3rd Year Design: Television vs Feature Quality BG's

In production there are very economical reasons for doing things the way they are done.  I find it can be completely frustrating when an employer has expectations of their staff to do feature quality work on a television production budget.  Simply put, just comparing backgrounds in television vs. feature, the difference is obvious.

Television needs to be done in clever, quick, appealing ways.  The technique often tends to be more graphic in nature.  Generally, more line art is used in television.

Looney Toones

Paul Bunyan

Samurai Jack

Fairly Odd Parents

Feature requires a little more time and skill. These artists are responsible for the creation of complex backgrounds, landscapes and environments. They require a high skill level in painting, composition, perspective and color.

101 Dalmations

Bambi

Beauty and the Beast

The Little Mermaid

Enchanted

The Lion King

Onto Painting.... I am loving Marco Bucci right now.  He's a hugely talented painter and although I heard a few sighs of "as if I can do that" last time I showed a tutorial from him in class, I think his methods are very simple and straight forward.  I like in this video how he breaks down his process:

Blocking in abstract shapes and values at first.  

Make sure the painting works and reads in the first 5-10 minutes.  

Working with colour temperature, cool and warm colours to create contrast - this will draw your eye