The Background Painting: Building Technique workshop at The Art Club is open to all levels of students. This workshops is designed for artists who are ready to push their 2D background painting skills further, focusing on the work required in Television Animation. You will learn how to bring another layer of dimension through lighting, color and texture. While foundational aspects of background painting will be mentioned, the core of this lesson will hone in on the details of the process. Throughout the course, the focus will be on compelling lighting, surface textures and the final details to bring a background painting to production- ready quality.
Participants may join as Active students, receiving drawovers and feedback, or as Viewers, with access to the live sessions and text chat interaction with other viewers.
BACKGROUND PAINTING: BUILDING TECHNIQUE
The Background Painting: Building Technique workshop at The Art Club is open to all intermediate to all-levels of students. This workshops is designed for artists who are ready to push their 2D background painting skills further, focusing on the work required in Television Animation. You will learn how to bring another layer of dimension through lighting, color and texture. While foundational aspects of background painting will be mentioned, the core of this lesson will hone in on the details of the process. Throughout the course, the focus will be on compelling lighting, surface textures and the final details to bring a background painting to production ready quality.
By the end of this workshop, students will be able to:
Apply lighting, color, and texture to enhance backgrounds
Refine details for production-ready quality
Maintain visual clarity and consistency across multiple shots
Translate designs into compelling, finished background paintings
What You’ll Make: Production-ready background painting for animation.
Participants may join as Active students, receiving drawovers and feedback, or as Viewers, with access to the live sessions and text chat interaction with other viewers.
Dates
Thursdays Dec 3 - Dec 10
Time
6:00 - 9:00PM PST
Location
The Art Club - Google Meet
FORMAT
Class meets once a week on Google Meet.
Recorded Access: Class recordings are provided after the course, viewable for one year for Active & Viewer Pass students.
Active student’s must upload homework to Google Drive folder before the next class begins.
Active student spots are limited to 15 participants, and Viewer access is limited to 50 seats.
THE FACULTY
Michael Baillie Jr. is a seasoned designer with over 10 years of experience in television animation. He has contributed to a wide range of projects for studios such as Netflix, Warner Bros., Cartoon Network, A24, and Nickelodeon.
Outside of the animation industry, Michael has a strong fascination with interior design, architecture, graphic design and the culinary arts. When he is not working, Michael enjoys a good cup of coffee and spending some quality time outdoors with his wife and two children.
You can see more of his work at: https://mbailliejr.com/
Mike’s Credits
Prerequisites
This is an all-levels class. To participate as an Active student and get the most out of the class, Active students need to fulfill the following requirements:
Software: Adobe Photoshop (preferred), Procreate
Computer with microphone (camera optional)
Access to Google Drive
Access to Discord
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In this session, students will take a background design and bring it to life through color, lighting, and texture. Focusing on techniques used in television animation, you'll learn how to refine details, create depth, and turn your BG into a polished, production-ready background painting.
Assignment:
Active students design and color their background. Critiques available for works in progress. -
Let's show off what all Active students created and discuss creative choices! After we will breakdown how to take your background to a finish and hold a Q&A session.
Who is this Workshop for?
The Background Painting: Building Technique workshop is designed for all-levels of artists who want to elevate their background paintings to a production-ready level. This class focuses primarily on refining the advanced elements that make backgrounds feel dimensional and cinematic with the use of lighting, color design, material rendering, and surface texture. Students should already have a solid understanding of basic painting fundamentals and digital workflow.
Current College Students – looking to push their background paintings beyond foundational coursework by improving lighting, mood, and material rendering to meet industry expectations.
Professionals – who want to sharpen their visual polish, refine textural detail, and strengthen the advanced lighting and color decisions necessary for high-quality television animation work.
Hobbyists – who want to deepen their understanding of background painting in a structured, supportive environment while learning how to add depth, atmosphere, and refined detail to their artwork.
Outcomes
By the end of this workshop, students will be able to:
Develop a clearer eye for detail, quality, and visual clarity in background painting
Apply advanced lighting techniques to create mood, depth, and dimension
Use texture and brushwork to enhance surfaces and bring backgrounds to life
Refine details to achieve production-ready polish
Maintain consistency across multiple shots in a sequence
Gain confidence in translating design concepts into finished, compelling backgrounds
What You’ll Make: Production-ready background painting for animation.
The Background Painting: Building Technique workshop at The Art Club is open to all levels of students. This workshops is designed for artists who are ready to push their 2D background painting skills further, focusing on the work required in Television Animation. You will learn how to bring another layer of dimension through lighting, color and texture. While foundational aspects of background painting will be mentioned, the core of this lesson will hone in on the details of the process. Throughout the course, the focus will be on compelling lighting, surface textures and the final details to bring a background painting to production- ready quality.
Participants may join as Active students, receiving drawovers and feedback, or as Viewers, with access to the live sessions and text chat interaction with other viewers.
