Dubrovnik Matte Painting

[Jensen]

Hey folks,

I've just recently began to create matte paintings, but I've been a long long enthusiast of this kind of art. Expanding the world we know, or even don't know, is a pretty awesome task. And this site seems to be the perfect place to keep practicing.

So here's the latest. After taking the source photos last summer, I knew it'd be a fun matte to have a go at.

Cheers!

- Jensen

http://www.metavisuals.com/Matte/Jensen_Debrovnik900.jpg

And here's where I started and some 100 percent views.

http://www.metavisuals.com/Matte/Jensen_prog_0014_Layer%2022.jpg

http://www.metavisuals.com/Matte/Jensen_prog_0012_Layer%205.jpg

http://www.metavisuals.com/Matte/Jensen_prog_0001_Layer%2031.jpg

http://www.metavisuals.com/Matte/Jensen_prog_0005_Layer%2028.jpg

[Novalism]

holy sh*t

who's the man...
damn

wonderfull painting.
Nothing to say really, perhaps that the mountain (right one) aint really as good as the rest. Something wrong there ... I can be wrong just new to this :roll:

The 100% shots are cool aswell. good to see "how" its paint... I have problem with this kind of detail tnx! Tryin harder :wink:

[ChristianM]

Beautiful piece you have here.
The only thing I don't like about it is the foreground small waves, they don't have the same shape.

By the way, how long have you been doing matte paintings ?

[mioleüs]

i must say wow to the nice paint, good lights
nice work, but perspective.....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

the right part and the middle mount and castle aren't in the same perspective. then the sea seem to be taken(shot) far higher from the castle with a different angle of view.

[BlackIce]

I absolutely ike the whole picture.

I didn't really understand Christian's comment about the waves/wave shape. Those are waves from real life. You see them in the reference photo.

[ChristianM]

BlackIce,

I meant that the foreground waves don't have the same shape. The waves on the right have a shape, but the waves on the left have a different one. I think they should all have the same shape.

[Jensen]

Thanks for the comments.

Novalism > Thx!
Christian > I can see what you're saying, that the wave height isn't consistant. I thought about that, and decided to leave them be, and only enhance them, thinking that maybe the wind is different as it gusts across the water in that area, or that the water gets shallower, hence higher waves...both excuses for not fixing it, heh. But the concern for me was on other areas. And this is my second true matte painting. The first was painting a crowd of people out of a shot of the Parthenon. I've only started doing this, this summer, but have had a passion for matte painting for years, reading books and learning how things are done.
mioleus > ahhhh, the perspective. You're right, it's off in a few places. And definitely something to remedy when I free up some time. Should of had it down when I started, but aye, you have to learn these things somehow, and by doing this one, that was one of the many obstacles and challenges I learned from.

Thanks again

[kheemo]

Hey ! nice piece you have there!! I saw it on CGtalk and since then its my wallpaper ;)


grats!!


*edit * : is that castle 3d ? can you post more pics of it ?


ty

[B. Kachel]

Nice work man, but the haze on the left is too heavy compared to the castle and the cliff it sits on.

Other then that great matte.

[Fuzz]

Very nice work on the clouds. Very epic.

[Luxo_Jr]

Wow! :shock: Now that's something I aspire too! What's your background in graphics Jensen?

[slump]

Awesome work man, no word :shock:

[B. Kachel]

Hey Jenson, just wanted to coment on the matte painting again. I had stated in an earlier post about the contrast and hazieness of the two rocks. After looking at your painting again I was wrong in my post and realized that the direction of the sunlight is correct and the middle cliff, is lit right. I seemed to have missed this for some reason.

Great work
-Brandon Kachel

[Mdalaran]

Owh man... I love this kinda work... you guys keep motivating and inspiring me... awsome...

Dont have any comment at all... This painting really speaks to the imagination... it really has a fairytale/fantasy feeling and thats great. So I dont really share the opinions of the comments of the rest... because it looks magical and that doenst always have to look 100% naturally correct... imo :) (still respect you guys comments)

Could you enlighten us a bit on what your techniques were on this piece... because you strongly used photo's but still you gave it a really paint-feel to it... especially the rocks...

Greetz,
Mdalaran

[Jensen]

Hey folks, thanks again for the feedback. I'm still very new to this, and appreciate the comments very much. The castle is 2d, starting with part of a castle from corbis, and the base from the original photo, then the rest was paint and over paint. You'll notice in the sources that the left picture had inconsistant light with that of the castle's mountain, which caused the reason to completely repaint that left side, and then make the center mountain more interesting with grander rock structures and shadowing. I'm working on some new mattes to tackle some of the things I need to work on, like perspective issues, more architecture, and different weather conditions. I'll get these up as they come along.

Luxo - I'm currently a student at Ringling School of Art and Design, where I'm majoring in Computer Animation working on my thesis this year. The digital painting comes from painting backgrounds for my animation exercises, which eventually has led into exploring matte painting, something I've always admired, but just recently been able to produce.

Thanks again for the comments. Cheers!