Art Appreciation: Anime Backgrounds
So while I was working on Past Away I needed to create a lot of background art. Since this was a motion comic, but I was creating it alone one of the main devices I wanted to use to create motion was panning and animated backgrounds, but I didn't really have experience making that sort of thing.
So I decided to do research. I'm a pretty big anime geek so I dug into my archives and studied the way the background art was created. The way I did this was by taking multiple screen captures of the backgrounds in motion then stitching them back together in Photoshop. I'd also paint out the characters if I could or if I felt it necessary.
Turns out, the resulting images were unsurprisingly mindbogglingly beautiful and at the time(several years ago now) I felt like I had to share those images, so I created a blog dedicated to it. For the most part I created this blog for my own personal reference, and to share with friends, but it ended up going a bit viral and being featured in a bunch of big name publications which I wasn't at all expecting.
It's been years since I've updated, but everything is still there, here's a sample and some inspiration for you guys.
Ao no Exorcist (Blue Exorcist) Movie: Directed by Atsushi Takahashi, Art Directed by Shinji Kimura(Tekkonkinkreet). Created by A-1 Pictures.
The great masterpiece by Hayao Miyazaki. Spirited Away. Created by Studio Ghibli.
Ghost in the Shell. Directed by Mamoru Oshii. Created by Production I.G.
From up on Poppy Hill. Directed by Gorō Miyazaki, scripted by Hayao Miyazaki and Keiko Niwa, and produced by Studio Ghibli.
Akira. Directed by Katsuhiro Otomo. Created by Tatsunoko Production, TMS Entertainment.
Metropolis is a 2001 anime film loosely based on the 1949 Metropolis manga created by the late Osamu Tezuka. The anime had an all-star production team, including renowned anime director Rintaro, Akira creator Katsuhiro Otomo as script writer, and animation by Madhouse Studios with conceptual support from Tezuka Productions.
What's your favorite anime?
Backgrounds from animes are master pieces of art. The amount of detail and atmosphere in most of them is just insane.
Incredible artworks!!! All details and the light are so amazing!
AKIRA is definitely right up there for me :> Also Ghost in The Shell and the sequel is pretty, too. Ghibli's Spirited Away, definitely oyesyes. And then the new talent, Makoto Shinkai, with background, Garden of Words * ___ *
Paprika is also very pretty and psychedelicky~
i also like Grave of the Fireflies, very sad though ; __ ; aaaaaaaah~
Yup, I captured all of these, some of my all time favorites :)
and omg midlet, you're the owner of that tumblr??? you are a gift to humanity, i say <3 i loveeeee love love that tumblr
<3
LOVE
resteems
Yes! I feel unfortunately that no artwork that I ever do myself will ever be as popular as that blog lol
whhhaaaaaaaaaat dont you say that! you draw so beautifully! and your beautiful piccars should be as loved if not more!!! <3 ur stuff, midlet! keep on keeping on <3
Definitely amazing classic backgrounds. I dig backgrounds!! A bit off topic but it sad to see that in so many today's comics (or graphic stuff) they are rather absent or way to simple. I have read people saying it is to emphase characters but I think in some cases it is lazyness and fear from perspectives, sorry if I hurt. Background are necessary to add a strong sense of place in a story. Sweating a bit on it is really worthy and adds something unforgettable to your work/world.
Still hope you can get something out from "Past away"!
Can't resist adding a few.
"Salammbô - Philippe Druillet"
"BLAME! - Tsutomu Nihei"
"Battle Angel Alita - Yukito Kishiro"
"Jean Gimenez"
wonderful!