Tutorial: Concept Art & Matte Painting for Film
The Gnomon Workshop has released Concept Art & Matte Painting for Film, a new masterclass recorded by Industrial Light & Magic Art Director Igor Staritsin.
The workshop, which is aimed at both aspiring and intermediate concept artists, matte painters and environment artists, provides 3.5 hours of video training in Photoshop, Maya and Nuke.
Master professional Photoshop workflows for matte painting and concept art
In the workshop, Staritsin sets out advanced Photoshop techniques that professional concept artists and matte painters use daily in the VFX and movie industries.
Technical topics covered include image extraction, blending modes, color correction, photo integration, and the compositing workflows needed to build production-ready environments.
Staritsin also explores how to maintain visual consistency across complex scenes, manage light and atmospheric depth, and efficiently organize layers for large-scale matte painting projects.
Having established the fundamentals, Staritsin demonstrates how to apply them in a practical, production-style exercise by creating a matte painting of a destroyed city from start to finish.
Starting with a clean plate, he sets out how to progressively build a full set extension, design and integrate realistic destruction, and refine details to achieve a cohesive, cinematic result.
The final part of the workshop demonstrates how to elevate the matte painting into a cinematic concept keyframe by integrating 3D elements and characters in Maya.
As well as demonstrating the practical workflow, Staritsin discusses camera framing, how to maintain focal hierarchy, and how to create narrative impact in the final image.
About the artist
Igor Staritsin is a renowned art director, concept artist, and matte painter, who has contributed to over 60 major films and videogame cinematics.
His credits span franchises including Alien, Star Wars, Predator, Tron, Star Trek, Indiana Jones, Jurassic Park, Ant-Man, Godzilla, Black Panther, Game of Thrones, and Final Fantasy.
Price and availability
Concept Art & Matte Painting for Film is available via a subscription to The Gnomon Workshop, which provides access to over 300 tutorials.
Subscriptions cost $57/month or $499/year. Free trials are available.
Read more about Concept Art & Matte Painting for Film on The Gnomon Workshop’s website
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