Digital Matte Painting - Exercise

24/9/2024 - 18/11/2024 : (Week 1- Week 9)
Ting Wen Yi / 0361799
Digital Matte Painting/Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media
Fundamentals - Exercise

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INSTRCTIONS

You will undergo a series of exercises that will enhance your understanding of matte as listed below:

• Perspective Studies (Landscapes and Interiors)
• Compositions
• Value Studies
• Sky replacements
• Virtual Plain Air
• 2.5D mattes
• Invisible Set Extensions

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EXERCISE

Week 1- Sky Replacement

In the first week, Mr. Kannan taught us sky replacement and how to manipulate the color to match specific times of day. To make the mood and time more realistic, I looked for some references. I think the best reference would be finding a timelapse of the sky over 24 hours.

Figure 1.1.1 Reference 1 - Week 1 (24/9/2024)

Figure 1.1.2 Reference 2 - Week 1 (24/9/2024)

Figure 1.1.3 Reference 3 - Week 1 (24/9/2024)

This is my original picture, which has a not-too-complicated coastline scenery, as Mr. Kannan mentioned not to find pictures with a crazy amount of details.

Figure 1.2.1 Chosen Picture - Week 1 (24/9/2024)

I started by changing the sky color, then adjusting the temperature and adding highlights with soft light around the sea and some on the edge of the mountains. I also added shadows using the multiply to create darker shadows. Lastly, I added a gradient color on top to create a filter-like effect.

Figure 1.2.2 Sky Displacement - Week 1 (24/9/2024)

This scene portrays the early morning, where the sun is about to rise.

Figure 1.2.3 Morning Sunrise - Week 1 (24/9/2024)

I followed similar steps for the others. This scene portrays noon, with the sun high in the middle of the sky. To make it more realistic, I added the sun's reflection on the sea using a brush and Gaussian blur.

I also added a 'shine' effect, as if the sunlight is shining directly into the camera.

Figure 1.2.5 Noon - Week 1 (24/9/2024)

During the afternoon, the sun did not appear in the picture, as I referenced from the video. The scene is not as bright compared to noon.

Figure 1.2.6 Afternoon - Week 1 (24/9/2024)

During sunset, the sky has a mix of orange, blue, and pinkish hues. So, I painted some pink and orange onto the sea and the mountains to reflect those colors. This scene portrays around 7 PM, where you can see the sun, and the lower part of the sky has an orange hue.

Figure 1.2.7 Evening Sunset 7pm - Week 1 (24/9/2024)

For the next scene, the time is close to sunset, where everything is dark but there are still hints of orange, along with shades of blue and dark blue. The surroundings are dark, but not too dark, allowing some details to still be visible. So, I added a lot of shadows below and at the top of the sky.

 

Figure 1.2.8 Color Correcting - Week 1 (24/9/2024)

Figure 1.2.9 Evening Sunset 8pm - Week 1 (24/9/2024)

Lastly, for the midnight scene around 2 AM, the sky is filled with stars, and the surroundings are very dark. You can't see many details in the picture, but you can tell it’s a coastline.

Figure 1.2.10 Midnight 2am - Week 1 (24/9/2024)

Next, I also downloaded some additional references for future use. This will help me better capture the nuances of the landscapes, including different types of mountains, trees, skies, and other details.

Figure 1.3.1 Evening Sunset 8pm - Week 1 (24/9/2024)

I make some minor changes to all the pictures. (Refer to compilation) 

Week 2 - Perspectives

For this week's exercise, Mr. Kannan asked us use reference pictures to learn about perspectives, using guidelines and vanishing points to help in drawing the correct perspective.

Figure 2.1 One Point Perspective - Week 2 (5/10/2024)

Figure 2.2 Two Point Perspective - Week 2 (5/10/2024)

Figure 2.3 Three Point Perspective - Week 2 (5/10/2024)

Figure 2.4 Four & Five Point Perspective - Week 2 (5/10/2024)

Figure 2.5 One Point Perspective (Interior) - Week 2 (5/10/2024)

Figure 2.6 Two Point Perspective (Interior) - Week 2 (5/10/2024)

Week 3 - Virtual Plein Air

This week, we need pick three pictures and to do virtual plein air.

For my first drawing, I painted the top part first so that I could copy and mirror it for the water reflection, then added a motion blur effect to make it look like the river. I know we should draw all the big shapes first before adding details, but I prefer detailing each section one at a time, as I get frustrated easily. I drew the tree branches and used a tree brush to create the many thin branches. I didn’t record each part of my drawing process, so I just exported the entire timelapse of the drawing.

Figure 3.1 Virtual Plein Air 1 - Week 3 (12/10/2024)

Figure 3.2 Virtual Plein Air 1 Process - Week 3 (12/10/2024)

The second one was easier compared to the first because it didn’t have as much detail, like the mountain in the first one. I focused on the color of the sand and added noise at the end to create a sand effect.

Figure 3.3 Virtual Plein Air 2 - Week 3 (12/10/2024)

Figure 3.4 Virtual Plein Air 2 Process - Week 3 (12/10/2024)

The third drawing was a bit challenging for me, especially the iceberg in the middle, as it has many different colors and details. For the sky, I tried to replicate the original picture and used different brushes to blur the outer shapes to look like clouds. The seawater was also challenging, as it has many gradients, shadows, and highlights. After receiving feedback from the lecturer, I made corrections and placed it in the compilation deck (refer to the PDF at the bottom), which also includes a comparison between the original picture and my drawing.

Figure 3.5 Virtual Plein Air 3 - Week 3 (12/10/2024)

Figure 3.6 Virtual Plein Air 3 Process - Week 3 (12/10/2024)

Week 4 - Composition

I explained the idea in Project 1. For this composition, I used a real map as the base because I felt it was easier to photo bash rather than sketch it out. The view is a bird's-eye view from above, showing the cities.

Figure 4.1 Composition 1 - Week 4 (20/10/2024)

For the second composition, the cities have different hierarchies, which adds more layers to the view. I also added the metro as a guiding element to direct the viewer’s attention to the center. I also envision this view as if a person is flying with a jetpack and it's from that person's point of view.

Figure 4.2 Composition 2 - Week 4 (20/10/2024)

Week 5 - Composition & Value

In this composition, I used the rule of thirds to make it feel balanced and to lead the viewer’s eye naturally across the scene. You’ll notice how the main buildings and train lines aren’t just thrown in the middle but sit along these invisible grid lines, which makes it look organized without being too obvious.

I went for a bird’s-eye view to really show off the scale of this futuristic city. It lets you see everything from the floating platforms with greenery to the towering buildings in the background. This perspective gives the impression that the city is massive, stretching far into the distance.

Figure 5.1 Bird Eye View - Week 5 (27/10/2024)

The lines of the train seats and the ceiling converge toward the window, guiding the viewer’s gaze directly to the cityscape. This creates depth and a sense of movement, making it feel like we're moving toward the scene outside. The interior is mostly symmetrical, with the rows of seats evenly positioned on both sides.

Figure 5.2 From Train to Outside View - Week 5 (27/10/2024)

The main building's sweeping, spiral-like design loosely follows the natural curve of the golden ratio, creating an organic and pleasing shape. This helps to draw the viewer’s eye along the curve, enhancing the visual appeal and making it look harmonious and balanced.

Figure 3.3 Metro Station View - Week 5 (27/10/2024)

Week 6 - Ambience Studies & Photo Bashing

I practiced creating different moods in a scene using ambient lighting. By experimenting with a fixed viewpoint of a floating city, I explored how adjusting color schemes—such as cool, warm, and neutral tones—can evoke different atmospheres.

Figure 6.1 Ambience Studies - Week 6 (3/11/2024)

 I practiced photobashing techniques, focusing on composing a floating city environment.

Figure 6.2 Photo Bashing - Week 6 (3/11/2024)

To further develop my photobashing skills, I explored blending architecture with natural elements in a treehouse-themed environment. Using references of mansions, forest landscapes, and detailed tree textures, I experimented with integrating these components to create a balanced, visually captivating scene.

Figure 6.3 Photo Bashing Practice - Week 6 (3/11/2024)

Week 8 - Value Studies

I redrew my value studies and composition to make them look more professional and meet the lecturer's standards.

Figure 7.1 Value Studies - Week 8 (3/10/2024)

Figure 7.2 Exercise Compilation - Week 8 (3/10/2024)

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FEEDBACK

Week 4: Reduce the purple in the first one and add a soft orange light. For the desert, the orange has too much contrast, so reduce the saturation. The last one has too much green.

Week 3: The two point perspective middle is a bit off. 

Week 2: It's a good start for sky replacement, but you need to pay attention to the details. In the afternoon, there wouldn’t be this much mist. There's also a mix of colors to consider, like the mountain being green, while the sunlight is orange, which creates a different blend of colors. If you want to include the night sky with stars, be careful not to add too many. Moonlight has a very subtle effect on its surroundings, and there's also some backlighting along the edges.

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REFLECTION

Over the past seven weeks, I learned key techniques in digital matte painting, from sky replacement and perspective studies to virtual plein air and composition. Each exercise improved my skills in creating realistic and immersive scenes.

While exploring virtual plein air studies, I gained hands-on experience painting landscapes from photos. This exercise was challenging, especially with complex elements like icebergs and fine details. I realized that layering and blending colors can effectively convey textures, and I grew more comfortable using various brushes and techniques to mimic natural details.

In working on composition, particularly in Project 1, I applied techniques like the rule of thirds and the golden ratio to guide the viewer's eye. This process taught me how framing and layout can enhance storytelling.