I was going to include this selection of backings in the previous blog as many of the photos show the scenic artist at work, and a great many of these fellows eventually became matte painters such as Albert Whitlock, Peter Melrose, Emilio Ruiz, Brian Bishop, Jan Domela, Les Bowie, Cliff Culley and many more.
Although today’s blog has some really interesting, and sometimes quite staggering imagery it’s unfortunate that I can’t place a title to many of these films, nor in most cases, authorship of the individual backings, most of which would have been joint efforts from large studio scenic departments. My friend and fellow matte shot enthusiast Domingo Lizcano has a wonderful site that many of you will already be familiar with, and among his archives is an excellent and well researched run down of many of the names and filmographies of notable scenic backing artists that is essential for those seeking more information on an area I’m not any where near as au fait with. So with that in mind, what follows is a sample of some terrific old time painted backings and some behind the scenes pictures of the creative process…
…Read the Full Article @ Matte Shot
This blog is intended as a tribute to the ingenuity of the traditional matte painter where movie magic was created entirely by hand. Some of the shots will amaze in their grandeur and epic quality while others will surprise in their ‘invisibility’ to even the sophisticated viewer. I hope this collection will serve as an appreciation of the artform and both casual visitors and those with a specialist interest may benefit, enjoy and be amazed at skills largely unknown today
I have gone further back into the archives of Matte Shot – A Tribute to Golden Era Special FX to feature even more articles from this great site, so I hope you enjoy this wonderful journey we’re on together.
PJ Max