Hey everyone, Rachel here! Today, I'm thrilled to take you behind the scenes of my background creation process for our upcoming game. From reference gathering to final touches, here's a glimpse into how I bring our game world to life.

1. Gathering References: Before diving into any artwork, I start by collecting reference photos. These serve as inspiration and help me understand the visual elements I want to incorporate. Once I have a selection of references, I use them to create an outline for the background.

2. Outlining and Coloring: When I outline, I make separate layers front, middle, mid-back and far back, keeping everything in their respective folders. Then with the outlines in place, I move on to filling in the colors. Sometimes, I pick colors directly from the references to ensure accuracy. Other times, I use our game's color palette to maintain consistency. This stage lays down the foundation for the scene's atmosphere and sets the tone for the rest of the process.

3. Adding Shading with Clip Studio Paint's Shading Assist and gradient: I add a light blue gradient for distant objects, creating a sense of depth and scale. This is done by placing the gradient after the middle images and in front of the back ones. Then, I use Clip Studio Paint's Shading Assist feature is a game-changer in my workflow. It streamlines the shading process, allowing me to add depth and dimension to the backgrounds effortlessly. Here's a quick tutorial on how to use it:

• First, select the area you want to shade.

• Next, choose the desired shading style from the Shading Assist menu.

• Adjust the parameters to fine-tune the shading effect to your liking.

• With a few clicks, you'll see your background come to life with realistic shadows and highlights.

4. Applying Filters for Enhancement: To add a final layer of polish to the backgrounds, I apply a series of filters. These include:

• An auto line color filter from Clip Studio Paint's resource area, which enhances the outlines and adds crispness to the artwork.

• An anime filter also sourced from Clip Studio Paint's resources, lending a stylistic flair to the overall aesthetic.

Conclusion: And there you have it - a glimpse into my background creation process! By leveraging reference photos, Clip Studio Paint's powerful tools, and strategic filtering, I'm able to craft immersive and visually stunning environments for our game. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to bring our game world to life!