State of the Art: Matte Painters-A Secret World of Illusion

'The tradition of matte painting and the history of motion picture have been inextricably linked for more than a century. In early twentieth century motion pictures, a matte painting on glass a few feet from the lens could, if the artist and cameraman were skilful enough, seem like a towering edifice hundreds of yards away. Today, modern digital paintings have become the basis of the 'visual set' in films such as 'Star Wars' and 'Moulin Rouge!' ... Yet despite the enormous changes in the tool set, the artistic ethos driving the matte painters of the traditional realm and those from the digital age remain intact. At the core of the matte painter's world, past and present, is the artist's ability to create realistic interpretations of a director's imaginings, to build believable images for a canvas of incredible size, depth and detail–the silver screen.'