<p>Those are good old hand-drawn backgrounds. Here's a part of <a href="http://www.ghibliworld.com/suzuki_toshio_interview.html">an interview</a> with Suzuki Toshio, executive producer and former president of Studio Ghibli (emphasis mine):</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>During this decade CG <em>[computer graphics, - singerofthefall]</em> came up and we realized that it enables us to
  make expressions richer when using it as supplement of regular cel <em>[sic!]</em>
  animation. On the other hand a new problem appeared. The progress of
  computing tech is so fast that it isn't easy to catch up. If a movie
  at one point is made by the highest tech, it will become outdated
  soon. There is one more point. We tried CG on Howl’s. For example, the
  legs of the castle were made by CG. However, it didn't seem very
  natural to me and I told Miyazaki that his skill was better than that
  of a computer. He accepted it and quit using CG after that. Hence the
  latter half of Howl’s doesn't include any CG. We now know CG has both
  its plus and minus sides. So the theme of this movie is as the story:
  simple. The visual effects are simple as well, while on the other hand
  <strong>it needs very hard working because of the drawing all it by hand.</strong></p>
</blockquote>

<p>It is also mentioned <a href="http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2009/aug/14/us-film-hayao-miyazaki-081409/">here</a>:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Miyazaki, whose films include "Princess Mononoke," "Howl's Moving
  Castle" and "My Neighbor Totoro," has used computer animation to
  embellish hand-drawn images. But before "Ponyo" went into production,
  <strong>he shut down the computer-graphics department at his Studio Ghibli,
  opting to work solely in hand-drawn images.</strong></p>
</blockquote>

<p>And finally, from <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/6911264/Hayao-Miyazaki-drawn-to-perfection.html">this</a> article:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>He insisted he still uses a pencil to draw his animated characters and
  backgrounds: “Currently computer graphics are used a great deal,” he
  noted, “but it can be excessive. I think [animation] needs the pencil,
  needs man’s hands drawing.”</p>
</blockquote>

<p>I would recommend you to check some of Makoto Shinkai's works (if you haven't seen them before) the quality of the animation and backgrounds there is stunning.</p>

<p><strong>Update</strong>:
There is an artbook called "The Art of Ponyo", which contains sketches hand-drawn by Miyazaki. I don't own it, but you can take a look at it's reviews <a href="http://www.parkablogs.com/content/book-review-art-of-ponyo-cliff-sea">here</a>, <a href="http://cdn.halcyonrealms.com/animation/the-art-of-ponyo-part-i-storyboards/">here</a> and <a href="http://cdn.halcyonrealms.com/anime/the-art-of-ponyo-part-ii-concept-and-background-art/">here</a>. The book includes both pencil and watercolor drawings, including characters, backgrounds, etc:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Usually I use poster paint to create the backgrounds; then I color the
  base in a pale color, adding subtle hues and shading on top of it.
  This time, with Ponyo, I added things like tints or detailed
  expressions with colored pencil on top of what I drew with poster
  paint...</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-03-20T16:04:49.753Z
This seems to cover most of the basics, but doesn't touch on what the technique is beyond the hand sketches. Is it pencil crayons, crayons, or maybe a specific type of painting (watercolor, acrylic)?
Cattua
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-03-21T05:26:17.030Z
@Eric, I've updated the answer, hope it helps. There isn't much information about the production of the movie in the Internet (at least in English, maybe there is some in Japanese, but I don't know Japanese), so that's about all I was able to find.
SingerOfTheFall
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-03-21T13:37:00.390Z
Good advice! I found a quote from the book which you may want to add to your answer: "*Usually I use poster paint to create the backgrounds; then I color the base in a pale color, adding subtle hues and shading on top of it. This time, with Ponyo, I added things like tints or detailed expressions with colored pencil on top of what I drew with poster paint...*"
Cattua
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-03-21T13:40:19.787Z
@Eric, nice quote, thanks :P added it to the answer.
SingerOfTheFall
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-03-20T21:15:49.217Z
The bit about inclusion/exclusion CG is more relevant about moving objects, the OP asks about _backgrounds_.
leonbloy
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-03-20T06:25:55.747Z
2013-03-21T13:39:55.753Z
2013-03-21T13:39:55.753Z
SingerOfTheFall
<p>In the movie <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ponyo" rel="noreferrer"><em>Ponyo</em></a>, the backgrounds (the clouds, pictured below) are not done in a typical anime style. Instead, they are much more lifelike and 3D.</p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/JcMvW.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></p>

<p>What is the technique used to do this? Is this used in other films or series?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-03-20T21:17:03.403Z
You might found this interesting, it's a real-time demonstration of the man who painted "Totoro" backgrounds. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1bCIkKQm0U
leonbloy
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-03-20T10:54:01.270Z
Hmm, I'd say borderline off-topic in favour of graphic design
Madara's Ghost
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-03-20T16:02:42.810Z
@MadaraUchiha I'd agree it's a bit close to the edge, but I didn't worry about that too much as it's specific to this movie (and, more generally, Miyazaki productions). It's also not "How do I do this?" but rather "What did this anime artist used to achieve said effect?" I'd be open to a meta or chat discussion about it, though.
Cattua
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-03-20T17:56:38.877Z
Well, since we haven't had any close votes, I'd say people agree with you. Carry on :)
Madara's Ghost
<anime-production><ponyo>
What technique is used to draw the lifelike backgrounds in the movie Ponyo?
# What technique is used to draw the lifelike backgrounds in the movie Ponyo?
Posted by: username_0 on 2013-03-20
In the movie [*Ponyo*](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ponyo), the backgrounds (the clouds, pictured below) are not done in a typical anime style. Instead, they are much more lifelike and 3D.

![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/JcMvW.jpg)

What is the technique used to do this? Is this used in other films or series?
**Tags:** anime-production ponyo
> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: Hmm, I'd say borderline off-topic in favour of graphic design  
> **username_0**: @MadaraUchiha I'd agree it's a bit close to the edge, but I didn't worry about that too much as it's specific to this movie (and, more generally, Miyazaki productions). It's also not "How do I do this?" but rather "What did this anime artist used to achieve said effect?" I'd be open to a meta or chat discussion about it, though.  
> **username_2**: Well, since we haven't had any close votes, I'd say people agree with you. Carry on :)  
> **username_1**: You might found this interesting, it's a real-time demonstration of the man who painted "Totoro" backgrounds. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1bCIkKQm0U  
---
## 1 answers
### Answer by username_3 on 2013-03-20. Score: 12 | Accepted answer
Those are good old hand-drawn backgrounds. Here's a part of [an interview](http://www.ghibliworld.com/suzuki_toshio_interview.html) with Suzuki Toshio, executive producer and former president of Studio Ghibli (emphasis mine):

> During this decade CG *[computer graphics, - singerofthefall]* came up and we realized that it enables us to
> make expressions richer when using it as supplement of regular cel *[sic!]*
> animation. On the other hand a new problem appeared. The progress of
> computing tech is so fast that it isn't easy to catch up. If a movie
> at one point is made by the highest tech, it will become outdated
> soon. There is one more point. We tried CG on Howl’s. For example, the
> legs of the castle were made by CG. However, it didn't seem very
> natural to me and I told Miyazaki that his skill was better than that
> of a computer. He accepted it and quit using CG after that. Hence the
> latter half of Howl’s doesn't include any CG. We now know CG has both
> its plus and minus sides. So the theme of this movie is as the story:
> simple. The visual effects are simple as well, while on the other hand
> **it needs very hard working because of the drawing all it by hand.**

It is also mentioned [here](http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2009/aug/14/us-film-hayao-miyazaki-081409/):

> Miyazaki, whose films include "Princess Mononoke," "Howl's Moving
> Castle" and "My Neighbor Totoro," has used computer animation to
> embellish hand-drawn images. But before "Ponyo" went into production,
> **he shut down the computer-graphics department at his Studio Ghibli,
> opting to work solely in hand-drawn images.**

And finally, from [this](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/6911264/Hayao-Miyazaki-drawn-to-perfection.html) article:

> He insisted he still uses a pencil to draw his animated characters and
> backgrounds: “Currently computer graphics are used a great deal,” he
> noted, “but it can be excessive. I think [animation] needs the pencil,
> needs man’s hands drawing.”

I would recommend you to check some of Makoto Shinkai's works (if you haven't seen them before) the quality of the animation and backgrounds there is stunning.

**Update**:
There is an artbook called "The Art of Ponyo", which contains sketches hand-drawn by Miyazaki. I don't own it, but you can take a look at it's reviews [here](http://www.parkablogs.com/content/book-review-art-of-ponyo-cliff-sea), [here](http://cdn.halcyonrealms.com/animation/the-art-of-ponyo-part-i-storyboards/) and [here](http://cdn.halcyonrealms.com/anime/the-art-of-ponyo-part-ii-concept-and-background-art/). The book includes both pencil and watercolor drawings, including characters, backgrounds, etc:

> Usually I use poster paint to create the backgrounds; then I color the
> base in a pale color, adding subtle hues and shading on top of it.
> This time, with Ponyo, I added things like tints or detailed
> expressions with colored pencil on top of what I drew with poster
> paint...
> **Comments:**
> **username_0** (2013-03-20): This seems to cover most of the basics, but doesn't touch on what the technique is beyond the hand sketches. Is it pencil crayons, crayons, or maybe a specific type of painting (watercolor, acrylic)?  
> **username_3** (2013-03-21): @Eric, I've updated the answer, hope it helps. There isn't much information about the production of the movie in the Internet (at least in English, maybe there is some in Japanese, but I don't know Japanese), so that's about all I was able to find.  
> **username_0** (2013-03-21): Good advice! I found a quote from the book which you may want to add to your answer: "*Usually I use poster paint to create the backgrounds; then I color the base in a pale color, adding subtle hues and shading on top of it. This time, with Ponyo, I added things like tints or detailed expressions with colored pencil on top of what I drew with poster paint...*"  
> **username_3** (2013-03-21): @Eric, nice quote, thanks :P added it to the answer.  
> **username_1** (2014-03-20): The bit about inclusion/exclusion CG is more relevant about moving objects, the OP asks about _backgrounds_.  
---
