KJ special: A new background - another point of view (Patreon)

KJ = Kings Journal

When I started drawing Bara and Furry artworks it took me days to draw one character. Not to mention that colouring consumed even more days. I was a beginner and I was slow. And admiring how other artists drew beautiful landscapes and sceneries didn't make it any better: I tried to imitate what they perfected within years of practice and experience.
I failed.
After a while I also figured out, that most drawing tutorials teach nothing. Talented people show what they can, but once I tried to follow the steps I realized, that important parts were missing in most tutorials (customized brushes, slow explanations, real time drawing instead of timelapse and so on).
I swear I didn't even find a single video back then, where the artist mentioned the basic settings of a file: resolution??? Unknown, they all just started.

Yet after gaining some experience myself, I understand that artists do not wish to show their cards. They work hard to improve their skills and putting all EXP into a single tutorial is neither possible nor smart. Offering people the key to imitation is unwise.
So each artist probably keeps some secrets to protect what they taught themselves.

Nowadays I consider drawing tutorials as advertizing and most artists either draw backgrounds and scenery or people.

But back the main topic. Because I need/want to draw both: scenery and people.

In the past I chose simple (gradient) colours as backgrounds and later I scaled screenshots to use them as backgrounds. Patrons who accompany me since the beggining might remember those times. 

Actually I used that method until last year. Yet there are hardly any screenshots in 4k resolution and combining them with my 2D art was not the ultimate symbiosis.
Drawing my own backgrounds was something I wanted and needed.
In some cases I drew backgrounds in the past. One of the oldest examples should be the FFXV hotel artwork.

Followed by Sebastian Roivas as a detective and a teaser for "Moon Detective".

Since this year I draw all backgrounds myself. I think that my comics forced me to overcome my fear of not drawing perfect backgrounds and to find a way how I draw them. I am no matte painting professional artist or a concept artist with tons of brilliant brushes and textures. 

To be honest I don't even want to be one anymore. My backgrounds have their own qualities and I create them with basic brushes everyone has. I kinda enjoy that "default" charme. It is grounded and fits for my cel shading art style.

At this point I would like to show some of the backgrounds I drew so far.

Do you recognize this one? It is from the size contest FFX crossover FFXV.

This is the field where Loik took good care of Vilkheim.

This is the lake where the Behemoth looks for fun. ;)

A castle ruin. Geralt and Dandelion have been there.

Goliath and a skyline.

Two cozy chambers.

Bigby's apartment.

The cozy barn, where Radogien and Loik found milk.

And the artwork you saw above: A forest covered in snow with a warm campfire and delicious soup. 

You will see this background again soon, in the Alphen, Zephyr and Bearserker artwork.

I hope you enjoyed this journal about backgrounds. My point of view has changed since I draw my own ones. Transporting emotions with a cozy chamber, barn, hot spring or whatever is more important than drawing perfect master pieces. At least for me.
I am happy with each new background.

Thank you for reading.  :)