Photoshop & Blender: BUILD NARRATIVE USING INTERIORS

Find out how illustrator Magdalina Dianova creates a cosy setting that helps to express her character’s personality

- Magdalina Dianova

A well-crafted environment can tell us so much about a character: their values, interests, or even their weaknesses. In this tutorial, we'll explore the details that make a space feel authentic and lived-in, turning it into a powerful storytelling tool.

We'll start by setting up a 3D scene in Blender to establish perspective and lighting. There's no need for any advanced skills, as we'll mostly arrange placeholders and add basic lighting for reference. As we go, I'll share some tips on balancing shapes, creating a harmonious colour scheme, and using lighting to set the mood and tell a story. I'll also show you how you can use adjustment layers to paint light more efficiently and direct the viewer's attention.

Your character's story will inform every decision you make, so the first step is to think about who they are and write down some key traits.

Do they have any special interests? What's one thing about them that you really want to communicate in your piece? You don't have to write a full story, but the more information you have, the more depth your illustration will have.

1 Create your scene in 3D

I always start by building a rough 3D scene to establish the camera angle and composition. There's no need to model specific props here, just arrange boxes as placeholders. I set up a second viewport to see through my camera, which allows me to check the positions of the elements within the frame and avoid any tangents.

Remember to set the camera's focal length, as this will determine the perspective distortion.

2 Work big to small