What makes a painting a "matte painting"?

[R_M]

Hi guys,
I am bit confused on this matter, so it would be really helpfull if someone has an answer.
Atomik just posted a matte painting, and Puddnhead did it too a week or to ago. To me they look like photos, and can't understand what is painted and what not!
Is a matte painting a retouched photo, or is it a huge ultrarealistic painting?
if it is the latter of the two, how does the process of painting one differ from normal concept illustration?
Matte painting seams to be so much harder that regular painting (jes, I am calling what is posted in the finished section "reular")...
Any indsight would be great!

[Signature]

Quote from goodbrush.com (http://www.goodbrush.com)
Matte

These are images meant to fool the eye. Usually there is live action photography of a set or actors, and the painting is intended to blend seamlessly with the photography. This can save much time and money, or make a shot possible that would be impossible by any other means. Matte paintings used to be painted on glass or large panel, and composited (combined a frame at a time with the photography) within the camera itself. Digital technology has changed matte painting quite a bit. See also the link to "How I Work" to get an idea of the process.

Check out Loki's site (http://www.guerillapixel.com/pages/frameset1.htm) and dusso.com (http://www.dusso.com)

[BadMange]

Here's a tutorial on matte painting:

3Dennis (http://www.3dennis.com/tutorial1.htm)

Hmm, I thought there was one an GFXArtist.com but I can't seem to find it. anyone else know if there was one or if I'm just imagining it? And anyone have more matte painting tutorials?

-Bad Mange

[Atomick]

Like anything else, R_M, it's Art By Any Means Necessary. I know artists who use paint on glass, others who use Painter, and yet others who use Photoshop with a combo of photos, retouching, and painting. Oh, and let's not forget what is often massive amounts of 3D!

Some of the folks who I know do this for a living includef Eric Chauvin (http://www.blackpoolstudios.com) and the talented staff of Matte World Digital (http://www.matteworld.com/).

With the digital media age, folks are increasingly finding that the stuff they shoot as reference can easily be integrated right into the piece!

My own extremely humble examples of photo-oriented matte paintings are in this thread (http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=5832).

HTH,
-Atomick