Question
Please show me how to create a Star Wars-inspired environment Edith Waters, Scotland
Answer
Bram replies
An important thing I always consider when starting a new illustration is the overall composition. It helps to make up your mind up front about where the big shapes in your image will go. Adding building structures and an Imperial shuttle to a mountain ridge can significantly change your composition, so be aware of the traps you can get caught in, and keep a close eye to how the image changes when you start introducing new shapes to your artwork.
It can save you time if you work with a 3D program such as Blender or Modo, in which you can create a backdrop of your mountain ridge and then quickly block out the big shapes of your structures in front of it. That way you have maximum control over the scale and placement of each individual part. Furthermore, it becomes quick and easy to duplicate and move parts around to build up your image. I see it like a big puzzle, and when everything falls into place I sort of feel it ‘click’.
Afterwards, I drag my renders into Photoshop, ready for painting. If you’ve set up your camera in your 3D program correctly, then the structures should fit into your mountain ridge perfectly.