Matte Painting Techniques for ArchViz

Fran Mateos begins the course with an introduction to who he is and how he wound up designing architectural images. He also shares some of his most important influences and what inspires his work.

Discover how to select the best camera for your project by analyzing several examples of composition alongside your teacher. See when and why to choose one type of lighting over another and learn how to conceptualize an assignment using a basic render. Then, decide which elements to render and which can be left out.

Before you start working, Fran shows you an efficient approach to organizing your project by introducing you to the culinary concept of mise en place, which refers to preparing and arranging all your ingredients prior to cooking. He stresses the importance of organizing your materials beforehand and explains proper folder hierarchy for working on any piece.

Now it's time to learn how to design your image from start to finish. Work through each of the essential steps in the process and group them together to have full control over the scene and be able to undo any changes you made throughout. Start with the background and move to the foreground adding new layers of detail to your piece at each stage.

Finally, put the finishing touches of your image to bring all the elements together. Fran shows you how to create depth with light and enhance your piece by adding and adjusting color using the same techniques he applies to his own work.