Digital Matte Painting | Final Project: Thematic Matte painting

 

Nurul Asilah Binti Mohamad Asif | 0353346 | Bachelor of Design in Creative Media | Digital Matte Painting

Final Project | Thematic Matte Painting (VFX)

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Instruction

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Thematic Matte Painting (VFX)

Week 13 - Refinments and Thematic Matte Painting

During the feedback session, I was told that my painting was still not enough and I had to go back and refine it further. I redid the sky and added more overlaps to make it more realistic. I also darkened the canyon, and added highlights to the nigeria fall and cracks to the waterfall hole. Since it was already week 13 and only 2 weeks left till submission I proceeded with the animation in After Effects after I refined my painting. 

Fig 1.0 Further Refinement (19/11/23)

I actually started with After Effects but then it did not turned out as how I wanted it to be. As animating the whole thing takes forever especially when it comes to separation of the layers. 

Fig 1.1 After Effect animation tryout (23/11/23)

So I decided to follow Mr. Kannan and use Unreal instead. After a few tries, I didn't know that I had to update my drivers :") So the software kept on crashing. However, I managed to use it afterward.

Fig 1.2 Unreal crashing (26/11/23)

Fig 1.3 Base Canyon (26/11/23)

Fig 1.4 Base Canyon#1 (26/11/23)

I managed to use the square shapes to recreate the city building in Project 2. I was playing around with the colors to see which suits the theme more.

Fig 1.5 Texture tryout on building (26/11/23)

Fig 1.6 Building Layout (26/11/23)

Fig 1.7 Building Layout #1 (26/11/23)

Fig 1.8 Add Waterfall (26/11/23)

Fig 1.9 Changed texture on building (27/11/23)

Fig 2.0 Arrangement (27/11/23)

Fig 2.1 View from the top (27/11/23)

I tested out on what it looks like in the evening. Apparently, it was too dark. Other wise I could've gone for this theme.

Fig 2.2 Evening View (27/11/23)

Fig 2.3 Ciff Added (29/11/23)

Fig 2.4 More cliff added (29/11/23)

I watched the youtube tutorial on how to animate in unreal, thank god for that. Im surprised that it has similarity to after effects, so I worked fine with it.

Fig 2.5 Movie render queue (29/11/23)

I used the Oppenheimer sound because it has the same vibe and interesting intense sound. 

Fig 2.6 Sound Used (29/11/23)

After Rendering, I went to After Effects to apply some Fade Transition and the sound.

Fig 2.7 Import to After effects for Fade transition and sound (30/11/23)

Final Video

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Reflection

Embarking on a digital matte painting journey can be an emotional rollercoaster, where frustration and triumph often intertwine. There are moments when the canvas feels daunting, and the vision struggles to materialize as desired. The weight of expectations can sometimes lead to a sense of overwhelming emotion, teetering on the edge of tears. Yet, within that struggle lies a profound sense of determination. Managing to navigate through this emotional hurdle, and overcoming the urge to succumb to frustration, is a testament to resilience and passion. It's a powerful reminder that the journey of creation is not always smooth, but the ability to persevere through these emotional waves ultimately yields a sense of accomplishment and growth.