Alright, let’s talk about these Hilda backgrounds. I got hooked on the show a while back, and man, those landscapes just stuck with me. You know, the colors, the feel of it all. Really unique stuff.
So, I figured, why not try and figure out what makes them tick? Started off just grabbing screenshots while watching. Paused it a lot, probably drove anyone watching with me crazy. Then I went online, just searching for high-res versions. You find tons of fan stuff, but getting those clean, official-looking background plates took some digging.
Getting Started
I basically made a folder, just dumped everything in there. Didn’t really organize it at first, just wanted a big pile of inspiration. Forests, mountains, Trolberg city scenes, the weird magical spots, all of it.
Then I actually started looking closely. Like, really looking. What colors are they using? It’s not just flat color. Lots of textures, kinda painterly but still simple. They use a lot of blues, greens, browns, yeah, but then they pop these unexpected oranges or purples in there. Really clever.
Trying it Out
Watching and collecting is one thing, right? Doing it is another. I opened up my drawing tablet, fired up Krita – nothing fancy. Thought I’d try and replicate a simple scene. Maybe just some of those rolling hills with the weirdly shaped trees.
- First attempt? Looked muddy. Colors didn’t blend right.
- Tried again, focused on keeping shapes simple, like they do. Less detail, more suggestion.
- Played with different brushes to get that slightly rough texture. Still wasn’t quite there.
It’s tougher than it looks to get that specific atmosphere. It’s sort of cozy but also a bit mysterious? And the lighting is soft, often feels like late afternoon or twilight. Nailing that specific mood, that combination of simple shapes, specific color palettes, and soft light… yeah, that’s the challenge.
Where I’m At Now
Honestly, I haven’t cracked it perfectly. My attempts still look more like generic cartoons than actual Hilda backgrounds. But the process itself was pretty cool. Spent a few evenings just sketching, mixing colors, trying different things. It’s relaxing, in a way.
I learned a bit more about color theory just by trying to copy what they did. And it made me appreciate the artists behind the show way more. It’s not just drawing pretty pictures; there’s a real consistent vision there.
So yeah, that’s been my little project. Just messing around, trying to capture a bit of that Hilda magic. Didn’t really achieve mastery or anything, but it was a good exercise. Might pick it up again later when I feel like tackling those weirdly shaped rocks they always draw.