First off, I have been doing some research, and I would really love to learn matte painting. from what I gather it just involves painting in Photoshop, but I want to know what techniques/brushes/tools are used in doing so. if anyone hear can assist i would greatly appreciate it.
Secondly, I was wondering how to create 3D landscapes in blender. i found a program called Vue 6 Infinite, and it really does some awesome stuff. i am planning on buying it in a little while(once I’ve raised the cash), but i was curious if blender can do some of the same stuff. the website for Vue is as follows: http://www.e-onsoftware.com/
Yes, blender can do the same stuff as vue, but with more work and technical knowledge involved. The only things that I can think of right now that blender can’t do that Vue can is GI and (good) HDRI rendering. Of course you can use YafAray or yafray, but then you loose the ability to use procedural and node based materials. Also, you can download Bryce5.5 for free it is based on the exact same idea as vue only it is not as completely evolved as vue, however somethings are better done in bryce, the learning curve for bryce is the same as for vue.
thanx for the posts. i may consider bryce now too. does anyone know of a place to learn more about doing these things in blender(eg:node-based materials)
I’m gonna step in and say that, after using both applications, vue is miles above bryce. I was using bryce 4, so granted a lot may have changed, but it was really hard to get results as nice, there’s no procedural terrain, and a black and white heightmap is the only terrain editing method. vue allows for a bunch of different gradients representing height, and you can paint onto the terrain in a 2d or 3d environment.
Of course vue is expensive as hell though, and bryce is free. Part of what i’m saying is that bryce /= blender for quality vs. money spent.
Yeah, bryce now has a lot more options, it is actually easier for me to create better looking terrains in bryce then in vue or carrara. There is a secret to using it properly.
if one is to sum up the category photoshop falls under, then one would categorise it as ‘photo editing’ software. like wise painter would be ‘digital painting’ and cine paint would be movie editing.
The tools in all these application are pretty much the same. How these tools are arranged /presented, however, are not. Painter focuses on paint tools. Photoshop focuses on editing tools. Cinepaint is pratically the same as Ps but more supportive of video format rather than image formats and would have more tools associated animation /multiple frames.
matte painting is basically painting ontop of pictures. It is used in movies to add
buildings /items and landscapes. it is also associated with photo-realistic painting. This is done instead of building a set /filming a real locaton for various reasons.
photoshop fits this category closer than painter, since it also involves manipulation /editing of a real image. cinepaint would also aid in works involving animation.
krita is also exactly what photoshop is, just with significantly less features and is purely an image editor.
painter, photoshop and many other application are more than ideal for matte paint. krita definatly isnt.
iirc the guy who did the matte painting for the film swordfish used photoshop. photoshop can actually import video, though not the most stable /optimised approach in my experience. its always best to explode the video into single frame images.
Wait… Photoshops not for painting? Quick someone tell Craig Mullins!
If you want to see truly awesome matte paintings, as well as other cg (the guy started just using a mouse back in the day) check out Craig’s site: http://www.goodbrush.com
I use Photoshop for painting concept art in every company. As well as any other thing, too…The difference is PS allows practically any other activity 2d related, also…But the brush feel for me is more natural with Open Canvas, but that can be me…
for matte painting or other landscape stuff,
if you have cash, get Vue or Terragen2
if not get Terragen 0.9.43 or Bryce or both!
Really, check out the gallery of what their doing with Terragen 2 http://www.planetside.co.uk/gallery/f/tg2
for general 2d matte painting http://www.tutorialized.com/
yay, they included the Blender logo in their header!
m.a.
