city lights to background buildings with neon accents, glow effects, and layered techniques, using airbrush, blur, and lasso tools to create dynamic, futuristic scenery.

Master lighting the flying train and tunnel scene by layering backlighting and rim lighting, choosing orange and blue glows, and separating foreground from a dark city background.

Apply key lighting to darken foreground buildings, choose the right brush sizes, and layer secondary lights and rim lighting to separate foreground from background while enriching signs and highlights.

Paint lights and reflections on a rainy ground by layering textures, glow, and green lamps to create a wet, reflective city surface.

Color a foreground robot girl with white and bluish tones, add glowing numbers and logos, and create holographic lighting to support a moody background scene with a doorway and taxi.

Color the taxi with a yellow-orange main hue, highlighting lights beneath and glow across beams and engine details. Use layering and digital painting techniques to compose and color backgrounds.

Apply finishing touches by using a highlight layer above the ink to backlight elements, add background lighting, subtle textures, and color overlays to unify the painting with a bluish night-tone.

Design a sci-fi background as an establishing shot to world-build and guide readers through the scene. Use color, composition, and storytelling to convey mood and location in a full panel.

Learn to use Google SketchUp for backgrounds by downloading the software, building scenes with basic tools, importing objects from 3-D warehouse, and exporting ready-to-trace backgrounds.

Practice using Google SketchUp to rough out backgrounds with basic shapes, set up scenes, test lighting and perspective, then trace and add trees and bushes.

Celebrate finishing the course by applying background fundamentals—storytelling through composition and perspective—with Google Sketchup to speed sketch-to-full-color sci-fi backgrounds.