Background and environment

layouts
Defining background design

 Film backgrounds and layouts are more important on a 2D film since they are hard to start
to animate w/o identifying first the elements that should move and should not move.
 Here are some reminders when designing your background.
 Distance and perspective
 Focus of attention
 Silhouetted action
Distance and perspective

 Design a clear foreground, midground and distant view.

 The levels of distance and perspective view will bring great vision and depth to the
internal or external shots
Focus of attention

 Make sure that the main focus or the scene visible and in the right angle.
 This will help the audience identify the main character of the scene
Silhouetted action

 Some animators create a silhouette version of the artwork.

 This helps avoid clutter in designing the background.
 Too many objects can easily be defined in making this technique
Process of background layout

 You need to identify your objects into two types

 Objects that do not move
 Objects that move
 Ask yourself these questions when you draft a background
 Does this draft give the depth, dimension, drama, and dynamics that I am looking for in the
scene?
 Am I able to get the correct perspective and scale?
 Is this the best quality of the drawing that I can do?
 Is my character/s in correct proportion and position with the background?
Activity!

 Draw a background scene based on the given scenario below:

 Time of day: Night; Location: Graveyard
 Time of day: Noon; Location: City proper
 Time of day: Noon; Location: Abandoned House