How to Make Comics: Backgrounds / 10 Tips to Help You

HOW TO MAKE COMICS Playlist:
• How to Make Comics/Manga
PERSPECTIVE VIDEO Playlist: : • Mark Crilley Perspecti...
"Mastering Manga 3" at Amazon: amzn.com/1440340935
"The Drawing Lesson" at Amazon: amzn.com/0385346336
"The Realism Challenge" at Amazon: amzn.com/0385346298
Brody's Ghost Collected Edition at Amazon: amzn.com/1616559012
"Mastering Manga" books at Amazon: bit.ly/MASTERINGMANGA
All 4 “Miki Falls” books at Amazon: bit.ly/MIKIFALLSbooks
All 6 "Brody's Ghost" books at Amazon: bit.ly/BRODYSGHOSTbooks
SUBSCRIBE: bit.ly/markcrilleySUBSCRIBE
OFFICIAL CRILLEY PLAYLIST: bit.ly/CRILLEYPLAYLIST
THE ART SUPPLIES I USE: • Mark Crilley's Art Sup...
All of my books are available through your local bookstore-- Ask them to special order if they don't have my books on the shelf. Thanks for your support!! ~Mark
FACEBOOK: / markcrilleyofficial
TWITTER: / markcrilley
INSTAGRAM: / markcrilleyreal
All music created in GarageBand
Visit my channel for KZbin’s #1 most-viewed drawing videos!

[@hbmk1473]

The best advice I've ever heard in relation to backgrounds is this: Don't treat them as backgrounds. Remember, this is a tiny portion of a world that you're rendering.

[@markcrilley]

I like the second part of this advice, but I feel the first part is too sweeping of a statement in the case of comics. In some panels the background needs to fall back and allow the foreground to shine. In others it can assert itself and play a starring role.

[@markcrilley]

The writer/artist's job is to know when it is best to "treat the background as a background" and when it is better not to. As with so many creative matters, it's hard to make bold general statements that are true in all instances.

[@michaelbrittain7445]

I like what you've said there, (notwithstanding Mark's perfectly valid cautions). That "tiny portion of a world" - very helpful. Thanks.🙂

[@STOTTINMAD]

learns to draw characters. then remembers i need to draw setting next. Should be fun

[@bluegir121]

STOTTINMAD I'm in the same boat. decided to give my comic story a shot and realized I spent so much time drawing characters I'm pretty terrible with backgrounds

[@the07pattyvonne]

Same. Every amateur problem...

[@martinlowpezart6597]

Story of my life man

[@KamillsWorld]

Same in a class for visual storytelling to make comics and stuff and realize in first class i didn't learn to do backgrounds for the ideas I have e.e especially trees ...trees are hard

[@jeremiah1059]

@@KamillsWorld maybe you should think about enrolling in a grammar and composition class as well 🤔

[@Starkill3r306]

Every time I watch these videos I tell my self "I want to make a graphic novel" but I lose my motivation when I have the pencil in my hand.

[@GeorgeKalokairinos]

then watch those videos all day and grab a pencil to your hand while watching them! ^_^

[@biancabors4716]

My advice is to get someone to ya'know write the scenario or if you already have one in mind just get them to write it down for you.It will help you in so many ways.And eventualy get them involved in the process of creating the novel.It's so much more easier to continue your work with them by your side.

[@Learntolive988]

Dong worry U r not alone😂🥴😂😂😂

[@VijemaVati]

I believe in you! Even some squiggles on a page is good enough

[@nomadourtab7373]

By the end of this video i was inspired to write a comic and I kick myself for not seeing that comics were a way to practice my drawing and story writing skills at the same time. Thank you Mark Crilley!

[@GcorpCoPrez]

Same here, im gonna go and re-draw a short one and expand it bit more.

[@senpaifriendzonedme]

Well look what I stumbled upon again!!! I used to watch your 7 years ago as a 2nd grader, lol I remember being obsessed with trying to draw all your anime and chibi tutorials. Thanks for shaping my love of art! I still sometimes use your techniques in my drawings today.

[@senpaifriendzonedme]

*manga

[@drewrichmond2144]

I just want to say this Mark, I have been drawing for a little bit over a year and I started watching your videos about a month after I started. Your videos have helped me in so much, You've helped me when I was stuck. All I want to really say is THANK YOU

[@markcrilley]

Thank you Drew!

[@mahbuburrashid140]

+markcrilley I found Brody's Ghost in my school library :-) the story was interesting I liked it

[@benontherisegibson4442]

how convenient, this is exactly what i was looking for

[@adrianpaul1985]

me too lol. I'm planning on making a comic.

[@testedalexthegreat1759]

lmao me too, i'm moderate at drawing people now

[@eshswam]

I want to make a manga so bad...

[@AdvyDeven]

Writing or illustrating? I'm currently doing both, but I've come to learn that a meshing unit can make the process much more fun.

[@artisticweirdo8860]

eshswam yeah I already have a plan for my own but the art unfortunately isn't best and I have a sneaky feeling I won't live very long. Know any good comic book artists who work for a good price!?

[@AdvyDeven]

Artistic wierdo What would you put your art at on a scale of 1 to 10 professionally? I'd say I'm a 4.5-5 at best.

[@LocalAnonOnTheInternet]

You'll get nowhere if you keep saying you want to make one and never start.

[@sambeawesome]

The best time to start is now. :)

[@ioanandhisvlogs6122]

Do you know what I like at Brody's Ghost ? When I'm bored and don't know what to draw I try to draw what's there ! I thank you for creating Brody's Ghost !

[@markcrilley]

Thank you :)

[@dmadimension2646]

you are amazing at drawing backgrounds

[@markcrilley]

Thank you!

[@SkullcutTutorials]

Mark, thank you for taking your time to share your talent with us! Keep up the amazing work!

[@meenadhage8062]

Thank you so much for all your videos! I always gave importance for my backgrounds right from my first illustration, but it was good to see a professional sharing his works and making the points

[@Anonymous-te2ww]

I've always loved the way you drew backgrounds Mark! Thank you for the advice you've given in this video series , I'm going to be attempting to write a one shot soon, so this video is very useful.

[@jewelsims8805]

I found out that they had your mangas in our library and I'm so excited to read them, I didn't think I'd find them in Finland but I'm filled with joy now! C:

[@belleaimee738]

This is just the information I needed to help with my struggle of backgrounds. I'm heading over to your perspective intro playlist now! Thank you!!

[@markcrilley]

Thank you Belle Aimee ^^

[@kiriena7420]

+markcrilley you like to draw anime, I see...we have lots in common! believe me...you don't know how well I draw. And my stories... wow....I improve and impress myself everyday.

[@zvanev]

This is perfect for me! My dream is to write/draw my very own manga when I grow up, and backgrounds/environments are my mortal enemy...next to hands and feet of course. Thank you mark!!

[@Rtcmanga_YouTube_Channel]

Wow, that is incredible. I knew you had done some books but I didn't know that it were that many! How many books did you release? And they are all different and also released in different languages too! Amazing! Great talent!

[@george89]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Crilley

[@itsnotme6869]

Can't believe I didn't know about this before. This series is great especially having decided making a comic for art class with absolutely zero experience. Much appreciated.

[@betsyfordyce5542]

Absolutely love listening to you talk about your work and process. Thank you....

[@lapinbeau]

You include "bad examples" from your own work, as well as good. I respect that.

[@ChainsawBunny92]

I'm always so jealous of your amazing backgrounds. You make it look so easy!

[@amydebuitleir]

Showing comparisons between your earlier work and your more recent stuff really helped to explain the tips!

[@B1gBoyPants]

Thank you for sharing your experience and your work! I’ve been kicking around several ideas for comics I’ve wanted to start working on, but I’ve always been intimidated by drawing backgrounds. But I really love your advice and this has inspired me to tackle my backgrounds and maybe get things moving on my comics.

[@mr.euphonium3789]

I've always struggled with backgrounds, this helped! Thank you!

[@markcrilley]

You're very welcome :)

[@sonasierra7824]

Thank you so so much! This helped a lot! I feel like I never focused on the backgrounds and I kinda just focused on my character design and stuff, and I have 0 knowledge about backgrounds, and now I feel like I kinda have the basics.

[@Matadorstudio]

Thanks for this video, I am always amazed at how well you keep drawing your characters so consistent, meaning they always look exactly alike.

[@KylieMalchusArt]

You give the best and most applicable advice when it comes to comic art. Thanks so much for being willing to share your talents and tips!

[@diesiraeuwu]

I love your videos and books, you helped me too much to draw manga ありがとうございます!!

[@normaluser8641]

thank you very much markcrilley all the videos about " how to make comic" are very helpful

[@clydoscope5841]

Yes, thank you, I've been working on a comic that mainly tells about what happened to the place so this was awesome interpretation

[@Egolifter99]

Nature Vs Technology is my theme for the comic im making, and this video has helped me in ways i never thought id view my comics EVER. thank you very much Mark Crilley!

[@sambeawesome]

It's always interesting hearing your insights as well as seeing how much you've progressed and what you've learned. :) Thank you for sharing ^^

[@kurodiamond8383]

Your a life saver Mark, this video really helped! I have alot of trouble with backrounds.

[@souhail208]

i've been a fan since you had a couple thousand subs ,congratulations bro, interesting tips as always, i would love to see another digital ,toning ,inking,,,,,,,related video, thank you.

[@w0rstart1st5]

I just finished reading Brody's Ghost and I loved it!

[@w0rstart1st5]

10:00 Crossover series confirmed? XD

[@markcrilley]

Thank you!!

[@jennabreschetti9026]

That was great, first time I ran into one of your videos. Was easy to follow, good explanations. Thanks

[@elisabethglaeser9766]

I love these videos about making comics!Thanks mark!

[@zazoreal5536]

markcrilley You have a great day...Thanks for the know how....I am a comicbook artist myself and still learning a lot about backgrounds and settings. But i can at least say that my backgrounds are good enough. Your videos are great learning guides. Another thing that has helped me a lot, is Looking at manga pages from a physical book and trying to understand how to tell a story with the picture alone before adding words. :D blushies because what is life without them.

[@darkbornelines4587]

I got the collected edition of Brodys Ghost, and im exactly at that pawnshop page now - cool to hear his thoughts on the panel

[@markcrilley]

Thank you for your support!

[@helenamaria710]

Great stuff and REALLY helpful! You are PROLIFIC :) Thanks so much!

[@lordilluminati5836]

awesome tips, thanks mark!

[@ArtofTZU]

Thank you for taking time to make & share this video. Very informative indeed especially for self-taught artist like myself. Do keep up the excellent works!

[@Just.Celeste]

marc crilley i haven't watched the video yet but I love you so much for this! it's exactly what I need! thanks so much

[@mmamustachemartialarts.5073]

mark thank you so much for all your help I've coming on leaps and bounds bro thanks to you sir

[@retvoart59]

Another nice video!!!! Keep up the good work!!! Also I have been watching you for a year!! And I subscribed about 2 months ago!!!

[@roadrunnerand1]

You have inspired me to get back into drawing. I love your Miki Falls books since my daughters name is Mikki. Youre my favorite artist one big reason is cus of how much of ur talent u step by step share w/ us. Big hugs to u.

[@markcrilley]

Thank you! ^_^

[@leenagil]

Ha! My local school library had you "miki falls" books it was awesome!

[@user-fr3zn2es4i]

Thank you very much. I see how much time you put to learn all those things. I will precious it and learn well. Hehe

[@amierart4091]

Thank you for these tips Ive been planning on making graphic novel and these tips really helped.

[@WhatMakesBritainGreat]

I must agree with Drew below, Love your vids, and comics/characters. And have learned a lot of valuable knowledge. Appreciate your work and help. Dave.

[@xalienprinc3ss725]

Mark I just wanted to take the time to say, thank you! You are the person who inspired me to draw more often, you were the one who helped me draw my first anime drawing! Thank you so much for making these beautiful videos, love you channel and I have done since 2013 love you mark ❤️

[@markcrilley]

Thank you so much! Your comment is very kind :)

[@Joethedimensiontraveler]

dude nice work and thanks to you my comic book is coming together by little bit

[@michaeljohnsonclyburn1397]

you are awesome! subscribed! Hunting down your books and buying them all! plus you and solphie chan-s collaboration was Amazing.

[@markcrilley]

Thank you Michael!

[@robertodavidson3071]

Thank you so much for this useful tutorial, Mr. Mark. I've been struggling hard on trying to draw good backgrounds, but this tutorial really helped me!

[@lolafrowski8557]

Thank you Crilley! You're such a role model to me!

[@markcrilley]

You're welcome, Frowski. :)

[@rillegas08backup]

I've been watching all these videos, and just now realized that the techniques you mention translate nicely to writing as well. I've found that when writing a scene, it's best to start with a very detailed description of the room, landscape, or wherever the characters are. Going overboard with reusing data, like a background, is also not a good idea in writing, as it tends to break the flow if the same descriptors are used too often. Likewise, the blank panels are like adding description in the middle of a scene when you want the characters to have a quiet moment. Some time ago I also wrote down the 10 dos and donts of creativity because I realized the same parallels.

[@JensengTea]

I just found this video and I am flabbergasted that Akiko happened to be my favorite graphic novel as a kid and YOU were the author... Wow...

[@sofiasartstudios6618]

You are awesome, when I saw your video on my subscription feed I got really excited! Your tips are really useful :D

[@sofiasartstudios6618]

Also, is Miki's friend called Brody? At 10:00 you said "Brody and Miki". I think that you said his name was Hiro at some point, so I guess just the going back and forth between the two examples probably got you mixed up. I would probably get mixed up too XD. The artwork in this is so cool, can't wait to see what you have for next week's video! Have a great weekend, J10

[@MargueriteProduction]

Perhaps Mark thinks of Brody & Hiro have similar personality, I know I have that issue to when I design two characters who are very similar to one another that I keep calling them by the others name, even when they are from different stories.

[@Artistmodro]

Thank you Mark for this video, I am working on an anime right now and your video really helped me with backgrounds, thank you :)

[@hannahmiracle4667]

I'm gonna try and draw out a fan manga and I'm terrible at backgrounds lol this video was a lot of help, thank you!

[@princeowiredu2022]

Man you’re the best. You’re sooo good

[@TheChuy411]

Holy crap, the timing for this video to come out couldn't have been better!

[@imieley2696]

I love you're artwork and when my friend got me your manga mastering book I wanted to scream in happiness!:-D

[@markcrilley]

Yay! Tell your friend I said Thank you :)

[@dollarstorespongebob2872]

markcrilley love ur vids

[@linzertube]

Really great tips!

[@stephenwings4947]

Thanks for the video! It really helped!

[@kajag5232]

These videos are super helpful!

[@DaveyValor]

I look forward to checking out your perspective video series.

[@geoxaga6507]

I know how you feel. when I was little I used this toy monkey as a pillow on the train. a years later pillow pets came out.

[@rayhan_2k841]

this video actually helped me with my film recording for my school. nice!

[@sumandasgupta8053]

Awesome videos....helped me a lot.

[@foxinapothecary]

Oh God, Thank you for this video ! Mark The pointers are very helpful. My personal fave was the silent panel shots, it gives more aesthetic and ambient value to a piece. Thank you so much for sharing it to us ^w^)

[@jennygholson33]

I love your comic books dude! they're very enjoyable to read:)

[@markcrilley]

Thank you Jenny :)

[@bunnysathome]

This was really helpful. At least for me it was the most helpful video about comics I've seen because I actually learned a lot stuff from it. Thank you

[@arsy10]

thank you! very helpful

[@ness.ness.]

this was really helpful!

[@pinkbubbles17]

LOVE YOUR VIDEOS

[@jalalnasser9525]

Keep up the great work Mark san! your instructional videos are great. Want to pick up some of your books in the near future. Peace and best wishes bro 👊

[@markcrilley]

Thank you Jalal!

[@Cer049]

great video as always mark crilley :^)

[@ZadotYT]

Omg thx man this really helped me!

[@Connie-jr5mg]

I love yours drawings!! :)

[@theanimegamenetwork3927]

I'm doing my manga now. This video came at the perfect time.

[@karalyconisa]

aaron west same

[@thebigchimpanski4783]

Wow very nice work

[@cookiebaskets]

I love it!

[@ColoredMud]

Yay! I love your videos!

[@henrideb8620]

thanks for sharing tips very interesting

[@RaiHari6426]

Keep up the good work

[@eggsoverbreezy6264]

I have your Drawing Lesson book, incredible.

[@YourMom-eb9sv]

This was helpful ✌🏾️thx

[@ichiro_koi3728]

hi! i love your videos!

[@sewergoblins4843]

Ahh thank you so much I have a lot of trouble with backgrounds

[@cherylynwhetten8771]

10:00 Brody? I thought it was Hiro.

[@tomboysrule7521]

Cherylyn Whetten same

[@thoughtknot1]

Cherylyn Whetten yea its hiro

[@testedalexthegreat1759]

common writer mistake

[@BlackBloodPoem]

For a moment I thought he has a thing about name Brody, naming this way all his main characters!))))

[@bfdgreen]

I bought your mastering manga books and they really helped my art style!

[@markcrilley]

Thank you so much ^_^

[@bfdgreen]

np! also you replied and i just freaked out lol

[@elisabethglaeser7891]

Mr.Mark, Thank you so much for putting your time into these videos. They have helped me improve. I really like the videos you make on creating comics. If you could make more including the actual pages should be and what margins should and shouldn't be, it would be a big help? Do I us a big sheet and divided it into two? I'd so how much space between the two margins? Or Do I file a normal sheet for every single page? Thanks so much again!

[@EnzoDraw]

Mark you are the best!!! ^^

[@EnzoDraw]

***** Yes!! :D

[@nuraymsadlinskaya6766]

thank you!

[@kuroebisu37]

Please do a video on how to make blushies because i can't get them right even for once :( And this character I'm working on MUST have blushies!

[@vionyx]

Markcrilley please make a "How to draw Natsu Dragneel" please and your drawings are FABULOUS!!! Keep up the good work ;D

[@AndyLaw1Freeforall]

I have a hard time imagining birds eye perspective. Like you have shown a few times in this video. Do you have any tips or tutorials on that? I would love to see them. And of course thanks for the video.

[@bertiebott1]

I thought of Avatar immediately too :D love your art

[@MostafaAkbari7]

I'm not into comics but this makes me buy some of his books! P.S I subscribed recently and I can't stop watching his videos.