Oh, overlooked and much maligned! But I love good backgrounds- it's something I particularly notice when I'm reading a comic. I think they can provide as much information and atmosphere to a panel as the action in the foreground.

So I'm wonderin' what you guys think- how do you approach creating an environment for your characters? Do you use perspective, or fake it? Super-detailed, or generalized? Backgrounds in every panel, or just enough to establish the scene?

And what are some comics you like that you think have especially good backgrounds?

For me, the exemplar is Dave Gibbon's work in the Watchmen (aka: the comic we can't talk about comics without talkin' about, apparently). Although I think a lot of that was Moore's super-anal scripting. One of my favorite comics of all time, Transmetropolitan, has got lots of little details and mini-scenes going on in the backgrounds, that I think really helped establish the universe in which it was set. I could probably ramble off about two dozen more, but I wanna hear what y'all gots to say.

I'm trying to add more backgrounds to my things. just slowly building up to have as much detail as I can stand to look at the page. Establishing shots gets the most details but small shots just get some lines to tell you where the characters stand in the room.

the 2 comics that I know of that uses a lot of BG is Air Gear and Black God neither of which I read but pick up because of its attention to detail

I've been trying harder to include more backgrounds in my stuff, and it has certainly increased a lot over the past couple years.
I try to include at least 1 panel with a background in it on every page.

I do super complex BGs with perspective and accurate intricate detail... but I also do BGs that are just simple landscapes made with colour, or even just speedlines or whatever. I think it's good to be versatile and free with what you do, depending on what the scene or the vibe of the page needs.

The most important thing I think is to be ABLE to create the background you want, no matter what it is (simple, complicated, whatever)- not be restricted by your own limitations.
i.e. it's great if someone doesn't do complicated BGs because that's not right for the work or because they just don't like them. But it's not ok if the real reason is because they just can't.
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for backgrounds I love the detail and versatility in Shirrow Masumune's stuff, Hugo Platt has brilliantly clever complicated backgrounds suggested by his rough inking style in Corto Maltese... And I quite like the simplified backgrounds in Calvin and Hobbes, especially the Spaceman Spiff stuff.
-I was always flawed by the cartoony perfection of the environments in Asterix and Obelix too.

I definitely appreciate the effort people put into their backgrounds (uhhh... when they DO put in effort, that is). I enjoy drawing backgrounds, but mine tend to be pretty simplistic so I'm more forgiving of simplistic (but not half-hearted) backgrounds in general.

My favorite backgrounds come from PatrickDevine and his works (like Cricket's Creature ) since there is always something cute or clever or interesting going on behind the main action.

I gotta' admit, I hate doing backgrounds. It's the perspective that drives me nuts. It's become much easier since I went all digital. Manga Studio EX has some great perspective rulers that make lining things up literally a snap. Even so, I still find bakcgrounds a bit of a chore. But I do include at least one background on all my pages --- to establish location for the characters -- I think that's essential.

I subscribe to Wally Wood's motto" "When in doubt, black it out." Hence I've sorta' developed my style over the years to use a great deal of black in my backgrounds. :)

i hate drawing backgrounds. like literally drawing it. but i love painting them.

i don't know why.

as for examples: freak angels, dmz, the losers, and stuart immomen's works.

I don't mind doing backgrounds, I just wish I could do them better. Most of the time they're just used to establish setting.

I couldn't tell you what my favorite comics with backgrounds are.

on KFK i deliberately left backgrounds out...that didnt work as planned because i dont feel the book has the atmosphere i was going for so ill have to put more in.


as far as how i feel about backgrounds, I believe in the K.I.S.S. rule...keep it simple, stupid! Unless you are Katsuhiro Otomo doing AKIRA, you dont need to draw every single window in a skyscraper falling over. Thats not storytelling.

I have always kept in my head what will eisner said about backgrounds...you really only need one or two defining objects to set a mood. for example, If i draw a detective standing over a dead body i can throw a couch and a table with a lamp in the bg and you assume we are in the living room...thats storytelling, as opposed to me drawing out the entire goddamn room.

For studies on how to achieve atmosphere in the most minimal way, Id say 100% without a doubt look at frank Miller's Sin City and DK2.

I love detailed backgrounds! They do so much to help immerse the reader in the world of the comic and, if you also have things happening in the background, they can add a lot of extra meaning to whatever is happening in the foreground.

Of course, it's easy for me to say that because I'm not the artist on my comic. I just write what I want to be in the background and someone else has to draw it. (Luckily, they're very good at that stuff!)

I know it's not essential to have a detailed background in every panel, but I tend to believe the default position should be to put in as much background detail as you can. You should then have a specific reason for leaving the background out (when you do), rather than be looking for a reason to put one in.

Hyena H_ll
So I'm wonderin' what you guys think- how do you approach creating an environment for your characters? Do you use perspective, or fake it? Super-detailed, or generalized? Backgrounds in every panel, or just enough to establish the scene?

And what are some comics you like that you think have especially good backgrounds?

For me, the exemplar is Dave Gibbon's work in the Watchmen (aka: the comic we can't talk about comics without talkin' about, apparently). Although I think a lot of that was Moore's super-anal scripting. One of my favorite comics of all time, Transmetropolitan, has got lots of little details and mini-scenes going on in the backgrounds, that I think really helped establish the universe in which it was set. I could probably ramble off about two dozen more, but I wanna hear what y'all gots to say.

Ok, this post proves to be more difficult to write than I expected :P

I use backgrounds first to establish location, then to add to the story a little if possible and finally to not look totally lazy when I draw, heh.

My perspective is... let's say freehand. I think I drew some kind of a perspective grid only once and maybe couple more times when I used a ruler while setting up buildings in din krakatau, the rest is drawn without any measurements of any kind. I don't like treating my art as if it was a math assignment (I hate it enough when I have to measure panel sizes for a consistant panel grid if I decide to use one).

My backgrounds range from fairly detailed to abstract to barebones that just tell you that "they're still in the same location to no backgrounds at all.

Right...if you want over the top backgrounds, you need to check something by Juan Jose Ryp. this is an example (it's actually a cover for a comic he hasn't drawn but it should give you some idea aboutthe level of details he puts down on the page). He draws so far for Avatar only (thus he worked on adaptations of Alan Moore's stories Frank Miller's Robocop and Warren Ellis' Black Summer and Wolfskin currently working with Ellis on No Hero). Think Geoff Darrow level of detail, haha. Sometimes too much detail even, you can get lost in some panels.

I kinda like all sorts of approaches. Messy blotches of color and texture (Templesmith, Ashley Wood), hyperdetailed backgrounds (Ryp, Darrow, Katsuhiro Otomo), atmospheric/symbolic ones or even solid blobs of color (as long as there are some establishing shots used on each scene). Whatever's appropriate for the story :D

I'd like to be much more detailed with my backgrounds. I'm working toward it. Its mostly a time issue for me. I've certainly put a lot more emphasis on actually placing characters places though, now. I think in the past I had a tendency to call out the location with a caption, and call it good...

Well, to be honest, I'm still an amateur artist. I still have many things I have yet to learn.

My old comics (including older versions of my comic, Ryu's Krew), barely ever, and or didn't have backgrounds.
My comic strip I used to do, the reason I have this terrible, terrible name (the Hedgewolf part, mind you) never had backgrounds. I used to just totally half-ass everything, because I didn't think it was important.

I always thought characters were the most important thing. So I always just kinda skipped doing backgrounds for as long as I could.
Until I restarted my comic, yet again, to where I'm currently at. I decided that backgrounds are JUST as important as the characters, blah blah blah. So I make sure I have backgrounds in almost every panel. There are a few exceptions, in which I either have it all black, or whatever. But for the most part, I try to do a background.

I'm not any good at them, and I still need TONS of practice on them. I'm getting better with small details though. And I honestly cannot wait until I'm really good at them. :P

Nice topic, Hyena. Great potential for discussion!

I admit to really hating backgrounds. I think they are necessary, but I don't go all ultra detailed.

Just enough to establish where the characters are located.

Just one of many things I struggle to draw -- especially perspective and high or low angles. I feel a great sense of accomplishment when it turns out well, though. Many of my panels are close-ups, so you see only a wall or a couple objects, but wide-view and scene-setting panels are much more fun (and frustrating) to draw. I don't consider myself among the background proficient but I don't think I'm a background dunce (any more...) either.

In terms of other people's work, I like seeing thought go into the setting/background whether it's intricate detail or just well-composed minimalism. If the setting outshines or distracts from the story, there's a problem. It shouldn't always be in high detail, crystal clear "focus" or vibrant colors. Sometimes it's okay, but it needs the same principles of cinematography applied. Whatever your style is, it is important that I know where/when the characters are (time of day, weather, any important details) and that the setting creates the proper mood.

AKIRA easily has the best backgrounds I've ever seen in a comic. Using stark simple faces and character designs made the characters themselves easy to relate to while offering a stark contrast to work with. The highly detailed backdrop helps pull you into the city - which some argue is just as much of a character as Kaneda or Tetsuo.

Easily the best artist I've ever seen. Otomo's work is stunning, revolutionary even by today's standards, and contains enough detail to make you feel as if you're among the rubble and ash of a ruined city.

I like ICO and Shadow of Colossus backgrounds...

Backgrounds are important but I absolutely hate "mundane" backgrounds (city, room, etc). Maybe because I can't stand being in Manhattan, despite always being forced to be there or to pass through there.

I always admire the backgrounds drawn by someone who doesn't have a reference to start from (meaning it's completely original). Call me cliche for naming this, but I actually really admire Kishimoto Masashi from Naruto for his backgrounds. The town landscapes he draws look like nothing I've ever seen in my life, yet it makes you feel like it really exists.

Although I try my best to draw backgrounds as often as possible, it gets hard because they take time. I admire anyone that draws tons of backgrounds in their comics!

megan_rose
I try to include at least 1 panel with a background in it on every page.

I have heard conflicting opinions on backgrounds. the anti-bg idea is that like poetry, comics take reality to their sequential essence, and in order to do so well, one should use artistic economy. If you've established where a character is, you can skimp on the bgs for the next few panels (Art Spiegelman said something to this effect during his presentation at my school-- he used a Little Lulu strip as an example.)

Also, too many intricacies can take away from the focal point (I definitely don't subscribe to this opinion, but I've heard it.) Although I do think that sometimes artists can be so eager that they overcrowd panels until their pages are beautiful, but sadly, illegible.

I personally find backgrounds to be quite time-consuming, but backgroundless comics just look amateurish so I do what megan_rose does and make sure to have at least one nicely drawn background. I think my latest page looks kinda bad but the background in the last panel makes it good.
I personally love little details- they give such life. Especially in Watchmen-- the interactions of random people on the street were SO SIGNIFICANT even though they weren't the focal point of the panels.

When I was little, folk art like this:

was my favorite. Seeing those kind of pieces would make my eyes tear up sometimes (not anymore... heh.). I was a little weird, and I could just stare for like half an hour at those little people and houses. I had a framed print of a painting called "Festival of Friendship" that I got at the Christmas Tree Shoppe in Cape Cod (for like $4!) when I was about 7 or 8... I loved it! apparently it's not a famous piece, though... not totally unexpected. ; )

Oh, and LAX by Myxo. God damn brilliant backgrounds in that comic. Although it's another one where the setting also acts as a character.

And although Kristen hates me I've got to admit her soft backgrounds are a very good example of keeping things simple but very lively, by using a vibrant set of colors that help set a tone fluid to that of the rest of the comic.

Ozone's as well, although I'll be here all night blowing him because of his artwork. I dont think I need to elaborate on why his backgrounds rock so hard, it goes in hand with his art in general - you take one look at it and you get the point. It's awesome.

Really I think anyone who can pull off a good background is awesome, cause that shit can be very hard sometimes. But my top three on DD are probably Myxo, Ozone and Kristen, each give a good range from simple and sweet, to detailed and inspiring.

lefarce
And although Kristen hates me I've got to admit her soft backgrounds are a very good example of keeping things simple but very lively, by using a vibrant set of colors that help set a tone fluid to that of the rest of the comic.

?? I don't hate you!!!
especially not now...
ESPECIALLY NOT NOW...

you are my new best friend!!! (and you can give me credit report advice and I won't skullbie on you! *jk skullbie*)

I love backgrounds, to the point that when I do them, I think of them as another key character. I love cityscapes. I try to tap into George Perez's mind when doing them. You only have to do them once, so you might as well take your time and pack in the detail. :-)

Oh, boy... I hate drawing backgrounds, but I guess it's bcause I'm still learning how to do it. Since this is something you MUST know if you're doing a comic, I had to estabilish a "rule" for my pages: every update must have at least one panel with a background. Since I started following this "rule" I managed to get better, but there's a lot of stuff to learn.

BTW, when it comes to backgrounds, two DDers with very different styles get my attention: patrickdevine and ttyler.

ttyler
I love cityscapes. I try to tap into George Perez's mind when doing them.

Right on. And George Perez draws really cool rock backgrounds that seem alive.

I'll blow a little trumpet for Reva, I think she handles the most awesome and detailed backgrounds when it calls for it in Wyrden. Shades has some of the most awesome backgrounds, as does any work from tim. I'm a sucker for detailed backgrounds myself since when I write, say a sourcebook for an rpg...I like to put in a lot of detail.

amanda
I definitely appreciate the effort people put into their backgrounds (uhhh... when they DO put in effort, that is). I enjoy drawing backgrounds, but mine tend to be pretty simplistic so I'm more forgiving of simplistic (but not half-hearted) backgrounds in general.

My favorite backgrounds come from PatrickDevine and his works (like Cricket's Creature ) since there is always something cute or clever or interesting going on behind the main action.

You flatter me. In general I like backgrounds that have things going on but aren't too busy if that makes sense. I tend to appreciate when characters exist in a world that seems well-defined and when a comic is set in a city it seems odd when there's nothing happening in the background. That said my backgrounds are a bit more sparse and static than I'd like.
I've always been a fan of Craig Thompson's backgrounds just for how beautifully things fit together. Lately I've been on a Nate Powell kick as well, The way Nate Powell draws innocuous everyday objects with such care and gorgeous detail just gives me the impression that nothing is insignificant. I find it uplifting anyway. On DD I really like Hyena Hell's backgrounds. Maybe it's just the surreal nature of The Hub but the backgrounds are really fun, super detailed and outright bizzare. Also I appreciate the weird little details that she puts in, like Oyster Kraut etc.

I love looking at backgrounds.
I hate drawing them. I just haven't quite figured 'em out.
When I do take the time to do a background it always pays off though. Should do it more often.

I got a lot of admiration for those that do detailed backgrounds. I can think of several artists whose background work is actually way stronger than everything else. In some ways that keeps me reading if just to admire the settings. I prefer that to an artist whose work is just mediocre overall.

Probably the thing I admire the most though is those backgrounds that are really very simple but convey and setup absolutely everything the artists need. Just a few lines or colors and the atmosphere is completely set. I'm jealous of that!

Ah I hate drawing crappy backgrounds.

I love heavily atmospheric backgrounds. Comics without those tend not to draw me in as much, as after a while a lack of atmosphere begets a lack of placement and then a lack of skill (in the kinds of comics that would greatly benefit being set against backgrounds, that is).

There's a nice handful of good-looking color webcomics with such atmospheric, appropriately detailed backgrounds. <3

I hate drawing them - mostly painting them, as detailing things with lines isn't nearly as tedious, meticulous, and painful to me. (It's meticulous in a way I like.) I have a hard time making painted things look complete. That's why I made a webcomic with painted BGs - to practice. But oh, is it hard. :(

Also, too much detail in backgrounds tends to bug the hell out of me. Only in the occasional spread or when it's necessary/important should backgrounds carry so much detail. Other times only what's necessary should be drawn, or things start getting distracting.

backgrounds are a love/hate thing with me.

i LOVE all the potential jokes and hidden things i can add in them, i am just not fond of drawing them.

i haven't been using as many backgrounds in Powerjeff lately as i'd like to, but i still try to think of them as i am drawing. they are vital to immersion and establishing locale. and also good for inside jokes and sight gags. :)

I have to say that in my case, the use of CGI and 3D Modeling really simplifies the BG work in someways.

Build one could be really hard (depending on what do you have in mind), but once you got them, you can just load them on you scenario and have fun...

Of course, that brings you tons of other challenges, even if you buy a premade 3D scene, like lighting and try that nothing blocks your camera (since sometimes you couldn't notice it until you rendered the scene...), but overall, the BG work is somewhat simplier in 3D...