Composition Development
Gallagher starts with a reference. However, though the image looks familiar, this exact composition—with both Moira and Atreyu positioned in just this way—is different from the actual movie. “I had to create new [digitally] painted background elements, such as Morla’s shell on the right side, to fill out the composition that did not exist with the original reference,” Gallagher said. “By combining all three layers together and I now have a brand-new reference that feels as if it has been pulled right from the film, yet is an original composition that I can now utilize for my painting.”
