Introduction

When one thinks of abandoned spaces, they would usually think of ancient ruins, like Acropolis or Pompeii:

But more often than not - especially recently - they could be something like this:

And it could be any space. It could be the pizzeria you went to as a kid. It could be a retail store you fell in love with recently. It could be a middle school you go to. No matter the space, it will be abandoned.

That is why modern abandoned spaces can be so eerie; they are places you know, but they are shadows of their former selves. As a result, they could make for great horror settings. Let's design one together!

Research

So what are the common traits of a modern abandoned space? Well, there isn't any set rule, as long as the place hasn't been occupied in quite some time. That being said, there are a few common factors:

1. Litter. Litter everywhere: If the place hasn't been cleaned out, expect to find all kinds of trash -from drink cups to broken glass to ceiling tiles to tables - on the ground:

2. Lights on: It's not too uncommon to see the lights on. This can make the place more eerie:

3. Nature takes over: Common in outdoor areas and areas that get a lot of sunlight and moisture. Expect plants to grow like crazy in these areas:

I recommend doing some more research in order to get the feel of what you're looking for. Look up youtube videos or even visit the place in person, if you can.

Based on the research I gathered, here are some sketches on some of the types of abandoned spaces:

I'm going with the mall for this demonstration since it's one of the more iconic abandoned places.

Process

After sketching the mall on paper, I transferred the drawing onto CSP and refined it using a two point perspective ruler:

Onto inking with a maru pen, making the inking less defined the farther away from eye view:

Since my mall looks somewhat in disrepair, there will be some trash scattered about:

I added a small vine even though this part of the mall is nowhere near sunlight. Maybe it's a darkness-blooming vine? :

Now onto coloring, starting with ink black:

For this mall in particular, I picked a pink and green color scheme to work with. Looks bright and cheery, aside from the broken glass and trash littered about:

I shaded the ceiling and the knocked over trees on another layer:

Now for the artificial lighting. To make a glow effect in watercolor, make a new layer, then paint closely to the lineart. It helps if the lineart is the same color as the watercolor you're using:

I finished off with a layer of atmospheric shadows:

Now to add an "underpainting" or a solid color that ties everything together and sets the right mood. I only erased the areas where there are lights. I went with Magenta as a color, but you can use whatever color that fits your vision:

Conclusion

Well, that's all I know about abandoned spaces. Hope this helps.

 

Until Next time...

 

Ciao! :3