HAPPY LAND update

lwaxana · Post by **lwaxana** » Sun Mar 07, 2010 12:00 am

Oops, I should clarify that I don't mean that blue looks bad. I think all the backgrounds posted work well. I only mean to say that for me, the purple, yellow, orange, and pink all enhance each other uncommonly well and you could throw in a couple of greens, too. Reading this against a predominantly blue background takes it in a different direction, but it still works.

Acochran_89 · Post by **Acochran_89** » Sun Mar 07, 2010 12:12 am

I liked the plain white backgrounds for the same reason as lwaxana, it makes it seem like there are no rules to the universe your characters are in. Making everything possible. However, I think there should be a background for the same thing slow said. I think the kids will need an environment that they can place the characters in and associate with. If I had to choose a background out of all of the ones you posted, I choose the second from the last. The reasoning being that it has that style and look that you've clearly made your own. It's unique and brilliant all at once. It fits the characters and the humor in your short cartoons. I can't really imagine your characters in a world with a look other than the one you've already created for them.

Mikdog · Post by **Mikdog** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 8:50 am

I'm heading more in this direction at the moment:

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Mikdog · Post by **Mikdog** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 9:39 am

Also kind of interesting:

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Mikdog · Post by **Mikdog** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 10:29 am

Made a test within AS:

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slowtiger · Post by **slowtiger** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 12:28 pm

Hm, I'm not so convinced of that style.

muffysb · Post by **muffysb** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 1:53 pm

I'm not a fan of the white backgrounds either...for some reason it seems to shout "WHITE BACKGROUND!" and take my attention away from the foreground.

Maybe it's different in action, though.

Mikdog · Post by **Mikdog** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 1:58 pm

You could be right. Sometimes stuff I think is cool now looks different in a day or two.

In any event I've created a whole bunch of bg elements in AS. I can change the colours pretty easily:

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Mikdog · Post by **Mikdog** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 3:19 pm

I've found what works the best when I put it to animation is just the barest suggestion of background - a light grey bg with a white sky.

(EDIT - maybe not. My brain's too saturated. Gonna step away from this a bit).

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Thanks for your input, it all helps.

muffysb · Post by **muffysb** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 4:03 pm

I think you've got something with the "barest hint of background" idea. The characters in the foreground are still distinctive and grab your attention, while the background provides a visible environment without being distracting.

That's my favourite so far!

Mikdog · Post by **Mikdog** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 5:33 pm

Here's what it'd look like:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RztItfE8uDA

jahnocli · Post by **jahnocli** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 5:40 pm

Loo0ks cold and distant. I prefer the two-tone blue background above; it's a nice foil for the bright characters.

Mikdog · Post by **Mikdog** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 6:50 pm

Hmm...

I went through a long process of getting the backgrounds for the Happy Land pilot sorted out, but when I use those backgrounds for these shorts it just somehow doesn't work. I'm running in to the same issues I had with the pilot. Also looking for something clean, elegant and simple.

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Mikdog · Post by **Mikdog** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 7:07 pm

Here's what I like thus far:

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or just dead simple, the detail in the grass will indicate when there's a pan/zoom so too will the clouds:

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Fiddle fiddle fiddle hard to stay away from this.

lwaxana · Post by **lwaxana** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 7:24 pm

Of your latest backgrounds, the green on green is my favorite, followed by the gray on white that you tested.

But I think your first batch of backgrounds works better because of the distant elements that echo the shapes of the characters (for consistency). And I think they actually attract less attention than the backgrounds with tall, close up, interestingly shaped elements.

I think the others are right that for kids the characters' environment is important. So setting aside my personal favorite ( #8 ), I think #3 and #4 from the first batch are the best way to provide an appealing environment that can be read subconsciously so the background doesn't distract attention from the characters.

I know I've already mentioned this, but I really like the vignetting effect on #3. The white ground and mountains do create an impression of snow. Or maybe of being in the mountains. That could be a drawback if that's not the setting you want. But #3 could easily be a winter version of #4. I also think #3 has the cool super mario brothers vibe that a lot of the backgrounds have, but it combines that with a folk art vibe. So it feels fresh to me.