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3DTotal: Could you tell us what you’re working on at the moment?
Ludovic:I just finished the new Jean Pierre Jeunet movie, in France, at Duboi-Duran. That was really interesting. Jean Pierre Jeunet is a great director, one of the most creative in France. I really liked his City of Lost Children and Amelie.
3DTotal: Hellboy 2, that’s a big movie to be working on! With such a huge following, were you a bit nervous?
Ludovic: Yes you’re right, it’s a big project, and when there are so many fans waiting for the movie you think that you have to do it right. There is a mood to find and some big environments to design and to paint. I think it’s a big and interesting challenge and I’m very pleased to work on this project. |
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3DTotal: Different artists have different ways of producing things, so could you give us a little insight into how you go about creating a matte painting?
Ludovic: I would say that it depends of the shot. If I work on a plate where I have to make a day for night and destruction, for example, I’ll try to work on the lighting first, but I’ll always keep the possibility of removing it. Using the plate I’ll work on all the details and stuff I had to do on the plate, using the same light and grade. |
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At the end I’ll put the new lighting in and I’ll work on the integration of the new elements in this light. If I have to create a full environment, I’ll start by sketching it very quickly to find the composition. I can do a lot of different versions to be sure of the best composition. Then I’ll work on the lighting, still on the sketch, to bring a mood in the matte. When I’m happy with this, I’ll start to find some photos and references to paint the matte for real. But I can always go back and change what I had in mind! It’s not to say that, because I fixed the design first, it will stay the same until the end of the process. |
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3DTotal: Being one of many matte painters that are around today, how do you think your style of work differs from the rest, and how would you best describe your style of work?
Ludovic: I think that there are a lot of different styles of matte painting work. Sometimes it’s completely invisible and sometimes it’s more painted and illustrative. If I had to choose, I’d say that mine is more invisible. This is the one I prefer. To me, it’s like a game: if you can’t find where the matte painting is then it’s a success. If you say, “Look how nice this matte painting is,” then you missed the point. As I said earlier, I like to change what I had in mind when I started the painting. To describe my style of work, I’d say that I try to be surprised by the references I find, and the photos I look at. I look at a lot of photos in books and on the internet, and each time I find something nice which could make my matte painting more realistic, I try to redo it. I don’t try to have the final idea at the beginning; I don’t care if I change my mind. I would describe my job more as a technician than as an author. |
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3DTotal: Throughout an artist’s career, they will always look at artwork by there favourite artists, whether it’s for research or inspiration. So which do you find your inspiration from?
Ludovic: I know the work of other matte painters very well. I visit a lot of forums and all their websites very often to be informed of the new work they have posted. I’d say that the first matte painters I knew, and who are still very good references to me, are traditional matte painters such as Mike Pangrazio, Syd Dutton, Chris Evans, Mark Sullivan, all the work from Matteworld Digital and Illusion Arts, Jean Marie Vives, and, of course, the work of digital matte painters such as Dylan Cole, Yannick Dusseault, Alp Altiner, Dan Weathon and Chris Thunig, who are really talented artists. I really like the concept work from Craig Mullins and Ryan Church, and all those guys who can create a very nice mood with just a few brushes.
3DTotal: Well it has been a pleasure talking with you. One last question before we wrap things up. What has been the most influential piece of advice that you have been given, and by whom?
Ludovic: There is a sentence I read in a book or on the internet one day that I often think about, which was, “Don't try to do a beautiful matte painting, do a beautiful picture.” I always try to do something realistic. Tchook, the first matte painter I worked with, told me, “If you can say that this is a nice matte painting, then you missed the point. Nobody should know that this is a matte painting.” And this is exactly what I like about this job!
Thank you very much for this opportunity. I welcome everyone to visit my blog http://overthetruth.over-blog.com, where we can share our matte painting techniques. |
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