Layouts

Much like concept art, I don't know a lot about artists who work with layouts. To break it down simply, layouts are rendered scenes based off of storyboards. Specific backgrounds and character posing is added to the scene. I think the most important feature to the layouts is setting up the camera shots. Storyboards focus on camera angles as well, but layout artists focus more on how it'll look on screen. It's a process I never even knew existed not too long ago but you learn as you go along so it's pretty cool.
I went with Miyazaki's film Spirited Away for today's image because I really liked the layout for this scene. It's a great scene in the movie and is always drawn beautifully. Any Miyazaki movie is done stupendously. Sorry, I'm kind of rambling on great films, but, like I said, I don't have too much information on layouts. I never really considered going into it, but I could always surprise myself by being pretty good at it. It's not too far off from storyboarding.
Actually, a few days ago I visited Nickelodeon studios and toured around it with a group I was with. It was so freaking awesome. I would recommend interning there if you're wanting somewhere to intern. I heard they slime you at some point. Anyway, we got to talk to the art director for SpongeBob Squarepants and what's interesting is that that show and another show are the only two shows in Nickelodeon who paints their backgrounds non digitally. Spongbob's keeping it classy and sticking to their original painting style. Respect. Well, the art director paints the layouts he's given. These layouts are actually really big drawings. A lot bigger than I thought they would be, but it makes sense if someone was going to paint on it.
So I suppose layouts vary in size depending if someone was going to hand paint it or if they were  going to digitally paint it, which is still a great art form. I'd prefer digital over using my shaking hands to dab on paint to the image. These painters are what's going to be discussed for our next topic: Background Design!