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As a concept artist, one of my favourite tasks is creating establishing shots. These large-scale scenes usually combine multiple areas of a map to give a clear and inviting overview of a game world.
Depth is the key element in this type of image, but it doesn’t come from detail alone. It is mainly built through light and value grouping. Strong value grouping simplifies the scene into clear layers, helping to separate the foreground, midground and background. To build this sense of depth, we stack multiple planes and place points of interest throughout the scene.
We need to carefully control the most important elements of the image and balance them with quieter areas. This builds a clear visual hierarchy that guides the viewer’s eye through the scene, from foreground to background. I often think of it as a path, with key moments not to miss, while everything around them supports and enhances those focal points.
Light plays a crucial role in this hierarchy. It helps structure the composition, keeps the image readable, and reinforces the overall idea in a clear and coherent way. In this tutorial, I will guide you through my process with these ideas in mind, to create strong depth in the image without losing readability.
If you need the tools to follow the process, see our guides to the best drawing tablets and sign up to a plan at Adobe to get Photoshop (or see our guide to the best Photoshop alternatives).
01. Using thumbnails
I start with small greyscale thumbnails, using no more than five values. The darkest values stay in the foreground, and I gradually lighten them as the space recedes. I keep the shapes as simple as possible, suggesting forms without adding any detail.
This helps maintain strong readability from the very beginning.
02. Line art
I draw over the shapes to clarify the idea. I place points of interest across each plane, guiding the eye from the foreground to the background. One of them becomes the main focal point, more important than the others.
I avoid aligning them vertically or horizontally, and vary the spacing to keep the composition dynamic and engaging.
03. Bringing in light
Then, I start adding light with a soft brush. It helps to reinforce the idea by highlighting key points of interest, separating the different planes and bringing subtle interest to areas that felt too flat or empty.
04. Getting some perspective
Now, I use a perspective tool to set up two vanishing points. One is centred to define the horizon line, which is key to guiding the sense of depth. The second sits higher in the sky, controlling vertical lines and giving the scene a stronger sense of scale and height.
05. Working with colour
Next, I move on to colour. I usually create a clipping mask above each layer, apply a base colour and adjust it with Hue/Saturation until I find a mood that feels right. Before that, I gather references to define the overall atmosphere that I want for the scene.
Notice that as elements recede into the background, colours shift toward blue due to atmospheric perspective.
06. Change the mood
I turn the lighting layers back on after keeping them hidden until now. I can then experiment with different layer modes to vary the impact of the light, while also keeping everything fairly subtle at this stage.
07. Hue variations
I like to add more vibrancy and subtle hue variation using colour dynamics. I keep working with fairly large shapes at first, then gradually refine them into smaller and more complex details.
Throughout the process, I make sure to preserve the original value structure as more detail is added
08. Clarifying the focal point
I felt like my picture was missing something, so I added a dragon in the midground. This will now become my main focal point. It will help reinforcing depth by sitting between planes. Also, it creates an opportunity for me to cast a shadow on the ground.
09. Change of contrast
Next, I notice that my values have slightly shifted after adding colour. I spend a few minutes restoring the original lighting mood, especially by lightening the background. In order to do this, I adjust the layers directly using Hue/Saturation
10. Start painting
Finally, I can hide the line layer and start painting. I define each volume more clearly while keeping the values simple. To stay efficient, I suggest large spaces in the background with broad brush strokes, creating a smooth transition toward the foreground and the key points of interest, where I concentrate more detail.
11. Stacking more planes
I want to push the sense of depth even further. To do this, I paint subtle mountains between the different planes. They follow the same value structure and stay very soft, so they don’t draw too much attention.
12. Building some more depth
Within the foreground I start adding smaller brush strokes and trees. I try to create strong scale variation within the foreground, treating it almost like its own image. Trees deeper in the foreground are much smaller than the ones close to the viewer.
This helps establish the scale of the elements in the planes behind it.
13. Controlling detail
I add a character for scale, while keeping them fairly subtle. I adjust the contrast and vibrancy of the image, then continue adding detail, mostly in the foreground. I adjust the format to give the composition more breathing space, then add final lighting layers.
On a Colour Dodge layer, I use a soft brush with a dark brown tone and gently tap over my points of interest to make them stand out. I slightly increase the contrast, and the piece is finished.
This article originally appeared in ImagineFX. Subscribe to ImagineFX to never miss an issue. Print and digital subscriptions are available.
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