This article will discuss tips for creating horror art.

This topic is relevant to screenwriters because those of us who choose the road of fiction is primarily concerned with creating characters and setting the stage for an interactive narrative.

But any experienced artist will tell you that every book, movie, or art piece we create is, in a way, horror.

This post will specifically focus on creating art for novels. Fiction, after all, is arguably the genre most concerned with craft and storytelling. So here are some tips on creating horror art.

The following is a brief list of tips I've compiled over the years for those of us who aspire to become horror writers, screenwriters, painters, etc.

Here is our list of tips:

1. Avoid the use of light and color.

It seems obvious. But a horror novel should never use bright colors, light fixtures, windows, or even glass. Keep the mood dark and ominous. This will help create tension, suspense, and fear.

2. Avoid having too many primary colors.

Primary colors are very bright and in many cases very intense. Light colors tend to counteract primary colors and create a purple halo around them. Thus, the screenwriter will need to provide one or two secondary colors and background.

3. Avoid using blues.

In general, blue is a very haunting and depressing color. Black and white work well to show emotions in an appropriate way. It is a common technique used by many horror filmmakers.

4. Avoid yellow.

Yellow often appears as an addition to primary colors. It is a bright, warm color and is often used to lighten a scene. However, it works against a scene when used in conjunction with black and white.

5. Avoid using high contrast.

In general, scenes with an abundance of contrast work better. For example, in a horror novel, bright sunlight is much more unsettling than a cloudy day. High contrast is also a better way to enhance the emotion of a scene.

6. Avoid having an intense light source.

Bright light and shadows create a sense of dream-like sleepiness. In the right scene, bright light can make a character a star. But it makes for a terrible scene when used in the wrong place. And the wrong place is often the climax of the story.

7. Avoid having lots of details in an image.

The more details you have in an image, the more information you have to work with. This is a common mistake made by artists who strive to be perfect. Remember, an image is not a novel. A novel can only consist of 7,000 words.

An image can contain hundreds of thousands. This means you need to hone your art so that it contains minimal detail and minimal information.

8. Avoid strong contrasts.

In many cases, the difference between a large bright thing and a small dark thing is far more unsettling than anything that appears to be in between. For example, instead of using dim light, try using a light source that is much brighter than a shadow.

9. Avoid having a light source at a light source.

This is a big one. Because many horror movies have over-the-shoulder shots, the camera should often be blocked by the shadow of something. It is far more effective to have the camera focus on something as opposed to something in front.

The goal is to make the viewer experience the scene rather than experience it for them.

10. Avoid establishing a color scheme.

This is a very common mistake. A lot of artists struggle to break the monotony of a given color. Instead, they create a color palette and then create a painting around it. This is fine to a point.

But if you can't escape your color palette, you will eventually run out of colors. In some cases, I recommend you can create a small pallet of color for your story. But never allow it to be too many colors.

It should only be enough to give a sense of the scene. For example, a horror novel should use blue for the background. This is because the color blue gives a sense of calm and safety.

However, blue can be a very dark color and therefore is a very disturbing color.

In conclusion...

The list above is by no means complete. In fact, it is a complete list. The advice provided is meant to be a starting point. When creating your own horror novel, you should look at the advice provided and then make your own observations.

Every writer will look at the list above and think, "That's just the way I do things." You can, however, use the list to help you avoid mistakes and create a better horror novel. Yours is not a fantasy novel, your novel is a horror novel.

It's up to you to make it one.