Taisha Temple Matte Painting

Tai-O Village Matte Painting

Adding on to a memory

Anchor 1

Purpose

When I visited Japan, there was no seasonal excitement for me to take pictures of. No cherry or plum blossoms, no fire festivals, no beautiful snow. So this was a goal to reimagine the scenery around one of the famous Taisha Shinto Pagodas in Kyoto.

Render Passes

Tools:

Photoshop

Responsibilities: All aspects EXCEPT taking picture

Original Image

Layer 1: Color Correct

Colored correct
to dull and darken green hues. Used color Balance.

Layer 2: Dusted Snow Layer

Used RGB Channel selections to isolate brighter points such as yellows, and lighter greens. This makes a dusty white color.

Layer 3: Adding Snow Clumps

Adding Snow Clumps

In a separate layer painted in off white snowy clumps. Used EMBOSS layer settings, and added noise to give a 3d shadow and look.

In a separate layer painted in off white snowy clumps. Used EMBOSS layer settings, and added noise to give a 3d shadow and look.

Layer 4: 1st snowfall

1st Layer Snow

Used small custom brush to make farthest falling snow layer. Added Motion blur.

Layer 5: 2nd snowfall

2nd Layer Snow

Used custom brush to make midground falling snow layer. Added Motion blur but in a slightly different direction than the last.

Layer 6: 3rd Snowfall

3rd Layer Snow

Used very large custom brush to make foreground falling snow layer. Added a lot of Motion blur but in the opposite direction of all the others.

Layer 7: Final Color correct and grading

Final Color correct and grading

References

This was my first attempt at replacing skies, so in order to make my matte painting more believable I referenced several pictures of Tai-O during different days, and other locations with/without clouds.