In this first homework, you'll plan out your world. First, choose a genre, theme and presentation method for your project. Then, find some references for your world and characters. Next, dig into the works of a few master artists to really get inspired.

For extra credit, write out a basic plan for your project's theme, environments, characters, and other important points.

NOTE: You can use the free app PureRef (www.pureref.com) to organize reference images.

Choose a set of 5-10 movie shots, anime frames, video game cutscene stills, photographs, paintings or other pieces of visual artwork that inspire you. Create simple composition breakdowns by drawing over these images using extremely basic shapes, to define the flow of each composition. Notice how much easier it is to identify what makes a good composition when you've broken it down to its component parts! 

Find 4-6 images of simple architecture online, and use the techniques you learned to identify the location of each horizon line and vanishing point.

Next, you'll practice camera angles. Create 2 simple compositional sketches from each of the following angles: straight-on (flat view), upward view, and top-down view. Don't be afraid to utilize perspective lines and vanishing points if you need them.

For extra credit, try doing one more image from each angle, but utilizing a different focal length to see how the image changes. 

Find artists whose sketches inspire you and study their linework. First, try recreating a few of these artists' sketches, focusing on using their particular line styles. Next, now that you've practiced a few different styles of line, choose a few photographs from the internet and try sketching them however works for you. This can incorporate elements of the artists' styles who inspire you, as well as whatever kind of linework comes naturally. If you do this often enough, you will begin to see a unique style of your own emerge. 

Create your first set of loose brainstorm sketches. These should be wide shots of an important area in your world, without focusing too much on any details. Finally, compile these sketches on a sheet like Kleiner did.

For Beginner Students: Create 2 total sketches.

For Advanced Students: Create 4 total sketches.

Create a set of two landscape sketches, depicting the widest possible shots of your world. Be extra careful not to get lost in the details when showing so many things within the frame.

For extra credit, create 1-2 more landscape sketches of your world, and try adding black & white value to one of them.