Project Four: Spray on a coat of shellac

I'm going to stop here for now...

...because I'm spending too much time monkey-d%cking with the shading and losing sight of the project.  Which is to demonstrate simplicity in backgrounds.

Similar to the original I put some visual "noise" in front.  Don't ask me why.  Maybe it's better just to have a simple, clean picture.

Frankly I'm not so crazy about the translucent squares on the background hills to represent buildings.  To me they look eerily like tombstones.  So there are things I like and don't like about this Mighty B! background.

I do like how it's a ramshackle group of several buildings pushed together at odd angles.  I do like the simplicity of the background hills, basically a squiggly line with one side painted green.

I have this thing about "anatomically correct" shadows that actually aren't so correct.  Maybe they add to the picture, maybe they detract.  In any case those aren't in the original.  Probably a wise decision on the behalf of the professional backgrounders.

So let's return to our original thesis which is that effective backgrounds are simple enough that they don't distract from the action but finished enough that they add depth and congruous emotion to the cartoon.  Here's what I've learned: the background should be as much fun to look at as the cartoon characters themselves.

As for this picture we'll put it on the shelf to allow the paint to dry.  We aren't done with it yet; it shall return.  Oh yes indeed.  Stay tuned.