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by Emilia Bauer; Paint and Yarn
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by Diana Galicia; Paint and Magazine Cutouts

Environment Creation!
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​Now you will create a background environment in which your character will live. Keep in mind the surrealist nature of this workshop. Keep asking yourself these questions:
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  • Where would one find a creature like this?
  • ​How could a character such as the one you made exist in this background while keeping it surreal and dreamlike?
  • How can you use shapes and simple forms to create a space? 

Goals:


Here is where we're going to most try and make use of automatism. Instead of focusing on making your background environment look like a realistic interpretation of your prompt, think about what reminds you of that space:
  • What does it feel like? How can that texture be reflected in the materials you use? Is the land and environment cluttered, or open? Is the flora pointy or soft? Try to interpret these emotions and moods quickly and without erasing or repainting. 
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first Steps and Materials


​For this project, you will be painting large-scale background environments to place your character in.

In order to break out of the normal way we might think about illustrating an environment, we will be using a limited color palette, 2 other materials (besides paint) to incorporate, as well as choosing a specific 'setting' for your environment to be inspired from. 

​Materials you will need: 
  • Paint (see Step 1 for specific colors) 
  • Paintbrushes (any size)
  • Large cardboard trifold or surface sturdy enough for paint and other materials
  • Other Material Options (pick two): 
    • Yarn 
    • Magazines
    • Tissue Paper
    • Colored construction paper

Let's get making! 

Step 1: 
     Choose a color palette from these below: 
Color Note!
You will need to have these three colors of paint available! Experiment with mixing paints if you don't have the right color on-hand. 
Step 2: 
Pick one or two materials (in addition to paint) that you will incorporate within your environment:
  • yarn
  • tissue paper
  • magazines
  • colored construction paper
Surrealist tip! 
Try to think about space and shapes within your scene instead of physical objects: what kind of shapes would make up the setting? Can they be large? Small? How do you simplify the space? Is it sharp and pointy or smooth and round?
Step 3:
Choose a setting from the following list. You must incorporate the setting in your environment. 
     - Forest
     - Swamp
     - City
     - Coffee shop
     - Desert
​     - Living room. 
Step 4:
Create your environment! Experiment with your colors and materials and see how they can be used to create different moods and textures.

Things to think about when creating your environment:
  • When you think about your setting, how does it make you feel? In what ways could you express what the setting feels like without exactly representing what it looks like.
Surrealist tip!
To really push yourself into making art as random and automatic as possible, set a timer for 45 minutes to an hour and try to finish the background in that time.  This way you force yourself not to worry so much about mistakes or planning, and instead focus on the act of making itself. 
  • Having trouble getting started? Throw some paint on the trifold and mix it with your hands; see what colors and textures you create.  Part of working like a Surrealist is making art that comes straight from your hands, not from your head (think automatism)
  • Your other materials all have distinct textures and tones; think about how they can add and subtract from the feeling of your setting, and how they might be changed to create new textures (try crumpling paper, ripping it, creating unique cut lines, fraying the yarn, etc.)
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Step 5:
​Finalize your scene by physically attaching your character to the environment you created, as if then creature lived in the space you've just created!

Examples: