Matte painting

A matte painting is a painted representation of a landscape, set, or distant location that allows filmmakers to make the illusion of an environment that would otherwise be too expensive to build or visit. Previously, matte painters and film technicians have used various techniques to combine a matte-painted image with live-action footage. At its best, depending on the skill levels of the artists and technicians, the effects is “seamless” and create environments that would otherwise be impossible to film.

Traditional matte paintings were still in utilize, but more frequently in conjunction with digital compositing. Paint has now been superseded by digital images formed using photo references, 3-D models, and drawing tablets. Matte painters combine their digitally matte painted textures within computer-generated 3-D environments, allowing for 3-D camera movement. Speedier computer processing times continue to modify and expand matte painting technologies and techniques.