Background editing tips

Many people have asked me for advice or to share some pointers when it comes to editing backgrounds, so I've compiled a list of tips and examples to illustrate. These are merely based off of my own observations, what I think works best on the Episode app (and probably with authors in terms of directing) and my experience.

1. Correcting the sizes of the items in the background
Make sure all of the furniture and decorations are proportional. Don't just cut out an object and paste it onto your working document, and call it a day. Below is a quick example to demonstrate my point:

Doesn't this look kind of silly? Everything is nearly twice the size of the couch! It's not really realistic and doesn't make much sense at all.

Take a few minutes to adjust everything accordingly. The quickest and easiest way to correct this error is by using the "free transform" tool. (You can read about this tool in this post.)

This is an example of what the correct sizes would look like for all of the furniture and decorations featured in this example background. Also keep in mind that objects that are located in the front of the room should appear larger than those that are placed in the back.

2. Ensuring photos and other objects are angled properly against the wall
I think this is one aspect of editing that people either forget to check for before posting or don't know how to fix. Below is an example of a common mistake that I've seen:

The left side of the room looks a little off, don't you think? This is another area of editing that can easily be fixed by utilizing the "free distort" tool on Pixlr E or "skew" on Photoshop. (Click here or here to see how I used these tools in a previous tutorial about angles.)

In this example above, you can see that the wine display table and paintings are aligned much more accordingly with the wall.

The skew/free distort tool works best with paintings that are flat or on an angled wall in a pre-existing Episode background, but you can also use it on furniture that's already displayed sideways.

3. Don't make the patterned wallpaper overwhelming
Patterns can make the room appear more fun and lively, but in my opinion, it can also be a huge eyesore if it's too bold and intense. Of course, this is dependent on the pattern you're working with. Simple patterns such as tiles are often plain and a bit monotone. Other patterns that are a little more crazy and intricate in detail may be more complex to work with.

I'm not trying to discourage anyone from putting patterned walls onto their backgrounds and I do believe you can make almost any pattern work, it's just something you have to be cautious about for a variety of reasons. In my opinion, it should be easy on the eyes and not the center of attention (see below):



In a previous post I've written about adding patterns, I mentioned that the opacity should be lowered (roughly 40-60%). The reason behind this is to keep the pattern subtle so it doesn't overpower the entire background.

(Not gonna lie, this hurts my eyes a lot.)

Above is an example of what this pattern would look like if kept at 100% opacity. It's very prominent and can kind of look like it's competing against the other items for attention. Of course, this is purely my own opinion and you're welcome to do whatever you want.

However, there is another detail that people often forget to add, which leads me to the next tip...

4. Adding shadows to objects and the wall

If you pay attention closely to the Episode backgrounds in the art catalog, there are shadows for nearly every object and on the walls. The same would apply to real life objects.

Without shadows, it makes the entire background look like it's flat and missing depth. Adding shadows is more so about perspective and you'll have to imagine where it falls. I don't go too crazy with making my shadows appear as dark as possible, but this detail matters a lot.

5. Don't clutter
This tip is also a personal opinion, but you don't need to add decorations to every corner of the room or fill up every blank space on the wall.

Honestly, it looks like there's too much going on and it can be distracting. You may also want to take directing into consideration. The more open space, the better.

6. Submit your best work

I think everyone should always strive to show off their best work. If you want to be taken seriously, you should make sure your work is the highest possible quality that you can offer. After all, you wouldn't publish a chapter riddled with spelling errors or without double-checking your work first, right? This may be perceived as rushed work or something done with very little effort and thought put into it.

Here are some questions you may want to ask yourself before you decide you're officially done with your edit:

1. Did I cut out the furniture from other backgrounds as neatly as possible?
2. Do the proportions of the items in the background make sense?
3. Are all of my photos (or any other object) aligned well relative to the angle of the wall?
4. Have I added shadows where they should be?
5. Is this what the background would look like in real life?

All of the small details matter and adds a lot to the overall image.