Set The Action! Creating Backgrounds For Compel... Link
: Reviewers from Parka Blogs and Amazon praise the book for being "text-heavy" with well-explained examples. Experts like 2D Animation Director Brian Muelhaupt describe it as "insightful" and "cleverly written," highlighting its focus on undervalued staging techniques.
: Comprehensive coverage of 1, 2, 3, and 4-point perspective.
: Techniques for making environments reflect their inhabitants (e.g., a messy character should live in a messy home). Set the action! Creating Backgrounds for Compel...
: Some readers noted that the perspective section is surprisingly brief compared to other topics. Additionally, while it covers animation and games, there is a heavier emphasis on comic and 2D traditional art rather than high-end 3D game environment rendering. Who Is It For?
Published by Routledge/Focal Press in 2012, this 240-page book focuses on moving backgrounds beyond mere afterthoughts. Hernandez, an MFA in sequential art and a faculty member at the Art Institute of Washington, uses a practical, "conversational lecture" style to teach how settings interact with characters to drive drama. : Reviewers from Parka Blogs and Amazon praise
The book is structured into three "Acts" that take the reader from foundational concepts to advanced scene design:
: How to use specific props and art styles to enhance the narrative. Who Is It For
– Explores advanced scene construction and storytelling. Major topics include: