Man, I gotta tell you about this little project I just wrapped up. So, I’m a huge fan of Studio Ghibli, you know, the animation studio behind “Spirited Away” and “My Neighbor Totoro.” Their artwork is just magical. I’ve always wanted to try my hand at creating something in that style, and I finally took the plunge.
I started by just watching a bunch of Ghibli movies, you know, for “research.” I was paying close attention to how they use colors and light, and especially how they draw nature. The backgrounds in those films are like paintings themselves. Then, I started digging around online, looking for any info on what tools they used. Turns out, the animators at Studio Ghibli used something called Nicker Poster Color. It’s kinda like a fancy watercolor, and it gives that soft, dreamy look to their films. I found a few blog posts by a French artist, Louise Terrier, who did some Ghibli-inspired stuff back in 2014 with watercolors. Her work is amazing, and it gave me some good ideas.
I also stumbled upon a bunch of fan art online. There’s this whole community of artists on websites who share their Ghibli-inspired creations. Seeing all that amazing fan art really got me pumped up, like, “I can do this too!”
Then came the hard part: actually making something. I decided to start with a simple scene, you know, not trying to be a hero. After watching the movies, I had an idea for a picture of Totoro under a starry night sky. I sketched it out a few times until I was happy with it, and then I went to town with the watercolors. I tried to use those soft colors like I saw in the movies, especially in the sky.
I messed up a bunch of times, especially when I was trying to get the colors to blend just right. Watercolors can be tricky, man. But I kept at it, and I started to get the hang of it. I was layering colors, adding details, and slowly but surely, my Totoro under the stars started to come to life.
After many hours, I finally finished it! It’s not perfect, but I’m pretty proud of it. It’s got that dreamy, Ghibli-esque vibe that I was going for, and it was a ton of fun to make. Plus, I learned a lot about watercolors along the way.
Here are some things that I have learned during this journey:
- Watch the movies: This is the best way to get a feel for the Ghibli style.
- Find your tools: I used watercolors, but you can use whatever you’re comfortable with.
- Look for inspiration: There’s a ton of great Ghibli fan art out there.
- Don’t be afraid to mess up: It’s all part of the learning process.
- Have fun: That’s what it’s all about, right?
I’m definitely going to try making more Ghibli-inspired art in the future. Maybe I’ll even try to animate something someday. Who knows? The possibilities are endless. And I hope you can get some inspiration from my experience and make your own Ghibli art too!