Background Design
Background Design is an important part of book illustration that involves creating the settings and environments where characters and stories take place. It's like creating the stage for a play, but in picture form. This could include designing landscapes, indoor rooms, cityscapes, or fantasy worlds that help tell the story. Artists who specialize in background design make sure that these settings are not just beautiful, but also support the story's mood and help readers understand where events are happening. This skill is particularly important in children's books, graphic novels, and animation projects.
Examples in Resumes
Created detailed Background Design for a 32-page children's picture book series
Developed Background Designs and environmental concepts for young adult graphic novels
Led Background Design team for an award-winning illustrated cookbook series
Typical job title: "Background Designers"
Also try searching for:
Where to Find Background Designers
Professional Organizations
Online Communities
Job Resources
Example Interview Questions
Senior Level Questions
Q: How do you manage a team of background designers while maintaining consistency across a book series?
Expected Answer: Look for answers that show experience in creating style guides, coordinating with art directors, managing deadlines, and ensuring visual continuity across multiple books while mentoring junior artists.
Q: How do you approach designing backgrounds that need to work across different cultural markets?
Expected Answer: Strong answers should discuss research methods, cultural sensitivity, adaptability of designs, and experience working with international publishing requirements.
Mid Level Questions
Q: How do you ensure your background designs support the story's narrative?
Expected Answer: Should explain how they read and analyze the story, collaborate with authors/art directors, and use visual elements to enhance the storytelling.
Q: What's your process for designing backgrounds that work well with character placement?
Expected Answer: Should discuss composition principles, leaving appropriate space for characters, and understanding how backgrounds interact with the main elements of each illustration.
Junior Level Questions
Q: What tools and techniques do you use for creating background designs?
Expected Answer: Should be able to discuss both traditional and digital tools, basic composition principles, and their preferred methods for creating backgrounds.
Q: How do you research references for your background designs?
Expected Answer: Should explain their process for gathering reference materials, using reference libraries, and adapting real-world elements into their designs.
Experience Level Indicators
Junior (0-2 years)
- Basic drawing and composition skills
- Understanding of color theory
- Familiarity with illustration software
- Ability to follow art direction
Mid (2-5 years)
- Strong compositional skills
- Experience with multiple illustration styles
- Understanding of publishing requirements
- Ability to match existing art styles
Senior (5+ years)
- Team leadership experience
- Advanced design problem-solving
- Art direction capabilities
- Multiple published book credits
Red Flags to Watch For
- No portfolio or sample work to show
- Inability to work within publishing deadlines
- Poor understanding of composition basics
- No knowledge of children's book industry standards
Related Terms
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