Unofficial Matte Painting Challenge 07

#1

All welcome :slight_smile:

Note that prizes may vary from those shown above.

Updates to the contest will appear in the follow posts where required.

#2

And the files can be downloaded from one of the following links:

http://www.onona3d.com/temp/nhm_challenge_files.zip

http://download.yousendit.com/F3940FDF7ADBAC55

challenge files>>>www.cgoz.com/nhm_challenge_files.zip[u][/u]

[u][/u]

#3

I dig it! sounds cool.

#4

excellent Dave! I’m in. Should we start our threads or everything in here?

#5

Hey,

I have 2 questions (maybe stupid questions :S )

  1. Where we will need to post the picture? In this topic or there will be separeted topics (junior, advance)?

  2. We need to use all the photos or i can choose one of the 3 photos? Because there I read that we need remove the peoples and posters but on the nhm_challenge_1.jpg there are no people…

#6

crazybread:

Cool mate, glad you’re on board, It’s almost a cave :slight_smile:

AnimZiggy:

Cheer Ismini, this one’s right up your street, literally :slight_smile:

kbarts:

Ok, let’s see…

The idea was similar to the Atlantis contest, basically make an individual thread in the forum above titled:

nhmchallenge_entrant name (where it says entrant name insert your own name)

1:

Everyone will begin in the junior category, however it you wish to get a little adventurous and work in a camera move then this will eventually jump you into the advance category. DOn’t worry about this until you come to submit a final piece on the 2nd June; if it’s a 2d still then you’re entering the Junior category, if you submit a camera move/video file then you’re in the advance category.

Hope the category thing isn’t too complicated, i just wanted to cater for both levels equally.

2:

There’s three files in the zip. The main plate is the one titled: nhmchallenge_plate.jpg, this is what you will begin with and what everyone must use as a base, the other plates are just there to aid the further stages when it comes to extending etc… To clarify, the director really likes the shot in plate nhmchallenge_plate.jpg and wants you to extend and work the matte into this. :slight_smile:

Let me know if there’s anything else, hopefully it’s not too puzzling and pretty streight forward.

Well, so far so good :thumbsup:

  • Dave.
#7

well i could go and take some aditional photos if everyone elses wants me to! got an toy i want to play with (dslr) :slight_smile:

#8

Hi Ismini,

That’s great, though remember that the orginal plate provided should hold focus for the final matte painting. Additional photo’s can be used for reference and extracting elements to incorporate into the final piece. If you do then there’s no special requirements, i just used a D50 nikon when i took them originally.

  • Dave. :thumbsup:
#9

yeah that’s what i meant. if i got time this w/e i ll do it but i can’t promise…i bought the d80 (from duty free £150 less) im sooo broke now :eek:

#10

Thanks. If i am right we do not need to use the other two photos. It is optional and not necessary for the stage 2 and 3.

I am sorry this is my first challenge in matte painting.

#11

Ismini:

Yeh if you get a chance that would be great but don’t go out of your way or anything. If you did, taking a pic of one of the arches from one side to the other would be cool, spin the lens up to 55mm and get a nice flat angle.

kbarts:
That’s right you don’t have to use the other two, however they may come in handy later on to cut bits out and stick into the final stages. The basic idea is to take the original plate: nhmchallenge_plate.jpg, clean it up. Next extend it out by 50% and finally let your imagination run wild and start stripping down the walls, adding decay and grime, holes in the roof etc …

First step people is to paint out the … people (?) in the plate.

Nice one guys, let’s get them engines burning. :thumbsup: any further questions feel free to post em here.

  • Dave.
#12

just want to be clear about the theme. this will be something like a destroyed or wasted landscape? it can be modern , fantasy or scifi?

#13

I think it depend on your imagination. No rule for it.

#14

newmanhyde:

Good question, the idea that i had in mind was like the ancient temples found in the jungle from civilizations thousands of years ago, See pics below. Imagine Thousands of years from now London or the world as a whole at some point became abandoned, perhaps humanity is on the brink of extinction following some killer virus or another species has risen to become dominant. The reasons are unknown. Humanity is little and far apart and buildings have long since been consumed by the world around.

So the question is, how do you visualise this? Will the ruined remains of the natural history museum be decaying beneath moss covered stone with vines and tropical plants winding through the skeleton like frame, maybe water now runs down the stairs into a lost lagoon. Alternatively perhaps the world took a different direction, sand now pours through the windows and deadly cacti grows from the ceiling, holes in the wall reveal a world baron and lifeless beneath a harsh sun. Or maybe a catastrophic event knocked the earth off it’s axis causing it to spiral into new ice age. The ideas are endless but should all fall into the following theme, many years from now, humans long gone. burning fires, lava, snow, jungle, anything’s possible.

So to begin with clean the plate up, might need distorting a little to compensate for the wide angle, extend by 50% and then let loose :slight_smile:

You should also strive to produce a photo realistic result that flows seamlessly with the original plate.

Can’t wait to see what you guys come up with.

I’ll start a example thread myself so you guys get an idea.

  • Dave :thumbsup:

Reference pics mentioned above …

Note that it doesn’t have to follow a jungle theme, i just found this as the closest example, but it can do if you like :slight_smile:

#15

And i have a last question:

What could be the final image dimensions?
We need to keep the original resolution and aspect ratio or we could change it?
Now the plate is vertical and if i want a horizontal image, could i do it?

#16

What could be the final image dimensions?
We need to keep the original resolution and aspect ratio or we could change it?
Now the plate is vertical and if i want a horizontal image, could i do it?

No touble, feel free to ask away :slight_smile:

The target resolution is up to you, it ain’t the best pic, though that tends to be the norm in the visual industry, people giving you less than great photography and asking for a miracle :slight_smile: ya just gotta work with what ya have sometimes :thumbsup:

Remember if anyone wishes to add in a camera move then you don’t have to have the plate filling up the complete frame in the beginning, you could have a cam pan up or down.

The main skills i’m pushing for in this are:

a) prepare and clean the plate.

b) Extend the plate

c) final composition/creative implementation

Again aim for a photo realistic look.

  • Dave.
#17

And a last one: Who will decide which matte painting is the winner?

#18

I haven’t come up with a solution to that just yet, there’s still quite a bit of time. Though it will probably come down to either a select group of around 3 people judging the final entries or using a vote system. At the moment i’m open for suggestion but wont confirm anything until closer to the deadline (2nd June)

Cheers - Dave.

#19

I hope you’re participating Everlite. I don’t think you should get crazy ideas about not joining in because you’re overseeing the organization of this thing. I hope that you get a bit of help from the moderators and figure out the voting system so you’re not dirrectly involved in overseeing that, Hopefully this thing gets plugged in soon , so lots more matte buffs join in. because painters have to now match all their elements to this plate, it will be challenging and hopefully fun for all. Perhaps it would be a good idea to transfer this whole matte challenge to the mini challenges section.

Good luck people!

#20

Cheers mate, i’ve got my thread started :slight_smile:

Perhaps it would be a good idea to transfer this whole matte challenge to the mini challenges section.

to be honest i didn’t know there was one, i’ll keep it here for the mo.

I hope that you get a bit of help from the moderators

I’ve tried, though still holding onto hope :slight_smile:

  • Dave.