Thumbnails
Thumbnails are fast, small drawings you do in the early stages of a piece that help you quickly figure out what works and what doesn't. They're pretty fun! Composition thumbnails are ones which focus on the entire composition of a piece. Thumbnails are often the best way to figure out composition because you can see the big picture all at once, and the small size/big brush keeps you from getting distracted by detail too early.
Keep them relatively small when you work on them- don't zoom in too far. If you don't know what aspect ratio/canvas size you want to use for your piece, it's fun to explore different options in your thumbs! (ie 16:9, square vs rectangle, etc) But if you know the aspect ratio you want to use, make sure you are using the right ratio for your thumbnails from the start.
If you'd like a more thorough process you can work in stages and start with sketch thumbnails, narrow them down to do some as value thumbnails, pick a few of those and move to color, then choose one for your final.
Note: When a tessarium prompt calls for thumbnails, you are free to do whatever style of thumbnail you like unless it specifies otherwise.
Keep them relatively small when you work on them- don't zoom in too far. If you don't know what aspect ratio/canvas size you want to use for your piece, it's fun to explore different options in your thumbs! (ie 16:9, square vs rectangle, etc) But if you know the aspect ratio you want to use, make sure you are using the right ratio for your thumbnails from the start.
If you'd like a more thorough process you can work in stages and start with sketch thumbnails, narrow them down to do some as value thumbnails, pick a few of those and move to color, then choose one for your final.
Note: When a tessarium prompt calls for thumbnails, you are free to do whatever style of thumbnail you like unless it specifies otherwise.
Sketch Thumbnails
Sketch Thumbnails typically use just line, or just black & white.
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value thumbnails
Value refers to how light or dark something is. Value thumbnails use a range of greys to communicate where the lights and darks of a piece will be. Value is important to the composition because it helps guide your viewer's eye around the piece- lightest lights, darkest darks, and areas of high contrast where the two touch will draw the eye.
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Color Thumbnails
Color thumbnails are often done after/on top of value thumbnails. This is where you determine the layout of where the colors will go.
Non-Compositional thumbnails
Thumbnails are just quick working-out drawings where you don't get into detail. Thumbnails are useful for more than just compositions! Silhouette thumbs, outfit thumbs, etc.
Scenes, Composition & Doing a background
Scenes are a character shown in an environment (with a background)
Composition is the way an image is arranged, what goes where. It's all about 1.Using shapes & elements to make your viewer feel something, and 2. Guiding the Eye- where it moves & where it stops, what order it looks at things in. (using this to tell your story)
Composition is the way an image is arranged, what goes where. It's all about 1.Using shapes & elements to make your viewer feel something, and 2. Guiding the Eye- where it moves & where it stops, what order it looks at things in. (using this to tell your story)
Foreground, middleground, Background
Scenes are usually made up of a foreground, middle ground, and background. It might help to think of it like a theatrical set, or a Paper Theatre, where everything is just shapes going back in space but they look like a whole scene from the front. You can put your character in any part of the scene- ie, the middle ground, and put some plant shapes in the foreground for visual interest.
If you're unfamiliar/intimidated by the idea of drawing elements like ground planes or architecture- just think of them as big shapes! That's all you have to draw in your thumbnails, anyway.
If you're unfamiliar/intimidated by the idea of drawing elements like ground planes or architecture- just think of them as big shapes! That's all you have to draw in your thumbnails, anyway.
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A paper theatre from the side.
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A paper theatre from the front.
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Directional Lines
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Directional lines , or Leading lines, are lines that flow through your piece and lead your viewer's eye around it, ie. horizontals, verticals, diagonals. These can be actual lines, such as the lines of a fence or railroad, or they can be implied lines, like a row of trees or curve of stones or circles.
The overall direction of a piece can help set the mood.
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Variation & Balance
Vary the sizes of your element in your piece for a dynamic, interesting look- for example, if you are drawing five rocks in a group, make them all different sizes. They'll be more interesting to look at that way!
Symmetry: settled, unmoving, stoic, unified, grandiose, predictable
Asymmetry: dynamic, unease, movement,
Symmetry: settled, unmoving, stoic, unified, grandiose, predictable
Asymmetry: dynamic, unease, movement,
Viewing angles & Picture perspective
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Picture perspective is where you are placing the "camera" in your scene, or where it is being viewed from. Think about what you want to show, and how you want the viewer to feel about it.
Low angle Low angles are good for making things feel bigger and more exciting or challenging. If you're showing a giant scary snake and you want it to feel big, you could just draw a giant snake like the top image, but it's a little boring. If you change your viewing angle to be low to the ground looking up, like the second, you are putting the audience in the place of the victim- the audience will feel like they're a small thing looking up at a gigantic thing and the snake will feel even bigger and more intimidating. picture 1- huh. thats a big snake picture 2- thats an ENORMOUS snake and it's looking RIGHT DOWN AT ME!! High angle High angle is looking down at your subject from up high. This is a good way to show your character feeling small, or being small in a big world. Eve Level Eye level is the neutral perspective and good for showing stability, or two characters on equal terms with each other. |
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