The Invisible Art: The Legends of Movie Matte Painting

by Mark Cotta Vaz, Craig Barron

Since the birth of cinema, movie-makers have created stunning special effects by combining still "matte" paintings with live-action film. Matte painting techniques were closely guarded secrets that never left the studio lot. In this unprecedented retrospective, Mark Cotta Vaz and Craig Barron reveal the history of a visual effect that has defined movies as we know them-from Gone with the Wind and Citizen Kane to Star Wars and Titanic . Lavishly illustrated, The Invisible Art showcases the finest examples of now-rare matte paintings and unveils a century s worth of fascinating stories, legendary personalities, and cunning movie craft. Including a foreword by George Lucas and a CD-ROM that brings to life these moving pictures, this volume is packed with exclusive interviews and a narrative that time travels from the first pioneering "glass shots" to the dawn of digital technology. The definitive book for the consummate movie fan, The Invisible Art conjures a never-before-told story of film wizardry.

Genres: Film, Art, Nonfiction, Media Tie In, Design

288 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Mark Cotta Vaz is the author of over twenty-one books, including four New York Times bestsellers. His recent works include Mythic Vision: The Making of Eragon, The Spirit: The Movie Visual Companion, and the biography Living Dangerously: The Adventures of Merian C. Cooper, Creator of King Kong, which was a Los Angeles Times bestseller.

Reviews

[Elisabeth Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book, I read it straight through and it has all the details, history, and connections that have made matte painting what it is today. It is also filled with great photos of paintings in different stages, and my favorites are of the artists painting them.