DSG 843: Matte-Painting: UFO HAS LANDED (see blurb for details...)

[William b. Hand]

MATTE PAINTING... Taking a photo of an environment and manipulating a portion of it in a way that blends seamlessly and convincingly with the rest. You gotta think carefully about lighting, colour, textures... everything!

This is something I've never done and I'm guessing neither have most of you. It's always seemed like something that could be both fun and challenging, but I needed an excuse to try.

ONLY USE PHOTOS THAT ARE YOUR OWN OR ARE PUBLIC DOMAIN.
Type "public domain photos" into Google, and you're bound to find some nice free sites (If you come across any really kick-ass sites, give us the heads up!).

With your image, include a link to, or thumb of, the original photo.

Here's one I found quickly... haven't delved too deeply, but i think it'll have some good stuff: CLICK ME! (http://desktoppub.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http%3A%2F%2Fmorguefile.com%2F)

Ooh... This is a good one: CLICK ME INSTEAD! (http://www.burningwell.org/gallery/)


Matte-Painting: UFO HAS LANDED
.
.
.

[vijil]

doing this properly will require more than one day.

[William b. Hand]

vijil - Maybe. Or maybe you will suprise yourself? I don't expect anything except for people to do their best with the time they've got. Don't bum out because a professional job would take longer. :)

[matias]

Heya, about half an hour searching for a ref piccy of Brisbane, Australia, the town I live in. Anyways not happy with the result but I need to go to bed so I wont be zombied at work tommorrow. Actual paint time not more then an 3/4 hour but I wasn't paying much attention.
http://home.austarnet.com.au/esjakku/aliens%20in%20Brissie.jpg
Cheers guys
matias

[EDIT] Whoops! Heres (http://www.ourbrisbane.com/aboutbrisbane/photos/thumbnails.php?album=5&page=6) the page with the original photo. Its the very top right "Skyline Brisbane" Sorry!

[machzero]

took a photo with my cellphone from my office... *genuine recovering rain forest growth*

http://www.medievalfx.com/machzero/graphics/050818a.jpg

[Kexe]

Had to try this. Very quick though...Don't remember where the photo was from...as suggested i just typed "public domain photos" on google an took one of the first pictures i found.
So here it is.

http://www.kexe.dk/images/dsg/dsg843matte.jpg


Machzero: Very! cool really like how it looks like an old sci-fi movie....Sweet!

Matias: Also very cool...I keep thinking that there was supposed to be a back-end of the "landed" UFO sticking out on the other side of the building in front of it.(if that makes sense) but thats probably just me. good paint-job.

[llothcat]

Did too many of these back in college while "learning" photoshop..as well as hand done photo-montage...It's just not the same:D It's more fun when done by hand.

[SkyWookiee]

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a86/SkyWookiee/UFO.jpg
The photo's mine (taken in Moscow).

[Phaethon]

I don't care for this one in particular. There's a reason I don't do much in the way of digital painting...

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a44/Phaethon/SunsetUFOs.jpg

Microsoft Windows sample picture!

Edit: Just for fun, the old photo effect!

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a44/Phaethon/UFOOldPhoto.jpg

Edit Again: Ok, I'm really finished this time. I just couldn't help myself...

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a44/Phaethon/SunsetUFOs3.jpg

I'm actually getting to like it a bit.

[Grimlohk]

ah haha
ill do a better one later
http://home.comcast.net/~grimlohk/UFO_lands.jpg

[doyoobi wrangler]

The middle balloon-UFO-thing is off. I'm hoping to have time to go back and fix it later.


http://www.reynoldsphobia.com/web-content/images/DS/DS_archive/8_18.jpg

Grimlohk, I love the idea.
Matias, that looks great.
Phaethon, very dramatic. I think if you were to tweak the reflections in the water a bit (right now they are too static and perfect, you'd be on your way to a really nice piece.)

[atomicsushi]

ugggh!
the more time i put into it, the more fake it looked....
[1hr 20min]http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b55/atomicsushi74/city.jpg

[~Faust~]

Well, I've still got a long way to go *sigh*

http://img121.imageshack.us/img121/7926/dsg31nn.jpg
"Pizza-Stealth-ufo"

Original image: http://www.burningwell.org/gallery/food/dsc20050409_123747_19

The images which I like the most here are MachZero, SkyWookiee and Grimlohk.

doyoobi, your ufos look like they are bent over. The perspective falls a bit to the left side while your balloons are going to the right. Also I can't quite understand the reflections on them.

[Hamsta]

Coming down looking like nothing more then linked cookie cutters, the creators of the crop-circles finally show themselves in full daylight.

This dsg was more of a chore then fun, but you gotta roll with the punches (or something to that effect :dur: ) I think defenitions kinda got lost on this, again.
painter, hour?
http://pdphoto.org/PictureDetail.php?mat=pdef&pg=6066
http://img142.imageshack.us/img142/5867/843ufolanding6oq.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[magma]

Well, if they hadn't been so preoccupied with getting their picture taken with the mascot, they may have seen the small fleet of alien warships attacking...

http://www.conceptart.org/gallery/files/2/6/5/5/5/invasion.jpg

10 minutes. There are some pretty impressive ones today. Interesting topic.

[Idiot Apathy]

Hehe great topic, this was fun; maybe I'll do another.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v13/Ragnarok27/9395fcd3.jpg
Original: http://www.burningwell.org/gallery/Cityscapes/dscn1401
Thanks for the Photo link William.

[Idiot Apathy]

@Skuli: Yeah, it just screamed to be used. It has steam for chrissakes!

Another quick one:
Can't say it "meshes" that well but... yeah...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v13/Ragnarok27/ca38d6e7.jpg
Original:
http://www.burningwell.org/gallery/Landscapes/dsc01052

Edit: Yeah... umm TIME WARP ! I posted this after Skuli...

[Skuli]

haha funny, I was gonna do that one idiot but I did another one first so ..here it is, cheap, little paint alot of dodge :^^;:
haven't used dodge since I was all_filter_newbie, got a little crazy on it
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v32/barti89/aliensattack.jpg

[Advocate of Fate]

damnit skuli, you stole my picture.
havent done a dsg in too long.
quick chop and sketch, toyed far too much with filters and such, ps8
http://img369.imageshack.us/img369/9449/ufo7kx.jpg

[Fal$eProfit]

http://www.picaroni.com/spaceship-Mate-Painting.jpg
Not exactlly going to be selling this thing to the National Enquirer any time soon. The matte-painting is alright I guess for a day but it sort of puts a over emphasis on getting photo realistic and thus not exploring individual style. :dead: It's good to know now about public domain images are out there :confident

Advocate of Fate- Thats great takeing a tv approach. Good idea.
Skuli - Thats a totally bad ass effect. I really wish that you would go back and get the ufo a bit more symetrical so that it reads better. Maybe your going for something not round but still it just seems like it is off balance to me. I seriously though about doing a copy cat on your technique.
Idiot Apathy-I like your first one the best. That is great how you used the clouds. Really sweet. On the second one I think it needs just a few really dark shadow spots to make it stick.
Hamsta - Thats super cool showing the crop makers. It turned out really well, be proud :bashful:
atomicsushi - I think it looks pretty darn realistic to me. The lighting you did was very nice.
doyoobi wrangler - Area 51 called and said that offically yours were weather balloons :) Hard core 3d I'm takeing it.
SkyWookiee - And all this time they were thinking it was the lock ness monster. Increadible job. I like especailly how you got the reflection in the water. Your the man of the day I'd have ta say :$

[SkyWookiee]

:O :) Thank you!

[heri]

matias! yours stands out!



here is my take.
http://www.image26.com/ca/08_18_05_dsg.jpg

-heri

[mysterian]

http://www.thotblot.com/conceptart/WalkInThePark.jpg
Walk in the Park

[damicide]

well here's another thing i suck at. but at least it was fun to be able to go through my road trip photos. i've been meaning to graft their color palets onto my pieces for a while. this gave me as good an excuse as any.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y198/damacide/compjob.jpg

[doyoobi wrangler]

Yay, Fal$eprofit got the weather balloon bit. Also, I didn't use 3d elements as much as a photo of a milkshake maker that was composited in. But, I'll have you know that I took great pains to get that cheesy CG-chrome look in the photo. :P
~Faust~, you're right, the reflections are a bit off. I tried to replace the original reflection of me taking a picture of the object with elements from the environment using the clone brush. But, dang, that's hard to do and make it look convincing.

Advocate of Fate, I love the CNN context. That was definitely a nice touch.

Phaethon, the rework looks great!

The Magnum, I like the idea of UFOs attacking the dorky fans. (and I mean "dorky fans" in the best sense possible). The UFOs themselves are fairly blurry, while their destructo-beams are pretty clear. I think it would be a little more convincing if the beams were blurred a bit too.

Mysterian, oh my goodness. That looks amazing. If the integration of the UFO and the photo wasn't convincing enough (and it is mighty convincing), the little details like the rocks falling really help.

[trevor]

betcha thought i forgot about my 7 dsg promise
didnt have too much time for it
20 minutes and a pic i took in korea
ill work on it more i need matte painting practice
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v48/trevorclaxton/sketches/oceanmountainufos.jpg

[William b. Hand]

matias - Nice job!
machzero - Great matching of the grain and haziness.
SkyWookiee - Good job and the reflections and fun alien!
Grimlohk - Ha ha... Very cute! Very funny. Maybe coulda lost the "corbis", though.
doyoobi wrangler - Interesting... except the reflections are so obviously of an indoor environment...
atomicsushi - That craft is pretty cool! I think maybe it would blend a bit more if it was actually in front of, and casting a shadow on, one of the buildings. As it is, it's not really interacting with the environment. Crisp edges (like on the bldgs.) would also help sell the illusion. Nice lighting.
Hamsta - Nice perspective and design, an enjoyable concept as always!
Idiot Apathy - Very cool. Love the robot, and the mist suits it well.
Idiot Apathy - ...mark 2. Death ray is cool, but the bot feels like it's missing reflections of the land/buildings it's walking over, and also of the (very visible) sky.
Advocate of Fate - Nice cnn thingy... the ship itself doesn't work so well for me. Rather hard to tell what it's shape is, and it wouldn't be so dark... it would be in the same value range as the surrounding buildings.
Fal$eProfit - Aww... It looks teeny! Glad you made an attempt despite misgivings about the photoreal aspect.
mysterian - Gorgeous! Bothe the concept and the execution are superb. Good job.
damicide - I think that works really very well! Please don't flame yourself. The colouring is very consistant with the environment, the perspective is good, and the communication of form is very good. Seems more like the figures' vehicle than an invading alien, though. ;)
trevor - Wish we could see more af the scraft! ...Makes for a peculiar composition. I'm digging the cruiseship elements, though.


Well, this is not what I had in mind, but it was certainly a learning experience.

http://homepage.mac.com/dsgarchive4/.Pictures/ufo%20lands.jpg
[2.5 hr./ps] Original Photo = LINK (http://www.burningwell.org/gallery/Cityscapes/p1010014)

[SkyWookiee]

Thank you, and this looks out of Men In Black, like it's on a car's window. You all did awesome job too. The crop circle maker looks very real, the balloons are shiny and pretty and cool idea, Kexe's looks like it's in the movie and so is trevor's, Grimlohk's very fun, Skuli's looks sort of like a giant neuralyzer to me, mysterian - nice adea to take them for a walk on a leash, and cool stuff everybody.

[Floris Didden]

Sorry for beeing so late, but it took longer then normal. Took me bout 3 hrs. I've always done all my painting in Painter but it isn't really suited for matte-paintings so I used PS, which took some getting used to. Learned a lot with this one, fun!
Lots of stuff I'm not happy about yet but that would prolly take a lot longer still. I'll certainly do this again some time.

Good work all around, especially mysterian and William, very cool.
@William: great motion and sense of weight in the alien, the colours match up nicely too and it doesn't seem plastered on. It could use more .. texture I think, it almost looks cellshaded in some spots. Still very cool

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v131/krabad/dsg843.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v131/krabad/dsg843_photo.jpg

[Hamsta]

Bill As I scroll down I immediatly noticed the insect like machine thing, but I'm not sure if this would be the case if I saw the picture as a whole as the bottom is quite busy (this might be a good thing, but I'm guessing I'd have noticed it anyway.)
Some strangeness going on with the red and gray... is it the markings? I think it's too close in value for comfort.
Is it's left hind leg in front of a blank yellow sign? or does the sign have black markings? in either case I'd move the leg away to prevent confusion.

Fal$eProfit The ufo in front has some perspective issues - the angle of the ovals and where they fit on top of each other, for example - the middle and widest part dosen't look like it's wrapping behind. Small changes will make it much more believable. Something about the shadow bothers me as well, I think it has to do with the not so consistent light source, but your pic is a bitch in that sense.

The small ufo look just like all those ufos people video tape, especially with the jpg jaggies :D

[Grimlohk]

william: yeah I didnt feel like removing the watermark by hand, besides its their picture so technically I should have it there.
Great work guys, I didnt get around to making a good one. :(

[charge]

http://members.iinet.net.au/~chucky/post/alpinematte.jpglooks like this one landed a while ago,some great posts- wow,

[William b. Hand]

SkyWookiee -Bug on the windscreen, huh? Well, not the effect I was shootin' fer, but I'll accept it. ;) Admittedly, it does seem to Pop forward... It's gonna take more DSG's to hone my communication of scale.

Floris Didden - Thanks, I'm glad you like it! I agree with you about the cel-shaded look/lack of texture. I knew that didn't look right, and I'm embarrassed to admit that I didn't even think of texture... :dur:

Floris Again - :D! Great pic! Perspective, lighting, texture, and the overall aesthetic of the mech itself are all most excellent. Only thing that bugs me a little is that it doesn't look balanced, and seems like it might fall backwards without some rear legs. :P

Hamsta - My thinking was actually that this bot would sorta blend-in with the hustle and bustle and visual chaos of Manhattan so much that the thing wouldn't even be noticed at first... so, that you wondered about whether you would've seen it or not at first is spot-on the effect I had in mind. Not sure exactly which strangeness with the red and grey you're referring to, but there are quite a few things that aren't successful. That stupid yellow sign... yeah... that sign was like a fly that kept landing on my nose and I would wave it away, but it kept coming back (It was actually MORE confusing before!). I should just make the sign all yellow and do away with that crap once-and-for-all.

charge - I like that tube in the foreground... it's quite understandable what's going on, despite being out-of-focus. I guess I don't care for the ship, but the tower/outpost thing is very nice and the lighting is pretty believable. The outcropping would look that much better if you pulled some of that snow texture into it.

Pretty solid responses everyone!

[goran]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v17/smogyboy/sketchbook/UFO.jpg