Thursday, November 5, 2009

Large Format Matte Painters

For Film Industry
SUperman Returns
Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Interview on the Electric Playground


FAQ's
What software do you use?
I use Photoshop for all of my painting. For 3D I use Cinema 4D. It has fantastic camera mapping tools. For compositing and 2D motion work, I use After Effects.
What kind of tablet do you use?
Currently I am using a Wacom Intuos 3, 6" x 11" tablet
What is the usual resolution of a painting?
I usually like to work at 4096 pixels wide which is double film resolution. I do this so that I can get in there and scribble and paint anything I need to. When it gets resampled down to 2k it all comes together and "congeals" nicely. I also paint at a higher resolution because sometimes a client will want to either crop or push in on a painting. Without the extra resolution, this could be a repaint.
How long does a typical painting take?
It is a very wide range. Sketches and concept work usually take from 2 hours to 2 days. Matte painting work can be from 1 day to 3 weeks depending on the resolution and detail. Obviously a futuristic city is going to take a lot longer than a sky replacement