DRAW BACKGROUNDS in 2 EASY steps: use google earth and never ALWAYS listen to ROSSDRAWS! always

[@samdoesarts]

Eye opening video, only breakdowns I've been doing so far have been mental breakdowns so I'll take note of this going forward

[@vijayk625]

I guess the BG concept artists of Inception must've gone through both xD

[@JersDraws]

I also feel ashamed right now because of my background drawing skills. Backgrounds are the life of a picture so I better start developing it!

[@Cosmic_Railgun]

Love your videos Sam!

[@Firli]

mood 🤣🤣

[@livetochange974]

@Just Me Again how does that even sound trolling to you I was honest

[@whateveryousay8510]

"Don't think you need to draw every single window. Don't be stupid!" Traditional artists: *Cries on paper*

[@Kokose]

stencils are life savers

[@WriotheslysFeetpics]

@@Kokose yup definitely

[@blackdragon796]

Me: *half smile in translucent paper* 😹

[@raioh4747]

I just comentend this before looking at the coments lol Love my pen and ink anyways

[@tahminaislam1120]

🙂

[@sigridmonsalvequiroz5249]

He cares so much about “my career” that I might end up with a portfolio even though I’m a web developer.

[@MauricioArrieta]

Ahahahahahaha a go for it. 💪🏼

[@jabir5768]

Im in engineering.. same bro

[@nopewmv3377]

DO IT

[@AliDiCarbone]

@@jabir5768 same for me. I'd love to do many things in life tho

[@clgunecrophilia8007]

im studying psychology and watching his videos makes me want to do a portfolio

[@panicclinic]

Eathan: "don't panic-DON'T PANIC Me: *screams in confused terror*

[@godfatheralexander]

please do more educational stuff on background art

[@MrBoponpa]

Especially with what shape language in a background really is; most of the time I only see shape language applied to character design, but in a background there's all sorts of different props, etc going on

[@sunshinecommentswoop4902]

How can I super like a comment🙈

[@livetochange974]

What's the point of him wasting his time when his words wont go through your head since you see this as a joke uh?

[@jackraiden6180]

Yes! More educational stuff on backgrounds, foreshortening, clothing, hands, hair, poses and pretty much Everything XD

[@user-sc9ht2tb7u]

@@livetochange974 I though u were being serious lmfaoo

[@07kamichamakarin]

I really like how Ethan teaches you not just to draw but to open your mind to learn new or continuously improved from other artists' method.

[@mellokhai]

he's not just giving us fish but teaching us how to fish v-v

[@noonebossesthegarnet2890]

His teaching method is basically “You’re stupid, I’mma tell you how to not be stupid”

[@Andrew-qs6ml]

0:49 i was drawing in school because i was bored and i tried to do that and i almost had mental breakdown

[@rufferu8426]

@@Andrew-qs6ml damn I hope your ok

[@livetochange974]

But seeing the result it seems all his efforts were for none and just boosted your egos further. More like closed your minds since you never put his words into actions hence never improving on anything

[@alestell2134]

Ethan is probably the only artist who actually gave me improving tips. He doesn't give us a way to draw, he gives us a way to learn. I think, from the moment I've started drawing, I had never heard of how important taking reference and breaking down professional art really was. Turns out, as soon as I start doing it regularly, I improve exponentially. I hope Ethan keeps videos like these up, give us more artists to reference from as well, I mean, a professional probably knows better on who to learn from than I do.

[@adroitws1367]

I think the problem is we actually didnt have much info about who to look for/ aim most of the behind the scene artist isn't well known outside the industry

[@livetochange974]

Well clearly it didnt work since the results of your efforts didnt pay off. Your art is still below average so how did you apply his teachings exactly

[@trizfetal7291]

@@livetochange974 why are you so mean dude what's ur problem ??

[@feruzaj]

@@livetochange974 wtf dude ppl develop their art differently, from different starting points and different pacing. Mind your own damn business

[@bwup5845]

@@trizfetal7291 I get the vibe they’re just trying to cause a scuffle so people check their insta and like, look hatefully I guess?

[@raniijo]

Im an aspiring artist in high school, and I was told I couldn't get far, but with your videos I feel like I can finally achieve my dreams, even a little bit. Thank you!!!!

[@ElFantasma13]

The b-hole that told you that you would not get far was scared of what you could do... Trust me. I heard the samething.

[@nidasarts981]

I want you to remember me as the person that said you will go far, cause I do believe you will go far with the right teaching

[@thyke1878]

Keep at it!

[@SlurryNoises]

Only people that are scared of being surpassed in life are those that put others down. Keep at it, we believe in ya.

[@juliesczesny90]

I began drawing, ever since I could hold a pencil. By six, I was drawing hands, thanks to my brother-in-law. Mom went to college, to be an Architect. I was quite ill as a child, so looked forward to attending college w/her, when I was sick! Vividly recall, her teacher sitting me down at my very first drafting table, with all the bells and whistles: All the 2mm clutch pencils I could wish for: the drafting machine w/arm & scales; templates; Rapidograph pen set, on & on! Between walking pneumonia, bronchitis, flu, I just drew my heart out! When I graduated HS, mom, family asked what was I going to do for a living, take in college? Replied, "Double major in writing and art, minor in acting. They have asked me, my entire life, when was I going to get serious!? I've been a professional Comic creator, my entire life, despite how I've been treated by family and alleged friends. Told I would fail, sucked, many times. Yet, I have helped found 3 comic book companies. Yes, none of that went right, but I know more than I did before. Survived by being resilient, being humble about jobs, give ghost jobs. I can honestly say, that I have made a living off my art, my entire adult life, despite people trying to drag me down. Due to two severe accidents that damaged both shoulders, I've had shoulder surgery on both. I've learned how to draw and paint two times in the past 15 years - count a third hand, as I am one of the few double-handed painters in the world! I just had to get both hands back online, no matter what it took so. I'm at the SDCC at the end of the month, and no one can ever hold me back or down, after all I've been through. Never give up, never give in! Work even harder, to reach your accomplishments, no matter what anyone says. JUST DO IT!

[@Kanoog]

I gained a new appreciation for background artist. Its strange, I feel like most people ignore how beautiful these backgrounds are because we are so use to looking at them in every animation and tend to forget how much work goes into each one.

[@jordanweston9670]

Yes i was thinking the same thing! A good background is forgotten, these background artists are the unsung heroes of the industry

[@estela5973]

absolutely!!!

[@mrsprite399]

I always notice backgrounds. It always happens automatically.

[@repeekyraidcero]

ikr ? XEBECs background work for RyuuseiNoRockman was immensly beautiful f.e. (Esp. in the Tribe season)

[@Human-hx5wc]

I always admire a nice background in animations

[@BerryKnots2858]

"Ross Tran has a bunch of things going on in his head that you don't have going on in your head" I, yeah, I do agree.

[@livetochange974]

What else do you agree with sherlock

[@BerryKnots2858]

@@livetochange974 I deduced, that I, am a fcking moron.

[@canigetawater]

@@livetochange974 that ur smelly

[@RaysonWilliams]

@@livetochange974 Omg you’re back!

[@livetochange974]

@@canigetawater I'm not trust me

[@TrueUnderDawgGaming]

He flexes so casually about working on Invincible and I respect him for it.

[@neliquemelique6077]

lol

[@Sena0069]

I don't

[@Khn_2102]

@@Sena0069 ok

[@usagihika]

@@Sena0069 and who cares

[@Sena0069]

@@usagihika same for first comment

[@shakinam-m8991]

This video for me was like asking directions to a local and getting a tour of the best places to be in town, the local gossip and where to find a map, whereas most of the time explanations feel more like being told that the place I'm going to is a left at the corner and a couple vague blocks down. I have recently taken an interest on improving my backgrounds and have been looking at as many learning videos as I can on the subject. I love your content and feel inspired to draw when I watch you, especially with videos like this. Gotta say that this has really helped and it gave me a bit of direction to start on.

[@kenshoalexander3491]

ETHAN IS COMING! EVERYONE BRACE YOUR BABY BRAIN

[@SonicDeeHedgehog]

I'd love to see Ethan come.

[@Alicapy]

Baby brain opened 👶

[@livetochange974]

@@revolvency seems you weren't educated at anything he said and learnt nothing

[@aki9059]

@@SonicDeeHedgehog huh-

[@MrBlorp-sf9ye]

*braces baby brain*

[@aurora.lis956]

i was just thinking about how terrible my backgrounds are and this descended from the heavens

[@bodhiwijn]

Yess

[@patrickkevinmelia]

literally same

[@GuiSF9]

YESSSSSSS was literally thinking that when I saw the not

[@chonoake]

Same

[@oscarramos-oz9tj]

He never misses

[@filiprank9870]

"Never always listen to ROSSDRAWS" It's like he is using a bot to generate clickbait titles.

[@wilburscoot4621]

thats ethan for ya

[@matheussanthiago9685]

he's speaking in the language of the gods

[@ivoryas1696]

Filip Rank I could see that. It seems like he's _kinda_ saying don't *_always_* listen to him. I'm really gonna try and defend though. 🤷🏾‍♂️

[@lova368]

Well you can go to ross if u wanna learn color, he got a very nice color layout, everything is harmonious and pretty

[@wm2922]

Dude, this is probably one of the most effective yt drawing lessons I've come across. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge with us.

[@tayabawaseem6522]

Therapist: There is no such thing as calm Ethan. Calm Ethan:

[@shinthantko5954]

69th

[@horimika924]

@@shinthantko5954 wut?

[@Thegoldenringsyt]

????

[@tayabawaseem6522]

@@horimika924 they were the 69th person to like... 69 is a symbol of sorts you shalth hopefully never know-

[@horimika924]

Oh

[@joerivera6334]

I'm 34, have a kid on the way, and I'm trying to learn how to draw so I can illustrate books and make comics with my kid in a few years. I've spent A LOT of time on your channel over the last few weeks, and I'll probably spend a lot more on it from here. You're an excellent teacher and I appreciate your approach. Just wanted to say thanks for running this channel, it means a lot that you offer so much, even though you're clearly a busy dude with a ton of experience :)

[@pinkkam]

congrats on your kid, man!

[@joerivera6334]

@@pinkkam Thank you!

[@joerivera6334]

@anya aliffa Thanks, I appreciate that :)

[@samanthajeffers9339]

That is so so sweet! Also, congratulations! You must be so excited

[@zondwhomlovesjesus8444]

May God bless you and your child!

[@liviasurjadi6705]

Ethan is just a really aggressive cinnamon roll

[@celestialcressy]

that's an art prompt thanks

[@oaktree184]

I thought we left the cinnamon roll thing in 2018-

[@TheRatKing647]

@@oaktree184 no, the cinnamon roll phrase will be with us to guide our hearts till the end of humanity

[@oaktree184]

@@TheRatKing647 oh jesus fucking christ......

[@chichung941]

I can't help but think of the really old Angry Little Cinnamon Bun animation from the same folks who made Dr. Tran.

[@markrobinson6916]

An understanding of perspective was hands-down the most important art concept I ever learned. It has served as a great foundation in my meandering career of over 40 years, working as a graphic artist, illustrator, designer and art director. My introduction was a little book my Dad gave me when I was 9 back in the '60s. "Learn to Draw" and old school Jon Gnagy book with a simple lesson on drawing a covered bridge, and another on railroad tracks and telephone poles receding in one point perspective. That basic understanding fixed in my mind got me started. Later on I learned 2 and 3 point perspective and applied it to drawing everything from cars to buildings to technical concepts. Absolutely invaluable.

[@electricpeo]

This was crazy useful

[@esutaa-]

oOh CIAO PEO ᕕ( ᐛ ) ᕗ

[@epipani2718]

same

[@geremiagalaxy8182]

Ciao peo bello trovarsi qui

[@matildeyamamoto9363]

Ma ciao

[@mamamialezatos3912]

1000th like

[@justagirlchillinghere38]

Ethan's content : 100% educational 100% *BREAK DOWN*

[@zytotempol8154]

🤣

[@valhatan3907]

Thats why i Love his channel lol

[@-book]

when rossdraws said “close your eyes and imagine it” I just started laughing hysterically if I knew how to make a nice looking scene in my mind and was able to draw it out I wouldn’t be here lolll

[@AwesomeNumber5]

I am terrible at drawing backgrounds and this is exactly what I needed. None of the videos I've seen before, ever broke it down as much as you did. Thank you for this.

[@EthanBecker70]

give me an alt title and thumbnail idea!

[@mbcchoudhari885]

I dont know

[@Cosmiiiinn]

Never use imagination for drawing backgrounds!

[@thecritter519]

Make it as concerning as possible

[@ginam1659]

your face as the Teletubbies sun 😊

[@izzard3756]

Draw backgrounds not like rossdraws.

[@connect2reality]

Ethan: "Do you want me to do more characters, more backgrounds, more artist tear-downs?" Me: "Yes."

[@juanferrer1109]

remember kids, if you ever get caught in a sticky situation, don't picnic.

[@safabekr]

you will attract ants

[@soliipsiism]

DONT. picnic

[@serenity_peace76]

thank you.

[@Icekia1]

But i just finished making my sandwiches :(

[@shurified]

But.. How about my food in my picnic baskets?!

[@SSJ9K1]

Excellent advice. Thanks!

[@Zoro-go1mc]

he's the 🐐

[@Love2DrawManga]

This is extremely helpful! I'd love to see more stuff like this! =D

[@ImaginaMoonie]

Hello

[@nopewmv3377]

Your channel is nice

[@AngelaMerici12]

Hello! ✌️ ☺️

[@new._et]

**gasp** ‘-‘ OMG YOU’RE HERE- probs ain’t gonna respond, but hi-

[@turquoiseninju7]

Love2DrawManga! I know that I could say this on any video that you made, but I just want to say, thank you, because you're the one who helped me find my artstyle and actually start to draw.

[@Polkn]

I've learned a lot from this!

[@goofy_mf45]

when's part 3 of ruv vs bf anime coming out?

[@zytotempol8154]

🤣!!!

[@altzu2931]

Hi idol

[@evaaaxsheep]

I love your animations! ❤️

[@speconeo1787]

The “You don’t have excuses” and “You can learn everything from he internet” really motivated me, thank you Ethan

[@Real_MisterSir]

An extra note on creating scenes like this, especially ambient backdrop scenes, is to consider weight of objects - or in other words, how much physical space do they occupy relative to what the focus is on. At 16:41 for example, we see the major rooftop structure on the left takes up more or less half of the image space - which ends up commanding a lot of focus even though its relevance for the scene itself is actually minimal considering within the context of this image, it is just another building just like all the others. So a general rule of thumb is, that if any single object/area takes up proportionally much more screen space than all other objects present, then that large object should ideally hold unique value to the scene you're creating. What I would do in a case like this, would be to perhaps turn the rooftop into a roof-bar area with people and atmosphere, so that the focus is on that building being a specific location that helps emphasize the general vibe of the city more so than all the other buildings do. It could also emphasize that this building in particular perhaps is a special location within the game or the story, and something that stands out from all the other high-rise buildings. But in a case like this, where the caped hero is put in to lock our focus, the building on the left just ends up drowning the image and kind of suffocates the important center of attention by robbing its space. Ideally, with this scene construction in mind, the main focus would naturally be the caped hero. Secondly, the caped hero is focused in a direction, and whatever his gaze is focused on should naturally hold the second priority too - so it would make sense to position the character on the left side of the image, rather than the right side - so that we are able to see more of what his gaze overlooks, and allows us to see more of what he sees. This is a helpful tool when placing in characters in your scene, to always consider how they're standing and where their gaze is pointing at - and then draw whatever is in their vision into focus so the viewer naturally feels more associative with the character in focus. Otherwise, that character quickly turns into a sort of bystander instead, which may not always be what you want to portray. Practical rule to keep in mind for this: If your character is looking to the right, then they should be positioned on the left side of the image - and vice versa. Of course exceptions exist, this is just a base rule that is easy to follow.

[@gigglegal1988]

I love the way ethan teaches. I have always had difficulty finding teachers that make me understand things in such a step by step way and these videos help me understand things in a unique way that just makes so much sense

[@nicetrayyy]

This so much!! I get him so much more than other people, and he makes it much more real and in order. Get reference. get style. do. His chaotic good nature is also a true blessing for artists imo, super relatable 🥺

[@riemhostal7536]

I agree, I was always a very talented artist. My skill level was always further along than most others my age and yet I failed every single art class from kindergarten past high school. Every teacher I've ever knew always explained drawing the same way "You just have to FEEL it" or "Just trace over my art then do it yourself". No real instruction and so much criticism when I didn't do it EXACTLY the way my teachers wanted. I think it's foolish to believe that just because someone is good at art they'd know how to teach others. Ethan, though, is a real teacher who can communicate as well as spot solutions.

[@zytotempol8154]

@@nicetrayyy You need help.. because you just spreading an opinion

[@zytotempol8154]

Nope. That's your opinion. It's not different.

[@zytotempol8154]

@@riemhostal7536 Well, your opinion about Ethan and you are obviously not Talented if you listen to people that knows nothing about art.

[@RealXD]

Ethan is not only an artist, he's the type of artist that can knock you in the head and still bring you up. His insults are actually inspiring. I laugh in disgust everytime. Makes me more conscious and snap back to being disciplined.

[@pillowedhead4489]

totally agreed, ethan is the best art teacher imo

[@nawfal5529]

oh damn i couldn't agree more with you, the best art teachee i've ever found

[@livetochange974]

@@pillowedhead4489 then you really haven't seen enough since this world is pretty damn vast with many unique and smart people with k knowledge unlike you

[@LZJunior]

Snap Back to Reality♪♫

[@pillowedhead4489]

@@livetochange974 yes X)) I only discovered ethan and sycra for now and they're the best! I still want to discover more but having ethan and sycra is a pretty good start already (imo ofc) X)))

[@samuelbrock]

"You gotta understand the meat of the cake" -Egyptian Monk

[@danasa4994]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@awwal218]

i really enjoy how down to earth your teaching style is. i actually learn best from a more ""aggressive"" approach- it makes me realize i have a lot to learn and makes me want to work hard! i appreciate that you teach from the perspective of someone wanting to enter an artistic career (i want to be a concept artist). your videos teach me a lot of things that help me feel more prepared to enter into the world of professional art.

[@majdalamri6144]

Now this is a great one, we see most of the artist talk about character design, breaking human bodies, but not so much artists talk about what is one of the most important things, BGs !, specialy in a very clear, helpful and educated way of explaining, thank you so much

[@inklingofevil]

Ikr? People don't break down backgrounds as often, and my BG art skills pretty much stagnated compared to my character design skills.

[@daftcruz]

This is because it's very difficult to teach about how to draw backgrounds in a clear way, and also because people are more interest in drawing characters. So you'll mostly find that kind of content in courses (which make me appreciate this video more BTW). Still, you can find some good sources here in KZbin. Feng Zhu talks about this extensively in his channel, Noah Bradley also makes a lot of good videos about it (though mostly about landscapes), Tyler Edling make some ones about Environment Design. You just have to search more.

[@elly.a4153]

Well, it's more of a draftsman thing, You can't simp for buildings lol. Follow architecture firms maybe? they'd probably be talking all about buildings and landscapes.

[@jaysh0on]

Ethan: Always draw with straight lines Rick and Morty: Never draw with straight lines

[@laurenaspreyart]

They do say the rules are made to be broken :)

[@Dani_el_Duck]

Sometimes they are just jiggly straight lines

[@defenestration8367]

@@Dani_el_Duck yep they are still straight lines just wobbly

[@antheajohnson4234]

you have to learn to draw with straight lines before you learn to go without them. To put it simply: learn the rules before you break them.

[@daftcruz]

@@antheajohnson4234 well I disagree with this. You should learn to draw C, S, I (AKA straight) lines. The people who drew Rick and Morty probably learned all of these lines before breaking the rules, not only the straight ones. Even Andy Cung, who is a teacher at "Rad How to School" (where Ethan teaches as well), seems to use a lot of curved lines in his lessons: twitter.com/Andy_B_Cung/status/1334278313359994881 Though to be fair, doing I/straight lines indeed is better for beginners, since it gives more certainty or clarity to the drawings. It is also much more accurate to maintain proportions and perspective when drawing backgrounds, which Ethan is teaching in the video.

[@elvingearmasterirma7241]

"Envision the scene" Ross I have Aphantasia. I literally cannot see images in my head. Its a void.

[@eden7868]

Exactly 😭

[@haveaniceday2022]

jep... me too

[@iamcherryyybomb]

Me too! I love drawing, I love looking at phantastical landscapes and cities, I love just walking through games admiring the level design - but I just CAN NOT imagine a background like that in my head. There is a vague feeling in my imagination I want to convey, but it never worked with drawing. At first Aphantasia felt so wrong for what I was experiencing, because I always felt like I have a very vivid imagination and got told to not space out and get lost in my dreamlands. But those dreamlands just never were images. Then again, I am a fiction writer and one thing I noticed is that I am able to WRITE about rooms and landscapes and cities in a way that feels very real and teleports my readers there. And I am pretty sure it is exactly because of Aphantasia and that I dont have a clear picture in my head like "theres a bed with many pillows in green and a window with a cluttered desk" but rather a feeling for the atmosphere that I can convey. I still draw because I love it, but I use my need for creativity and imagination for writing. Long story short: What might feels like an inability or flaw can be a strength in another context. I am sure you are here because you want to be creative, and never stop drawing when you like it - but you could try to branch out with your creativity and maybe find something that really satisfies you. :)

[@elvingearmasterirma7241]

@@iamcherryyybomb I painted my profile picture. I do struggle with stylisation, so I mainly stick to semi realism/realism. References are my lifeblood. And I write on the side.

[@SirusStarTV]

Only when i sleep the imagination explodes

[@SpyroTheGerudo]

This has been my weakness for years. No matter how far I get, if I can't learn perspective, I shall forever be a beginner. With your inspiration, I bit the bullet and got Photoshop for the perspective grid tool, and now I'm practicing this. I hope to find you again wherever you from here so I can tell you how it goes!

[@elisstrations8886]

Ross: "don't draw every single strand of hair" Ethan: "don't draw every single window" Idk why, I just found the similarities amusing 😆😆

[@homosmexuale]

I feel like the "don't draw every..." mentality is like the core of working in the animation industry

[@sparklingmomo2721]

@@homosmexualeexactly, details do not equal quality

[@Dan_Kanerva]

@@sparklingmomo2721 but let's not fool ourselves... the current animation industry in the west is not exactly the ephitome of "quality" either . The only objective is profit , not artistic expresion

[@shinkamui]

@@Dan_Kanerva yea cause the eastern industry is any better it's like this everywhere. Played out regurgitated for-profit copies are the norm, artistic authenticity is rare

[@Dan_Kanerva]

@@shinkamui yeah no , last 3 years proved that manga is far more in the interest of the consumer than comics

[@paladincomics]

I love it when artists instead of just explaining a piece, they explain the thought process behind it, how did the artist go from point A to B, and that's what you do, I SUCK at background design, but my biggest problem is my laziness, yeah more often than not if I want a detailed background like a city I might end up spending more time with that than the characters that are in it, so I tend to avoid backgrounds or just draw really simple ones, I CAN'T KEEP DOING THAT XD

[@DudenamedSoo]

dude i've hated doing backgrounds specifically cities. my brain goes into overdrive trying to fit whats in my head into the perspective i need. that google maps tip is a lifesaver! now i need to learn how to simplify robots and other geometric objects like guns.

[@zytotempol8154]

No. You trying not your brain. An that's why your brain can't function because the way you're insulting it.

[@zytotempol8154]

Stop complain an draw. And using pictures ain't helping for you.

[@gabrxael]

@@zytotempol8154 Don’t talk if you don’t understand the topic you’re talking about. Take your own advice. Stop complaining and draw without any references. See how far it gets you.

[@zytotempol8154]

@@gabrxael Yeah, don't respond if you don't understand the topic you're talking about. You don't understand what I'm talking about then why respond!? no what you're saying and how you're saying it before you start picking violence for no reason. Yeah of course stop complaining and if you want to be lazy then draw with reference. Yeah, let's see how far you get cuz you ain't going nowhere with that nasty childish Karen attitude. Grow up and look at your comment. The person that's commenting by being disrespectful and not saying anything about art is the one complaining OBVIOUSLY. You blind, want attention or you just want to grow your ego? Alright; so if you don't know what you're talking about, and why you commenting then don't say nonsensical things at all and move on an get a life.

[@gabrxael]

@@zytotempol8154 How are you supposed to learn if there is nothing to teach you? You learn by example. Drawing without any reference is what makes a seven year old’s art. Drawing with reference is how professional artists make professional art. If you don’t understand the basics of learning, you will never learn. So again, don’t give advice if you don’t understand what you’re talking about. Keep in mind, the video that you clicked on here is a reference.

[@Flowwkage]

Incredibly useful stuff here. I’ve been grinding on character design and anatomy to the point of nausea. My goal for this year is to finally learn some background concepts and I feel like this one 18 minute video has already given me a perfect place to start. Thankful is an understatement.

[@mrgunnart6870]

This makes me want to draw more backgrounds... This is dangerous.

[@oneilgunn152]

I like the name

[@mrgunnart6870]

@@oneilgunn152 Can't go wrong with a Gunn ;)

[@maizookaiden4975]

once you hit the flow state of just having fun drawing backgrounds it does become dangerous LOL

[@alizetvargas]

This is the end of me

[@SANDWICHvanquish]

Ya know I think ethan is the most threateningly helpful dramatic art guy you'll probably ever see

[@ArtsySpinch]

I absolutely hate it when people say to just Invision or imagine the thing you want to draw. I have aphantasia, so I can't picture things at all, so I need steps, and break downs, and reference. Not imagined visuals.

[@0zone247]

Just saw a video on aphantasia. It's pretty crazy wondering how people with 'no imagination' operate

[@daftcruz]

It may sound harsh but that people don't seem to know about drawing at all. Everyone needs to use reference, be it by carefully doing observations or/and breakdowns. Something that helps though, it's learning about shapes, how boxes work, drawing something from various angles and doing associations. For example, if you you're learning to draw faces, pick a simple yet good artwork , photo or a (good) 3d model, and instead of drawing the whole face, pick just a part of it (ex : the nose, the mouth, the eyes,etc) and draw it from various angles. You can even use the 3d model viewer to help you with this. Then, when you pick another face to draw, you may not capture the likeness of it, but you'll know how to draw a mouth, a nose, the eyes, the ears. So the only thing left to you is to adapt, to associate the shapes of the things you've drawn to this other face. Oh, and speaking of the shapes, see this video from a Krenz Cushart interview: kzbin.info/www/bejne/a2qXiJt5osplprM This is what makes your brain develop a visual library that can help you battle this aphantasia. It's something very usefeul that artists like Kim Jung Gi and Krenz Cushart (shown above) have made in their practices. Anyway, I hope you can overcome this aphantasia thing in the near future!

[@justaboringhooman]

Yeah like I draw partially to get my thoughts in physical form, cus I don't have the clearest imagination

[@joeblankenship377]

Question: so, you've seen a cheeseburger, probably even eaten one before. If somebody told you to "draw a cheeseburger", would you be lost without a photo reference of a cheeseburger?

[@eleqnor9649]

@@joeblankenship377 Sort of, I know what a cheese burger looks like, so when I would go to draw it I would start with the cylinder shape that I know it is based off of. Because the base shape is just knowledge. Then I would work at the drawing until I recognise it as a cheeseburger. I have aphantasia at the extreme end, so I don't really know how other people might do it. I struggle a lot with items that don't exist, like fantasy scenes etc, because there is often no reference to work from.

[@Stevesie_09]

“Don’t be stupid…” best advice ever. Haha

[@imimifox]

I think Ethan has a style of teaching and approach best suited to me; he’s explaining in a way that just immediately clicks for me more than other teachers. He’s saying loads of things that took me a while to realise on my own, and I would have liked to have heard it years ago xD

[@imimifox]

@Daniil Kolesnichenko Yeah I can definitely see that. He’s got a lot of experience working in a combined workflow with others so he can explain things in a very constructive way. A lot of it is probably personal preference too, but he can definitely break things down really well.

[@wigglyanimates2551]

it’s great how Ethan actually shows you how to do the process and gives references for understanding, some art channels just do a step by step without much guidance nor detail, thanks a lot Ethan :)

[@darkexo0916]

“and never ALWAYS listen to RossDraws!” The title made me cackle.

[@BombaJead]

It's true though, never always listen to someone, you gotta listen to many people to have a broader perspective (heh).

[@livetochange974]

Not gonna listen to a person who traces and makes bland generic cartoonish artwork

[@kylem5793]

@@livetochange974 or does NFTs lol

[@darkexo0916]

@@livetochange974 was this sarcastic?

[@livetochange974]

@@darkexo0916 maybe half of it

[@meikahidenori]

Thank you for mentioning how the industry sees artists work. This is something that is missing from EVERY SINGLE KZbin ARTISTS VIDEOS. Can we have more please? It is so important for artists wanting to do professional industry work beyond simple commissions peices.

[@robertdownyjr2261]

I love the way you explain your thought process when creating a piece! It’s intricate but also easily digestible! I’ve always had problems with Ross’s explanations because I have asphantasia so the whole “just imagine it” always made me feel bad at art. Learning how to break down other art pieces to create my own has really helped me a lot. Thank you so much Ethan 💞

[@robertdownyjr2261]

The like made me so happy 😭 I used to think people who got happy over an influencer liking a comment were dramatic but now I know how they feel

[@Ivan-go8yk]

@@robertdownyjr2261 you deserve it Robert... You deserve it( ´◡‿ゝ◡`)

[@mrzapatrapa1]

seriously, as a guy with aphantasia "close your eyes and envision the scene" is the worst advice you can get lol

[@ssrini2002]

Just googled it and found out that’s what my issue is

[@mrzapatrapa1]

@@ssrini2002 i found out about 4 years ago and it explained a lot in my life, then i picked up drawing and painting as a kind of therapy and always work with reference to compensate

[@AnakinS86]

@@ssrini2002 don’t self diagnose though.

[@ordinarytree4678]

@@AnakinS86 actually aphantasia is one of the things where self-diagnosis is both reliable and easy. Can you imagine an apple with your eyes closed? How detailed is it in your head? There thats the whole self-diagnosis. If you cant imagine an apple, what it looks and smells like, imagine holding it - if you cant do that, you have aphantasia. And there are varying degrees of aphantasia and super imagination. Its a spectrum based on how detailed your day-dreams are.

[@AnakinS86]

@@ordinarytree4678 ah, I see. My mistake, sorry for assuming.

[@BlueBlue-fz7jb]

How to draw a background 1. Go on google earth 2. Find Ethans house DONE

[@ugghouly8198]

I know I’d really seeing more about background design, I’ve been really struggling to find people discussing how to practice backgrounds and build your skills in that department. this was super helpful as always!

[@sketchykitten3640]

How I make background in 2 easy steps: 1. Draw a sketch 2. Completely give up and leave my character in the void

[@shadowmahesh9876]

Draw a sketch? Isn’t that the same thing. But I relate so much with the second one

[@sketchykitten3640]

@@shadowmahesh9876 I guess sketching a sketch is the same-

[@shadowmahesh9876]

@@sketchykitten3640 soz I was super confused. love the name by the way

[@sketchykitten3640]

@@shadowmahesh9876 thanks!

[@rockon8174]

Character designer!

[@TurtleMikki]

Ethan Becker is best art teacher on youtube "CHANGE MY MIND"

[@livetochange974]

Then you haven't seen enough artists kid dont play favoritism

[@cokeandcheese.6617]

@@livetochange974 it's just their way of complimenting ethan becker, chill.

[@anarkyster]

@@livetochange974 They were talking about art teachers, not artists.

[@ChloeFisheri]

Honestly really love these videos, its got that perfect balance of honest criticism to kick you out of complacency and make you want to improve your art, whilst also giving you accessible tools to do that well... super valuable, thanks EB

[@maxchiassonart8869]

Best perspective video tutorial I've seen someone do. I love how "to the point" this is! I'm loving the no dilly- dally!

[@arczeroes]

It crazy how I've actively heard every single thing you said before BUT never truly processed it until you showed other artists examples and how to actively use and think about using it with every step you go. Often times it feels as if other artists hand out these "little nuggets" of pure wisdom but I never know how to really connect them to my processes and with the way you teach I am able to connect the dots. So thank you for that! (Definitely more educational videos please)

[@dashamka3]

The most important thing you helped me with is to regain my confidence and I can't thank u enough :') I'm EXCITED to draw and fail and try again and again. I'd love to see more educational stuff from u! I like that ur straight to the point but never boring

[@vainokallio7878]

Do more educational stuff, also more stuff that you did back in 2019 were you kinda give life advice

[@jwhisk]

ethan, i just want to let you know videos like this are serious life changers for me. i didn’t know anything when building my portfolio for school, but i watched your videos and it helped me exponentially. I got into every school i applied to and i completely owe it to you for that. thank you so much you’re an absolutely sick dude.

[@chrisgabbs]

Ethan, dude, these videos are phenomenal! You give a no bullshit insight into the animation industry and what it's actually like - not some textbook regurgitation. Where the later is a rigid view point, people bound by thinking in mental boxes - you just throw the box on the ground and showcase the fluidity and idiosyncratic nature of how operations actually exist. I just stopped working as a chef after 6 years to finally commit to my artistry and the animation industry, you are becoming a godsend for clarity moving forward. So, dude, just do you. Do the goofy shit, do the insightful shit, just keep it true to you, man! God fucking bless.

[@JesionWer]

Hello Ethan! I really wanted to thank you from the bottom of my heart for your content. I really enjoy this more educational approach, even though I'm focusing on traditional media. You are not teaching people who to do something, but teaching people how to LEARN to do something, which I find more valuable than any tutorial. It's like giving people a fishing rod instead of a fish. Please, keep it up! I'm excited to see hands and character design in the future. Thank you again for your work

[@waylonpark2340]

I WAS LITERALLY DREAMING , HOPING, WISHING FOR ETHAN TO DO A VIDEO ON ENVIRONMENTS THIS WHOLE WEEK. AND ETHAN DADDY HAS ANSWERED MY CALLING

[@phoebedurley7210]

Wow: really brilliant teaching. Learnt more about perspectives doing these exercises than in any art class

[@nadjaforster6893]

"You can teach yourself perspective, it is very easy" I just snorted my coffee like cocaine, i fucking wish it were but sadly my brain decided to abort any semblance of geometrical understanding and 3D thinking before it could even be born

[@ZurditaDinamita]

3D is tricky indeed, but it's approachable with practice and patience (and I mean 2-4 years for understanding SOMETHING). Obviously a city is very difficult, but a room or a furniture are very nice exercises :3

[@aribsirkhot5647]

drawabox.com/lesson/1/3 This will definitely help you out if you struggle with 3d. Its a lot of work but 100% worth it. :)

[@catcactus1234]

Goddamn that sentence was beautiful. If drawing doesn’t work out you should be an author.

[@nemily33]

I’m starting my perspective journey now too, I feel like I’m finally happy with how I draw people and anatomy but it looks so boring without some perspective so 3D here we come

[@EnchantedHero]

I really loves how the way Ethan teaches you the basics for all the beginner artists (especially when it comes to background art where I'm happened to wanting to become a background artist). He really knows what he was doing and how he explain things in a proper and easy way for us to understand! This video helps you a lot! (sorry for my bad english)

[@Berwulfus]

Ethan be like: YOU ARE BAD but here's 701 reasons why you're also great

[@beetledjuice3062]

This was great. Been trying to improve on my backgrounds for a long time. I dig the way you teach the stuffs, got me thinking hard. Would appreciate more content on this subject.

[@Skyliet]

"I'm not gonna be funny this time" and proceed to be funnier than usual xD great tutorial btw! *subscribed

[@SproDaniel]

"You can do everything from the internet. You don't have to anywhere, you just gotta have a good portfolio." Dude, that sentence alone gave me so much hope for the future.

[@vainokallio7878]

FINALLY A BACKGROUND TUTORIAL BY ETHAN

[@hamzapecenkovic1841]

Great breakdown. Perspective grids are absolutely crucial to nailing foreground, middle ground, and backgrounds that tell a story.

[@andrewjohnson6716]

Notice that in very high aerial shots like the background for Invincible the horizon line becomes more curved the higher the PoV goes. You'll also notice in Invincible when they are over the surface of the Moon that curve becomes much tighter since it's a smaller celestial body.

[@CHICKENGOD-vf5xy]

I definitely would love more landscape/background videos. And maybe even more ways to use perspective, with backgrounds and characters.

[@Rosey-Eyez]

Ross doesn't even show his process. He draws 1% of it and then transitions into the finished art.

[@Nikartsy]

He shows the process way more in depth to his patrons. He's gotta pay the bills somehow, right?

[@Rosey-Eyez]

@@Nikartsy Ohhh that makes sense then.. Unfortunately I'm not spending $10 a month for it. You don't even get access until then, that's ridiculous.

[@janlen3902]

yea, bc his YT channel is more for entertainment than to actually teach. I think he is trying to reach non-artists too. Has a marketing manager probably. What he does is not learn drawing 101, it's learn marketing lmao (not defending him, just saying... it's not for people who actually want to learn)

[@celesiamigardine4903]

@@Rosey-Eyez uhhh sounding a little entitled there buddy

[@Rosey-Eyez]

@@celesiamigardine4903 Wtf? I just said a subscription is unfortunately too expensive for me.. It costs more than a subscription to Netflix. I didn't say "WELL IT SHOULD BE FREE" or say "He's a bad person for not making it free."

[@M00nlord]

Damn, this is awesome. Thanks for breaking down the thought process! I think that's one of the aspects of creating art that is easiest to miss. I started painting digitally around 14 years ago, and practiced a lot in the beginning. After 3-4 years got kind of good, but became too comfortable in what I knew. Even though I was able to get a foot into the games industry and have been working as an artist here for the past 5 years I feel I have stagnated. I simply stopped being curious about what makes the art I admire really good, and stopped analysing how to create it. Thank you for the reminder. This inspires me to finding my way back to the early days of being curious and growing creatively.

[@samuelrioscuevas6254]

I prefer educational content, but the entertainment part really helps you stand out. Plus is legit funny AF. Just do what makes you happy and I'm sure it will be great.

[@PatrycjaFabicka]

"Do you guys want more educational videos, roasting other artists, goofin around or demos?" ~ YES!

[@channelname4513]

Imagine finding out that Ethan was training by analyzing where you live

[@jucybel]

the whole mic on a knife pointed at yourself has me dying here

[@b1a4onewyeol]

an actual artist that know what he's talking about?, im here for this content. (but "roasting" more ppl would be fun too.) keep it up Ethan!

[@SqueekieVonSnuggle]

Thanks so much for this, I feel like you break down those hurdles that make perspective and cityscapes so intimidating very well here. You've provided some great tools to help get there. I'd love to see you continue tackling the elements that artists struggle with or find especially challenging.

[@etherealhatred]

Definitely something I needed, I once tried to make a background but I got confused with how the perspectives worked since no one more on KZbin seems to know how to explain it appropriately, this video genuinely helped me to understand how it works, I'd love to see some character design video like this, that's something I struggle a lot

[@user-rs1wc9qs3n]

So I'm nowhere near a professional artist but I'm getting good enough to the point of wanting to make interesting fantasy concept backgrounds for my illustrations and characters and this video has been very helpful to make me aware of things like shape language and lines and how to tackle the detail in this kind of art, when looking at incredible finished pieces it's a bit difficult to figure out how to break them down so thanks for the video. I love your humor, your delivery and your clear advice

[@SparkyScribbles]

Educational or funny, I always come away from your videos feeling like a little dummy with a tablet pen and that is not a bad thing. Learn something new every time, and I love that

[@vinnie439]

QWEEENNN I LOVE UR ART N ANIMATICS SO MUCH AGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@SparkyScribbles]

@@vinnie439 aaa thank you so much I appreciate the kind words!

[@flamingobble]

I'd love to see him go over more Japanese artstyles, that really go over the natural antomical look, but still end up great. KanekoShake, Marabeku, Saita Inoue

[@A9sAs]

I‘m sure a lot of beginner artists would appreciate learning more about the principles of drawing (like those 3 spaces for breathing room you mentioned) in more detail!

[@zytotempol8154]

🤣

[@Kickyourknees]

I honestly find myself learning way more from you and fixing the problems I have with watching other you tubers. You simply explain things that they don’t cover because it’s easily forgotten about by professionals

[@crancpiti]

I'd love to see the process of being given a description of a character and then designing them.

[@sol8194]

I've always struggled with backgrounds and perspective so I'm so glad you covered this. Honestly I'm glad for everything you've covered. My art has improved significantly and your way of encouragement has given me confidence and helped me reignite the passion I have for art. Forever thankful for these videos.

[@sherrie_]

moral of the story: trust egyptian monks and you have no chance of going into the industry

[@mattbaker6590]

This is GOLD. One of the best Backgrounds/perspective tutes I've seen, in terms of knowledge and practical application and techniques. Thanks an absolute tonne for this.

[@AzA609]

Ross, for me, is more for entertainment rather than tutorials. Ethan both entertains and teaches, which is why I prefer him.

[@paolanatale8081]

“You gotta understand the meat of t-the cake” Yes

[@littledarkone4309]

The teacher who tells me how Im being a big dumby and lets me interpret the advice to fit my style is best and clearly thats you. MORE EDUCATION! TELL ME HOW STUPID MY ART IS ETHAN!

[@jeffhutchinson8432]

This is my first time here, and this was amazing. I would love to see more tutorials, especially in the area of character design!