Summer-y Art: How to make your bright and colorful masterpiece
Artists pull their inspiration from everywhere. Ideas that pop up during the day — a strangely-clad stranger, a vibrantly colored plant, or a faint smell that calls up distant memories instantly — often turn into artwork later on, especially if the artist makes sure to write down (or sketch out) the idea. If it’s a blustery winter day, it’s not too surprising that artists may be thinking blustery winter thoughts. And if it’s hot and bright out, well…
Summer is officially here, and summer heat comes with it. The longest days of the year mean everything feels sunnier, brighter, and warmer — and plants, animals, people, and the world at large all seem to wake up, dust off, and spend just a little bit more time outside.
How can you make your artwork as bright, colorful, cheery and warm as you feel during the summer months? Applying a summer-y mood to your art might be easier than you might think — especially if you follow these tips on how to make your summer-y masterpiece!
How to Summer-ize your artwork
When you want to create a summer-y scene, focus on thoughts, memories, and images you have of summer. These little bits of preliminary artwork probably have a few things in common:
- Bright Natural Light
Sunlight is an absolute necessity for your summer scene! Daz Studio’s natural light is a great place to start, but to make your summer scene really take off, try out some HDRIs that feature bright blue skies, mild clouds, or, of course, that massive nuclear fission-powered orb that’s responsible for all life on Earth. - Summer Colors
Make sure you get the color scheme of your scene just right. Summer scenes often feature higher exposure, which generally means lighter colors. Plants and greenery should be a bright, vibrant green, indicating growth and photosynthesis. The sky can be somewhat cloudy, but should be a robust and royal blue during the daytime, with dramatic sunrise & sunset.Between the greens, blues, and yellows of the outdoors during the summer months, you can build your own color scheme to coordinate. A white dress will not only keep your characters cool, but stand out on a beach. Brightly-colored swimwear adds a fun and festive feeling to any summer, beach-going, or vacation scene. Dark-colored sunglasses or accessories drive contrast in your scene, which makes the viewer feel more engaged. - The Lazy Summer Day Mood
The best art starts with a background ‘storyboard’ or ‘moodscape’ that encompasses all the ideas fighting to make it to the scene, so it helps to get in the mindset of a ‘lazy summer day’ to get a solid idea for your summer art masterpiece. For us, the lazy summer day mood means:- Taking a long lunch or having a picnic outside in the shade.
- A trip to the beach. Alternatively, for our characters who are lucky enough to have yachts, a trip out on the open ocean to feel the sea breeze.
- Gardening, tending the yard, painting/housework, or other activities outside of the house.
- Hikes in the forest or woods; walks along lanes or through open plains.
- Meals, drinks, or meetings with friends at outdoor cafes in the evening.
- Outdoor parties, cookouts, barbecues, and gatherings.
- Concerts, fairs, festivals, and other forms of collective fun.
Very Summer Products
Once you’ve ready to start, make sure that you have great 3D content that’s totally geared toward summer to add a few finishing touches to your artwork. Boats, Bikinis, T-Shirts and Shorts all give a quick (and easy) summer-y vibe, but we also like the ones that help set a summer mood without being too obvious, like:
This EXTREMELY CUTE little Piglet is perfect for a summer ‘character’ focus, frolicking in a vibrant green field, or any bright barnyard scene. Just don’t invite him to the barbecue later on…
This set comes with everything you need to build an ocean, beach, sea-side, or underwater scene. Not only is this set perfect for the tropical summer getaway — being modular, it has a variety of additional applications that you’ll discover tons of uses for.
This stunning, regal and royal getup may have an ancient feel, but that doesn’t mean it can’t help turn up the heat! The breezy and flowing dForce Hand of Helios Outfit screams ‘Sun Priest’ and conjures up arid environments.
What’s your ‘Lazy Summer Day?’
Don’t forget, the thing that makes your summer scene a real masterpiece is your individual creativity, and the ideas you turn into life. Try depicting a summer mood at different times of day, or adding ‘heat’ to a night scene. Creativity is what makes art valuable, captivating, and fun, and no one will know your unique take on summer until you share it. Have fun creating!
