Matte painting is a film technique that combines art and lives action to create the illusion of an environment that is not present at the filming location, and that would otherwise be too expensive, inconvenient, or impossible to live film. Matte painting is both traditional form and its current digital form.
Click on Below Video: Digital Matte Painting Tutorial: The Three Types of Perspective
6 Things you need to know about Matte Painting
1. What is it and How Has it Created?
Matte Painting is a technique used for decades in films with a wide range of uses also in the world of illustrations and video games. It allows one to illustrate in detail, non-existent or hard to reach sceneries. The real technique consisted of hand painting on large glass sheets which were the backgrounds integrated into the live-action films. Hand painting itself gives an idea of the length of time once required in film production. In the process given one small error, all of the work would be lost! That is how artists worked until the 80’s when artists began to work with digital, big thanks to computer graphics.
2. How isit Done?
Digital images and artists have completely replaced paintings have had to modify it quickly to the knowledge and use of software for image retouching. Adobe Photoshop software is an integral part of the process. Thanks to graphics quality tablets and users creativity, it certainly guarantees the best possible results. Professional use of this prominent software is the key to excellence.
Click on Below Video: Matte Painting for Beginners
3. Advantages of Digital Creativity
Saving time in production leads to a reduction in costs. Making mistakes nowadays doesn’t certainly mean you have to throw away all your work done as in hand-painting. The static method becomes dynamic. The landscape components can instantly change as well as the insights and ideas of the creative artist.
4. Key Phases of Matte Painting
A. Implementation of a Concept
This is the moment where the artist can be integrating elements, creative from his imagination with the existing ones, potentially inspired by photographs of real place or illustrations. An analysis of some scene elements such as prospect and atmosphere is essential.
B. Finding Reference
Some Matte Painters create and continuously update their gallery of images, looking for nice places, immortalizing them within the photographs of a digital camera. It is not uncommon that these artists are photography enthusiasts who have been training in this field. Collecting reference data is a fundamental step of the process. The better the starting image is, the smaller the amount of time it takes to create the desired background.
C. Color Correction
The color correction is performed with Photoshop in the implementation phase. Ultimately, the correction can be performed during the compositing phase, using the specified software.
5. Essential Elements of Matte Painting
The purpose of matte painting is to provide great backgrounds and ensure that they appear real to the watcher. Therefore the prospect is an element of fundamental importance. Understanding and knowing the perspective and the vanishing points, allows you to “naturalize” what does not exist in reality. All this should be followed by in-depth knowledge of the use of color, composition, depth and lighting to create credible spaces to be perfectly integrated into a film or advertising on television.
6. Matte Painting
There is a vital difference between the traditional and Digital Matte Painting. Unlike the first one, the digital creative profession cannot surely be cataloged as individual work. Digital Matte Painting is a part of a process which is linked to other areas of the visual effects such as texturing, compositing and 3D animation among others. All under the VFX supervisor able to coordinate and guide the team to create a product up to its expectations and give the watcher the illusion that keeps us suspended between the fantasy and the real world.
Click on Below Video: Matte Painting Tips
Matte painting has gone through significant changes in the last century, but as a film technique, it’s here to stay. And there’s plenty of demand for great matte painters with a strong vision and sense of imagination.
Drawn on film animation is one of the traditional technique of animation. This animation technique needs a lot of talent and precise skill where footage is produced by creating the images directly on film reel without using any cameras. As opposed to any other style of animation use tools, techniques and various methods where the objects or images are photographed frame by frame with an animation camera. This technique skips the entire process of video sequencing, photographing or the more modern process of digital rendering.
Click on Below Video: How to do Animation by Drawing on Film
Learn How Drawn on Film Animation Works?
The animators can work either developed (black) or undeveloped (blank) film in small sizes or large sizes; which is the best suitable technique. The film reel is put down across the work surface and fixed into place. After placing the film, the animator works from frame to frame to design image on each small frame, managing reel with every sequential frame to display the motion.
Click on Below Video: Making a Hand Drawn Animated 16mm Film
The major benefit of drawn on film animation is that it is similarly inexpensive. It does not need any complex camera arrays, thousands of cells or expensive software. A few sample images and etching tools, a projector and a roll of film, can be sufficient to let an animator discover their capabilities and play with a complete medium. The simplicity of this animation allows the animator to be more creative and innovative in storytelling through animated images or videos.
Techniques of Drawn on Film Animation
Animators use a blank film reel or used film reel for creating the drawn on film animation technique. A film reel of any size is fixed on to a plain surface and on every small frame, animators create drawings or sequences to show the animation sequence.
Also, blank film reel can be developed in a dark room where the film is not exposed and use a small light, animations can be created by exposing the film little by little. Small objects can be placed on those films while trying to focus the lights on the frames, and this creates a permanent impression of the object. Once the animation is done, it has to be developed like a photograph and viola you see a clearer image. This is more like a stop-motion animation combined with silhouette animation.
Click on Below Video: Hand Drawn Animation vs CGI – A Documentary
Advantage of Drawn on Film Animation
It is Less expensive
No need to spend on expensive software
Perfect drawings or complex drawings are not required
Unique animations can be created
Computer is not mandatory
Animators can play around with different kinds of exposure to create stunning animations.
A roll of film, projector, etching tools and simple drawings is sufficient to create drawn on film animation.
An animation designer utilizes computer technology to create images and effects for movies, television, websites and video games. It also coordinates projects and animators to produce 3D animation.
How to Become an Animation Designer
Animation designers, also referred to as animators, create visual effects and animation featured in video games, movies, and TV shows, as well as on websites. Created from computer software programs, 2D or 3D animations are used to replicate the features and actions of people, animals, places and things to tell a story or advertise a product.
Career of Animation Designer
Careers in animation designer are something that many students are considering in today’s economy. In a similar fashion to web design, graphic design, and other internet related careers, the demand for people has increased with these skills. Animation designers do much more than make cartoons these days, even though this is still an excellent career option. With advances in computer technology, animation designers are now used in many different businesses such as movies, television, marketing and advertising, video games, and website development. So, there is an ample opportunity to find an excellent job in a wide variety of industry with education and training.
List of probable Career Roles in Animation:
2D Animator
3D Animator
Image Editor
Modeller
Texture Artist
Layout Artist
Lighting Artist
Story Board Artist
Background Artist
Clean Up Artist
Rigging Artist
Rendering Artist
Key Frame Animator
Character Animator
Digital Ink and Paint Artist
Click on Below Video: Career in Animation
Common Software that Animation Designers should know include:
If you are considering a career as an animation designer than the following information and facts should provide you with some insight into what you can expect:
The industry trend is to focus on computer-based animation.
Video game industry provides numerous opportunities for animation designers.
Animators are often required to work for additional hours to ensure project deadlines are met.
Most of the animators get their start in drawing and more traditional forms of art.
Most important skills to have to include creativity and innovation, attention to detail, organization, effective communication skills, focus, as well as being able to work in many different working situations.
The overwhelming majority of people that work in the industry have an animation related college diploma.
Common training degrees include Animation Production, Computer Animation, Arts and Design and Computer Visualization.
Most animators get their start by enrolling in an internship program or co-op and then are hired out of school.
Most animators start their career with smaller companies and then move onto larger companies as they gain more experience.
Many people start in graphic design and Web design and then specialize in animation.
Developing an extensive portfolio to showcase skills is a critical factor in getting hired for animation projects.
Click on Below Video: Career in Animation: How to be an Animator?
Animation Designer Salary
Animation Designers salary expectations widely based on experience and the type of animation project that you are working on. On average, an animation designer can expect to make anyplace approximately Rs 349,958 per year. Experience can also lead to more advanced job positions in animation management, which will increase your annual income.
Special effects are visual tricks used in the movie, television, theatre, video game and simulator industries to simulate the imagined events in a virtual world. Special effects Artists use the technique to blend both physical techniques and digital wizardry.
Nothing is impossible – Living, breathing dinosaurs roam the Earth, Humans rocket to distant galaxies and war with alien races, Monsters rise from the sea and destroy this types of cinematic magic is made possible by the hard work of special effects artists. Hundreds of computer animators, explosives experts, model makers, puppeteers and make-up artists spend thousands of hours crafting these on-screen realities.
Click on Below Video: Special Effects for Beginners
How to Become a Special Effects Artist?
Special effects artists create mythical creatures in fantasy films, huge explosions in action movies and realistic 3D environments seen in many animated movies. Read on to learn about what does a special effects artist do, educations and skills requirements, educational programs, working conditions and potential wages in this field.
Click on Below Video: How to Become a Special Effects Makeup Artist
What does a Special Effects Artist Do?
Special effects artist focus on post-production effects for films or tv shows; this type of work involves in image editing to achieve a variety of effects. Example: you may be adding non-existent animals, erasing anachronistic items or merging multiple shots to create layered scenes. This work is done using digital software, which may require long hours in front of a computer working.
Also, special effects artists perform practical work on in-progress productions, and you have to use theatrical makeup to give an actor fake wounds. You could also work with puppets, models or robots. Working on a film or TV set may require travel, depending on the nature of the production.
Education Requirement for Special Effects Artists
There is no specific degree required for a career as a special effects artist; some employers may provide on-the-job training. However, certified programs can help you develop your skills and may lead to increased employment opportunities.
Arena Sayajigunj offers a certified course in visual effect this course may include basic and advanced special effect training such as visual arts, digital arts, computer graphics, lighting, digital sculpting, animation, modelling, painting and others.
Skills Required for a Special Effects Artist
A special effects artist turns texts into pictures. Artist can cultivate the art of listening. Writers and directors describe specific ideas to the special effects artist, and the artist must understand the concept and create an image that comes as close as possible to the original concept.
Special effects artist use computer software such as After Effects, Houdini, 3D max, Maya, nuke. Technical knowledge must be coupled with natural artistic talent.
Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines is very important for a special effects artist. Whether the artist works in the film industry, music video field or video game, artists work on a project basis. Film and video projects factor time into budgets and if delays that put a project over-budget can stop the project.
Working Conditions of Special Effects Artists
A special effects artist works with a myriad of personalities to make a project come together. Often several special effects artists are working on different components of the same scene, and they must work together to design one seamless image. Artists make their images work with live actors, backgrounds and other special effects artists who may be working on other image types.
Special effects artists work for large companies, such as Industrial Light & Magic, Disney, Pixar and Dreamworks, or for independent filmmakers.
Special effects artists create optical, mechanical and computer-generated effects that are used in video games or for tv shows, movies or music videos. They must be skilled in computer software that generates effects and needs the ability to work under pressure and deadlines.
Some Related Alternative Careers
Graphic designers create images with computers to communicate ideas that convey specific messages to consumers, primarily through brochures, advertisements and magazines. Web design and developers have similar responsibilities in regards to the overall look and feel of a website. Art directors use their trained eyes to influence and control the overall visual style of magazines, packaging, newspapers, and film/TV productions. They need strong communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills as they direct others who develop and format the artwork.
Click on Below Video: Movie Special Effects Before / After
Difference Between Visual Effect and Special Effect
Visual Effect (VFX)
VFX are done in post-production, through the power of a computer animation software. For Example, if you create a computer model of a spaceship and fly it across the background of a scene or If you greenscreen an actor to make it look like he’s falling from a plane, all this is possible using VFX.
Special Effect (SFX)
SFX are done ‘in camera,’ that actually, physically happen. For Example, if you drop a matchstick in petrol can and record the resultant blast or If you build a prosthetic arm, then attach it to actor then have it ripped off, and blood spurt out all these things are done using SFX.
You can also mix both them up, like shooting an SFX footage and composite it using VFX.
The world these days has become technologically advanced these days. Everyone is using the hi-tech software to do their work. One such program which helps them to turn their work to masterpieces is Adobe Photoshop. This tool is a great way to ease your work process. Many people are using this software to make great money and to prove themselves in their fields. Below are some of the reasons why Adobe Photoshop is good choice for animators.
Reason why Adobe Photoshop is Good Choice
1. Gives the Chance to Express Creatively
Creativity has no limits. Once you start exploring, then the sky is limy. When you get familiar with the software, then you will see automatically with the passing time, you can actually give life to your unique ideas.
2. Easily Combine Text with Image
We all know in graphic designing the images and the text, both are equally important. Photoshop helps you combine these two, but this will also make it look attractive and unique. Strokes, drop shadows, embossed and other effects can be applied to give more emphasis to your text.
In Web Design designers and graphic designer who learn Adobe Photoshop will use their acumen to make book covers, logo designs, info graphs, event backdrops, outdoor signage, stationery, creating advertising artworks for advertising etc.
Click on Below Video: The Basics for Beginners
3. For Invitational and Stationery Projects
The main area where you make use the Photoshop is to create the invites, business cards, marriage cards, posters etc. With creative tools of photoshop software, this will help you to come up with great designs to impress others.
4. Make Changes in Color
You can use this software to add colors to an image or to make an image look archetypal with a black and white color technique. Using this tool one can also make changes in the use gradient and other tools. Interior designers and broadcast designers also enhance their work after learning this Adobe Photoshop and applying colour effects.
5. Make Use of Brusher
The Photoshop software provides you with an option to work with the brusher, and this gives a special effect. Matt paintings and digital paintings where you can make use of the specially crafted brush is rampant and useful for the designers.
6. Correct the Mistakes of Photography
If you are not happy with the work of the photographer, then you can use Photoshop to enhance the photos. You can easily cover the mark in the pictures, red eyes, poor lighting, etc. It is possible to crop the photos; you want to delete some parts.
So with all these reasons, we can say that surely there are many grounds for us to be well versed with adobe photoshop software, and the best part is the knowledge of this software can be of great help in your animator profession.
Click on Below Video: Animation in Photoshop Step-by-Step
10 Best and Useful Features of Adobe Photoshop
1. Selections
Using the selection tool, you are telling Photoshop to grab a group of pixels so that you can make adjustments to them. You can do a lot of things to selections of pixels. You can change their move them, color, re-size them, or delete them.
2. Brush Tool
Photoshop is an amazing digital painting application, and the Brush tools are the most useful function isn’t actually that useful in digital painting or illustration, in fact, the Brush Tool is most useful when used on Adjustment Layers and masking.
Adjustment Layers allow you to make changes to a pixel’s color. You can use an Adjustment Layer to adjust color, add contrast, to convert an image to black and white, and much more.
4. Layers
Layers are one of Photoshop’s powerful organizational tools. By stacking layers on top of each other, it gives you the ability to not only work non-destructively but to organize the PSD file in a way that will make sense to anyone that views it.
5. Clone Stamp
If you edit or retouch photos more, the Clone Stamp tool will be required. The Clone Stamp tool gives you to sample pixels from one part of the image and paint another part of an image those pixels. You can use this tool to remove spots or imperfection from a photo or even to delete objects from a photo.
6. Blend Modes
Blend Modes allow you to blend all the layers together in interesting ways. By setting the Blending Mode of a layer in Photoshop, you can apply different behaviors to the color contained within that layer.
7. Transformation Tools
Transformation Tools in Photoshop help you to distort, re-size, transform, and warp images. Use these tools to push pixels around, and move it into place.
8. Crop Tool
The Crop Tool is one of the most popular features in photoshop. Cropping is the act of cropping or cutting off the edges of a photo and is most often used to change the aspect ratio or size of the image to smaller dimensions.
9. Liquify Tool
Retouchers often depend on the Liquify Tool to push pixels around on a screen. In the past, people may use this Liquify tool to make some pretty drastic edits to a photo, but for the most part, this tool is best used in moderation.
10. Masking
Masking is the most important concept to understand in Adobe Photoshop. Masking is the act of showing or hiding pixels. When you apply a mask to an object, you are telling Photoshop which pixels to show, and which to hide. By placing white onto a mask, Photoshop shows the pixels behind that mask. By placing black onto a mask, Photoshop hides the pixels behind that mask.
Techniques of Drawn on Film Animation
Special effects
A special effects artist turns texts into pictures. Artist can cultivate the art of listening. Writers and directors describe specific ideas to the special effects artist, and the artist must understand the concept and create an image that comes as close as possible to the original concept.
