Digital Matte Painting - Exercises & Projects

7/9/2022 - 3/12/2022 / Week 2 - Week 14

Lui Hsiao Hui (Tressa) / 0342003
Digital Matte Painting / Entertainment Design

Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media

Exercise: Sky Replacement

Project 1: Virtual Plein Air

Project 2: Invisible Set Extension

Project 3: Thematic Matte Painting (VFX)

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INSTRUCTIONS

Exercise: Sky Replacement

Fig. 1.1 Exercise: Sky Replacement - PDF, Week 3-7 (17/9-12/10/2022)

With the sky replacement exercise, we got to practice editing lighting along with beginner photo bashing using Adobe Photoshop. I enjoyed doing this exercise a lot, it was fun to experiment with different lighting and colours to create different atmospheres.

Fig. 1.2 Exercises - PDF, Week 3 (17/9/2022)

Project 1: Virtual Plein Air

Project 1: Virtual Plein Air requires us to digitally paint a chosen landscape realistically, to prepare us for our future projects on photo bashing and to train our ability in realism art. This project was quite fun to do because I didn't really have to think at all but just observe and paint.

We were tasked to select 3 images of different locations to do colour blockouts without colour picking before choosing one to do for our final piece. The images were sourced from Google. I decided to choose the ice landscape because I'd like to paint the ice textures, I thought it would be fun. The brushes I used were charcoal pencil, hard edge pressure and smudge tool. 

Fig. 2.1 Final Virtual Plein Air, Week 3-7 (14/9-12/10/2022)

Fig. 2.2 Painting and image comparison

Fig. 2.3 Project 1: Virtual Plein Air - PDF, Week 7 (12/10/2022)

Project 2: Invisible Set Extension

Fig. 3.1 The Hobbit, Week 10 (31/10/2022)

In project 2, we start to explore creating mattes. Our task was to choose or create a new environment set for an existing movie. I chose the Hobbit film trilogy.

Fig. 3.2 Aegnor - moodboard and references, Week 10 (2/11/2022)

Fig. 3.3 Aegnor - progression, Week 10-13 (2-23/11/2022)

Fig. 3.4 Aegnor, Week 13 (23/11/2022)

Fig. 3.5 Kheldore - assets, Week 10-13 (2-23/11/2022)

Fig. 3.6 Kheldore - progression, Week 10-13 (2-23/11/2022)

Fig. 3.7 Kheldore, Week 13 (23/11/2022)

Fig. 3.8 Project 2: Invisible Set Extension - PDF, Week 13 (23/11/2022)

Project 3: Thematic Matte Painting (VFX)

Fig. 4 Kheldore - Thematic Matte Painting (VFX), Week 14 (3/12/2022)

THIS 15 SECONDS VIDEO TOOK 4 HOURS TO RENDER AAAAAAAAAA

Music: Final Waltz by Suprhot feat. 2WEI

For Project 3, we were to pick one final invisible set extension to edit VFX in Adobe After Effects. I picked Kheldore because I liked the colours and the overall atmosphere better than Aegnor. I also had more moveable elements to work with.

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FEEDBACKS

Exercise: Sky Replacement

Week 6:

Day: More blueish, lessen the red tint.

Sunset: Reduce the light streak. When it's too sharp, it'll look fake.

Sunset: Reduce vibrance.

Mars: Colours like this are too much, looks like a filter.

Starry night: Add a slight purplish tint on the rocks.

Aurora: Bluer tint on the greens.

Project 1: Virtual Plein Air

Week 6: Reduce the darkness of the sky and some ice. Add a purple hue and light bounce.

Project 2: Invisible Set Extension

Week 10:

Aegnor might be a bit cluttered, might want to add a pathway and push the head to the side a bit more.

Driftwood is too close to the camera, should be further, refine sketches.

Go with sketches 1, 3 & 5. Think of where you'll want to place your character.

Week 11:

Aegnor: Make the statue smaller to make the building stand out.

Kheldore: Be mindful of scale and add more structure for the castle attached to the mountain.

Galaheim: Bring the structure further away because it's too close. When it's too close there's no point of it being a matte, it'll also force you to add more detail as it's closer to the viewers.

Week 12:

Aegnor: More atmospheric effects to create better depth because the similar colours and tones make everything blend together.

Kheldore is more clear and the colours make it more interesting to look at.

You may go with either of these 2 for your final VFX.

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REFLECTION

Digital Matte Painting was quite fun to do because it required less painting and drawing compared to other modules, it's almost like a small break from all the drawing-oriented modules. I enjoyed painting the realistic Virtual Plein Air the most, it was very straightforward and I got to relax while painting it. Because I enjoy photography, it was really fun to edit the sky replacements as well. I did find it challenging at times when it came to compositing the mattes. I specifically struggled with the 3rd matte for the invisible set extension, I definitely have to study cave and rock formations more to be able to improve that composition.