Digital matte painting

Most matte paintings begin life as a verbal brief communicated by the film’s director: “A cold and bleak environment, not too alien in its feel” or “a historically accurate view of the Southampton Docks, circa 1912”. If the brief hasn’t already been visualised by the art department, the concept sketch becomes the digital matte painter’s first job. Vital as a development tool for exploring the composition of the final painting, and also as a method of communicating the look to the director, it’s only when the concept image has been signed off that work should begin on the actual matte painting.

Whether the matte painter’s role is to reconstruct an entire imaginary background from scratch, or to augment a rudimentary set or existing location, the craftsmanship is essentially the same. These days, the majority of digital mattes start with a background plate; reference footage is sourced, then the layered paintwork begins. Colour-picking a brush and painting from scratch is becoming an increasingly rare task, as digital stills form the foundation of the majority of paintings.

Yet, by no means does this equate matte painting to a Photoshop collage. Artistic talent is vital, and even with the most competent colour grading skills in the world, the techniques we cover over the next few pages will never compensate adequately for a lack of artistic ability. Most of all, you’ll need a good eye, an excellent sense of composition, an aptitude with colours, and a solid understanding of spatial design for the camera.

Especially for this feature, five of the best matte painters from around the world have combined to share their collective experience, offering insights gathered over the course of their many years in the creative industry. From selling concept art to a director to working effectively with layers, we’ll take you stage by stage through the process of creating a matte painting and empower you with expert tips along the way.