Here are but to name a few, inspirational background designers that I look towards when I think of exploring this field of work. Both from personal artistic preferences to some stronger levels of nostalgia.
Stephen Nicodemus
A background painter for most of his animation career although in the past five years he has directed at Cartoon Network on a show called My Gym Partner’s a Monkey along with being a background paint supervisor for Marvel Animation. Currently he is an art director for Scooby Doo Mystery Incorporated at WB Animation.
His art really stands out to me almost purely on his understanding and use of mood lighting alone. Although the majority is dark and mysterious it really sets a ton, combined with his clever use of cinematography and camera angles to create strong imagery.
Stephen Nicodemus
A background painter for most of his animation career although in the past five years he has directed at Cartoon Network on a show called My Gym Partner’s a Monkey along with being a background paint supervisor for Marvel Animation. Currently he is an art director for Scooby Doo Mystery Incorporated at WB Animation.
His art really stands out to me almost purely on his understanding and use of mood lighting alone. Although the majority is dark and mysterious it really sets a ton, combined with his clever use of cinematography and camera angles to create strong imagery.
Arthur Loftis
Background designer and prop designer at Six Point Harness
Background designer and prop designer at Six Point Harness
Scott Wills
Finally the crop de la creme as far as background designers go for myself. Scott Wills has held a very strong staple hold over my interest in animation purely through his work on the Samurai Jack cartoon show, in prior blog posts I have talked about how background design when done right can speak much more exposition than simply verbally announcing it. Samurai Jack does just that and I think that through Scott Wills artwork they captured the idea of an alien world perfectly. I would go so far as to say that it would not have been even remotely as interesting a show if it had of not been for his work on the show.
Finally the crop de la creme as far as background designers go for myself. Scott Wills has held a very strong staple hold over my interest in animation purely through his work on the Samurai Jack cartoon show, in prior blog posts I have talked about how background design when done right can speak much more exposition than simply verbally announcing it. Samurai Jack does just that and I think that through Scott Wills artwork they captured the idea of an alien world perfectly. I would go so far as to say that it would not have been even remotely as interesting a show if it had of not been for his work on the show.