Cinematic Matte Painting for Production

Complete Environment Creation Workflow using Blender, Photoshop & Nuke with Kevin Decatoire

Learn how to create a cinematic environment by combining 3D, matte painting, and compositing techniques in a complete production workflow using Blender, Photoshop, and Nuke. In this 3-hour workshop, senior matte painter and concept artist Kevin Decatoire shows you how to create a sci-fi environment centered on a mysterious portal hidden within a dramatic mountain landscape. Starting with reference gathering and concept development, he teaches artists how to establish a strong composition, define the mood, and create a clear visual direction before building a flexible 3D foundation in Blender.

He demonstrates efficient environment-building techniques, including procedural terrain creation, and showcases how to integrate 3D scans, photographic texturing, HDRI lighting, volumetric fog, and clouds to quickly develop a believable cinematic scene. Along the way, he also shares how to organize the scene, prepare render passes, and build a solid foundation that supports both matte painting and camera projection.

Once the 3D environment is complete, Kevin moves into Photoshop to transform the render into a polished matte painting. Using photobashing techniques, digital painting, adding atmospheric effects, and color grading, he shows how to enhance textures, replace the sky, refine the lighting, and strengthen the focal point while maintaining a flexible workflow that allows for fast iteration and creative freedom.

The final stage takes place in Nuke, where Kevin composites the different render passes and brings the scene to life. He shows how to animate the portal, clouds, fog, sky, and spaceship, then completes the shot using color grading, glow, lens effects, and subtle post-processing to produce a cinematic animated sequence.

This workshop is designed for intermediate artists with a basic understanding of Blender, Photoshop, and Nuke; it focuses on both technical execution and artistic decision-making. By completing this workshop, artists will understand how to combine 3D, matte painting, and compositing techniques into a complete hybrid workflow and confidently create their own cinematic environments from concept to final animated shot.