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Digital Matte Painting - Project 1: Invisible Set Extension (Pre-Production)

Samantha Kristalyn / 0373905 / Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media 
Digital Matte Painting
Project 1: Invisible Set Extension (Pre-Production)

JUMPLINKS

2. TASK

INSTRUCTIONS


TASK

Project 1: Invisible Set Extension (Pre-Production) (20%)

1. Objectives
For this project, we are stepping into the specialized world of Invisible Set Extensions. This assignment is a two-part journey: first, mastering the technical skills to "read" raw footage, and second, using those insights to seamlessly extend or recreate environments from scratch. The ultimate goal is to create a digital addition so perfect that the viewer never even suspects it’s there. The core of this project is Invisible VFX. Invisible effects are used to fix continuity, remove modern distractions from period pieces, or expand a small studio set into a vast landscape.

My task is to take raw footage and perform a "deep dive" deconstruction to understand the environment's requirements, looking at lighting, perspective, and lens characteristics, before building a finished artwork that integrates perfectly with the original shot.

2. Concept & Asset Building
The goal here is simple: the audience should never know that what they’re seeing is digital. I'm either doing an Invisible Set Extension (filling in missing parts of a real location) or Recreating the environment from scratch.
  • Building Assets: Every digital element is custom-built to ensure the perspective, scale, and lighting perfectly match the original camera metadata.
  • Seamless Integration: It’s not just about a "pretty" image. I have to match the technical grain, shadows, and lens blur of the raw footage so the extension feels physically present in the scene.
3. AI Usage & Ethics
For this assignment, AI tools like Midjourney or Leonardo are strictly for "brainstorming" and mood boarding.
  • Reference Only: AI is used only in the early stages to visualize lighting or layout. The final artwork must be my own execution, not an AI-generated image.
  • Proof of Work: All AI references must be cited. All students should keeping all of their raw project files and recording my progress to prove that the final result is original work and not an AI shortcut.

Reference Board

To begin the process, we were told to select a live-action reference to guide our environment study. I chose Dune (2021) due to its sophisticated blend of brutalist interior architecture and expansive desert landscapes. To ensure technical accuracy, I conducted a deep dive into the film's world-building, focusing on its unique terrain and costume textures. I've compiled these findings into a reference board using PureRef, which serves as the foundation for my environment extensions. 

Fig. 2.1, PureRef Reference Board based off of Dune (2021)

Developing the Visual Narrative

Sketches

After establishing my reference board, I moved into the sketching phase to bridge the gap between inspiration and final execution. This stage is divided into two parts: an initial conceptual sketch and a series of focused value studies.

Initial Sketch

I began with an initial reference sketch to serve as a foundational "blueprint" for the environment. 

Fig. 2.2, Initial Reference Sketch

The purpose of this sketch was to:

  • Establish Composition: Determine the placement of key environmental assets, such as rock formations and the horizon line, in relation to the character.

  • Define Scale: Set a clear sense of monumental scale, ensuring the environment feels vast and imposing; much like the cinematography in Dune.

  • Creative Guide: Act as a visual anchor that guides me through the more complex stages of asset creation and set extension later on.

Shaded Sketches

Once the basic composition was set, I produced a series of shaded sketches to conduct a comprehensive value study.
Fig. 2.3, Shaded Sketches


In digital matte painting, understanding light and dark is more critical than color in the early stages. These studies allowed me to:
  • Map Lighting & Atmosphere: Experiment with how light hits the terrain and where the deep shadows fall to create a sense of three-dimensional depth.
  • Direct the Eye: Use high-contrast values to lead the viewer’s gaze toward the focal point (the character) and the distant landscape.
  • Readability: Ensure that the "read" of the environment is clear even without color, which is essential for a seamless "invisible" extension.
By exploring these five different lighting and composition variations, I can confidently select the strongest layout before moving into the high-fidelity rendering phase.

Compositions

Composition 1: Vertical Cliffs (Outdoor Landscape)

Fig. 2.4, Composition 1 (Vertical Cliffs)
  • Visual Focus: Shows a deep, vertical chasm or a tight canyon system.
  • Perspective: Suggests a look down into a deep void or a tight pass between towering rock walls. This emphasizes the hazardous, vertical terrain of Arrakis's mountains or fractured plateaus.
  • Art Style: Stark, high contrast, emphasizing sharp edges and shadows.
Dune inspiration point:
The Shield Wall & Isolation: This reflects the sheer, treacherous cliffs of the Shield Wall, the mountain range used by the Fremen to hide their Sietches from Imperial orbital sensors. The extreme verticality emphasizes the difficulty of traversing the terrain and the isolation needed for Fremen survival.



Composition 2: Winding Canyons (Outdoor Landscape)


Fig. 2.5, Composition 2 (Winding Canyons)
  • Visual Focus: Presents a wide, winding canyon cutting through a high plateau.
  • Perspective: Likely a high-angle or panoramic view, showing the serpentine path of the canyon floor. This composition highlights geological features shaped by wind and ancient water (or lack thereof), providing depth and visual rhythm.
  •  Art Style: Uses clear layering to indicate distance and scale.
Dune inspiration point:
Ancient Water Paths & Worm Territory: Arrakis was once (or might become) a planet with water. The winding, wide path suggests a massive geological feature carved by ancient forces. In the context of Dune, these wide, open paths are prime territory for Sandworms (Shai-Hulud), creating a sense of dread and hidden movement beneath the surface.


Composition 3: Mesa/Butte (Outdoor Landscape)

Fig. 2.6, Composition 3 (Mesa/Butte)
    • Visual Focus: Features a large, isolated mesa or butte rising dramatically from a flat desert plain.
    • Perspective: Mid-to-low angle, making the rock formation appear monumental and imposing. This is a classic desert landmark, used to convey isolation and a point of reference in an otherwise featureless expanse.
    •  Art Style: Simple shapes and large masses, focusing on the lighting to define the form.

    Dune inspiration point:
    Landmark & Harvester Reference: Isolated mesas are typical desert landmarks globally, but on Arrakis, they serve as crucial navigational points. They also directly reference the danger of the spice harvesting process, where a harvester's position is defined relative to the flat, open sand and the potential rock refuges from a worm attack. The large, simple mass conveys the planet's brutal, indifferent scale.

    While I was mindful of Mr. Kannan’s advice to avoid indoor settings due to the technical complexities they present during the photo bashing stage; I chose to develop two indoor concepts as a preliminary exercise. This allowed me to test my technical limits and gain a better understanding of perspective and interior lighting before committing to a final outdoor composition.


    Composition 4: Throne Room/Hangar (Indoor Architecture)

    Fig. 2.7, Composition 4 (Throne Room/Hangar)
        • Visual Focus: A wide, cavernous interior, possibly a throne room, control center, or even a large ornithopter hangar.
        • Perspective: One-point perspective is strongly used, drawing the viewer's eye to a central vanishing point. The interior is expansive, suggesting the luxury and scale of a major Arrakeen base. Figures (or simplified representations of figures/columns) liNE ON the sides, helping to convey scale.
        • Art Style: Focuses on clean, symmetrical, and often Brutalist-inspired geometry common in Dune's recent visual adaptations.
        Dune inspiration point:
        Imperial Austerity & Heat Regulation: This interior reflects the architecture of the Imperial or Harkonnen palaces (like Arrakeen). The extreme height, vertical lines, and narrowness are functional designs to minimize sun exposure and control heat flow. The space feels intentionally austere and dehumanizing, reflecting the harsh rule of the Imperium/Harkonnens.


        Composition 5: Technological Hall with View (Indoor Architecture)

        Fig. 2.8, Composition 5 (Technological Hall with View)
              • Visual focus: Wide, symmetrical, technological hall or observation room.
              • Perspective: Strong one-point perspective; focus drawn to a central point (likely a viewport to the desert).
              • Artstyle: Clean, symmetrical, and potentially Brutalist-inspired geometry; sharp contrast between foreground and background view.
              Dune inspiration point:
              Technological Control vs. Natural Chaos: This is the quintessential Dune power structure. The symmetrical, ordered, and engineered interior represents the Houses' technological mastery and control. The focus being drawn to the single viewport of the desert outside symbolizes the constant tension between human efforts and the overwhelming, untamable nature of Arrakis (the sand, the heat, the worms, and the spice).


              Final Presentation

              Fig. 2.9, Final Presentation (Canva)


              Fig. 2.10, Final Presentation (PDF)
               

              REFLECTION

              The pre-production phase of this "Invisible Set Extension" project was a deep dive into the discipline of visual consistency and world-building. Choosing Dune (2021) as my primary reference allowed me to explore the intersection of brutalist architecture and vast, unforgiving landscapes. My goal was to move beyond just creating a "pretty" image and instead focus on the technical requirements of invisible VFX: matching perspective, scale, and lighting to ensure any digital addition feels physically present in the scene. By deconstructing the film’s unique terrain and textures through a PureRef board, I established a foundation that prioritized technical accuracy over purely aesthetic choices.

              The sketching process was where I truly began to bridge the gap between inspiration and execution. Starting with an initial conceptual sketch allowed me to set a monumental scale and establish a "blueprint" for my environment. However, it was the shaded value studies that proved most challenging and rewarding. In digital matte painting, understanding the "read" of light and dark is more critical than color for a seamless extension. By experimenting with five distinct compositions; ranging from vertical cliffs to symmetrical Imperial hangars; I was able to map out how lighting and atmosphere create three-dimensional depth and direct the viewer's eye toward the focal point.

              One of the most significant learning outcomes of this project was navigating the ethical and creative use of AI. Using tools like Midjourney and Leonardo strictly for brainstorming and mood boarding helped me visualize complex lighting scenarios quickly without sacrificing the integrity of my original work. This process reinforced the importance of "proof of work" and keeping meticulous raw files to document my own design journey. Ultimately, this pre-production phase taught me that a successful invisible extension isn't just about what you add; it's about how deeply you understand the environment you are trying to recreate.
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