Background Design is often used in animation and comics to establish where the setting is.
For example, the setting can take place in a forest, like this.
Or, it could take place in a town, village or city.
Pinterest Research:
In a few animations I researched into, I noticed all of them had their own special background designs.
For example, Tom & Jerry:
In this small piece in the Bodyguard episode, the background design has been painted as still images in muted colour while the characters move around in a brighter colour. However, some of the background objects are suddenly given a brighter colour when the characters interact with the background. For example, when Spike grabs the trash can lids or when Tom bashed and shook the bubble gum machine. However, when he puts one of the gum balls into a paste bucket, the bucket remains the same colour because it was painted in the background. To show animation with it, the animators had made splashes of yellow pop out of the bucket whenever Tom dunked the gum ball in. This makes for easier animation and not having to fuss about making another object in the scene.
Another example, Phineas & Ferb:
Most of the time, the episodes either begin or happen in the backyard of Phineas and Ferb’s house. However, when they move to another scene, they sometimes have pattern in their backgrounds, like in the opening title sequence. This makes for interesting background and a unique background style for the show only. However, during the first season, they did sometimes use realistic photographs in certain scene, like Mount Rushmore.
Another example, Charlie and Lola:
As I stated in a previous entry, https://euansblog.home.blog/2021/03/24/fmp-research/, the background, objects and part of the characters use actual photographs which have been collaged for setting and interact with the movement. This background design idea is a unique idea which could be useful in both research and testing out material for characters.
For my project, I’ve thought of setting the scene in a futuristic world, therefore, I have been looking into futuristic background design as seen in my Pinterest board above. Some examples of a futuristic background design that I can think come from video games.
Planet Kerwan, Ratchet & Clank
Corneria: Star Fox Zero
Cinq Ville: Mega Man ZX
Here are two examples of my own background designs.
Euan's blog 