OH MY GOD! DON'T LOOK BEHIND YOU!!!

Hey what's that behind you…

Backgrounds! Ya know, the thing behind the thing on the picture….yeah.
When I was younger, I never drew backgrounds. I was more interested in drawing the characters then about putting something behind them…they were all alone on a cold piece of white paper... So cold and so lonely :(
At the time I didn’t realize how much a background could add to my art. I always assumed it would somehow distract people from seeing the details in the character. To tell you the truth I didn’t really incorporate backgrounds into my work until recently. Despite my manager/sister insisting it would enhance my art and help me to grow as an artist, alas I am a slave to habit. So it was hard to break out of my single character on a blank paper stage. I should listen to her more often I suppose, because she was right.
If you add a background to a picture it sort of creates a story for the characters on the picture. Even simple backgrounds like a border or a splash of color behind your sketch can make your drawing more eye-catching.
It took me a few years to realize that but now I try to add something to each of my drawings. Don’t get me wrong I still like to draw a single sketch on white paper, not every picture needs a background, it’s just a great way to take your work a step further.

Well thanks for letting me act like I know what I’m talking about. :)

Later!
~Caralyn