IN BLOOM BY =STEPHENSHEEHAN
This is the reason why I decided to make a blog post about simple backgrounds. In my own opinion and experiences, pastel-colored backgrounds really look good with pastel-colored subjects. The color #ddd0ad (the background) really helped the subjects to pop out while denoting a weary feel which will eventually turn into hope as denoted by the tiptoed girl and the growing roses around. The background color gives the image a sense that that the whole image was made traditionally, as if it is a plain paper and the water color effects of the brushes and images were fantastically made!
LOOK GOOD BY ~SUBDOOM
Solid colors are also famous for character vector artists. Solid colors to not distract the eyes of the viewers and thus can give a timely exposure for the character or any subject matter, and the goal of the artist was highly achieved I say! Though, you need to consider working with solid colors for the character too, because if you use too much gradients for the subject and with a solid background, it can become irritating in the eyes. The above example is really a good art. It’s very clean and attractive. See the image below for another example of a great image with solid colors from backgrounds to the colors used in the subject’s composition.
50 BY *FITZ-FITZPATRICK
Solid colors can really work with a subject with MANY colors! The above picture is also a great example about how a solid background can make a subject more visible and to pop out more.
Aside from the solid colors, patterns can also be used for your minimalistic yet beautiful artworks. The examples that I will be showing were also made beautifully.
CLAIRE AND HER WILD HAIR BY ~SETSUNA-37
In this picture, the artist chose to use a background with white dots and a bit of flower texture with a lesser opacity and a bit of greenness to fill the whole background. The background is not really that bright, nor it’s not too pale. It just used the same color scheme with that of the subject that made this image really grand and still doesn’t distract the viewer’s eye focus for the subject.
OH RADIO BY ~EXPLOSIVEVOICE
A little tweak of colors from the picture before this can give a masculine feel in our example above. For this example, the artist chose to use black pattern dots with a yellow color to fill the spaces of the background. The brightness of the background matches well with the whole feeling that the image wants to express.
Another great way to make your simple backgrounds look more fun and pleasing to the eye is to use textures.
MISCHIEF BY *DIRTEAICECREAM
One of the artists that I adore for the fair and clean use of textures is Christian Torres. In the image above, I think the artist used the color #b9c7c8 and added a bit of textures to match with the whole style of the image. Though please take note that textures must not take over the whole image. It can be used but you should know the rules when applying textures and one of which is to make sure that you make a clean image even if you used some grungy textures for example. The above image is really clean amidst the presence of the textures there.
SLOW HANDS BY ~CHARLIEOVOBUBBLES
His workflow to achieve this kind of effect is really easy and efficient, even if you don’t own a graphics tablet and even if you want to make long strokes for your brushes. The idea is also unique and simple and it’s really a plus! You should try sharing this to your friends too. His channel is really one of the bests.
Here are some of the paintings that I’ve seen with simple backgrounds, but still, beautifully made:
