Category: Project 1

Whilst there is no need to discuss the artistic aspects of the scene further. However, irrespective of how a matte painting will be integrated into the show, there are a range of preparatory steps that the artist must undertake. Introduction This study seeks to explore a Photoshop and Nuke Only Matte Painting workflow described by … Continue reading Propositional Statement

A simple test bed is constructed using a proxy image made up of a checkerboard and colour wheel, these being graphical node elements built in to Nuke (Fig 1). This is then added to a Card node, which is set at world-space zero. Fig 1: Test Bed for Camera Animation A camera is then added … Continue reading Animated Shot Camera

Whilst there is no need to discuss the artistic aspects of the scene further. However, irrespective of how a matte painting will be integrated into the show, there are a range of preparatory steps that the artist must undertake. Groups and Layers When producing 2D artwork for matte painting, the ultimate objective is to output … Continue reading Preparatory Work on the Matte Painting

In order to ensure that each of the methods can be analysed with parity, the logical starting place would be setting up the common scene properties Project Settings The project is set to 2000 x 2000px (half the Photoshop resolution) which allows the camera to push considerably into the scene without loss of resolution. Contextually … Continue reading Common Scene Properties

The first consideration would relate to the type of geometry onto which the image should be applied. Using a card, and setting this back deep into Z space was deemed to be an appropriate approach. However, analysis of the shot from the perspective of the moving shot camera, revealed an absence of parallax, which is … Continue reading The Sky

This ground terrain is arguably the single most important layer in this project. This is because the image transcends from the immediate foreground all the way through the mid-ground to the distant hills. On all matte paintings, which depict a space that recedes from the camera, these elements are notoriously difficult to get right in … Continue reading Ground Terrain

These elements transcend the horizon line in the matte painting (Fig 1) so applying this to a flat planar geometric surface would appear to be the logical approach. If there was some visible curvature of the hills then there would be some merit in considering applying the texture to the inside, or indeed outside surface … Continue reading Distant Hills and Trees

The final camera projected matte painting is shown in fig 1. Fig 1: Final camera projected matte painting The final piece incorporates a number of embellishments. Whilst not directly connected to the core objective of the project, it is nevertheless important to add touches that finish the shot cinematically and/or provide further exposition for the … Continue reading Final Matte Painting

Church and Farm Building Aligning the church provides the first example of the benefits associated with the shadows being painted onto the ground terrain. Now this is laid flat in three-dimensional space, we can use the shadows as markers for positioning our geometry in depth. Fig 1: shows how, in this case a Card can … Continue reading Ground Elements

Connelly and Clandinin (1986) point out that the distinction between reflection-in-action and reflection-on-action “…separates thinking during practice from thinking after or before” but finds that “…both terms name the method used in the act of thinking practically.” (p.294) The following reflections are undertaken following completion of the project and begin with a review of the … Continue reading Project 1 Conclusion