Matte Paintings
Jynko | 02/20/2005 @806 | edit post

Okay, this may be a stupid question but it's something I've been dieing to ask. What exactly is a matte painting? I visit numerous websites where very talented artists present their paintings, drawings, photography, photo manupulation, concept sketches, and matte paintings. Is there a difference between a matte painting and a regular painting? There has to a difference, right? Why else would they create a sub-category for matte paintings on their website?

Re: Matte Paintings
BaronImpossible | 02/20/2005 @813 | edit post

Matte paintings are digitally altered collages of photographs, with painting thrown in (sometimes), that act as backdrops to live action scenes.

Re: Matte Paintings
deathsythe7 | 02/21/2005 @171 | edit post

Wierd I always thought they where paintings using tones and pale colors to make a background that looks realistic. Learn something new everyday.

Re: Matte Paintings
Crow | 02/21/2005 @674 | edit post

photographs are usually used, though some of them consist painting only, which is pretty impressive. Matte painters usually want to use photos in order to save time though.

Re: Matte Paintings
pursuitrevised | 02/23/2005 @336 | edit post

yeah!... matte-painting, everythings ok!... What about Lustre and glossy paintings?... sometimes i am really confused about the "ART terminology" ... err... coloring a line art can be a matte-painting? ... or what "terminologic expression" can we say about "coloring a lineart"?

Re: Matte Paintings
Crow | 02/23/2005 @653 | edit post

"Colored lineart", "Colored drawing"? those might be the words. I don't think colored drawing can be a matte painting: matte paintings are photorealistic.

Re: Matte Paintings
arenhaus | 02/23/2005 @688 | edit post

Matte painting is simply any painting used as a background in a film shot. (Usually that means a composite shot, because they tend to use projection screens when shooting live.) It is "matte" because it is not transparent like a mask, I suppose; it does not have to be matte or glossy or even photorealistic. The definition is about its use, not its content or making. Granted, most matte paintings are photorealistic just because they have to combine well with live footage. So they use color palette that woud fit the footage, etc. Usually it's a special skill, since you have to match the lighting and color precisely. The 2nd "Art of Star Wars" book, the one about Episode V, has some nice photos of matte paintings, including a few on easel together with paints and color tests around them.

Re: Matte Paintings
jfrancis | 02/23/2005 @806 | edit post

A "matte" is a film element that does the same basic job for film as an "alpha channel" or a "key" does for digital images. "Matte Painting" is a term that means largely the same thing as "Matte Photography." In visual effects, a "black core matte" protects one portion of a film frame from receiving an image, so that later, a "clear core matte" can fill in the missing parts with photography from another source ( such as a painting, or a model miniature ) When the mattes have to fit moving objects, they are called "travelling mattes." Sometimes an object is photographed once ( creating what is called a "beauty pass" ), then spray-painted white and rephotographed against a black screen ( creating what is called a "matte pass" ). When an object's "matte pass" and "beauty pass" don't line up exactly (for film shrinkage, camera weave or whatever other reason ) the composited object can be surrounded by ugly gray fringing known as a "matte line." There are many other ways to "pull a matte" from an object. The most common method involves shooting the beauty pass and the matte pass with the same camera at the same time, by using a "process screen" (usually a blue or green screen). This is a much easier and less error-prone method than spray-painting the model. [Message edited on 02/23 @812]

Re: Matte Paintings
pursuitrevised | 02/24/2005 @148 | edit post

Thnx o lot jfrancis, These "words" are too strange for a "newbie" like me... But You have answered all the questions in my head ... thank you very much...