PART III: CONCEPT AND BALANCE
Where did the background go?
Very frequent is the use of one character (inverted color schemes or not) slapped onto a plain background. A simple wallpaper is not a blank one. And by "blank" I'm not referring only to white backgrounds, but to all monochromatic ones. Avoid this at all costs, unless the character you use already has a lot of detail and making a crowded background would ruin everything.
Positioning the elements
The character(s): Unless you have a background-only wallpaper, the character(s)' placement is very important, since it determines most of the balance of the wallpaper. Never place your character on the side unless you want to focus on the background (which should be compensating for the "loss" of the character). Avoid placing a character on the left margin and mirroring him/her on the right one, it creates a very ugly effect that shows little effort. The placement of the characters should be natural and not too striking.
To emphasize a character, you can either add detail to him/her, make him/her lighter/darker than the rest of the elements
The background: first, it should match the character(s), if any. Play with the colors/contrast/whatever to focus on the background or character. If you go for a background-only wallpaper, following the steps from the 'Colors' section is a must.
The foreground: it should blend in with the foreground and character(s) (if any). For example, we have a character standing in a field. The background is comprised of the field and/or sky (depending on which angle you look at). That leaves the foreground to (naturally) be grass, insects and whatever you find on a field. Tip: you can blur the foreground to draw attention to the other elements.
Plum + pillow = ??
So you've got a character, a proper background and an idea of the final outcome in mind. Another important thing is to match the elements to the theme of the wallpaper. For example, drawing a river of blood near a pretty fairy-tale like castle would confuse everyone. You're an artist, but keep in mind that your ideas must be understood by the ones who view your work. Make sure you explain your idea in your wallpaper's description if you think it's complex and some might not understand what you wanted to express.
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Ok, it seems we’re done ^_^ I hope you found this not-so-small guide useful and will benefit from it. Remember, these aren’t pinned; feel free to explore and modify whatever you want if you don’t like it. The basics are important though, so don’t ignore them.
If you have any more suggestions or if you think I forgot to add something, please tell! Sharing advice is always good for everyone :)
