Through a Cinematic Eye

I love a well-filmed movie, and you know the type: not just a collection of scenes that tell a good story, but a moving work of art in which the mood of each scene is controlled by the camera angles, color, lighting and framing. A movie where if you pause it at almost any point, you'll have a still which could be turned into a painting.

Lately, I've been hitting my sketchbook to get a better grasp of composition, and I've found a love for doing quick sketches of movie stills. What a better way to learn cinematic composition and visual storytelling? Each of these sketches are done with India ink and a brush, each about 5-10 minutes. A lovely way to pass an afternoon.

Here are some sketches from Prince Caspian, Mongols, and Return of the King. Reference stills from http://framefilter.blogspot.com/