In this feature, you will know more about matte painting and how a self taught person can do amazing paintings if he or she has the desire to do it just like Mai Anh Tran, our featured artist today. She is a self taught matte painter who brings out the soul in every artwork she does. Find out more about her in this interview. Enjoy!

For those who don't know, could you give us an overview about your job title and what you do?

I am a matte painter and concept artist working in the film and advertising industry. I have had the opportunities to work on feature movies and TV shows such as Unbroken or Game of Thrones season 4 and 5.
A matte painter is basically a digital artist creating an environment that is nonexistent in real life or would be too expensive or impossible to build on set. The final matte painting has to be as photoreal as possible to blend perfectly the landscape and the live-action footage. Matte painting is also called ‘’Invisible Art’’.

How did you get started in the field and when did you decide to specialize in matte painting?

I have always been passionate about the creativity aspect in all things. In 2009, I started to study 3D art in an animation school in Paris France called LISAA (L’Institut Superieur des Arts Appliques). At the time I did not know what matte painting was. During summer 2012, I did an internship at LoganTV in New York City where I have been lucky to work alongside Director Carlos Andre Stevens. During this internship I had the opportunity to learn a lot about matte painting and make my first professional landscape painting. After that, I decided to specialize in matte painting in the film industry.

What tools do you use for creating matte painting and how is it more convenient than the traditional style?

My main tool as a matte painter is Adobe Photoshop. I also use Autodesk Maya and The Foundry Nuke for the 3D aspect of matte painting.
Traditionally, matte painters used to paint on huge sheets of glass. I have always been impressed by those traditional artists, by their abilities of painting a detailed photoreal-looking landscape.
Nowadays, digital matte paintings are made with references images, painted textures combined with some 3D environment. I guess it is faster and easier to reach a photoreal final look, and it also allows camera movements. Working with 3D helps a lot as it allows to have an accurate sense of scale, perspective, depth, or lighting.