Biography:

By Gerald Larn:
“I spent 3 years studying at Farnham School of Art where I specialised in Painting. In my final year I won a competitive scholarship to the Slade School of Fine Art, University College , London .
After leaving the Slade School , I exhibited paintings in London at the Temple Gallery, Redfern Gallery and Selfridges Art Gallery .
In 1964 (age 32) I met Bob Cuff. He was on the point of leaving Shepperton to join forces and form a Special Effects company with John Mackie. He asked if I would be interested to step into his shoes and fill in the gap he was leaving in the Effects department at Shepperton.
After discussing the matter with Head of Department Wally Veevers, and showing him some of my work, it was agreed I should fill the vacant Matte Artist position.
Later, following the departure of Wally Veevers, I remained working in the Special Effects Department under Ted Samuels until the break up of the Studio in 1975.

Gerald Larn at Shepperton matte department.

Filmography:

1964 – Mr. Moses (matte painting)
1964 – The Amorous Adventures of Moll Flanders (matte painting)
1965 – Dr. Who and the Daleks (matte painting)
1965 – Dr. Zhivago (matte painting)
1965 – Gengis Khan (matte painting)
1965 – A High Wind in Jamaica (matte painting)
1966 – Daleks’ Invasion Earth: 2150 A.D. (matte painting)
1966 – The Family Way (matte painting)
1966- The Spy with a cold nose (matte painting)
1967 – Casino Royale (matte painting)
1967 – Dr. Faustus (matte painting)
1967 – Taming of the Shrew (matte painting)
1969 – The Valley of Gwangi (matte painting)
1969 – Anne of the Thousand Days (matte painting)
1969 – The Best House in London (matte painting)
1969 – The Freak (Designed the wings to be worn by Victoria Chaplin on Chaplin’s proposed final film. Also storyboarded sections of the script )
1970 – Scrooge (matte painting)
1971 – Asylum ( Illustrations for the opening title sequence. )
1971 – Nicholas and Alexandra (matte painting, optical work, and typography for opening title sequence and credits.)
1971 – Macbeth (matte painting)
1971 – Tales of Beatrix Potter ( props and character costume production )
1972 – Tales from the Crypt (matte painting)
1972 – Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (matte paintings, and foreground glasses.)
1973 – The Final Programme (matte painting)
1973 – The Asphyx ( designed the object of the title “The Asphyx” )

Gallery:

Gerald Larn working on two paintings from Moll Flanders.

Larn with the painting of Anne of the thousand days.

Biography:

Bill Brace worked at the FX house Project Unlimited run by Gene Warren snr, Tim Barr and Wah Chang. he was mainly matte artists but also made some FX design and painting miniatures.

Extracted from an interview with animator Don Sahlin.
“They had a guy in another room, Bill Brace, an artist, and he was doing all these matte paintings where the trees were blooming and the apples were growing. And he painted the future scenes, too, where you saw the topography of the land changing, and the Eloi temple being built. The whole dome of that was a painting matted in, and the stairway leading up to it was part of MGM’s old QUO VADIS set.”

To read the whole interview go to: http://www.colemanzone.com/Time_Machine_Project/don_sahlin.htm

Bill Brace with the FX staff at project Unlimited. Photo from the Book “Dinosaurs, dragons and drama” by Jim Danforth.

Two paintings for The time machine.

Filmography:

- 7 Faces of Dr. Lao (1964)
- Jack the Giant Killer (1962)(matte artist – uncredited)
- The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm (1962)
- The Time Machine (1960) (matte artist) (uncredited)
- Atlantis the lost continent(1960) (matte artist)

Biography:

“In March 1988, I began working at The Buena Vista Visual Effects Group (Disney, for those of you not in the know) as an apprentice matte artist, fresh out of art school. I spent the next 7 years in the matte biz…mostly at Disney…though I also did a bit of freelance at other studios.
I started in the matte business, only a few years before the digital revolution happened. I was fortunate to have been one of the last of the matte artists who actually painted on glass…with real paint…which means that I was also one of the first of the new breed of matte artists that painted on computers, when my Matte Department went digital a few years later.”

Paul Lasaine working on a painting for Dave(1993)

To see more samples of his work visit his blog: http://paullasaine.blogspot.com/

Filmography:
- The Croods (2013)(visual development artist)
- Puss in boot (2011)(visual development artist)
- Flushed Away (2006)(visual development artist)
- Open season (2006)(visual development artist)
- Shark Tale (2004)(visual development artist)
- The Lord of the Rings: The return of the King (2003) (visual effects art director)
- The Lord of the Rings: The Two towers (2002) (visual effects art director)
- The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) (visual effects art director)
-The Road to El Dorado (2000) (art director)
- The Prince of Egypt (1998) (background painting department supervisor)
- Mortal Kombat (1995) (matte painting supervisor)
- The Mangler (1995) (matte painting supervisor)
- The Jungle Book (1994) (matte artist)
- The Santa Clause (1994) (matte painting supervisor)
- A Simple Twist of Fate (1994) (matte artist)
- In the Army Now (1994) (matte artist)
- White Fang 2: Myth of the White Wolf (1994) (matte artist)
- The Pelican Brief (1993) (matte painting supervisor: Buena Vista)
- Beethoven’s 2nd (1993) (visual effects supervisor)
- Hocus Pocus (1993) (matte painting supervisor)
- Dave (1993) (matte painting supervisor)
- Trail Mix-Up (1993) (matte artist)
- The Distinguished Gentleman (1992) (matte artist)
- Single White Female (1992) (visual effects supervisor) (uncredited)
- Batman Returns (1992) (matte artist) (uncredited)
- Alien³ (1992) (matte painter)

- Wild Hearts Can’t Be Broken (1991) (matte artist)
- White Fang (1991/I) (matte artist)
- Dick Tracy (1990) (matte artist: Buena Vista Visual Effects Group)
- Ernest Saves Christmas (1988) (matte artist)

Portrait of Lee Le Blanc by his daugther Deirdre Le Blanc 
(© Deirdre Le Blanc; used with the artist’s permission)

Lee Le Blanc, 1913-1988 (Image © Deirdre Le Blanc Private Collection; used with permission)

Biography:

A full biography written by his daugther Breirdre can be read at:

http://arthistory.about.com/library/weekly/bl_lee_leblanc.htm

Small biography:
Since his birth in Powers, Michigan, in 1913, Lee LeBlanc’s life has been filled with creativity. He attended LaFrance Art Institute, Philadelphia; Art Students League, New York; Chiunard School of Art and Jepsen Art School, both in Los Angeles. He was tutored by Nicolai Fechin and by Will Foster.

Lee was a commercial artist until 1939 when he joined Walt Disney.
From Dreirdre “Dad’s first job in the studios was with Walt Disney, where he made a whopping $10.00 a week. After that he held slightly higher paying jobs at Looney Tunes and Merry Melodies.”

“In 1941, he went to Twentieth Century Fox, his first job was building miniatures, but he spent every spare moment downstairs in the Matte Painting Department, talking to the artists and getting to know Fred Sersen, the head of the department, until he finally talked his way in as an apprentice painter.”

“In 1955 Dad went hunting for another job, but now he was looking for one that would make him the head of the department. He finally landed the position as head of Matte Painting at MGM, where Warren Newcomb, a most eccentric man, was about to retire.”
“In 1962 Dad quit MGM”

Retirement merely meant a different focus for his art.
He illustrated children’s wildlife books and did illustrations for national magazines and for companies including Brown & Biglow and Gibson Greeting Cards. Many of Lee’s paintings have been reproduced as limited edition prints. They have achieved a remarkable “sold out” record, thanks to his ever-growing popularity with collectors.

A sample of wildlife painting.

Filmography.
- Mutiny on the Bounty (1962) (special visual effects)
- Sweet Bird of Youth (1962) (special visual effects)
- Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1961) (special effects)
- Two Loves (1961) (special effects)
- Honeymoon Machine, The (1961) (special effects)
- Atlantis, the Lost Continent (1961) (special effects)

- King of Kings (1961) (special photographic effects)
- Ada (1961) (special visual effects)
- Cimarron (1960) (special effects)
- Where the Boys Are (1960) (special effects)
- Subterraneans, The (1960) (special effects)
- Bells Are Ringing (1960) (special effects)
- Never So Few (1959) (special effects)
- Tarzan, the Ape Man (1959) (special effects)
- Wreck of the Mary Deare, The (1959) (special effects)
- Green Mansions (1959) (special effects)
- North by Northwest (1959) (special effects)
- World, the Flesh and the Devil, The (1959) (special effects)
- Ben-Hur (1959) (special photographic effects)
- Law and Jake Wade, The (1958) (special effects)
- Party Girl (1958) (special effects)
- Brothers Karamazov, The (1958) (special effects)
- Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958) (special effects)

- Don’t Go Near the Water (1957) (special effects)
- This Could Be the Night (1957) (special effects)
- Something of Value (1957)(At MGM matte department)
- Untamed(1954)(At Fox matte department)

Biography:
Born in the Netherlands on March 13, 1874. Ledeboer studied at Rotterdam Academy of Fine Arts and with marine painter H. W. Mesdag. He came to San Francisco to create the Holland Building for the PPIE. In 1916 he settled in Los Angeles where he worked for 20 years as a scenic artist for the Selznick Studios. He also painted mattes on films like Duel in the Sun (1948)

He died there on June 25, 1962. Exh: SF Civic Auditorium, 1919.

Biography:
Bob has been working creatively for over 20 years. He started his career at a Michigan based special effects house as an animator and matte painter. He worked on a number of television spots and movies. Soon after breaking into the business, Bob had the opportunity to flex his design muscles on many of the projects that came through the shop. Through the years, Bob has also illustrated many books, posters and all kinds of print related projects. Today, he primarily works as an illustrator with an occasional movie thrown into the mix. Bob’s latest film project slated him as production designer.
To see some og his illustration work go to: http://www.bobkayganich.com/
Filmography:

- Frostbiter: Wrath of the Wendigo (1996) (matte painter)
- Lunatics: A Love Story (1991) (assistant animator)
- Kamikaze Detroit ( 1989)(scenic artist)
- Flesh Gordon Meets the Cosmic Cheerleaders (1989) (matte paintings)
- Moontrap (1989) (matte artist) (motion control miniatures construction)
- The Carrier (1988) (matte painting)
- The Wrong Guys (1988) (matte painting)
- Evil Dead II (1987) (matte painter)
- The Rosary Murders (1987)(propmaker – uncredited)

Gallery:

The  carrier. 

Moontrap.

Frosbiter.

Evildead2.

Biography:

He worked at FOX matte department under Fred Sersen supervision. At 1952 he became head of the FX departemt at FOX.
At 1957 he left the FX department in the hands of cinematographer Linwod B. Abbott, and became second unit director for FOX films. He also wrote and directed some movies.
Date of birth 12 November 1919
Date of death 26 September 1981 Sherman Oaks, California, USA.

Ray Kellogg working on a painting at the T.C.FOX matte department under Fred Sersen.

Filmography:

The Revengers (1972) (second unit director)
Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970) (second unit director)
The Green Berets (1968) (Director)
Batman (1966/I) (second unit director)
My Dog, Buddy (1960) (Director)
The Giant Gila Monster (1959) (Director)
The Killer Shrews (1959) (Director)
Stagecoach (1966) (second unit director)
Cleopatra (1963) (second unit director)
The Way to the Gold (1957) (special effects)
Desk Set (1957) (special effects)
Boy on a Dolphin (1957) (special photographic effects)
Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison (1957) (special effects)
The True Story of Jesse James (1957) (special effects)
Three Brave Men (1956) (special effects)
The Girl Can’t Help It (1956) (special effects)
Love Me Tender (1956) (special photographic effects)
Teenage Rebel (1956) (special photographic effects)
Between Heaven and Hell (1956) (special photographic effects)
The Last Wagon (1956) (special photographic effects)
Bus Stop (1956) (special photographic effects)
Bigger Than Life (1956) (special photographic effects)
The King and I (1956) (special photographic effects)
The Proud Ones (1956) (special photographic effects)
D-Day the Sixth of June (1956) (special photographic effects)
23 Paces to Baker Street (1956) (special effects)
Hilda Crane (1956) (special photographic effects)
The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit (1956) (special effects)
On the Threshold of Space (1956) (special effects)
Carousel (1956) (special photographic effects)
The Bottom of the Bottle (1956) (special photographic effects)
The Rains of Ranchipur (1955) (special effects)
Good Morning, Miss Dove (1955) (special effects)
The Tall Men (1955) (special photographic effects)
Seven Cities of Gold (1955) (special photographic effects)
The Left Hand of God (1955) (special photographic effects)
Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing (1955) (special photographic effects)
How to Be Very, Very Popular (1955) (special effects)
The Virgin Queen (1955) (special effects)
House of Bamboo (1955) (special photographic effects)
The Seven Year Itch (1955) (special photographic effects)
Soldier of Fortune (1955) (special photographic effects)
Daddy Long Legs (1955) (special photographic effects)
A Man Called Peter (1955) (special effects)
Untamed (1955) (special effects)
The Racers (1955) (special effects)
Prince of Players (1955) (photo)
There’s No Business Like Show Business (1954) (special photographic effects)
Desirée (1954) (special photographic effects)
Black Widow (1954) (special photographic effects)
The Egyptian (1954) (special photographic effects)
Broken Lance (1954) (special photographic effects)
Garden of Evil (1954) (special photographic effects)
River of No Return (1954) (special photographic effects)
Prince Valiant (1954) (special photographic effects)
Hell and High Water (1954) (special effects)
King of the Khyber Rifles (1953) (special photographic effects)
Beneath the 12-Mile Reef (1953) (special photographic effects)
How to Marry a Millionaire (1953) (special photographic effects)
A Blueprint for Murder (1953) (special photographic effects)
The Robe (1953) (special photographic effects)
Vicki (1953) (special photographic effects)
The Kid from Left Field (1953) (special effects)
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953) (special photographic effects)
White Witch Doctor (1953) (special effects)
Pickup on South Street (1953) (special photographic effects)
The President’s Lady (1953) (special effects)
The Girl Next Door (1953) (special photographic effects)
The Glory Brigade (1953) (special effects)
The Desert Rats (1953) (special photographic effects)
Titanic (1953) (special photographic effects)
The Silver Whip (1953) (special photo effects)
Niagara (1953) (special photographic effects)
The I Don’t Care Girl (1953) (special photographic effects)
My Cousin Rachel (1952) (special photographic effects)
Stars and Stripes Forever (1952) (special photographic effects)
Pony Soldier (1952) (special photographic effects)
My Pal Gus (1952) (special photographic effects)
Monkey Business (1952) (special photographic effects)
What Price Glory (1952) (special photographic effects)
The Snows of Kilimanjaro (1952) (special effects)
Miserables, Les (1952) (special photographic effects)
Dreamboat (1952) (special effects)
Don’t Bother to Knock (1952) (special photographic effects)
Lure of the Wilderness (1952) (special photographic effects)
We’re Not Married! (1952) (special photographic effects)
Wait Till the Sun Shines, Nellie (1952) (special effects)
Belles on Their Toes (1952) (special photographic effects)
With a Song in My Heart (1952) (special photographic effects)
Deadline – U.S.A. (1952) (special photographic effects)
5 Fingers (1952) (special photographic effects)
Phone Call from a Stranger (1952) (special photographic effects)
The Desert Fox: The Story of Rommel (1951) (special photographic effects)
The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) (effects team) (uncredited)
Fourteen Hours (1951) (special photographic effects)
You’re in the Navy Now (1951) (special effects)
Slattery’s Hurricane (1949) (special effects)
Down to the Sea in Ships (1949) (special effects)

Biography:

Date of Birth 28 November 1903 , Paris, France
Date of Death 4 November 1968 , Los Angeles, California, USA
At 1933, he entered at Fox matte department under Fred Sersen supervision.Although he only started receiving credit in 1958, Emil Kosa Jr. was a matte artist at 20th Century-Fox for thirty-five years and was responsible for the painting of the famous 20th Century-Fox “searchlight” logo, a variation of which was originally done by Kosa in 1933 for 20th Century Pictures before they merged with Fox Film Corporation in 1935.With the introduction of CinemaScope the logo was altered, aslo by Kosa and was used till 1981.

Member of the National Academy of Design and the California and American Watercolor Societies. Son of Emil Kosa.

  Self portrait of matte painter Emil Kosa Jr.

Filmography.

- Star! (1968) (special photographic effects)

- The Sweet Ride (1968) (photographic effects)
- Bandolero! (1968) (special photographic effects)
- Planet of the Apes (1968) (special photographic effects)

One of the most famous images from the movie “planet of the apes” is this matte painting by Emile Kosa.

-The Flim Flam Man, (1967) (special photographic effects)
-The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre (1967) (special effects)
-A Guide for the Married Man (1967) (special effects)
-Caprice (1967) (special effects)
-In Like Flint (1967) (special photographic effects)
-Way… Way Out (1966) (special photographic effects)
-Stagecoach (1966) (special effects)
-Fantastic Voyage (1966) (special effects)
-Sand Pebbles (1966) (special photographic effects)
-The Sound of Music (1965) (special photographic effects)
-Von Ryan’s Express (1965) (special effects)
-John Goldfarb, Please Come Home (1965) (special effects)
-The Agony and the Ecstasy (1965) (special photographic effects)
-Dear Brigitte (1965) (special effects)
-Morituri (1965)(special effects)
-Our Man Flint (1965) (special effects)
-Goodbye Charlie (1964) (special effects)
-Fate Is the Hunter (1964) (special effects)
-Shock Treatment (1964) (special photographic effects)
-Cleopatra(1963)(Special photographic effects)

-Take Her, She’s Mine (1963) (special camera effects)
-Five Weeks in a Balloon (1962) (special photographic effects)
-Tender Is the Night (1962) (special effects)
-Snow White and the Three Stooges (1961) (special photographic effects)
-The Story of Ruth (1960) (special photographic effects)
-North to Alaska (1960) (special effects)
-Tender is the night(1961)(special effects)
-Voyage to the center of the earth (1959)(special photographic effects)
-The Gift of Love (1958) (special photographic effects)
-Rains of ranchipur(1955) (special effects)
-The robe (1953) (special effects)
-Hell of high waters(1954) (special effects)
-The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) (effects team) (uncredited)
-Deep waters (1948) (matte art assist)
-The razors edge (1946)(matte art assist)
-Crash Dive(1943)(matte art assist)

Before getting into ILM matte department, Sean Joyce made some matte painting works for David Stipes productions.

Photos and Text courtesy of David Stipes.

“These are Sean Joyce (pre ILM) images for “Tales of the Gold Monkey” David Stipes designed the shot and did all element and matte photography.
Sean did the painting as an employee of David Stipes Productions.
This was a rear projection comp. You will see on the painting only image that we used a very soft split through the sky and palm fronds.
The palms were blowing around.
The high speed smoke pass has not been added yet.”

Matte painter Sean Joyce working on a painting for “Willow” 1989.

With a painting made for the movie “Enemie Mine”. 1985.

Filmography.

- Greece: Secrets of the Past(2006) (Documentary short) (sculptor: Matte World Digital)
- Sexual Intent(1997) (visual consultant)
- Willow (1989)(matte artist)
- The Witches of Eastwick (1987) (matte artist)
- Star treck IV (1986)(matte art)
- Howard the duck(1986)(matte art)
- The Golden boy(1986)(matte art)
- Labyrinth (1986) (painted matte artist: ILM)
- Explorers (1985)(assistant matte artist)
- The Lost Empire (1985) (matte painter)
- Enemy mine(1985)(matte artist)
- The Jupiter Menace (1983)(Documentary) (matte artist: David Stipes Productions)
- Tales of the Gold Monkey (1982) (matte artist)(TV series )
- The Tarzan/Lone Ranger Adventure Hour (1980)(TV Series) (storyboard artist )
- Animalympics (1980)(assistant animator)
- El señor de los anillos (1978)(key animator)

Joy Hanser is an artists specialized on  landscape painting, murals and faux finishing as well as movie industry work.

Filmography:

- The love crimes of Gilliam Guess (2004) (Glass painting)

Artist Joy Hanser works on a glass matte painting that augmented the on-set “forest” of Vancouver’s Stanley Park.

The final painting on the film.

In 1978, I was lucky enough to land a job at Van der Veer Photo Effects, one of the small group of great optical houses that worked for many years creating high-end visual effects for films and TV, among them, the Original STAR TREK series. Granted, I was at the bottom of the totem pole, as a gofer/janitor (I was a REALLY lousy janitor), but I was allowed to hang out in any area I wanted, and was quickly put to work in my off hours doing rotoscoping work on 1941 and NIGHTWING; helping move miniatures around the blue screen stage, processing hi-con mattes, and other little jobs that are expected of an apprentice. My favorite area was the Matte Painting room, where I would gaze, enthralled, at the artwork of Lou Litchenfield, Mike Lloyd, and others, and I quickly decided that Matte Paintings were what I wanted to do, among other things.
He has lent his talents, usually in the area of technical or visual effects work, to a number of low-and-medium budget feature films, four of which were produced by Roger Corman, including Masque of the Red Death (1989), and Wizards of the Lost Kingdom II (1989), as a matte artist/cinematographer. He also created matte paintings and photography for the Paulco films Fate and Eternity (1989).
In 1983, Pony began producing and directing TV commercials. In 1992, Pony left the west coast to move to the Washington, D.C. suburb of Reston, Virginia. There he joined the staff of the Times Community Newspapers as a photojournalist and writer.
By late 1994, Pony was back in Los Angeles, doing freelance journalism for several newspapers and magazines. Since 2001, Pony has been producing a lifework under his own company banner, Gravity Arch Media.

Filmography:

- Masque of the Red Death (1989) (matte cinematography)
- Wizards of the Lost Kingdom II (1989) (matte artist)
- Fate and Eternity (1989) (matte artist)

Gallery:

Matte shots from “Wizards of the lost Kingdom II

The Final composition.

Biography:

Spanish art director born at Oviedo 1936, who begun his career as prop maker and scenic artist working for TV commercials during the 60´s. He worked as assistant art director for TV series. He often worked for director Juan Piquer Simon, who produced his first feature film “when time begun” at 1976.
Gonzalo Gonzalo was enlisted on his team as model maker and scenic artist working under Francisco Prosper and Emilio Ruiz supervision.
He worked as art director and miniature supervisor on films as “Slugs” (1989) and “The endless descent” (1989).
At 1993 art director Felix Murcia asked him for a glass shot in location trick, and he executed a painting on aluminium cut out for the movie “la Vida Lactea / The milky life”(1993).

Gonzalo Gonzalo working on a ship model for the movie “Mistery on the island of the monsters”(1980)

A cut out foreground paintng on location at the Portuguese coast, near Lisboa.

The final view of Gonzalo Gonzalo´s painting.

The coastal village which was cover by a second painting.

:

Filmography:

- Cuentame como pasó ( TV serie)(2000-05)(art director)
- Los ladrones van a la oficina (TV serie)(1994-06)(art director)
- La vida láctea(1993) (glass painting)
- El robobo de la jojoya (1992) (art director)
- Demasiado corazon (1992) (art director)
- Cine por un tubo(1990)(tv)(art director/ miniatures)
- La grieta /The endless descent (1989)(art director/ miniatures)
- Slugs(1988)(art director/ miniatures)
- Lorca muerte d eun poeta(1987) TV serie (asistent art director)
- Romanza final (1986)(asistent art director)
- Marbella un golpe de cinco estrellas /Hot spot(1985)(asistent art director)
- Feroz (1983)(asistent art director)
- Los zancos (1984)(asistent art director)
- Los nuevos extraterrestres(1983) (model maker)
- Pieces (1982) (asistent art directir)
- Las picaras (1982) TV serie (asistent art director)
- Los diablos del mar (1981)(model maker)
- Misterio en la isla de los monstruos (1980)(model maker)
- Supersonic man(1979)(model maker)
- Escalofrio (1978) (asist art director)
- Viaje al centro de la Tierra/ When time begun(1977)(model maker)

Argentine art director who made use of miniatures and glass painting tricks very often on his films. Born 28 August 1909  died 25 November 1982

A sample of a glass shot on a Germen Gelpi film. The upper part over the white line is painted on a sheet of glass.

Filmography:
La Raulito (1975)
Andrea (1973)
La casa del amor (1973)
Adiós Alejandra (1973)
La pandilla inolvidable (1972)
Mi amigo Luis (1972)
Bajo el signo de la patria (1971)
Pimienta y Pimentón (1970)
Maternidad sin hombres (1968)
El derecho a la felicidad (1968)
La ruleta del diablo (inédita – 1968)
Patapúfete (1967)
¡Al diablo con este cura! (1967)
Ritmo, amor y juventud (1966)
Pimienta (1966)
La gorda (1966)
Hotel alojamiento (1966)
La industria del matrimonio (1964)
El octavo infierno, cárcel de mujeres (1964)
El demonio en la sangre (1964)
Bettina (1964)
El desastrólogo (1964)
Proceso a la ley (inédita – 1964)
La calesita (1963)
Pesadilla (1963)
Rata de puerto (1963)
Lucía (inédita – 1963)
El centrofoward murió al amanecer (1961)
Mi Buenos Aires querido (1961)
La patota (1960)
Yo quiero vivir contigo (1960)
He nacido en Buenos Aires (1959)
Cinco gallinas y el cielo (1957)
Una viuda difícil (1957)
Todo sea para bien (1957)
Después del silencio (1956)
Marta Ferrari (1956)
Estrellas de Buenos Aires (1956)
El satélite chiflado (1956)
Los tallos amargos (1956)
Catita es una dama (1956)
La pícara soñadora (1956)
Sangre y acero (1956)
La morocha (1955)
El amor nunca muere (1955)
El millonario (1955)
Un novio para Laura (1955)
Los peores del barrio (1955)
El hombre que debía una muerte (1955)
Mercado de abasto (1955)
Pájaros de cristal (1955)
El calavera (1954) .
Un hombre cualquiera (1954)
Sucedió en Buenos Aires (1954)
Casada y señorita (1954)
Mujeres casadas (1954)
Dringue, Castrito y la lámpara de Aladino (1954)
Desalmados en pena (1954)
Del otro lado del puente (1953)
Dock Sud (1953)
Ellos nos hicieron así (1953)
La voz de mi ciudad (1953)
La patrulla chiflada (1952)
Vuelva el primero! (1952)
Mi mujer está loca (1952)
Pasó en mi barrio (1951)
El pendiente (1951)
Fantasmas asustados (1951)
Vivir un instante (1951)
El heroico Bonifacio (1951)
Romance en tres noches (1950)
La fuerza ciega (1950)
Esposa último modelo (1950)
Arrabalera (1950)
Cinco grandes y una chica (1950)
De hombre a hombre (1949)
De padre desconocido (1949)
La cuna vacía (1949)
Al marido hay que seguirlo (1948)
La calle grita (1948)
Por ellos… todo (1948)
La caraba (1948)
Como tú lo soñaste (1947)
Nunca te diré adiós (1947)
Pampa Bárbara (1945)

Sweden scenic painter and matte artist.

Filmography:

1997 – Kenny Starfighter (TV series) (paintings)
1994 – Prince of Jutland (glass painter)

A matte painting done for a commercial.

Glass shot of Hampton Court

Two samples of his scenic painting works.

Biography:

The career of R. Tom Gilleon has been an interesting one, and one that has led to his living in all four corners of the country. For this reason, he is compelled to paint a variety of subject matter. “My interests are so varied, it’s only natural that my art is varied. The subject itself isn’t as important as the emotion it evokes. It’s the implication of a story being told, the visual connection between shapes that makes a good painting.”

Tom’s past experience in so many artistic fields has added great versatility to his talent. While he has always worked as a fine artist, he began years ago in the commercial field as well, as an illustrator for NASA’s Apollo Program. He has since spent many years working with Disney and other theme park design groups as a designer and illustrator. Working with some of the great motion picture art directors there, has led to his involvement in the motion picture industry as well. There he has worked as an illustrator and storyboard artist. One of his more interesting studio jobs was doing matte paintings for the Disney movie, “Dick Tracy”.

“Looking back, I was probably most influenced by the old era art directors and illustrators, Herb Ryman especially, who had the amazing ability to quickly and simply tell a story or convey a feeling with their artwork. I believe that this simplicity and strength is the key to fine art. Light, color, value, composition and line are paramount in importance. A good work of art is so much more than a copied photograph. In eliminating the unnecessary elements and being as direct as possible, an artist has the opportunity to tell a story, to guide the viewer’s eye and emotion.”

For many years, Tom and his family have made their home in Montana, first in the mountains outside of Augusta, and now on their ranch near Cascade. There, he paints for himself, and continues to work as an illustrator for Disney and to illustrate books.

To learn more, visit his Web site. http://www.timberlinestudios.com/

Filmography:

- 1990.  Dick Tracy ( matte painting)

Deno Ganakes begun working as matte artist at Diney Studios during the sixties under Peter Ellenshaw supervision. He  continued under Alan maley and Harrison Ellenshaw until early 80´S. He asssisted Mat Yuririch on the matte painting for “Ghost Busters ”

“The black Hole” matte crew at Disney matte department.
From left to right: David Mattingly, Harrison Ellenshaw, Don Henry, Constantine Ganakes, and Ed Sekac.

An Ocean liner painted  moving across the frame for Herbie goes Bananas(1980) One of the few Disney films for which he received screen credit.

Filmography:

- Ghostbusters(1984)(matte art asistent)
- The Ghosts of Buxley Hall (1980) (TV) (portrait)
- Midnight madness(1980) (matte artist)
- Herbie Goes Bananas (1980) (matte artist)
- The Black Hole (1979) (matte artist)
- Mary Poppins (1964) (matte artist – uncredited)

Biography:

British matte artist Brian Evans worked at Shepperton matte deparpemnt during the sixties. Painted mattes very often with Gerald Larn.

Brian Evans, at right working at Shepperton matte department on a painting for Dracula has rissen from the hell. At the botton left is Peter Melrose.

Filmography:

- Nicholas and Alexandra (1971)
- The tamning of the shrew (1967)
- Dr faustus (1967)
- The spy with a cold nose (1966)
- Doctor Zhivago (1965)
- Dracula has rissen from the grave(1963)

Biography:

Michael lloys tareted at Walt Disney productions as animation background artist at 1970. He passed into illustratiom and matte painting some years latter also at Disney Matte department, where he became head of department for five years. He was also director of Buena Vista Visual effects group.

Michael Lloyd at work on a matte painting for “Dick Tracy”

Filmography.

- Avatar (2009) (matte painter: Weta Digital)
- Push (2009) (digital effects artist: Digiscope)
- Eagle Eye (2008) (matte painter: SPI)
- Beowulf (2008) (matte painter)
- In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale (2007) (matte artist: Digiscope)
- Ask the Dust (2006) (matte painter: Double Edge Digital)
- The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (matte painting supervisor)
- Serenity (2005) (matte painter: Zoic Studios)
- The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003) (matte painter)
- Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle (2003) (additional matte painter: SPI)
- “Children of Dune” (2003) (mini) TV Series (digital matte artist)
- Gods and Generals (2003) (digital matte artist: MetroLight Studios)
- The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) (ghd: Rythmn & Hues)
- Air Force One (1997) (matte painter: Boss Film Studios)
- Chain Reaction (1996) (digital matte painter)
- Independence Day (1996) (digital matte painter)
- Dick Tracy (1990/I) (visual effects producer)
- Superman IV (1987)
- Outrageous Fortune (1987) (visual effects supervisor)
- SpaceCamp (1986) (matte painting artist)
- Baby, legend of the lost secret(1985)(matte art)
- My scientific project. (1985)
- Return to Oz (1985) (matte supervisor)
- Conan the Destroyer (1984) (optical graphics)
- Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983) (matte artist)
- Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) (production artist)
- Fritz the Cat (1972) (second background)

Biography:

Mario Larrinaga was born in Los Flores, Mexico during 1895. At the age of 10, his family migrated to the Los Angeles area. In 1911, he began an apprenticeship in a large scenic studio. This was to be the beginning of a long and distinguished career in the field of stage design, special effects and scenic artistry for the theatre and motion picture industry.
Larrinaga achieved considerable personal fame during the 1930’s and 1940’s when he became one of Hollywood’s most successful scenic artists and art director at three of the major movie studios: Universal, RKO and Warner Bros. Larrinaga worked with such famous directors as Cecil B. De Mille and Douglas Fairbanks. He created the original set designs and backgrounds for dozens of Hollywood films including such classics as King Kong in 1933 and Citizen Kane in 1941. He also gained recognition in New York as an illustrator for The Saturday Evening Post, Vanity Fair and Harper’s Bazaar magazines.
In 1951, after 35 years in which he helped birth the motion picture industry, Larrinaga and his wife retired and moved to Taos, New Mexico. There, Larrinaga enjoyed expressing the world around him in paint. In 1960, Larrinaga founded Gallery A, to date, the oldest fine art gallery in New Mexico.

Three matte paintings by Larrinaga made during his  time at Warner Bros.

Saratoga Trunk

Action in the North Atlantic

The adventures of Don Juan

Filmography:

- Seven Wonders of the world(56)(documentary)
- This Is Cinerama (1952) (paintings)
- Under Capricorn (1949) WBros
- The adventures of Don Juan (1948) W.Bros
- Saratoga trunk (1945) W.Bros
- Action in the North Atlantic (43) W.Bros
- Citizen Kane (1941) (matte painter) RKO
- Gunga Din(1939)RKO
- The hundbach of Notre Dame(1939)RKO
- The last days of Pompeii (1935)RKO
- She (1935) (production illustrator)
- King Kong (1933) (art technician) RKO
- Son of Kong, The (1933) (special effects technician)RKO
- The most dangerous game(1932)RKO
- Cimarron(1931)RKO
- Creation(1930)RKO
- Gaucho, The (1927) (matte artist)

Biography:

Richard Kilroy “I matte painted at a time when the work was still being done on glass, seemingly ages ago. I did matte painting on Sam Raimi’s ‘Darkman’, ‘Terminator 2′ and the television show, ‘The Flash’ to name a few.

Richard Kilroy painting the opening shot from the pilot for ‘The Flash’ for David Stipes Productions

.

Kilroy working on a painting from The big One: The great Los Angeles Earthquake.

Filmography

- Scene Stealer (2004) Director-Writer-Editor
- The great Los Angeles Earthquake(1997)(TVM)(matte painter)
- Titanic (1997) (matte artist) (uncredited)
- Timecop (1994) (model builder) (uncredited)
- Shakes the Clown (1992) (matte artist)
- Adventures in Dinosaur City (1992) (matte artist)
- Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) (matte painter: 4-Ward Productions)
- If Looks Could Kill (1991) (miniatures scenic artist)
- Flight of the Intruder (1991) (model maker)
- Darkman (1990) (matte artist)
- Miracle Landing (1990) (TV) (matte artist) (uncredited)
- Driving Miss Daisy (1989) (matte painter: Introvision) (uncredited) (model builder)
- Lock Up (1989) (miniatures painter: Introvision)
- UHF (1989) (visual effects art director)
- Rambo III (1988) (model builder) (uncredited)
- Sunset (1988) (model maker/painter)
- The Darkening (1995) (second unit director)
- Clear and Present Danger (1994) (scenic artist) (uncredited)
- Bride of Re-Animator (1990) (special makeup effects artist)

Biography:

Jenna Holman started to work as matte artist during the middle seventies. She painted mattes for David Allen’s unfinished project Primevals (1978).Latter on she worked at VFX house Universal Hartland, alongside with Dan Curry painting for TV shows like Buck Rogers (1979-80). She also worked very often with David Stipes who kindly sent me some of the pictures I’m showing here like the ones from The Nude Bomb.

Jenna Holman painting a moutainscape for “Primevals” the Unfinished film by  David Allen.

Filmography:
- Clifford (1994) (matte artist)
- Grand Tour: Disaster in Time (Timescape) (1992) (TV) (matte artist)
- Into the Sun (1992) (matte painting artist)
- Jagged Edge (1985) (matte paintings)
- The flight of the navigator (1985) (matte artist)
- The day after (1984) (matte artist)
- The Right Stuff (1983) (art supervisor: USFX)
- Caveman (1981) (matte artist)
- Scape from New York (1981) (matte painting)
- The Nude Bomb (1980) (matte artist) (uncredited)
- Buck Rogers in the 25th century (1979) (TV series) (matte artist)
- The primevals (1978) (matte painting)

Gallery:

Jenna´s painted house over the rocks for Jagged Edge.

Matte paintig by Jenna Holman for the film Nude Bomb (1980)Matte photography and composition by David Stipes.

1.plate shot.

2. matte out

3. the painting.

4. final composition

Jenna painted some aerial and stratospheric views for The right stuff.

For the film Caveman (1981) Jenna Holman painted mattes with Dan Curry and Rocco Gioffre.

Biography:
Lou Lichtenfield started as a matte artist in the late ’30s on “Gone with the wing” (1939) after II World war he worked at FX department for Columbia, MGM, and later headed the Warner Bros effects facility having responsibility for all photographic effects.
He created effects for: “The Fountainhead” (1949) “An American in Paris”(1951) “Helen of Troy” (1956), “King Kong” (1976) and “Flash Gordon” (1980). He got an Oscar nomination for “The Spirit of Saint Louis” (1957)

Filmography:

– Never says never again (1984)(Matte painter.)
- George Washington (1984) (TV series) (Supervisor matte painting. Vander Veer photo effects)
- The Bounty (1984) (Supervisor matte painting. Vander Veer photo effects)
- Flash Gordon (1980) ( Supervisor matte painting. Vander Veer photo effects )
- Capricorn One (1977) (Matte artist. Vander Veer photo effects )
- King Kong (1976) (matte artist) (as Lou Lichtenfield. Vander Veer photo effects )
- Helen of Troy (1956) (special photographic effects)
- No Time for Sergeants (1958) (special effects)
- The Spirit of St. Louis(1957) (special effects)
- The land of Pharaos (1955) (special photographic effects)
- The Silver Chalice (1954)(special photographic effects)
- An American in Paris”(1951) (matte painter)
- The flame and the arrow (1950) (matte painting)
- The Fountainhead” (1949) (matte painter)
- Mighty Joe Young (1948) (matte painter)
- Gone with the wind(1939) ( matte assistant)

Briography:
Paul A. Grimm (1891-1974) was born of German parents in King Williams Town, South Africa on January 11, 1891. When brought to the United States at age seven, he already showed promise as an artist. At 18 he won a scholarship in Rochester, New York for art study at the Düsseldorf Royal Academy. After many years at that prestigious school, he moved to Hollywood in 1919 and began his art career painting backdrops for the movie studios. Leaving the movie capital, Grimm settled in Palm Springs in 1932 and remained a resident there for the rest of his life. He maintained a small studio-gallery in downtown Palm Springs at 428 N. Palm Canyon Road where such notables as President Dwight D. Eisenhower often visited and shared confidences. Eisenhower once wrote, “I profited from the experience of seeing how a real artist creates the effects he wants.” Although Grimm painted scenes of the High Sierra (where he often could be found in summers), missions, and Indian portraits, his fame lies as a painter of the southern California desert and its many moods. One reviewer once wrote, “His canvases of Mt San Jacinto, which for their sheer magnificence and power of conception and execution, rank as probably the finest work ever done on the subject.” Grimm died in Palm Springs on December 30, 1974. Exhibited: San Diego Exposition, 1935. Works held: Nevada Museum (Reno); Bank of America (Palm Springs); Palm Springs Post Office; Irvine (CA) Museum.

paul Grimm landscape painting.

Some images of his matte work for Noa´s Ark.

Filmography.

- Noah’s Ark (1929) (matte artist)
- Where the North Begins (1923) (matte artist)

Paul Grimm working on a glass painting from  “Where the North Begins”

Brian Flora giving the last touches to a painting for  “Demolition man” (1994).

Filmography:

- Looper (2012)(digital art director: Atomic Fiction)
- Thor (2011)(digital matte painter: Whiskytree)
- The Road (2009)(matte painter: Crazy Horse Effects)
- Sin City (2005)(matte painting supervisor: The Orphanage)
- Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004) (matte painting supervisor: The Orphanage)

- Iron Jawed Angels (2004) (TV) (environment supervisor: The Orphanage)
- Seabiscuit (2003) (visual effects supervisor: The Orphanage)
- Jackass: The Movie (2002) (visual effects supervisor)
- Point of Origin (2002) (TV) (digital matte supervisor: The Orphanage)
- Path to War (2002) (TV) (matte painting supervisor: The Orphanage)
- Impostor (2002) (digital matte artist: ILM)
- BigLove (2001) (senior matte painter)
- The Last Birthday Card (2000) (visual effects)
- Magnolia (1999) (digital matte artist: ILM)
- Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999) (digital matte artist: ILM)
- Snake Eyes (1998) (digital matte artist: ILM)
- Demolition man (1994) (matte artist)
- Ghost in the Machine (1993) (matte artist: Matte World)
- A Far Off Place (1993) (matte artist)
- Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992) (matte artist)
- Bram Stoker´s Dracula (1992) (matte artist)
- Batman Returns (1992) (matte artist: Matte World)
- Avalon (1990) (matte artist)
- Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (1983) (digital matte artist) (special edition)
- Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980) (digital matte artist) (special edition)

Biography:

Former Nebraskan, life-long film lover, and two time Emmy Award winner Stargate Digital Mattepainting Supervisor Tim Donahue was best known in the Hollywood Visual Effects industry as the Art Director of Introvision. However, for the past 5 years he has been creating the best illusions of his life-long film-making passion with Sam Nicholson at Stargate Digital. Sam and Tim have been working together on various projects now for over 25 years. Together, they have created numerous astounding illusions that continue to expand the technical and creative possibilities of today’s film and television production.

Presently working on three features for Stargate Digital, plus a long list of this seasons top fall television series and features, the Stargate Digital Mattepainting Department keeps growing. The team is incredibly busy creating all kinds of images from ancient Rome and Troy to futuristic Washington DC and more. Their work encompasses all the artistry’s imagination, technical wizardry, and state-of-the-art digital mattepainting.

Tim’s love for the industry began when he was nearly 5 years old in 1952 while watching the second release of KING KONG on the big screen in Omaha. He’s been “hooked” ever since on creating the “Great Illusion”. Finally coming to Hollywood in 1978 after teaching and degrees in Art and Photography, he began his career working under two of the top wizards of the industry, Linwood Dunn, and Wally Gentleman at the old Film Effects of Hollywood. Two years later he was offered the job as Art Director for Introvision and many years later he branched out doing freelance Art Direction, Visual Effects Supervision, and mattepainting at various establishments throughout the industry. Late in 1998 he joined with Stargate to form a new Matte painting Department and the results are witnessed daily on television screens across the world.

Filmography:

- Defiance (2008) (matte painter: Flash Film Works)
- Spartacus (2004)(TV Movie) (matte painting supervisor)
- Traffic (2004)(TV Mini-Series) (digital matte painting supervisor: Stargate Digital – 2004)
- Control factor (2003) (TV Movie) (digital matte artist)
- The guru (2002) (digital matte painter: Stargate Digital)
- Tomcats (2001) (senior matte artist)
- Running Mates (2000) (TV) (digital matte artist)
- Race Against Time (2000) (TV) (lead matte artist)
- The All New Adventures of Laurel & Hardy: For Love or Mummy (1999) (digital artist) (uncredited)
- Deep Blue Sea (1999) (lead matte painter: Flash Film Works)
- The Deep End of the Ocean (1999) (matte painter)
- “Fantasy Island” (1998) TV Series (digital matte painter: Encore Visual Effects)
- Jane Austen’s Mafia! (1998) (visual effects matte painter)
- Tale of the Mummy (1998) (matte painting supervisor)
- The Survivor (1998) (digital matte artist)
- Angels in the Endzone (1997) (TV) (digital matte painter) (uncredited)
- Switchback (1997) (plate supervisor: VIFX)
- “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show” (1997) TV Series (digital matte painter) (uncredited)
- Batman & Robin (1997) (matte painter)
- Quicksilver Highway (1997) (TV) (digital artist)
- DNA (1997/I) (digital matte painter)
- Celtic Pride (1996) (design artist: VIFX miniature effects unit)
- Broken Arrow (1996) (matte artist: VIFX) (uncredited)
- The Adventures of Captain Zoom in Outer Space (1995) (TV) (digital matte painter)
- Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie (1995) (digital matte painter)
- Batman Forever (1995) (art director: VIFX)
- The Demolitionist (1995) (matte painter)
- Aurora: Operation Intercept (1995) (digital matte painter) (visual effects supervisor)
- Timecop (1994) (art director: VIFX) (uncredited)
- New Nightmare (1994) (composite supervisor) (matte painting)
- Clear and Present Danger (1994) (art director: VIFX)
- Coneheads (1993) (visual effects art director: Video Image)
- Free Willy (1993) (matte painter)
- Out on a Limb (1992) (visual effects supervisor: Introvision)
- Interceptor (1992) (visual effects)
- Billy Bathgate (1991) (visual effects art director: Introvision) (uncredited)
- Black Robe (1991) (effects art direction: Introvision)
- Blood Ties (1991) (TV) (visual effects art director: Introvision)
- If Looks Could Kill (1991) (visual effects art director: Introvision)
- Flight of the Intruder (1991) (visual effects art director: Introvision)
- “Land of the Lost” (1991) TV Series (visual effects supervisor)
- Darkman (1990) (visual effects art director: Introvision)
- Miracle Landing (1990) (TV) (matte painting supervisor: Introvision)
- Driving Miss Daisy (1989) (visual effects art director: Introvision) (uncredited)
- Breaking In (1989) (visual effects art director: Introvision)
- Lock Up (1989) (visual effects art director: Introvision)
- UHF (1989) (miniatures and art directiorn: Introvision)
- The Karate Kid, Part III (1989) (art director: visual effects)
- 976-EVIL (1989) (visual effects art director: Introvision)
- Distant Thunder (1988) (visual effects art director: Introvision)
- Rambo III (1988) (visual effects art director: Introvision)
- Sunset (1988) (visual effects art director: Introvision) (uncredited)
- Housekeeping (1987) (matte painter)
- Poor Little Rich Girl: The Barbara Hutton Story (1987) (TV) (visual effects art director: Introvision)
- Adventures in Babysitting (1987) (visual effects art director: Introvision)
- Murder by the Book (1987) (TV) (visual effects art director: Introvision)
- Monster in the Closet (1987) (visual effects art director: Introvision)
- The Christmas Star (1986) (TV) (visual effects art director: Introvision)
- Oceans of Fire (1986) (TV) (visual effects art director: Introvision)
- Stand by Me (1986) (visual effects art director: Introvision) (uncredited)
- The Hugga Bunch (1985) (TV) (matte supervisor: Introvision)
- Oh, God! You Devil (1984) (visual effects art director: Introvision)
- Reckless (1984) (visual effects art director: Introvision)
- Two of a Kind (1983) (visual effects art director: Introvision) (uncredited)
- Megaforce (1982) (visual effects art director: Introvision)
- Inside the Third Reich (1982) (TV) (visual effects art director: Introvision)
- Outland (1981) (introvision matte artist)
- First Family (1980) (visual effects art director: Introvision)
- The Shape of Things to Come (1979) (visual effects art director: Film Effects of Hollywood)
- “Project U.F.O.” (1978) TV Series (visual effects artist: Film Effects of Hollywood)
- “Wonder Woman” (1976) TV Series (visual effects artist: Film Effects of Hollywood)

Biography:
Attended Kingston Polytechnic graduating in Graphic Illustration. Started working in the film industry in 1982 for two of the most prolific artists in the field, Derek Meddings and Roy Field. Experienced all aspects from animation to miniatures to motion control and visual effects art direction. First film as Visual Effects Supervisor “Hackers” for Iain Softley. Started Double Negative Limited for Polygram in 1998.

Filmography:

- Total recall (2012)(visual effects supervisor)
- John Carter (2012)(visual effects supervisor)
- The debt (2010)(visual effects supervisor: Double Negative)
- Kick-Ass (2010)(visual effects consultant: Double Negative)
- Green Zone (2010)(visual effects supervisor)
- The Boat That Rocked (2009)(visual effects consultant: Double Negative)
- The reader (2008)(visual effects supervisor)
- Stardust (2007) (visual effects supervisor)
- The Bourne Ultimatum (2007) (visual effects supervisor)
- Flyboys (2006) (visual effects supervisor)
- United 93 (2006) (visual effects supervisor)
- Pride & Prejudice (2005) (visual effects consultant: Double Negative)
- Kingdom of Heaven (2005) (visual effects supervisor: Double Negative)
- The Chronicles of Riddick (2004) (visual effects supervisor)
- Johnny English (2003) (visual effects supervisor)
- Below (2002) (visual effects supervisor)
- Captain Corelli’s Mandolin (2001) (visual effects supervisor)
- The Tailor of Panama (2001) (visual effects supervisor)
- Enemy at the Gates (2001) (visual effects supervisor)
- Pitch Black (2000) (visual effects supervisor)
- Elizabeth (1998) (visual effects supervisor)
- The Borrowers (1997) (visual effects supervisor)
- The Wind in the Willows (1996) (visual effects supervisor)
- The Quest (1996) (visual effects supervisor: second unit)
- Hackers (1995) (visual effects)
- Freddie as F.R.O.7 (1992) (special effects director)
- The Neverending Story II: The Next Chapter (1990) (visual effects art director)
- Batman (1989) (art director: visual effects unit)
- Little Shop of Horrors (1986) (animation: Robin)
- Labyrinth (1986) (optical effects animator)
- Highlander (1986) (effects animator)
- Supergirl (1984) (graphic artist: optical unit)
- A Passage to India (1983) ( matte painting) (uncredited)
- Krull (1983) (special effects graphic artist)

Biography:

Fitch Fulton studied at the Art Students League of New York city and at the Art Institute of Chicago under Vanderpoel, Freer, and J. Francis Smith. He came to San Francisco in 1913 to continue doing set design work, and moved to Los Angeles in 1916, where he worked for Fox Studios and others. He was a member of the Academy of Western Painters, the California Watercolor Society and the California Art Club, among others.

Born: October 10, 1879
Died: February 23, 1955 (age 75) in Los Angeles, California, USA

Filmography

- Mighty Joe Young (1949) (technical staff)
- The Enchanted Cottage (1945) (matte painter)
- Citizen Kane (1941) (matte painter) (uncredited)
- Gone with the Wind (1939) (matte artist) (uncredited)

Biography:
Born in Chicago in 1900, the son of a medical doctor, Detlefsen studied at the Chicago Art Institute and the Academy of Fine Arts before heading to Hollywood to make a name for himself in the cartoon business. He couldn’t get a job in the animation field, so he settled for painting backdrops for films. Soon he became one of the early masters of special effects. He supervised specialized camera crews that augmented his background creations. He worked for Cecil B. Demille and Douglas Fairbanks.

He joined Warner Brothers to work on “Cabin in the Cotton” with Bette Davis and Richard Barthelmes. He stayed with the company twenty years and over those years he and Walt Disney became good friends. He was in the film industry for thirty years.

Movies fell on hard time and Detelefsen decided at age 50 to try his hand as a calendar artist. His first painting, “The Good Old Days”, scored an immediate success and was topped in popularity only by Norman Rockwell’s Boy Scout Calendar. Most of the scenes created by Paul Detlefsen were of his own creation and featured nostalgic charming turn of the century rural settings that many of us can remember from our childhood. For his models he used his daughter, grandchildren, other family members and friends. He would photograph the scene so he could paint, concentrating on realism, beauty and of course the nostalgia. He did two modern abstracts but decided that was not for him.

Detlefsen painted up to six months prior to his death on August 1, 1986 at age 86.

Bio from http://www.hoofprints.com/detlefsen.html

Filmography:

- Shadow of a Woman (1946) (matte painter) (uncredited)
- Escape in the Desert (1945) (matte artist)
- The Big Sleep (1946) (matte paintings) (uncredited)
- The Adventures of Mark Twain (1944) (special effects)
- The conspirators (1944) (matte paintings)
- Cabin in the cotton (1932) (matte painting)
- Dancer of the Nile(1923) (matte painter)

Three images from “Dancer of the Nile” showing Detlefsen matte paintings.

Biography:

Soon after graduation, Dutton’s interest broadened to include film making, and he moved to Los Angeles. Realizing he had to begin somewhere, Dutton got his start in the mail room at Universal Studios. While delivering mail, he had his first exposure to the art of matte painting through his daily visits to the studio of veteran matte painter Albert Whitlock. Fascinated by Whitlock’s almost impressionistic approach to realism, Dutton began nearly a decade in the department, beginning as Whitlock’s assistant matte artist.

A new world opened up to Dutton as Whitlock took him under his wing, not only teaching him the basics of painting photographically, but more importantly, how to give life to a painting.

Dutton worked on many films and television shows at Universal, including The Hindenburg which won an Academy Award for Visual Effects; Dune; and the television mini-series, A.D., which won an Emmy for Special Visual Effects.

After Whitlock’s retirement in 1984, Dutton, along with his colleague, Director of Photography Bill Taylor, decided to buy the department’s equipment and go out on their own. They formed Illusion Arts, and were joined by the same talented staff they had worked with at Universal Studios.

One of Illusion Arts’ first major assignments was creating special effects for the new version of the television series, The Twilight Zone. Today, this still remains one of Dutton’s fondest projects.

Illusion Arts closed at 2009.

Syd Dutton working on a painting for the film The age of Innocence (1993)

Filmography:

- The Bling Ring (2013) (visual effects)
-Premium Rush (2012) (matte painting consultant: Zoic Studios)
-Lawless (2012) (environments supervisor: Zoic Studios)
-Straw Dogs (2011) (matte painting supervisor)
-Too Big to Fail (2011) (TV Movie) (visual effects artist)
-Red Riding Hood (2011) (visual effects: Zoic Studios)
-How Do You Know (2010) (matte painting supervisor: Zoic Studios)
-Somewhere (2010) (visual effects supervisor)
-Transformers: War for Cybertron (2010) (Video Game) (matte painting: Zoic Studios)
-The Karate Kid (2010) (matte painting supervisor: Zoic Studios)
-Zombieland (2009) (matte painting supervisor: Zoic Studios)
-Public Enemies (2009) (visual effects supervisor: Illusion Arts)
-Defiance (2008) (visual effects: Illusion Arts, mass grave matte – as Sid Dutton)
-Milk (2008) (visual effects supervisor: Illusion Arts)
-The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2008) (visual effects: Illusion Arts)
-Dewmocracy (2008) (Video Game) (visual effects)
-John Adams (2008) (TV Mini-Series) (matte artist – 7 episodes)
-Drillbit Taylor (visual effects: Illusion Arts)
-The Bucket List (2007) (visual effects: Illusion Arts)
-Redline (2007) (visual effects: Illusion Arts)
-Carlota´s web (2006) (additional visual effects)
-The Hoax(2006) (additional visual effects: Illusion Arts)
-Miami Vice (2006) (visual effects: Illusion Arts)
-You, Me and Dupree 2006 (special visual effects: Illusion Arts Inc.)
-Nacho Libre (2006) (visual effects)
-The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006) (visual effects: Illusion Arts)
-The break-up (2006) special visual effects)
-Keeping Up with the Steins (2006) (special visual effects: Illusion Arts, Inc.)
-Eight Below (2006) (additional visual effects: Illusion Arts)
-Annapolis (2006) (special visual effects: Illusion Arts Inc.)
-The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005) (additional matte paintings: Illusion Arts)
-Æon Flux (2005) (visual effects supervisor: Illusion Arts)
-Casanova (2005) (visual effects supervisor: Illusion Arts)
-Serenity (2005) (visual effects supervisor: Illusion Arts)
-Ladder 49 (2004) (special visual effects)
-The Village (2004) (visual effects supervisor)
-The Notebook (2004) (special visual effects: Illusion Arts)
-Van Helsing (2004) (matte painting supervisor)
-2 Fast 2 Furious (2003) (visual effects)
-Bruce Almighty (2003) (visual effects supervisor)
-Star Trek: Nemesis (2002) (special visual effects: Illusion Arts Inc.)
-The Truth About Charlie (2002) (special visual effects: Illusion Arts)
-xXx (2002) (visual effects supervisor)
-Blue Crush (2002) (visual effects)
-The Bourne Identity (2002) (visual effects)
-Undercover Brother (2002) (special visual effects)
-Unfaithful (2002) (special visual effects: Illusion Arts Inc.)
-The Time Machine (2002) (special visual effects: Illusion Arts Inc.)
-Gerry (2002) (special visual effects: Illusion Arts)
-From Hell (2001) (visual effects: Illusion Arts Inc.)
-The Score (2001) (special visual effects)
-The Fast and the Furious (2001) (visual effects)
-Josie and the Pussycats (2001) (visual effects)
-The Gift (2000) (visual effects supervisor: Illusion Arts Inc.)
-Finding Forrester (2000) (additional visual effects: Illusion Art, Inc.)
-Ride with the Devil (1999/I) (special visual effects)
-Dudley Do-Right (1999) (special visual effects: Illusion Arts)
-Bowfinger (1999) (visual effects: Illusion Arts Inc.)
-Muppets from Space (1999) (special visual effects)
-Blast from the Past (1999) (special visual effects: Illusion Arts)
-Psycho (1998) (special visual effects)
-The Mask of Zorro (1998) (matte paintings: Illusion Arts Inc.)
- Six Days Seven Nights (1998) (storm visual effects)
- Jackal, The (1997) (special visual effects)
- Courage Under Fire (1996) (matte painting effects)
- Birdcage, The (1996) (special visual effects)
- Walk in the Clouds, A (1995) (special visual effects)
- Shadow, The (1994) (special visual effects)
- Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993) (matte painter)
- Innocent Blood (1992) (special effects)
- For the Boys (1991) (special effects)
- Cape Fear (1991) (matte paintings) (special optical effects)
- NeverEnding Story II: The Next Chapter, The (1990) (matte painter)
- Frankenstein Unbound (1990) (visual effects)
- Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989) (matte painter)
- Millennium (1989) (matte painting)
- Spaceballs(88)(Matte painter)
- Coming to America (1988) (special visual effects)
- Gate, The (1987) (matte supervisor)
- .Karate Kid, Part II, The (1986) (special visual effects)
- Psycho III (1986) (special effects)
- Dragnet(86)(Matte art)
- Red Sonja (1985) (matte department)
- Clue (1985) (Matte department)
- Real Genius (1985) (special visual effects)
- Dune(84)(matte artist)
- River, The (1984) (matte artist)
- Cat People (1982) (matte artist)
- Blues Brothers, The (1980) (additional matte painter)
- Buck Rogers(78)(matte artist)
- The Wiz(78)(matte art)

Biography:
Effects pioneer Ralph Hammeras was one of the finest artist and inventor working for the film industry. He developed the rear process technique. He started to paint glass shots in the early 20, and he patented the glass shot technique in 1925. He won the Oscar  in 1954 for “20.000 leagues under the sea”

Ralph Hammeras with a large-scale miniature of London made for the movie “The sky hawk”

An example of Hammeras glass shot for the movie “The private life of Helen of Troy” for witch he got an Oscar nomination in 1927. The stage constructed on the First national lot at right. The final shot with the painting at left

Filmography:

-Cleopatra (1963) (matte artist)

- My Dog, Buddy (1960)
- The Giant Gila Monster (1959) (special effects)
- The Giant Claw (1957) (technical effects)
- 20000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954) (effects photographer)
- The Great Dictator (1940) (special photographic effects) (uncredited)
- Four Men and a Prayer (1938) (process photography) (uncredited)
- In Old Chicago (1937) (special effects)
- Dante’s Inferno (1935) (technical staff)
- A Connecticut Yankee (1931) (special effects)
- Body and Soul (1931) (special effects)
- Just Imagine (1930) (uncredited)
- The Sky Hawk (1929) (mechanical effects)
- The Patent Leather Kid (1927)
- The private life of Helen of Troy (1927) (glass shots)
- The Lost World (1925) (associate technical director/ Glass Shots)

Biography:

Caroleen Green started her career on film visual effects at the matte painting department of Industrial light and magic. At early 90´S she went into digital matte paintings working for VFX companies like Matte World or ILM.

Caroleen Green working on a painting for Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)

Filmography:

- Rise of the Guardians (2012) (senior matte painter)
- Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted (2012) (senior matte painter)
- How to Train Your Dragon (2010) (senior matte painter)
- Monsters vs Aliens (2009) (senior matte painter)
- Kung Fu Panda (2008) (matte painter)
- Bee Movie(2007) (senior matte painter)
- Flushed Away (2006) (senior matte painter)
- Over the Hedge (2006) (senior matte painter)
- Æon Flux (2005) (matte painter: The Orphanage)
- Sin City (2005) (matte painter: The Orphanage
- The day after Tomorrow (2004) (senior matte painter)
- Hellboy (2004) (senior matte painter)
- Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002) (digital matte artist: ILM)
- The Mummy Returns (2001) (digital matte artist: ILM)
- Mission to Mars (2000) (digital matte artist: ILM)
- Galaxy Quest (1999) (digital matte artist: ILM)
- Sleepy Hollow (1999) (digital matte painter: ILM)
- Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999) (digital matte artist: ILM)
- The Truman Show (1998) (digital matte artist: Matte World)
- Titanic (1997) (digital matte artist: Matte World)
- A Simple Wish (1997) (digital matte artist: Matte World)
- The Evening Star (1996) (digital matte artist: Matte World)
- Star Trek: First Contact (1996) (digital matte artist: Matte World)
- The Stupids (1996) (digital matte artist: Matte World)
- Independence Day (1996) (digital matte artist: Matte World) (uncredited)
- The Truth About Cats & Dogs (1996) (digital matte artist: Matte World)
- Dunston Checks In (1996) (digital matte artist)
- Operation Dumbo Drop (1995) (digital matte artist)
- The Jungle Book (1994) (digital matte artist: Matte World)
- The Shadow (1994) (matte artist)
- Yume (1990) (matte painter: ILM) Akira Kurosawa’s Dreams
- Ghostbusters II (1989) (matte artist: ILM)
- Willow (1988) (matte artist: ILM)
- Batteries not included (1987) (matte artist)
- The Golden Child (1986) (matte artist: ILM)
- Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986) (matte artist)
- Howard the Duck (1986) (matte artist: ILM visual effects unit)
- Young Sherlock Holmes (1985) (matte artist: ILM)
- Cocoon (1985) (matte artist)
- The Goonies (1985) (matte artist: ILM)
- Starman (1984) (matte artist)
- The Ewok Adventure (1984) (TV) (matte artist: ILM)
- Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984) (matte artist: ILM)
- Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) (matte artist)
- Unendliche Geschichte, Die (1984) (matte artist: ILM) The NeverEnding Story (UK) (USA)

Biography:After apprenticing at age 18 on Close encounters of the third kind (1977) as matte artist with Matthew Yuricich, Gioffre went on to become one of the founding members of Dream Quest Images, where he worked for seven years. Since then, Gioffre has worked widely in film, TV and commercials providing Visual effects matte paintings.

Rocco Gioffre  painting a mountain landscape for “Cliffhanger” 1993.

Filmography

- Nearing Grace (2005) (post-production) (visual effects supervisor: Svengali Visual Effects)
- The Chronicles of Riddick (2004) (matte artist)
- Van Helsing (2004) (matte artist)
- Garden State (2004) (visual effects supervisor: Svengali Visual Effects)
- “Angels in America” (2003) (mini) TV Series (matte artist)
- Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003) (matte artist)
- Equilibrium (2002) (matte artist)
- The Adventures of Pluto Nash (2002) (senior matte artist: Riot Pictures)
- The Scorpion King (2002) (senior matte artist: RIOT Pictures)
- Queen of the Damned (2002) (matte artist)
- The One (2001/I) (matte painter)
- “The Mists of Avalon” (2001) (mini) TV Series (digital matte painting)
- To Ease the Loss (2001) (matte artist)
- Little Nicky (2000) (matte artist)
- The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle (2000) (matte artist: Illusion Arts)
- Bicentennial Man (1999) (matte artist: Illusion Arts)
- Mystery Men (1999) (senior matte painter: POP Animation)
- Almost Heroes (1998) (matte artist)
- What Dreams May Come (1998) (matte artist: POPAnimation)
- Death and the Compass (1996) (matte artist)
- Winner, The (1996) (matte artist)
- Under Siege 2: Dark Territory (1995) (matte artist)
- Rob Roy (1995) (matte artist) (uncredited)
- Demon Knight (1995) (matte artist)
- Tremors 2: Aftershocks (1995) (V) (matte artist)
- On Deadly Ground (1994) (matte artist)
- Pontiac Moon (1994) (matte artist)
- Cliffhanger (1993) (matte artist)
- Hook (1991) (matte artist)
- Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man (1991) (matteartist)
- .City Slickers (1991) (matte artist)
- Predator 2 (1990) (matte artist)
- Dances with Wolves (1990) (matte painting)
- Gate II: Trespassers, The (1990) (matte artist)
- Robocop 2 (1990) (matte artist)
- Old Gringo (1989) (matte artist)
- Backtrack (1989) (miniatures)
- .Harlem Nights (1989) (matte artist)
- Paint It Black (1989) (matte painter)
- Walker (1987) (matte artist)
- Who’s That Girl? (1987) (matte artist)
- RoboCop (1987) (matte painter)
- Throw Momma from the Train (1987) (matte artist)
- Short Circuit (1986) (matte artist)
- Torment (1986) (glass painter)
- D.A.R.Y.L. (1985) (matte artist)
- Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension,The (1984) (matte artist: Dream Quest Images)
- Gremlins (1984) (matte artist)
- Dreamscape (1984) (matte artist)
- Vacation (1983) (matte artist) National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983)
- Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983) (matte artist)
- Blue Thunder (1983) (matte artist)
- Deal of the Century (1983) (matte artist)
- Blade Runner (1982) (matte artist) (uncredited)
- One from the Heart (1982) (matte artist)
- Caveman (1981) (matte artist)
- Caddyshack (1980) (matte painter)
- Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979) (assistant matte painter)
- Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) (assistant matte artist)

Biography:

Ferdinand P. Earle was born on June 8, 1878 in New York City, New York, USA as Ferdinand Pinney Earle. He is known for his work on Ben Hur (1925), To Hell with the Kaiser! (1918) and Daddy-Long-Legs (1919). He was married to Charlotte. He died on July 13, 1951 in Hollywood, California, USA.

Ferdinand Earle painting in his studio 1921.

Filmography:

- Ben-Hur (1925) (art effects) (director: Nativity scene) (uncredited)
- Souls in Bondage (1923) (art sets)
- Domestic Relations (1922) (art titles)
- The Money Changers (1920) (art titles)
- Out of the Dust (1920) (art titles) (as Ferdinand Pinney Earle)
- The Miracle Man (1919) (art titles)
- The Better Wife (1919) (art titles)
- Bill Apperson’s Boy (1919) (art titles) (as Ferdinand Pinney Earle)
- Daddy-Long-Legs (1919) (art titles) (as Ferdinand Pinney Earle)
- The Birth of a Race (1918) (art titles) (as Ferdinand Pinney Earle)
- Once to Every Man (1918) (art titles) (as Ferdinand Pinney Earle)
- Pals First (1918) (art titles) (as Ferdinand Pinney Earle)
- The Embarrassment of Riches (1918) (art titles)
- To Hell with the Kaiser! (1918) (art titles) (scenic artist)
- Social Hypocrites (1918) (title paintings)
- Womanhood, the Glory of the Nation (1917) (artistic effects) (as Ferdinand Earle)
- Within the Law (1917) (artistic effects) (as Ferdinand Earle)

Biography:

Landscape painter James Fetherolf’s work is noted for its precise rendering of fine detail, a skill he may have mastered during his years as a background artist for several Hollywood film studios. Fetherolf was born in Nazareth, Pennsylvania, in 1925. He attended Syracuse University; and after graduating in 1949 he moved to California, hoping for an acting career. For five years, while struggling to develop his acting career, Fetherolf worked as a part-time matte artist for Twentieth Century Fox Studios. The difficulty of finding acting jobs eventually convinced him that his future in the arts lay in painting. He then returned to Fox full-time. In 1957, he moved to Walt Disney Productions. Fetherolf claims that his years at Disney were educational in several ways — partly because the standards of perfection were very high, and partly because his work was tied to deadlines. He produced detailed paintings on glass, usually three or four feet in size, of cities or landscape scenes. These “matte shots” were later combined with live action. His work appeared in such classic films as Zorro, Pollyanna, Mary Poppins, and Third Man on the Mountain. After a visit to a local art gallery, during which he decided he could do at least as well as the artists represented, Fetherolf turned to the fine arts. He began by painting seascapes, which were enthusiastically received. These and his landscapes had become so popular by 1969 that he left the film industry and devoted himself to oil painting. The dramatic quality in Fetherolf’s paintings is his ability to capture the reaction of light a quality most evident in the work of the great landscape artists of the nineteenth century. His paintings are also distinguished by clarity of detail. For example, individual timbers are discernible inside a distant barn; and cacti on the horizon are individually painted. He is also known for the moist, billowing quality of the clouds in his large skies, as in “Spirit of Summer” (date unknown, Simic Galleries), a quality he achieves by working on the sky in each painting in one sitting while the paint is wet. Fetherolf has the exceptional ability to bring the viewer into the scene in the paintings he creates. The viewer can feel the warmth of the sun; the coolness of the shadows; the approaching storm; the first spring rain; and the early snow clinging to buildings, trees, and the land. Fetherolf has received seven gold medals from the Franklin Mint Gallery of American Art, and was selected to paint the centerpiece work, America! America!, for the Mint’s “America the Beautiful” series. His work was also represented in the Bicentennial exhibition of the R. W. Norton Museum in Shreveport, Louisiana.

Matte artist Jim Fetherolf.

One of Fetherolf paintings.

Filmography:

- Monkeys, Go Home! (1967) (matte effects)
- Follow Me, Boys! (1966) (matte artist)
- “Disneyland” (special effects) (5 episodes, 1965-1966)
- Savage Sam: Part 2 (1966) TV episode (special effects)
- Savage Sam: Part 1 (1966) TV episode (special effects)
- The Three Lives of Thomasina: Part 3 (1965) TV episode (special effects)
- The Three Lives of Thomasina: Part 2 (1965) TV episode (special effects)
- The Three Lives of Thomasina: Part 1 (1965) TV episode (special effects)

- That Darn Cat! (1965) (matte artist)
- Those Calloways (1965) (matte artist)
- The Three Lives of Thomasina (1964) (special effects)
- Mary Poppins (1964) (matte artist)
- Savage Sam (1963) (special effects)
- Son of Flubber (1963) (special effects)
- “Disneyland” (matte artist) (1 episode, 1960)
-”Daniel Boone” (1960) TV episode(matte artist)
- Pollyanna (1960) (matte artist)
- Third Man on the Mountain (1959) (matte artist)

Biography:

From Martin Body:

“The artist I worked with most often was Doug Ferris. We were both employed on Roy Field’s projects in the early to mid eighties: ‘Superman III’, ‘Santa Claus’, ‘Supergirl’, ‘Labyrinth’, ‘The Adventures of Baron Munchausen’, ‘The Last Days of Patton’, Erik the Viking’, etc. In my opinion, Doug Ferris was possibly the best of the British matte painters.”

From John Grant
“Doug must be accredited with the introduction of the `soft matte technique` because in the early days, the painting was used as its own matte, this made it very hard for the camera crew as they had to wait for the artist to finish painting before they could start work. The introduction of the independent soft mattes made it possible to carry out much of the photographic work before the painting had to be photographed. It also made joining the original scene and painting easier as one did not have to contend with hard join lines, it also helped with camera unsteadiness. This was a great step forward and I don`t think Doug was truly given the credit for it.”

Doug Ferris was responsible for this painting  at 1997, probably one of the last glass painted traditionally.

Filmography:

provided by Doug Ferris and John Grant.

Shepperton Special Effects
1962 – The Day of the Triffids.
1962- The Victors.
1962- Heavens Above
1963 – Lord Jim
1963- Dr. Strangelove
1964-Bedford Incident.
1964- The Tomb of Ligeia
1964- Circus World
1964- Danger Man (tv series)

1965-Great St Trinians Train Robbery.
1965- The Skull
1965- Daleks’ Invasion Earth: 2150 A.D.
1965- Dr, Who and the Daleks.
1965- The Amorous Adventures of Moll Flanders
1965- Monster of Terror.
1965- Genghis Khan

1966-Psychomania.
1966- Family Way.
1966- The Spy with a Cold Nose.
1966-Half a Sixpence.
1967-Dance of the Vampires.

1967- Oliver.
1967- Viking Queen
1967- Billion Dollar Brain .

1968-Best House in London (Town).
1968- Anne of a Thousand Days.
1969-Cromwell

1969- Valley of Gwangi
1970-Dads Army.
1970- Scrooge
1971-Macbeth
1971- Mr. Forbush and the Penquins

1972-Alices Adventures in Wonderland
1972- Creeping Flesh.
1972- The Asphyx
1972- Under Milk Wood

1973-Tales From The Crypt.
Bray Studios – for Vee Films
1974 – Mohammed, Messenger of God (Original Negative Painting)
1974- The Four Musketeers ( redoing Matte paintings originally shot in Spain)

1975- Rocky Horror Picture Show (Opticals, Lighting & Painting)
1975- The Man Who Would Be King(Paintings & Photo-Cutouts)
Shepperton Studios in Vee Film block
1976- The Prince and the Pauper ( foreground paintings in Hungary and split screens)
1977-The Medusa Touch (painting opticals and falling model cathedral)
1977- Man in an Iron Mask.
1978-Superman 1  (painting in association with wire removal, night shots, opticals)

1979- SOS Titanic (colouring B&W prints and opticals)
1979- Raise the Titanic (painting by Bob Spencer)
1979- Alien
1980-A Bridge too Far (painting aeroplanes & parachutes)

1980- Superman 2 ( mattçe painting)
1980- Elephantman Man
1982-The Keep (painting & opticals)

Optical Film Effects:
1982-Super Girl (painting & wire removal)
1984-Santa Claus (painting of snow scenes & stars, factories, New York streets & girls houses )
1986- Last days of Patton (paintng of ruins and military hospital)
1987-Labyrinth (14 paintings)
1990-A Kiss Before Dying (painting of the factory)
1990- Robin Hood Prince of Thieves (painting of castles)
1990- Ironclads.

JJ Images:
1986-Princess Bride (painting with Bob Cuff)
1987-The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (painting with Bob Cuff & Lee Took)
1988-Eric the Viking (painting and effects with Bob Cuff)
1990-Batman (paintings)
Other work during this period .Comercials : Green Peace Mont Blanc Wonder Green Power Foot-Locker Winalot Vitaweat Camel Cigarettes.Shepperton –
Magic Camera Company :
1990-Les Amant (paintings)
1993-Never Ending Story 3 (paintings)
1993- Princess Cariboo (paintings)
1994- Return of the Native
1994- Brother Cadfael (tv series)
1994- First Knight
1994- Judge Dredd
1994- War of the Buttons
1994- Charlemagne (miniseries)

1995-  Wind in the Willows
1995- Muppets Treasure Island
1995- City of Joy

1996-The Borrowers .
1996- Hamlet.
1997-Seven Years in Tibet

Biography:

Chris Evans painting a close view of  the Death Star for “Return of the Jedi” 1983

Filmography:

- Alice in Wonderland (2010)(digital matte painter: Matte World Digital)
- Terminator Salvation  (2009)(digital matte painter: Matte World Digital)

- X-Men orígins: Wolverine (2009)(digital matte painter: Matte World Digital)
- The curious case of Benjamin Button (2008)(digital matte painter: Matte World Digital)
- The golden compass (2007)(visual effects art director: Matte World Digital )
- Zodiac (2009)(visual effects: Matte World Digital)
- Invincible (2009)(art director: Matte World Digital)
- Greece: Secrets of the Past (2006)(Documentary short) (visual effects art director: Matte World Digital )
-Catwoman  (2004)(matte painter: Matte World Digital)

- The Alamo (2004) (digital matte artist: Matte World Digital)
- The Ring (2002) (digital matte artist: Matte World Digital)
- The Majestic (2001) (digital matte artist)
-The Mummy Returns (2001) (digital matte artist: Matte World Digital)
- Dr T and the Women (2000) (chief digital matte artist: Matte World Digital)
- The Green Mile (1999) (chief digital matte artist: Matte World Digital)
- The Truman Show (1998) (chief digital matte artist: Matte World)
- Great Expectations (1998) (chief digital matte artist: Matte World Digital)
- Star Trek: First Contact (1996) (chief digital matte artist: Matte World Digital)
- Diabolique (1996) (matte artist supervisor)
- .Broken Arrow (1996) (matte world: matte artist supervisor)
- Casino (1995) (chief digital matte artist)
- Dunston Checks In (1996) (chief digital matte artist)
- Carrington (1995) (decorative artist)
- Shadow, The (1994) (matte artist supervisor)
- Jurassic Park (1993) (matte artist)
- Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992) (matte artist)
- Batman Returns (1992) (matte artist: Matte World)
- Memoirs of an Invisible Man (1992) (matte painting artist)
- Hook (1991) (matte artist)
- Star treck IV(87) (matte art)
- Golden Boy, The(86)Matte art supervisor)
- Batteries not included (1987) (matte painting supervisor)
- Enemy Mine (1985) (visual effects supervisor of photography)
- Cocoon (1985) (matte painting supervisor)
- Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) (matte artist)
- Starman (1984) (matte artist)
- Return of the Jedi (1983) (matte painting artist)
- The dark Crystal ( matte painting)
- E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) (matte painting artist)
- Dragonslayer (1981) (matte artist)
- Watership Down (1978) (animator)

Biography:

For “Star Wars” 1977 Harrison Ellenshaw was in charge of the matte paintings, with the help of Ralph Macqurrie they painted 13 mattes.

Harrison painting a colorful cityscape for “Dick Tracy”

To have more information and images on Peter and Harrison Ellenshaw,  visit  the Ellenshaw official page :http://www.ellenshaw.com/

Filmography:

- .Escape from L.A. (1996) (executive producer: BVVE)
- “Xena: Warrior Princess” (1995) TV Series (visual effects supervisor: US)
- Dave (1993) (visual effects supervisor)
- Wilder Napalm (1993) (visual effects supervisor)
- Honey, I Blew Up the Kid (1992) (visual effects supervisor)
- Ghost (1990) (visual effects technical consultant)
- Dick Tracy (1990/I) (visual effects producer)
- Millennium (1989) (visual effects consultant)
- Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987) (visual effects supervisor)
- Captain Eo (1986) (visual effects supervisor)
- Tron (1982) (visual effects supervisor)
- Empire Strikes Back, The (1980) (matte painting supervisor)
- Watcher in the Woods, The (1980) (designer: final sequence) (visual effects designer: final sequence)
- Black Hole, The (1979) (matte artist) (matte effects)
- Cat from Outer Space, The (1978) (matte artist) (as P.S. Ellenshaw)
- Big Wednesday (1978) (matte artist) (as P.S. Ellenshaw)
- Pete’s Dragon (1977) (matte artist) (as P.S. Ellenshaw)
- Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo (1977) (matte artist) (as P.S. Ellenshaw)
- Star Wars (1977) (matte artist) (as P.S. Ellenshaw)
- Man Who Fell to Earth, The (1976) (special photographic effects) (as P.S. Ellenshaw)
- Gus (1976) (matte artist) (as P.S. Ellenshaw)
- No Deposit, No Return (1976) (matte artist) (as P.S. Ellenshaw)
- Shaggy D.A., The (1976) (matte artist) (as P.S. Ellenshaw)
- Castaway Cowboy, The (1974) (matte artist) (as P.S. Ellenshaw)

 Biography:

John De Cuir was born at 4 June 1918, in San Francisco, California, USA
Was introduced on film businnes by his uncle Louis Kolb, who was first a sound technician and later head of the electrical department at MGM. Louis took his seven year-old nephew over to “Fox Ranch,” now Century City, to spend his Saturdays wandering through film stages. Once de Cuir had watched the filming of “Ben-Hur” (the 1925 version), and later quietly observed from behind the camera the work of John Barrymore, Jeannette McDonald, and William Powell, his career choice was sealed.
As a young man, he broke into the film business as a sketch artist/illustrator on such classic sci-fi/fantasy Universal pictures of the 1930’s as:
The Bride of Frankenstein(35)  The adventures of Marco Polo(38)Ali Baba & The Seven Thieves(44). he also worked at Universal matte department under Russell Lawson.
De Cuir also worked on Hitchock’s and Bob Boyle´s “Saboteur” as an optical matte artist during this first phase of his career.
At middle  40´s he begun his art director carrer. He got eleven nominations and won three times the Academy Award as best art direction for “The King and I”, “Cleopatra” and   “Hello, Dolly”. De Cuir was an exceptional illustrator an painter, and with his matte painting background, he used to collaborate painting glasses on his films, like at “Cleopatra”, where he helped matte painter Emil Kosa Jr with the huge painting of Alexandria.
He died at 29 October 1991, in Santa Monica, California, USA

To see more about him, visit the web site of his son John De Cuir Sr:   http://www.cinematix.us/decuirbio.htm

John de Cuir with a painting from the film Sudan (1945)

Filmography:

Ghostbusters (1984)
Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid (1982)
Raise the Titanic (1980)
Love and Bullets (1979)
Ziegfeld: The Man and His Women (1978) (TV)
The Other Side of Midnight (1977)
The Other Side of Midnight (1977)
That’s Entertainment, Part II (1976)
Jacqueline Susann’s Once Is Not Enough (1975)
The Other Side of the Mountain (1975)
Magnavox Presents Frank Sinatra (1973) (TV)
The Great White Hope (1970)
On a Clear Day You Can See Forever (1970)
Hello, Dolly! (1969)
Charly (1968)
Doctor Faustus (1967)
The Taming of the Shrew (1967)
The Honey Pot (1967)
A Man Could Get Killed (1966)
The Agony and the Ecstasy (1965)
Circus World (1964)
Cleopatra (1963)
Seven Thieves (1960)
The Big Fisherman (1959)
A Certain Smile (1958)
South Pacific (1958)
Island in the Sun (1957)
The King and I (1956)
The Best Things in Life Are Free (1956) (art director: musical settings)
How To Be Very, Very Popular (1955)
Daddy Long Legs (1955)
There’s No Business Like Show Business (1954)
Carmen Jones (1954) (co-art director)
Three Coins in the Fountain (1954)
Call Me Madam (1953)
My Cousin Rachel (1952)
Diplomatic Courier (1952)
The Snows of Kilimanjaro (1952)
The House on Telegraph Hill (1951)
The Model and the Marriage Broker (1951)
Mr. Belvedere Rings the Bell (1951)
Half Angel (1951) (as John De Cuir)
I Can Get It for You Wholesale (1951)
Curtain Call at Cactus Creek (1950)
Yes Sir That’s My Baby (1949)
The Life of Riley (1949)
The Naked City (1948)
Mexican Hayride (1948)
Casbah (1948)
Time Out of Mind (1947)
Brute Force (1947)
Time Out of Mind (1947)
White Tie and Tails (1946)
Sudan (1945) (matte painting)

Ali Baba & The Forty Thieves (1944) (illustrator)

Saboteur (1942) (matte painting)

The adventures of Marco Polo (1938) (illustrator)
The Bride of Frankenstein (1935) (illustrator)

Biography:

 W. Percy Day was born on September 19, 1878 in Luton, England. Day was hired by Ideal Films in Borehamwood, near Elstree, in 1919. Here he was initiated into the art of visual effects techniques, first mastering the glass shot and the Hall process. As luck would have it, at the time Day joined the Elstree studios, the British movie industry was suffering an eclipse. The French film industry, on the other hand, was booming which encouraged Day to emigrate there, in 1922.
In 1932, Pop Day returned to England, moving into a cottage in the village of Iver (Buckinghamshire), near the Elstree studios.From 1936, Day directed the matte department at Denham Studios, the state-of-the art studio founded by Korda.Poppa Day remained at Denham Studios until 1946, when he joined Korda at Shepperton Studios as Director of Special Effects. He  retired officially in 1954 at the age seventy-six but continued to work in an advisory capacity for the studios.

Step father of Peter Ellenshaw.
Father of Arthur George Day and Thomas Sydney Day.

More information at: http://www.walterpercyday.org/

Percy Day and a young Perter Ellenshaw working on a painting for Storm on a teacup (1937)

Filmography:

The Wild Heart (1952) (special effects)
Outcast of the Islands (1952) (special effects)
Pandora and the Flying Dutchman (1951) (special effects)
The Mudlark (1950) (special effects)
Gone to Earth (1950) (process shots)
The Black Rose (1950) (special effects)
The Elusive Pimpernel (1950) (special photographic effects)
The Third Man (1949) (matte painter) (uncredited)
The Last Days of Dolwyn (1949) (matte painter)
Bonnie Prince Charlie (1948) (matte painter)
The Red Shoes (1948) (matte artist) (uncredited)
The Fallen Idol (1948) (special effects)
The Winslow Boy (1948) (special effects)
Anna Karenina (1948) (special effects)
Mine Own Executioner (1947) (process shots)
An Ideal Husband (1947) (special effects)
Black Narcissus (1947) (special effects)

Panique (1947) (special effects) (as Percy Day)
Black Narcissus (1947) (matte painter)
A Matter of Life and Death (1946) (additional effects) (as Percy Day)
Men of Two Worlds (1946) (matte painter)
Caesar and Cleopatra (1945) (matte painter)
‘I Know Where I’m Going!’ (1945) (matte painter)
Perfect Strangers (1945) (special effects) (as Percy Day)
This Happy Breed (1944) (special effects) (as Percy Day)
The Chronicle History of King Henry the Fift with His Battell Fought at Agincourt in France (1944) (matte painter)
A Canterbury Tale (1944) (special effects: models) (uncredited)
The Demi-Paradise (1943) (matte painter) (uncredited)
The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (1943) (process shots)
Secret Mission (1942) (special effects)
In Which We Serve (1942) (matte painter)
How Green Was My Valley (1941) (matte painter)
Major Barbara (1941) (matte painter)
The First of the Few (1942) (background artist)
The Thief of Bagdad (1940) (associate art director) (matte painter)
Jamaica Inn (1939) (matte painter) (uncredited)
The Four Feathers (1939) (matte painter)
Wuthering Heights (1939) (matte painter) (uncredited)
Sixty Glorious Years (1938) (matte painter)
The Drum (1938) (matte painter)
Victoria the Great (1937) (matte painter)
Knight Without Armour (1937) (matte painter) (uncredited)
Elephant Boy (1937) (matte painter)
Storm in a Teacup (1937) (matte painter) (uncredited)
Fire Over England (1937) (matte painter) (uncredited)
The Man Who Could Work Miracles (1936) (matte painter)
Rembrandt (1936) (matte painter)
Things to Come (1936) (matte painter) (uncredited)

A Tale of Two Cities (1935) (matte painter) (uncredited)
The Ghost Goes West (1935) (matte painter) (uncredited)
Scrooge (1935) (matte painter) (uncredited)
Sanders of the River (1935) (matte painter)
The Scarlet Pimpernel (1934) (matte painter) (uncredited)
The Private Life of Henry VIII. (1933) (matte painter)
Fin du monde, La (1931) (matte painter)
Bodega, La (1930) (matte painter)
Au bonheur des dames (1930) (matte painter)
Roi des aulnes, Le (1930) (matte painter)
Merveilleuse vie de Jeanne d’Arc, La (1929) (matte painter)
Maman Colibri (1929) (matte painter)
Divine croisière, La (1929) (matte painter)
Verdun, visions d’histoire (1929) (matte painter)
Vie miraculeuse de Thérèse Martin, La (1929) (matte painter)
Cagliostro (1929) (model maker)
Tourbillon de Paris, Le (1928) (matte painter)
Martyre de Sainte-Maxence, Le (1928) (matte painter)
Vivre (1928) (matte painter)
The Ring (1927) (matte painter) (uncredited)
Joueur d’échecs, Le (1927) (special effects)
Napoléon (1927) (matte painter)
Croquette (1927) (matte painter)
Mystère de la tour Eiffel, Le (1927) (matte painter)
Michel Strogoff (1926) (matte painter)
Nana (1926) (matte painter)
Homme à l’Hispano, L’ (1926) (matte painter)
Bossu, Le (1925) (matte painter)
Flamme, La (1925) (matte painter)
Terre promise, La (1925) (matte painter)
Arriviste, L’ (1924) (matte painter)
Opprimés, Les (1923) (matte painter)

Biography:

Jim Danforth was born in 1940 in an outskirt of Cleveland, Ohio.Danforth first saw the legendary King Kong when he was I 2 years old during its second theatrical reissue.Danforth also mentions Alexander Korda`s production of The Thief of Bagdad and the action-adventures Lives of a Bengal Lancer and Beau Geste as films that affected him greatly.At the age of I5 Jim collaborated with two friends to produce Snag of Time. In it travellers journey backwards in time to study the lncas. But they encounter a snag in time and find themselves in the Mesozoic age and a land full of dinosaurs. ‘The models were terrible” says Danforth. “But we did some slightly more elaborate composites. During his teen years he exprimented with stopmotion animation, matte painting, miniatures and other effects, untill star working at Art Clokey Productions.

For more information read the article from  the Cinemagic magazine:

http://galeon.com/traditionalfx/Danforth/article1.html

Jim Danforth and his wife  Karen Tutle, with a matte
painting made for TV miniseries “The blue and the gray”

Danforth working on a painting for Planet of Dinosaurs.

Filmography:
- Prophecy, The (1995) (matte artist) (matte photographer)
- Dragonworld (1994) (animator)
- Dinosaur Island (1994) (special effects)
- Dark Universe (1993) (matte painter)
- Body Bags (1993) (TV) (animator) (uncredited) (logo designer: 187 Corporation)
- Robot Wars (1993) (additional stop-motion)
- Attack of the 50 Ft. Woman (1993) (TV) (title artist)
- Body Snatchers (1993) (matte artist)
- Memoirs of an Invisible Man (1992) (matte artist) (uncredited) (matte photographer)
- Bugsy (1991) (matte artist) (uncredited)
- Flatliners (1990) (matte artist)
- Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989) (optical effects)
- DeepStar Six (1989) (matte artist) (miniature effects)
- Wizard of Speed and Time, The (1988) (optical effects)
- They Live (1988) (special photographic effects)
- Dominick and Eugene (1988) (matte artist)
- Prince of Darkness (1987) (matte artist) (uncredited) (matte painter)
- Runaway Train (1985) (matte artist) (uncredited) (matte photographer) (uncredited)
- Stuff, The (1985) (matte artist) (miniature photography) (optical effects)
- Commando (1985) (matte artist) (uncredited) (matte photographer) (uncredited)
- Day of the Dead (1985) (matte artist) (matte photographer)
- Ninja III: The Domination (1984) (matte artist) (matte supervisor)
- .It Came Upon the Midnight Clear (1984) (TV) (matte artist)
- .Ewok Adventure, The (1984) (TV) (matte artist) (matte photographer)
- Unendliche Geschichte, Die (NeverEnding Story, The)  (1984) (matte artist) (matte photographer)
- .Sahara (1983) (matte photographer) (matte supervisor)
- Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983) (effects photography) (matte artist)
- Murder Me, Murder You (1983) (TV) (matte supervisor)
- “Blue and the Gray, The” (1982) (mini) TV Series (matte artist)
- The Thing  (1982) (matte artist) (uncredited)
- Shadow Riders, The (1982) (TV) (matte artist)
- “Bring ‘Em Back Alive” (1982) TV Series (matte artist) (matte supervisor)
- Megaforce (1982) (matte artist) (matte photographer)
- Conan the Barbarian (1982) (matte artist)
- Clash of the Titans (1981) (animator)
- Day Time Ended, The (1980) (matte artist) (matte photographer)
- Scarlett O’Hara War, The (1980) (TV) (matte artist) (uncredited)
- Creepshow (80)(Matte apaint)
- Caveman (80)(Visual effects superv)
- “Supertrain” (1979) TV Series (matte artist) (pilot episode)
- Topper (1979) (TV) (on-set ghost effects consultant)
- Winter Kills (1979) (effects consultant)
- “Salvage 1″ (1979) TV Series (iceberg photo effects: episode “Hard Water”)
- Planet of the Dinosaurs (1978) (matte artist)
- Vortex (78)(matte art)
- Crater Lake Monster, The (1977) (assistant model animator)
- True Story of Eskimo Nell, The (1975) (matte artist)
- Reincarnation of Peter Proud, The (1975) (matte artist)
- Dark Star(74)(matte art)
- Jonathan Livingston Seagull (1973) (matte supervisor)
- Flesh Gordon (1972) (matte artist) (uncredited) (special visual effects) (as Mij  Htrofnad)
- Portnoy’s Complaint (1972) (matte artist) (uncredited) (matte supervisor) (uncredited)
- Equinox (1971) (matte artist) (uncredited)
- When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth (1970) (effects cameraman) (matte artist) (uncredited)
- .Earth II (1971) (TV) (special effects coordinator)
- Diamonds Are Forever (1971) (animator) (uncredited)
- Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971) (animator)
- When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth (1970) (animator) (uncredited) (process projectionist)
- .Little Fauss and Big Halsy (1970) (effects crew)
- Mighty Gorga, The (1969) (cave dragon effects)
-  “Here’s Lucy” (1968) TV Series (animator: “Lucy” puppet, main title sequence)
- Around the World Under the Sea (1966) (miniature crew) (uncredited)
-  “Star Trek” (1966) TV Series (property maker) (episode “Cage, The”)
- “Outer Limits, The” (1963) TV Series (effects crew: 1963-1965)
- War Lord, The (1965) (art department model maker) (uncredited)
- Woman of the prehistoric planet(1965)
- That Funny Feeling (1965) (matte artist)
- Strange Bedfellows (1964) (art department model maker) (uncredited)
- .Father Goose (1964) (miniature maker) (uncredited)
- Seven Faces of Dr. Lao (1964) (special visual effects)
- I’d Rather Be Rich (1964) (animator)
- It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963) (miniature maker)
- Journey to the Seventh Planet (1962) (cyclops special effect)
- “Davey and Goliath” (1962) TV Series (animator)
- Jack the Giant Killer (1962) (animator)
- Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm, The (1962) (animator)
- Master of the World (1961) (miniature maker)
-  Flight of the Lost Balloon (1961) (puppeteer)
- Atlantis, the Lost Continent (1961) (animator) (uncredited)
- Vendetta di Ercole, La (1960) (stop-motion animator) (Goliath and the Dragon)
- Time machine(60)(assist animator)
- “Dinah Shore Chevy Show, The” (1956) TV Series (animator)
- “Hallmark Hall of Fame” (1951) TV Series (animation producer: main title sequence)

The full gallery is not available yet but you can visit the old site:

http://galeon.com/traditionalfx/Danforth/Danforth.html

Biography:
biography from the Archives of AskART:

Jan Marinus Domela (né Johan Domela Nieuwenhuis) was born in Amsterdam, Holland on August 22, 1894. He arrived in San Francisco in 1915 during the excitement of the Panama Pacific International Exposition. Opting to become an artist, he studied at the California School of Fine Arts and at the Los Angeles School of Illustration. Feeling the need for further training, in 1925 he returned to Holland and entered the Rijks Academy and continued at Académie Julian in Paris.

In 1928 he returned to California and for 40 years worked in Hollywood in the art department of Paramount Studios for whom he created their mountain logo. His artwork on “The Ten Commandments” earned him an Academy Award. In his leisure he painted many plein air scenes in California, Oregon, Utah, and in Europe. Domela maintained a studio in Santa Monica until his death there on August 1, 1973. The artist is also known as John Domela Nieuwenhuis.

From his daughter  Johanna Domela Movassat :
My father left Paramount in late 1962. He had been on a yearly contract since the late 1950s and as Paramount was cost cutting it rid itself of all independent contractors.
My father had given up screen credit for so many films to get a higher salary – he had four children – and didn’t mind that his name was not linked to so many of the films and pictures that he had worked on. He had started working in the industry in the 1920s and by 1927 he was Paramount’s matte painter which he did for close to forty years.
By the 1960s the industry, according to a note I have from Chesley Bonestell to my father (dated June 9, 1960) “seems to be pretty well shot” and it was with great frustration that such wonderful artists as Bonestell, my father, and others watched their years of work thought little of. My father, however, hung on in the industry doing free lance work for Columbia, Fox (20th Century), MGM and Film Effects of Hollywood. For MGM he did “Unsinkable Molly Brown” (for that film he did the mattes when Debby Reynolds and Harve Presnell are dancing through Europe – scenes of various cities pass by them as they danced on the dirt lot at MGM), and “Greatest Story Ever Told” (The mattes my father worked on for “Greatest Story…” were the overhead view of the city of Jerusalem and the long view from outside of the city and its walls) , for example, and for Film Effects he did “Hawaii” and a number of TV shows.
He was also a few months here and there at Columbia and Fox (20th C), but his last stint before leaving the industry all together was at Film Effects of Hollywood (“Hawaii” is the only film that I remember him telling us about there, but I know he did TV for them as well).

In 1967 he wrote a letter to Lew Wasserman (chairman of the Motion Picture Producers Association) decrying the lack of matte artists available in the industry and the lack of young trained professionals.

By 1968 he removed himself from the industry and concentrated on his own painting, opening a gallery in Santa Monica.

Jan Domela painting a coastal landscape.

Jan on his Studio with a glass painting.

Filmography
- Hawaii (1966) (matte painting)
- The greates story ever told (1965) (matte painting)
- The Unsinkable Molly Brown (1964) (matte painting)
- Man From Uncle (tv series) (1964) (matte painting)
- Ten Commandments, The (1956) (matte artist)
- Omar Khayyan (1957) (matte artist)
- Conquest of Space (1955) (special photographic effects)
- The War of the Worlds, (1953) (matte artist) (special visual  effects)
- Thunder in the East (1952) (matte artist)
- When Worlds Collide (1951) (matte artist)
- Samson and Delilah (1949) (matte artist)
- A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court  (1949)
- Unconquered (1947) (matte artist)
- For Whom the Bell Tolls (1943) (special photographic  effects)
- Reap the Wild Wind (1942) (matte artist)
- Aloma of the South Seas (1941) (matte artist)
- I Wanted Wings (1941) (matte artist)
- Dr. Cyclops (1940) (matte artist)
- Typhoon (1940) (matte artist)
- Union Pacific (1939) (matte artist)
- Spawn of the North (1938) (matte artist)
- Her Jungle Love (1938) (matte artist)

Gallery:

For Whom the Bell Tolls (1943)

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court (1949)

Thunder in the East (1952)

Omar Khayyan (1957)

Biography:

James Cameron was born in Kapuskasing, Ontario, Canada, on August 16, 1954. He moved to the USA in 1971. The son of an engineer, he majored in physics at California State University but, after graduating, drove a truck to support his screen-writing ambition. He landed his first professional film job as art director, miniature-set builder, and process-projection supervisor for Roger Corman Company working under  FX supervision of Robert and Bob Skotak,  and debuted as a director with Piranha Part Two: The Spawning (1981) the following year.

James Cameron  working on a matte painting for Escape from New York.

Filmography:

As director:

2009 Avatar
2005 Aliens of the Deep (documentary)
2003 Ghosts of the Abyss (documentary short)
2002 Expedition: Bismarck (TV documentary)
2002 Dark Angel (TV series)
2001 Earthship.TV (TV movie)
1997 Titanic
1994 True lies
1991 Terminator 2
1989 Abyss
1986 Aliens
1984 Terminator
1981 Piranha Part Two: The Spawning
1978 Xenogenesis (short)

- 1982 Androide (design consultant)
- 1981  Escape from  New York  (director of photography: special visual effects matte artwork )
- 1981  Galaxy of terror  (Visual effect art director)
- 1980  Battle Beyond the Stars (additional director of photography: special photographic effects – miniature design and construction

Extracted from an interview with Dan Curry you can  read at:
http://www.startrek.com/startrek/view/community/chat/archive/transcript/1394.html

While I was in grad school, an influential person in the film industry happened to see an exhibition of paintings, found me, and suggested I look into matte painting.
On that person’s recommendation Universal Studios hired me to do matte paintings for Buck Rogers, Battlestar Galactica, Cheech and Chong’s Next Movie and others. When I left Universal, I went to work as art director for Modern Film Effects…. then I went on to Cinema Research Corporation…. as vice president and director of creative services. During that time, I was involved with a hundred and seventeen feature films and over 40 television productions. I left CRC to join Star Trek 12 years ago and have been concentrating on Star Trek ever since.

Another article about Dan Curry with samples of his pictorical art. http://www.cgnetworks.com/story_custom.php?story_id=2749&page=
Dan Curry with one of the painting he made for TV Series Galactica.

Filmography:

- Enterprise: Broken Bow (2001) (TV) (visual effects producer)
- “Enterprise” (2001) TV Series (visual effects producer)
- “Star Trek: Voyager” (1995) TV Series (visual effects producer)
- Star Trek: Voyager – Caretaker (1995) (TV) (visual effects producer)
- “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” (1993) TV Series (visual effects producer) (visual effects supervisor)
- “Star Trek: The Next Generation” (1987) TV Series (visual effects coordinator) (visual effects supervisor)
- Creepshow (1982) (matte painting)
- Caveman (1981) (matte artist)
- Cheech and Chong’s Next Movie (1980) (matte artist)
- Buck Rogers  in the 25th Century  (1979)(Tv series) (matte artist)
- Battlestar galactica (1978) (tv series)(matte artist)

Jack Cosgrove at Selznick Studios,  with a modified  35 mm projector that has a light source several times  more powerful than any  projector then in existance, allowing him to beam the image from one machine directly  into the lens of another and making possible the copying of color process plates and matte paintings with no appreciable loss of color.

Some Samples of Jack Cosgrove paintings at Selznick Studios.

Duel in the Sun (1946)

The Garden Of Allah (1936)

Filmography:

- Queen of Outer Space (1958) (special effects)
- Giant (1956) (special photographic effects)
- Invaders from Mars (1953) (special photographic effects)
- Mutiny (1952) (special holographic effects)
- Flight to Mars (1951) (special effects)
- She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949) (special effects)
- Joan of Arc (1948) (special effects)
- Duel in the Sun (1946) (special effects)
- Spellbound (1945) (special effects)
- Since You Went Away (1944) (special effects)
- Action in the North Atlantic (1943) (special effects)
- Meet John Doe (1941) (special effects)
- So Ends Our Night (1941) (special effects)
- Beyond Tomorrow (1940) (special effects)
- Our Town (1940) (special photographic effects)
- Rebecca (1940) (special effects)
- Gone with the Wind (1939) (special effects)
- Tower of London (1939) (matte effects)
- Made for Each Other (1939) (special effects)
- Young in Heart, The (1938) (special effects)
- Adventures of Tom Sawyer, The (1938) (special effects)
- Nothing Sacred (1937) (special effects)
- Prisoner of Zenda, The (1937) (special effects)
- Star Is Born, A (1937) (special effects)
- Garden of Allah, The (1936) (special effects)
- Black Room, The (1935) (matte painter)
- Black Cat, The (1934) (special photography) (uncredited)

Biography:  Scenic artist and art director who executed some glass paintings for his films.

Humphrey Bangham working on a model miniature for the short film “Knit Your Own Karma”

Filmography:

Art Director / production designer

2010 The Wildest Dream
2010 When Rome Ruled (TV series)
2009 Secrets of Egypt (TV series documentary)
2006 Revealed (TV series documentary) Jack the Ripper: The First Serial Killer (2006)
2004 Nature Unleashed: Fire (video)
2004 Caught in the Act (TV movie)
2004 Family Business (TV series)006 Munich: Mossad’s Revenge (TV movie)
2004 Family Business (TV series)
2003 Three blind mice (supervising art director)
2003 Adventure Inc. (TV series)
– Echoes of the Past (2003)
– Angel of St. Edmunds (2003)
2001 Knit Your Own Karma (short)
2001 The point men
2002 Rockface (TV series)
2001 Arthur’s Dyke
2000 Thomas and the Magic Railroad (Scenic artist)
1999 The New Adventures of Pinocchio ( glass painting)
Humphrey Bangham executed a glass shot in location for “The new adventures of Pinoccio”

1999 New World Disorder
1998 March in Windy City  (TV movie) (model designer)
1997 A Dance to the Music of Time (TV mini-series)
1996 August
1995 Jack and Sarah
1992 Charles and Diana: Unhappily Ever After (TV movie)
1992 The Blackheath Poisonings (TV movie)
1992 Split second
1991 Gone to the Dogs (TV mini-series)
1991 Chimera (TV mini-series)
1989 Hallmark Hall of Fame (TV series)
1989 The Shell Seekers
1988-1989 Motormouth (TV series)
1987 No 73 (TV series)Episode #8.13

Biography:

The Italian director Mario Bava was born in the coastal northern Italian town of San Remo. His father, Eugenio Bava (1886-1966), was a cinematographer in the early days of the Italian film industry. Bava was trained as a painter, and when he eventually followed his father into film photography his artistic background led him to a strong belief in the importance of visual composition in filmmaking.

Other than a series of short films in the 1940s which he directed, Bava was a cinematographer until 1960. He developed a reputation as a special effects genius, and was able to use “in camera”optical trickery to great success. His training as a painter let him to execute a number of matte and glass paintings for his films, and also used foreground miniatures and cut out photographs.

During those years, Mario Bava  had Italian painter Amedeo Gigli who executed the paintings on cardboard for him. Mario Bava then cut out and paste those small paintings on a glass and film the tricks in camera. When needed, he retouches the paintings on location to match the real landscapes.  Sometime he also used cut out photos  glued on a glass instead of paintings.

Mario Bava retouching on location a  painting  on a sheet of glass painted by Amedeo Gigli for  Mio Figlio Nerone (1956)

Among the directors for whom Bava photographed films were Paolo Heusch Riccardo Freda Jacques Tourneur and Raoul Walsh. While working with Freda on Lust of the Vampire (1956) in 1956, the director left the project after an argument with the producers and the film mostly unfinished. Bava stepped in and directed the majority of the movie, finishing it on schedule. This film, also known as “The Devil’s Commandment,” inspired a wave of gothic Italian horror films. After a similar incident occurred on Freda’s Caltiki in 1959, and Bava’s having been credited with “saving” Tourneur’s Giant of Marathon (1959), Galatea urged Bava to direct any film he wanted with their financing.

The film that emerged, Black Sunday (1960), is one his most well known as well as one of his best. This widely influential movie also started the horror career of a beautiful but then unknown British actress named Barbara Steele. While Black Sunday (1960) is a black and white film, it was in the color milieu that the director excelled. The projects which followed began to develop stunning photography, making great use of lighting, set design, and camera positioning to compliment mise-en-scenes bathed in deep primaries.

Through works such as Hercules in the Haunted World (1961), What (1963), and Planet of the Vampires (1965), Bava’s films took on the look of works of art. In the films The Evil Eye (1963) and Blood and Black Lace (1964), he created the style and substance of the giallo, a genre which would be perfected in the later films of ‘Dario Argento’.

Bava worked in many popular genres, including viking films, peplum, spaghetti westerns, action, and even softcore, but it is his horror films and giallo mystery films which stand out and for which he is best remembered. Recommended are Black Sunday, The Whip and the Body, Blood and Black Lace, Kill Baby, Kill (1966), Twitch of the Death Nerve (1971), and Lisa and the Devil (1974).

Bava’s son Lamberto served as his assistant on most of his films since 1965, and since 1980 has been a director himself. Lamberto Bava’s films include Macabre, Demons, and Body Puzzle.

But after the commercial failure of his later films, as well as the unreleased works of Rabid Dogs, Bava went into a decline and by 1975, retired from filmmaking all together. He was persuaded to come out of retirement at the request of his son, Lamberto, to direct Shock, as well as a made-for-Italian television movie. Mario Bava died from a sudden heart attack on April 27, 1980 at age 65. With his death, an era in Italian filmmaking had come to a close.

The upper part of the interior od the cavern was made using a glass painting by Mario Bava for the film Diabolik (1968). The camera makes a panoramic movement showing the car and the actors moving on the set enhanced by  the  foreground glass painting.

The camera in front of the glass.

Inferno (1980)
Dario Argento :” The Riverside Drive house was never photographed head-on, but was recreated on the sets at DePaolis from photos taken on location. It only rose a couple of floors, so everything seen above that (and surrounding that) is a Bava illusion — extended by a maquette and surrounded by faux skyscrapers fashioned from milk cartons and covered with photographs. These tabletop skyscrapers were also used to optically augment shots filmed on location in Central Park. The burning building seen at the end was Bava’s maquette going up in optical flames.”

e end was Bava’s maquette going up in optical flames.”

Filmography:
(As Special effects artist) for his full filmography as director and cinematographer go to this link to IMDB.

- Inferno  (1980) (special optical effects)
- Shock  1977  (special effects)
- Moses the Lawgiver  1974 (TV mini-series) (special effects)
- Lisa and the Devil  1973  (special effects)
- Baron Blood  1972  (special effects)
- Bay of Blood  1971  (special effects)
- 5 Dolls for an August Moon  1970  (special effects)
- Hatchet for the Honeymoon  1970  (special effects)
- L’odissea (TV mini-series) 1968  (special effects)
- Diabolik 1968  (miniatures and glass painting)
- Kill, Baby… Kill!  1966 (matte painting effects)
- Planet of the Vampires  1965(special effects)
- Blood and Black Lace  1964  (special effects)
- Black Sabbath  1963  (special effects)
- The Girl Who Knew Too Much  1963  (special effects)
- The Whip and the Body  1963  (special effects)
- Le meraviglie di Aladino 1961 (special effects)
- Black Sunday 1960  (matte paintings, special effects)

- Giant of Marathon  1959 (special photographic effects)
- Caltiki the Immortal Monster 1959(special effects)
- Hercules Unchained 1959(special effects director)
- Le fatiche di Ercole  1958 (special effects)
- Nero’s Mistress 1956 (special effects)
- I Vampiri  1956 (special effects)
- Lust of the Vampire 1956 (special effects)
- The Taming of Dorothy 1950 (special effects)

Biography:

Johannes “Hans” Bartholowsky was born in Germany on Aug. 1, 1868. Bartholowsky settled in Los Angeles in 1889. Beginning with the silent movies, he worked for many years as a special effects artist for Cecil B. DeMille.

He died in Los Angeles on Aug. 4, 1962.

Bartholowsky started working in 1918 at the Lasky Studios when the glass shot technique was in use.  He also worked as a scenic artist for Paramount during the thirties. He later worked as a matte artist at Columbia Studio until he moved across to Warner Brothers probably sometime in the early forties to work under Byron Haskin.

Hans Bartholowsky working on a big glass painting for aun unknown film.

Biography.

Filmography:

2013 Elysium (digital matte painter: Image Engine Design Inc.)
2012 Life of  Pi (matte painter: Rhythm & Hues Studios)
2012 Hotel Transilvania (senior matte painter: Sony Pictures Imageworks)
2012 Chronicle (digital matte painter: Rhythm & Hues Studios – uncredited)
2011 Arthur Christmas: (senior matte painter: Sony Pictures Imageworks)
2010 Knight and Day(digital matte painter: Rhythm & Hues)
2010 The A team (matte painter: Rhythm & Hues Studios)
2009  Avatar(digital matte painter: Prime Focus VFX)
2009  New Moon  (digital matte painter: Prime Focus VFX)
2009 The Box  (matte painter: Pixel Liberation Front)
2009 Land of the Lost (digital matte painter: Rhythm & Hues)
2009 Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (matte painter: Rhythm & Hues Studios)
Australia (2008) (matte painter: Animal Logic)
Speed Racer (2008) (digital matte painter: Digital Domain)
The Golden Compass (2007) (digital matte painter: Digital Domain)
Beowulf (2007) (matte painting)
Transformers (2007) (digital matte painter: Digital Domain)
Æon Flux (2005) (digital matte painter: Digital Domain)
Cinderella Man (2005) (digital matte painter: Digital Domain)
Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004) (matte artist)
I, Robot (2004) (digital matte painter: Digital Domain)
The Day After Tomorrow (2004) (texture painter: Digital Domain)
Muhammad: The Last Prophet (2002) (background artist)
The Trumpet of the Swan (2001) (background artist)
Fantasia/2000 (1999) (background artist: journeyman)
Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island (1998) (V) (background painter)
Quest for Camelot (1998) (background artist: United States)
Cats Don’t Dance (1997) (background artist)
The Pagemaster (1994) (additional background artist)
The Swan Princess (1994) (background artist)
Star treck the next generation (1994)(matte artist)
The Princess and the Cobbler (1993) (background artist)
The Babe (1992) (matte artist)
Newsies (1992)(matte artist)
Chaplin  (1992)(matte artist)
Hoffa (1992)(matte artist)
The Butcher’s Wife (1991) (matte artist)
Cape fear (1991)(matte artist)
Black or white (V)(1991)(matte artist)
Rock-A-Doodle (1991) (cloud tank effects: live action segments) (background artist)
All Dogs Go to Heaven (1989) (model maker)
The Land Before Time (1988) (background artist)
An American Tail (1986) (rough animation inbetweener)

Biography:

Born in London, England in 1913, Ellenshaw was fortunate enough in his early twenties to get a job as an apprentice to W. Percy Day, O.B.E., the British film industry’s foremost special effects artist and matte painter. Matte shots are realistic paintings done on glass of extended sets or fantasy locations which are combined with scenes of actors in real sets. Day, the Royal Academy trained artist, took Peter Ellenshaw under his wing, working on such classics as Things to Come, The Thief of Baghdad and Black Narcissus.

After serving in the Second World War as a pilot for the Royal Air Force, Peter returned to the film industry as a matte artist for MGM’s Quo Vadis. In the late 1940s Walt Disney approached Ellenshaw to work on the studio’s first live action feature, Treasure Island. Thus began a professional collaboration and friendship which lasted over 30 years and 34 films.

In 1953, Peter and his family moved to California and Ellenshaw found himself expanding upon his matte painting work to contribute to the dramatic and spectacular special effects on Disney’s epic film 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. The Walt Disney Studio was also in the pre-planning stages for Disneyland. Ellenshaw contributed his artistic touch to many of the attractions at the new theme park, including the first Circlevision theater show, TWA’s Rocket Ship to the Moon and X-1 Satellite View of America.

It was in the 50s that Peter fell in love with the ocean and would spend weekends painting the picturesque coves and crashing waves along the California coast. He developed a reputation as a fine art painter whose oils soon became highly sought after by collectors. He also began a lifelong association with the prestigious Hammer Galleries in New York.

In 1960 Ellenshaw did a matte painting of Rome for Stanley Kubrick’s Spartacus, while continuing to work full time for Disney studios. Peter contributed to the popular television show ‘Disneyland’ with work on Davy Crockett and Zorro, as well as classic Disney features including Darby O’Gill and the Little People, Mary Poppins and The Love Bug. For Mary Poppins Peter won an Oscar® for Best Special Visual Effects on the landmark film. He has also been nominated for an Academy Award® an additional three times; for his production design work on Bedknobs and Broomsticks and The Island at the Top of the World as well as for his effects work on The Black Hole.

In 1970 Peter and his wife, Bobbie, moved to the Ring of Kerry in Ireland and it was there that Ellenshaw created some of his most spectacular artwork: paintings of the rugged Irish coast and the beautiful landscapes of the Emerald Isle. His works were shown at a special exhibition at the American Embassy in Dublin. Today a number of his paintings can be seen in collections throughout Ireland including Adare Manor, Dromoland Castle, Waterville House and Ashford Castle.

Continued travels took Ellenshaw to many spectacular locales where he expanded his subjects to include the Himalayas, Monet’s garden at Giverny, the Mojave desert, San Francisco and New York cityscapes, America’s Cup yachting, and famous golf courses throughout the world.

In 1993, Peter Ellenshaw was officially designated a ‘Disney Legend’ at the Walt Disney Studios in a ceremony presided over by CEO Michael Eisner and Roy E. Disney. It was shortly thereafter that he was commissioned to do paintings of scenes from famous Disney features, many of which have been made into the wonderful giclées that you see here at our website.

In February of 2007, Peter passed away peacefully at his home in Santa Barbara, California. He was 93 years of age.

A young Peter Ellenshaw wit his mentor and setpfather, Walter Percy Day, a pioneer and extraordinary matte painter.

Peter Ellenshaw (left) and Percy Day´s older son, Arthur Day, at Denham Studios, around 1935.

The second most influential man on Ellenshaw career, after Percy Day, was Walt Disney. They meet at England in 1950 for the film “Treasure island”.

Two images of Peter Ellenshaw painting on glass for “The Sword and the Rose” (1953)

Some pictures of Peter Ellenshaw painting mattes for Disney´s  “20.000 leagues” .

At left is James Mason (Captain Nemo), observing Ellenshaw painting Vulcania Island.

One of the first painting assignements that Disney gave to Ellenshaw, was an aerial view of  Disney Park.

Painting and Ice cave for “In search of castaways”

At 1979 Peter Ellenshaw worked as miniature effects supervisor for Disney film “The Black Hole”.  His son Harrison Ellensahw was responsible for matte paintings on that film.

To have more information and images on Peter and Harrison Ellenshaw,  visit  the Ellenshaw official page : http://www.ellenshaw.com/

Filmography:
-Dick Tracy (1990) (matte artist) (uncredited)
-Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987) (supervising matte artist)
-The Black Hole (1979)Production Designer / miniature effects supervisor
-The Island at the Top of the World (1974) special effects/Production Designer
-Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971)Art Director
-The Love Bug (1968) (special photographic effects)
-The Love Bug (1968) (matte artist) (uncredited)
-Blackbeard’s Ghost (1968) (matte artist)
-The Gnome-Mobile (1967) (matte artist)
-The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin (1967) (matte artist)-
-Monkeys, Go Home! (1967) (matte effects)
-The Happiest Millionaire (1967) (special effects)
-The Fighting Prince of Donegal (1966) (special photographic effects)
-Lt. Robin Crusoe, U.S.N. (1966) (special effects)
-”Disneyland” (special photographic effects) (2 episodes, 1965)
- Summer Magic: Part 2 (1965) TV episode (special photographic effects)
- Summer Magic: Part 1 (1965) TV episode (special photographic effects)
-Mary Poppins (1964) (special effects)
-Summer Magic (1963) (special photographic effects)
-Son of Flubber (1963) (special effects) (uncredited)
-In Search of the Castaways (1962) (special photographic effects)
-The AbsentMinded Professor (1961) (special effects)
-”Disneyland” (matte artist) (17 episodes, 1955-1964) (matte effects) (2 episodes, 1955) (special photographic effects) (1 episode, 1959)
- Toby Tyler: Part 2 (1964) TV episode (matte artist)
- Toby Tyler: Part 1 (1964) TV episode (matte artist)
- Pollyanna: Part 3 (1963) TV episode (matte artist)
- Pollyanna: Part 2 (1963) TV episode (matte artist)
- Pollyanna: Part 1 (1963) TV episode (matte artist)
(15 more)
-Kidnapped (1960) (special photographic effects)
-Swiss Family Robinson (1960) (matte artist)
-Spartacus (1960) (matte artist) (uncredited)
-Pollyanna (1960) (matte artist)
-Toby Tyler, or Ten Weeks with a Circus (1960) (matte artist)
-Darby O’Gill and the Little People (1959) (special photographic effects)
-Eyes in Outer Space (1959) (paintings)
-Third Man on the Mountain (1959) (matte artist)
-Tonka (1958) (matte artist)
-The Sign of Zorro (1958) (matte artist)
-The Light in the Forest (1958) (matte artist) (matte effects)
-Johnny Tremain (1957)Production Designer
-Perri (1957) (special art effects)
-Old Yeller (1957) (matte artist)
-”Zorro” (1957) TV series (matte artist) (unknown episodes)
-Westward Ho the Wagons! (1956) (matte artist)
-Davy Crockett and the River Pirates (1956) (matte artist)
-The Great Locomotive Chase (1956) (matte artist)
-Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier (1955) (matte effects)
-20000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954) (matte artist)
-Rob Roy, the Highland Rogue (1953) (matte artist)
-The Sword and the Rose (1953) (matte effects)
-The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men (1952) (matte artist)
-Quo Vadis (1951) (matte artist) (uncredited)
-Captain Horatio Hornblower R.N. (1951) (matte artist) (uncredited)
-Treasure Island (1950) (matte artist)
-Idol of Paris (1948) (matte artist) (uncredited)
-Black Narcissus (1947) (assistant matte artist) (uncredited)
-A Matter of Life and Death (1946) (assistant matte artist) (uncredited)
-Major Barbara (1941) (assistant matte artist) (uncredited)
-The Thief of Bagdad (1940) (assistant matte artist) (uncredited)
-The Four Feathers (1939) (assistant matte artist) (uncredited)
-Sixty Glorious Years (1938) (assistant matte artist) (uncredited)
-The Drum (1938) (assistant matte artist) (uncredited)
-Victoria the Great (1937) (assistant matte artist) (uncredited)
-Elephant Boy (1937) (assistant matte artist) (uncredited)
-Storm in a Teacup (1937) (assistant matte artist) (uncredited)
-Fire Over England (1937) (assistant matte artist) (uncredited)
- Knight Without Armour (1937) (matte painter) (uncredited)
-The Man Who Could Work Miracles (1936) (assistant matte artist) (uncredited)
-Rembrandt (1936) (assistant matte artist) (uncredited)
-Things to Come (1936) (assistant matte artist) (uncredited)
-The Ghost Goes West (1935) (assistant matte artist) (uncredited)
- A Tale of Two Cities (1935) (matte painter assistant) (uncredited)
- Scrooge (1935) (matte painter assistant) (uncredited)
- Sanders of the River (1935) (matte painter assistant)
- The Scarlet Pimpernel (1934) (matte painter assistant) (uncredited)

Biography:
Bob Bell,  began his career at Pinewood Studios, creating storyboards for films such as `A Tale of Two Cities’. Then he went to Special effects matte department where he meet Cliff Culley. In the late 1950s, he joined Gerry Anderson’s AP Films, and worked as art director on various series, including `Thunderbirds’ and `Captain Scarlet’.

Bob Bell: ” I first met Gerry Anderson in about 1959. I was working at Pinewood studios in the special-effects department, but was about to be made redundant. A friend there said “I know somebody who’s working over in Maidenhead, making some films about puppets, I’ll introduce you.” Puppets, I thought! Who wants to make a film about puppets? Anyway, he introduced me to Gerry and my flash impression was that I liked him.”

He was called after retirement by his friend Culley  to help him with the matte paintings for Nightbreed (1990)

Bob Bell´s scketch made for  UFO.
Filmography:

1990 – Nightbreed (mate painting)
1986- “Dick Spanner, P.I.”  TV series (associate producer)
1981- Lion of the Desert (art director)
1980- “Hammer House of Horror” (assistant art director) (13 episodes )
1978 – The Wild Geese (art director)
1972/74- “The Protectors” (52 episodes)(art director)
1970 – “UFO” (2 episodes)(art director)
1969- Doppelgänger (art director)
1968- Thunderbird 6 (art director)
1967- “Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons” (8 episodes )(art director)
1965 -1966″Thunderbirds” (26 episodes )(art director)
1965- “Stingray” (1 episode )(art director)
1962- “Fireball XL5″ (1 episode) (art director)
1961 – supercar TV Series (assistant art director)
1958 – Torchy the battery boy TV Series (assistant art director)
1958- A tale of two cities ( storyboard artist)

Biography:

Steve Burg was born on the east coast and was raised in the woodland suburbs of northern New Jersey. Intent on a career in the field of Visual Effects, he attended the Film Graphics and Animation program at the California Institute of the Arts. He began his career as a visual effects animator, branching out into miniature construction, photographic effects and matte painting on films such as “Dreamscape”, “Buckaroo Banzai” and “Beetlejuice”.

Burg segued into the design field following an introduction to director Stuart Gordon, who hired him as a Conceptual Artist on “Robot Jox”. There he worked closely with Ron Cobb, who soon became a de facto mentor. Cobb hired Burg as a Conceptual Artist on George Cosmatose’s “Leviathan” and James Cameron’s underwater epic, “The Abyss”. Burg went on to furnish designs and storyboards for several of Cameron’s subsequent projects (“Burning Chrome”, Terminator 2″, “T2-3D”), while branching out to work on Paul Verhoeven’s “Total Recall” and “Starship Troopers”, Kevin Costner’s “Dances With Wolves” and “Waterworld”, Robert Zemeckis’s “Contact” and numerous other film and television productions. He is now well established as a versatile designer/illustrator with a thorough knowledge of film production and visual effects methodologies.

Self-taught in traditional illustration, Burg has embraced the medium of 3D computer graphics as an ideal confluence of his varied interests in art and design, model making, animation, lighting, photography, and visual storytelling. He lives on a quiet tree lined street in Pasadena, California, and strives to maintain his personal development as an artist in addition to his ongoing work in the motion picture industry.

http://steveburg.blogspot.com.es/

Filmography:

- Prometheus ( 2012) (concept artist)
- AVP: Alien Vs. Predator (2004) (conceptual designer)
- The Chronicles of Riddick (2004) (illustrator)
- The Time Machine (2002) (illustrator) (as Stephen Burg)
- X-Men (2000) (conceptual artist)
- Titan A.E. (Planet Ice)(2000) (visual development: pre-production)
- The Matrix (1999) (conceptual artist: Manex Visual Effects)
- Virus (1999/I) (robotics creature design)
- Contact (1997) (conceptual artist) (as Stephen P. Burg)
- Babylon 5: The Gathering (1993) (TV) (conceptual artist) (uncredited)
- Heart and Souls (1993) (visual effects conceptual artist)
- Honey I Blew Up the Kid (1992) (storyboard artist)
- Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) (conceptual artist) (as Stephen Burg)

- Dances with Wolves (1990) (illustrator)
- Crash and Burn (1990) (V) (robot design)
- Leviathan (1989) (conceptual artist) (as Stephen Burg)
- The Abyss (1989) (miniature designs)
- The Wraith (1986) (effects animator: VCE) (as Steven Burg)
-  House (1986) (creature effects crew: Backwood Films)
- The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984) (animator: VCE)
- Troll  (198 ) (matte artist)

Jim Aupperle was responsible for matte photography on this painting by Steve Burg.
“The film was supposed to take place in San Francisco but was photographed in a studio outside Rome.  Steve Burg painted the Golden Gate Bridge to a wide establishing view down a street.”

Biography:

Together with partners Jack Rabin and Louis DeWitt, Blog was known throughout the 1950s for providing special effects for low budget producers. The team would also put together their own projects with Block doing much of the writing.
Date of birth . 2 December 1910. Date of death . 3 May 1986 Los Angeles, California, USA.

Filmography.

- The Atomic Submarine (1959) (FX designer and matte painter)
- “Men Into Space” (1959) TV Series (special effects)
- The 30 Foot Bride of Candy Rock (1959) (special photographic effects)
- Behemoth, the Sea Monster (1959) (special effects)
- War of the Satellites (1958) (special effects)
- Macabre (1958) (special effects)
- The Saga of the Viking Women and Their Voyage to the Waters of the Great Sea Serpent (1957) (special effects creator)
- The Pied Piper of Hamelin (1957) (TV) (special effects)
- The Invisible Boy (1957) (special effects)
- Kronos (1957) (special effects)
- World Without End (1956) (special effects)
- Forbidden Planet (1956) (Production Designer uncredited)
- Captive Women (1952) (special effects)
- Invaders from Mars (1953) (matte artist) (optical effects)
- Rocketship X-M (1950) (matte painter) (as I. A. Block)

- Flight to Mars (1951) (special effects) (uncredited)
- Unknown World (1951) (special effects) (as I. A. Block)
- Alice in Wonderland (1949) (special effects)

Biography:

Steven Begg started working as model maker and visual effects artist at middle 80´s on tv series like Terrahaws and Space Police.  At the 90´s he  worked under Derec Meddings and Cliff Culley doing matte paintings, and miniature work. Over the years he has become digital matte artoist  and visual effects superviror.

Steve Begg in Gotham City Miniature.

Steve Begg with the a miniature ship made for 20,000 Leagues under the sea. (1997)

Filmography:
2012 Skyfall (visual effects supervisor)
2011 Unknown(supervisor: miniature visual effects unit
2010 Wolfman(visual effects supervisor)
2009 the Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (digital matte painter: Peerless Camera Company
2008 Hink heart (digital matte artist)
2007 – The Golden Compass  (visual effects plate supervisor)
2006 – Casino Royale (model unit supervisor) (visual effects supervisor)
2006 – Red Dwarf: The Tank – Series VIII  (V) (model unit director)
2005 – The Brothers Grimm  (model unit director)
2005 – Batman Begins  (miniature unit supervisor)
2005 – “Captain Scarlet” (sequence director) (1 episode,
2003 – Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life  (visual effects supervisor)
2003 – “Stargate SG-1″ (matte artist) (1 episode, )
2002 – An Angel for May  (TV) (digital matte artist)
2001 – Lara Croft: Tomb Raider  (visual effects supervisor)
1999 – RKO 281 (TV) (visual effects supervisor)
1999 – Ratcatcher (visual effects supervisor)
1999 – The BFI London Imax Signature Film  (visual effects supervisor)
1998 -The Avengers  (effects animation designer: digital unit)
1998 – The Acid House  (visual effects animator)
1998 – Lost in Space  (2d digital artist: The Magic Camera Company)  (visual effects co-supervisor)
1997  – 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (TV) (visual effects supervisor)
1996 – The Adventures of Pinocchio (model unit director)
1995 – GoldenEye  (visual effects: The Magic Camera Company)
1995 – Project Shadowchaser II  (effects animator)
1994 – “Space Precinct” TV series (visual effects director)
1994 – Nostradamus  (matte artist)
1993 – Time Runner (visual effects director: Magic Camera Company)
1992 – Shadowchaser  (matte artist)
1992 – Landslide  (model unit director)
1991 – “The Strauss Dynasty” (mini) TV mini-series (matte artist)
1990 – Hardware  (matte artist) (as Steven Beggs)
1990 – The Neverending Story II: The Next Chapter (special effects technician)
1989 – Batman  (special effects technician: visual effects unit)
1986 – Aliens (model effects) (uncredited)
1986 – “Dick Spanner, P.I.”   TV series ( Director/ cinematographer)
1983 – “Terrahawks”  TV series (special effects) (unknown episodes)

Biography: Provided by Bob Cuff

Shepperton Studios:
1952 After four years at the Camberwell School of Art I, (along with David Hume), was hired as trainee Matte painter by Vincent Korda. (The Matte Department was then called the Special Effects Department). Wally Veevers was Head of Department and his name appeared on most credits (usual practice at the time). George Samuels was principal painter and constructor. Albert Julion was also a brilliant painter, much loved by Vincent Korda. David Hume left Shepperton after a couple of years to become a scenic painter at ABC Studios, Teddington.

Also working as painters were:
Joseph Natanson: went to Rome
Judy Jordan: left about 1954
Ivor Beddoes: Freelance
Alan Maley: went to Hollywood
Others whose names I have forgotten.

The team worked very closely together; paintings were frequently passed from one artist to the other and there were a variety of other effects that we all worked on.

1963 I left Shepperton in 1963 to work for Les Bowie on Charlie Schneer’s ‘First Men in the Moon’ (animated modelwork by Harryhausen). Ray Caple was already working as Les Bowie’s Matte Artist and had been trained by him from an early age. He was a gifted painter and modeller and did his own camera work. Many mattes from Bowie’s were painted and put together by Ray. Unfortunately, Ray died from illness in about 1986(?). I shared all the matte work at Bowie’s with Ray. Les Bowie, a brilliant painter, had virtually stopped painting by the time I went to work for him.

John Mackey left Shepperton after about a year (1964) to join us and help with camera and optical work; John and I worked together for many years.

2001
John Mackey and myself were hired by Stanley Kubrick to make matte shots of the excavated pit on the moon and to make various travelling shots of moonscapes (paintings were not allowed by Kubrick – all the shots were compressed models).

John Mackey, Les Bowie and myself formed a company (Abacus Productions) to make T.V. commercials. (Les Bowie did not want to be involved with commercials and acted as sleeping partner, renting his premises and equipment to the offshoot company).

Whilst at Abacus:

1968 We were invited by Carl Foreman and his designer Geoffrey Drake to carry out painted mattes and other work for McKenna’s Gold. John Mackey went with the main unit to supervise the shooting of the first exposures in America. He also organised the hiring of two 65mm cameras to combine the mattes. Initially two matte shooting positions were set up in the premises of Technicolor U.K. and later transformed to Merton Park Studios in South West London. All negative used was carefully checked to try to avoid ‘jiggle’. The painting was shared between Ray Caple, Lynette Lee, myself and Joy Seddon, who joined us as a matte artist, having previously been working with Stanley Kubric on 2001. We also did various model shots and some pickups, employing a fair number of technicians, including Brian Loftus, John Johnson and others, whose names I can’t remember. My son Paul Cuff worked as Matte Process cameraman and married Joy Seddon, now Joy Cuff.

Subsequently I spent most of my time working on commercials and some T.V. series.

Freelance work after retiring from Abacus:

1987 – Painted some mattes on Princess Bride with cameraman John Grant.
1988 – The Adventures of Baron Munchausen with Joy Cuff and John Grant.
1989 – Erik the Viking – with Joy Cuff, John Grant and Doug Ferris

Bob Cuff  retired after working at Erik the Viking(1989).

Filmography:

At Shepperton Studios under Wally Veevers.
1953 -  Hobson’s Choice (matte painting)
1954 -  Devil Girl from Mars (matte painting)
1955 -  Richard III (matte painting)
1956 -  Three Men in a Boat (matte painting)
1956  – A Killer in Korea (matte painting)
1957  – The Smallest Show on Earth (matte painting)
1957  – The Admiral Crichton (matte painting)
1957  – A King in New York (matte painting)
1958 – Silent Enemy (matte painting)
1958 – I was Monty’s Double (matte painting)
1958 – Carlton Brown of the F.O. (matte painting)
1958 – Room at the Top (matte painting)
1959 – I’m Alright Jack (matte painting)
1959 – Expresso Bongo (matte painting)
1960 – Too Hot to Handle (Animated Superimposition)
1961 – The Guns of Navarone (matte painting)

1961 – Mysterious Island (matte painting)
1962 – The War Lover (matte painting)
1962 – The Longest Day (matte painting)
1962 – The Day of the Triffids (matte painting)
1962 – Summer Holiday(matte painting)
1963 – Jason and the Argonauts (matte painting)
1963 – The Victors (matte painting)
1963 – Heavens Above (matte painting)
1963 – Dr Strangelove (matte painting)

——————————————
Films  at Les Bowie’s Company:
1964  – First Men in the Moon (matte painting)
1964  – Masque of Red Death (matte painting)
1965  – She (matte painting)
1965  – City under the Sea (matte painting)
1966  – One Million Years B.C. (matte painting)
1967  – Dracula has Risen from the Grave (matte painting)

——————————————–
1968- 2001 Space odissey (miniature effects)
1969 – McKenna’s Gold (matte painting)
1972 -  Young Winston (matte painting)
1979 -  Monty Python’s Life of Brian (matte painting)
1987 – Princess Bride (matte painting)
1988 – The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (matte painting)
1989 – Erik the Viking (matte painting)

The full galley is not available yet, but you can visit the old site:

http://galeon.com/traditionalfx3/painters/CuffGallery.html

Biography:

Byron Linden Crabbe. Born: May 5, 1894 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
Died: June 9, 1937 (age 43) in Los Angeles, California, USA

Byron Crabbe painting a gladiatorial arena for “The last days of Pompeii” (1935)

Filmography:

- Gone with the Wind (1939)(Selznick)
- The prisoner of Zenda(1937)(Selznick)
- The last days of Pompei (1935)(RKO)
- Kentucky Kernels (1934)(RKO)
- King Kong(1933)(RKO)
- Son of Kong(1933) (RKO)
- The Most Dangerous Game (1932) (RKO)

Biography:

Cliff Culley,  was one of the backroom boys at Rank in Pinewood Studios on all of those shows from the Harryhausen’s and Carry On’s to the Norman Wisdom cheapies and whatever else was being done at Pinewood.  He started at Pinewood special effects department in 1946, under Bill Warrington as head of the department. At that time it was Les Bowie chief of matte painting, and later on,  when he left, Albert Whitlock worked from 1949 to 1953 at Pinewood matte department.
He worked under Peter Ellenshaw and Albert Whitlock for Disney films like “Sword and the Rose”(1953)
Culley became a matte painting specialist and worked on loads of films over the years,  and became head of Pinewood’s matte painting department in the mid-late 1960s. He also has provided many optical gags on films too, for example, the reflection of thug in the eye of the beautiful girl from the opening of Goldfinger.

Cliff Culley is best known for supervising the matte art on films such as the Brocolli’s You Only Live Twice and On Her Majesty’s Secret Service and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, the latter film is one of his sole supervisory screen credits next to One of Our Dinosaurs is Missing and Spaceman in King Arthur’s Court for Disney, and Hellraiser 2. During the 60´s Culley took Charles Stoneham as matte painter assistant at Pinewood matte department

Since leaving Rank  in the mid 70s Cliff Culley opened his own firm, Westbury Design and Optical  which provided overspill latent image comps and optical tricks on films such as “Hellraiser II”, or “Sword of the valiant” (1984). He got Leigh Took as a matte assistant in 1978 for films as “Warlords of Atlantis” or “Clash of the Titans”.

Cliff Culley retired at 1997 after working on the film Orphans (1997).

Cliff Culley and Roy Filed setting up a matte shot for Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968) at the Pinewood Matte Department.

Those photos (courtesy of Ed Maggiani), were taken at Pinewood Studios in February of 1996.
Cliff Culley very kindly showed some of the many glass paintings he had done, to Production designer Syd Cain and writer journalist Gary Giblin (To whom I sincerely tank to send my those pictures)

1. From Left to right: Syd Cain, Gary Giblin and Cliff Culley in front of a painting from Nightbreed.

2. Gary Giblin with a matte painted for “You only live twice (1967)”

3. A painting from the movie “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969)”

Filmography:

 - Orphans (1997) (matte artist)
- Saint-Ex (1996) (matte effects)
- A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1996) (special photographic effects)
- A Kid in King Arthur’s Court (1995) (matte artist)
- Restoration (1995)(matte paintings by Westbury design and opticals)
- The hour of the pig (1993) (opticals by Westbury design and opticals)
- An Ungentlemanly Act (1992) (TV) (optical effects)
- Nightbreed (1990) (mattes and opticals by Westbury design and opticals)
- Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988) (optical effects supervisor)
- Peter the Great (1986) ( tv miniseries) (Special photographic effects)
- Return to Oz (1985) (Additional opticals by Westbury design and opticals)
- Blind date( 1984) (special photographic effects)
- Sword of the Valiant: The Legend of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (1984) (visual effects)
- The last Days of Pompeii ( 1984) (TV miniseries) (Special photografic effects
- Sahara (1983) (matte paintings by Westbury design and opticals)
- Witness for the Prosecution (1982) (TV) (optical effects)
- The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1982) (TV) (optical effects)
- Clash of the Titans (1981) (special miniatures)
- The Spaceman and King Arthur (1979) (special photographic effects)
- Bear Island (1979) (Special photographic effects)
- City on Fire (1979) (matte artist)
- Arabian Adventure (1979) (matte effects)
- Warlords of Atlantis (1978) (matte effects)
- Candleshoe (1977) (Special matte efecst)
- The Pink Panther strikes again (1976)(special matte and optical effects)
- One of Our Dinosaurs Is Missing (1975) (special processes)
- “The Changes” (visual effects) (2 episodes, 1975)
- Lightning! (1975) TV Episode (visual effects)
- The Noise (1975) TV Episode (visual effects)
- The Man with the Golden Gun (1974) (matte artist) (uncredited)
- “Disneyland” (special effects) (3 episodes, 1974)
- Diamonds on Wheels (1974) TV Episode (special effects)
- “Play for Today” (special effects) (1 episode, 1974)
-Penda’s Fen (1974) TV Episode (special effects)
- Diamonds on Wheels (1974) (special effects)
- “Moonbase 3″ (1973) TV Series (visual effects designer) (unknown episodes)
- Doctor Who” (visual effects) (6 episodes, 1973) (visual effects designer) (6 episodes, 1974-1975)
- Robot  (1975) TV episode (visual effects designer) (as Clifford Culley)
- Invasion of the Dinosaurs (1974) TV episode (visual effects designer) (as Clifford Culley)
- Planet of the Daleks (1973) TV episode (visual effects designer) (as Clifford Culley)
- Zeppelin (1971) (matte photographer)
- The Deserter (1971) (optical effects)
- The Firechasers (1971) (special effects)
- Kidnapped (1971) (special effects)
- Carry on Henry (1971) (optical effects)
- The Magnificent Seven Deadly Sins (1971) (special effects)
- Hands of the Ripper (1971) (special effects)
- Jane Eyre (1970) (special effects)
- Toomorrow (1970) (optical effects)
- On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969) (matte artist) (uncredited)
- Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968) (matte effects)
- You Only Live Twice (1967) (matte artist) (uncredited)
- Follow that camel (1967) (optical effects)
- Khartoum (1966) (special photographic effects)
- Thunderball (1965) (optical effects supervisor) (uncredited)
- The Early Bird (1965) (special matte effects)
- Goldfinger (1964) (optical effects supervisor) (uncredited)
- Carry on Cleo (1964) (optical effects) (uncredited)
- From Russia with Love (1963) (matte artist) (uncredited)
- The Bay of St. Michel (1963) (special effects)
- Dr. No (1962) (matte artist) (uncredited)
- The bulldog breed (1960) (special effects) (uncredited)
- Sink the Bismarck! (1960) (special effects assistant) (uncredited)
- North West Frontier (1959) (matte artist) (uncredited)
- A night to remember (1958) (special effects assistant) (uncredited)
- The One That Got Away (1957) (special processes) (uncredited)
- Across the Bridge (1957) (special processes) (uncredited)
- Tale of two cities (1958) (matte artist) (uncredited)
- The prince and the showgirl (1957) (matte artist) (uncredited)
- The one that got a way (1957)  (matte artist) (uncredited)
-The Battle of the River Plate (1956) (matte artist) (uncredited)
- Hell below zero (1954) (matte artist) (uncredited)
- Sword and the Rose (1953) (matte artist) (uncredited)

Terry Adlam started as special effects  and model maker trainee under Cliff Culley at Westbury desigs and Opticals. During  the next years he also worked for two Lucas films made at England and also at Gerry Anderson TV series. At 1986 he write and direct Dick Spanner (TV series).  His last collaboration  as FX artist was for Nightbreed(1990),  again helping his mentor and friend Cliff Culley.
During the last decades he has been  focusing in his writiting work for TV comedy shows,  and stage plays.

To known more about him,  visit his web site:
http://www.terryadlam.co.uk/

Filmography:

- Nightbreed (1990) .(Optical and Matte Assistant) WESTBURY DESIGN & OPTICAL
- Dick Spanner P. I (1986) Tv series).  (Creator, Co-Writer, Director)
- Gunbus /Sky bandits  (1986)  (Special Effects)
- Terrahaws series 1 (1983) TV series)  (Set and Prop builder) GERRY ANDERSON
- Terrahaws Sseries 2.(1983) TV series)  (Supervisior Special Effects )
- Return of the Jedi (1983) – (Special Effects)
- Raiders on the lost Ark (1980) (Special Effects Trainee /assisted on pyrotechnic)
- Clash of the Titans (1980) (Special Effects / Modelmaker) WESTBURY DESIGN & OPTICAL
- Bear island (1979)  (Special Effects / Modelmaker) WESTBURY DESIGN & OPTICAL
- Arabian adventure  (1979)   (Special Effects / Modelmaker) WESTBURY DESIGN & OPTICAL
- The spaceman  and King Arthur (1979)    (Special Effects / Modelmaker)  WESTBURY DESIGN & OPTICAL
- Murder by decree(1979)   (Special Effects / Modelmaker)  WESTBURY DESIGN & OPTICAL

Ken Allen worked as matte artist at VFX company Dream Quest images during several years.

Filmography:

- Freejack (1992) (matte artist: DQI)
- Defending Your Life (1991) ( matte artist)
- Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare (1991) (visual effects matte artist: DQI)
- Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man (1991) (matte artist)
- Defending Your Life (1991) (matte artist)
- Total recall(1991)(matte painter)
- The Abyss (1989) (matte artist: Dreamquest Images)
- The blob(1989) (matte painter)
- Big Business (1988) (special visual effects)
- A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master -(1988) (matte painter)

Chesley Bonestell  started working on the movie businnes  at 1938, doing some matte work for  Errol Flynn´s The adventures of Robin Hood. He made paintings for movies like, Citizen Kane(1941),The Hunchback of Notre Dame(1939),or  The fountainhead(1949).
He also contributed  painting backgrounds, like the lunar landscape for Destination Moon(1950) He is well known as a pioneer of the astronomical art.

Filmography:

- “Men Into Space” (1959) TV Series (creator: space concepts)
- Conquest of Space (1955) (astronomical art)
- Cat-Women of the Moon (1953) (moonscape paintings)
- War of the Worlds, The (1953) (space art)
- When Worlds Collide (1951) (technical advisor)
- Destination Moon (1950) (space art and technical advisor)
- Fountainhead, The (1949) (matte artist) (uncredited)
- Horn Blows at Midnight, The (1945) (matte artist)
- Rhapsody in Blue (1945) (matte artist) (uncredited)
- Adventures of Mark Twain, The (1944) (matte artist)
- Magnificent Ambersons, The (1942) (background paintings)
- Citizen Kane (1941) (background paintings)
- How Green Was My Valley (1941) (matte artist) (uncredited)
- Charley’s Aunt (1941) (matte artist)
- Swiss Family Robinson (1940) (background paintings)
- Tom Brown’s School Days (1940)
- Only Angels Have Wings (1939) (background paintings)
- Hunchback of Notre Dame, The (1939) (background paintings)
- Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)
- The adventures of Robin Hood (1938) (matte artist)

Biography:

Les Bowie started as scenic artist on Rank Studios at 1946.  He saw Percy Day and his assistants executing matte paintings and he thought he could do it as good and probably faster than them.  At 1946 he took his chance and became matte painter at Pinewood Studios, where he worked with a young Albert Whitlock who came from Denham Studios at 1949.
At 1950 he left Rank and started his career as full FX artist, doing mattes, miniatures, mechanical effects, etc.
He created his own FX Company, working in most of the Hammer films.  At the late 50´s he took Derek Meddings as matte artist assistant, but he soon lef to work at Gerry Anderson TV series. He trained Ray Caple as matte painter from his early teens. During the 60´s he got also Bob Cuff, to help Ray Caple painting mattes, they were responsible for lots of matte work under Les Bowie supervision.
He returned to matte paintings for Superman (1978) for which he earned an Oscar. He passes away soon after his Superman’s work.

Les Bowie  with a glass painting from Superman (1978)

Filmography:
- Dracula (1979) (special effects)
- Superman (1978) (creative supervisor of mattes & composites)
- Star Wars (1977) (visual effects) (uncredited)
- Simbad and the eye of the tiger (1977) (Special effects)
- To the Devil a Daughter (1976) (special effects)
- Call Him Mr. Shatter (1976) (special effects)
- The ‘Human’ Factor (1975) (special effects)
- The Lifetaker (1975) (special effects)
- Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell (1974) (special effects)
- “The Boy with Two Heads” (1974) TV series (visual effects)
- Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires (1973) (special effects)
- The Satanic Rites of Dracula  (1973) (special effects)
- Holiday on the Buses (1973) (special effects)
- Dracula A.D. 1972 (1972) (special effects)
- Nothing But the Night (1972) (special effects)
- Vampire Circus (1971) (special effects)
- Scars of Dracula (1970) (special effects)
- When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth (1970)(special effects)
- The Assassination Bureau (1969) (special effects)
- Taste the blood of dracula (1969)(special effects)
- Moon Zero Two (1969) (special effects creator)
- Mosquito Squadron (1969) (special effects) (uncredited)
- Attack on the Iron Coast (1968)
- 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) (special effects)
- Casino Royale (1967) (special matte worker)
- Rocket to the Moon (1967) (special effects)
- A challenge for Robin hood (1967) (special effects)
- The vengeance of She (1967)(special effects)
- The Mummy’s Shroud (1967) (special effects)
- Frankenstein Created Woman (1967) (special effects)
- Quatermass and the Pit (1967) (special effects)
- The Terrornauts (1967) (special effects)
- They Came From Beyond Space (1967) (special effects)
- One Million Years B.C. (1966) (prologue designer)
- Cul de sac (1966) (special effects)
- Fahrenheit 451 (1966) (special effects)
-  The Plague of the Zombies (1966) (special effects) (uncredited)
- The Quiller Memorandum (1966) (special effects)
- The Reptile  (1966) (special effects)
- Rasputin the mad monk (1965)(special effects)
- Dracula prince of darknes (1965)(special effects)
- The face of Fumanchu (1965) (special effects)
- The City Under the Sea (1965) (special effects)
- First Men in the Moon (1964) (special effects staff)
- The Evil of Frankenstein (1964) (special effects)
- The Devil-Ship Pirates (1964) (special effects)
- She (1964 )(special effects)
- Nightmare (1964) (special effects) (uncredited)
- Doctor strangelove (1963) (special effects)
- The Gorgon (1963) (special effects)

- Jason and the argonauts (1963) (special effects)
- The Crimson Blade (1963) (special effects) aka The Scarlet Blade
- Kiss of the Vampire, The (1963) (special effects)
- Old Dark House, The (1963) (special effects)
- Paranoiac (1963) (special effects)
- Pirates of Blood River (1962) (special effects)
- Lancelot and Geneviere(1962) (special effects)
- Night Creatures (1962) (special effects) aka Captain Clegg
- Shadow of the Cat (1961) (special effects)
- Curse of the Werewolf, The (1961) (special effects)
- Day the Earth Caught Fire, The (1961) (special effects)
- Dr. Blood’s Coffin (1961) (special effects)
- The damned (1961) (special effects)
- The Phantom of the opera( 1961) (special effects)
- Taste of fear (1960) (special effects)
- The Brides of Dracula (1960)(special effects)
- The terror of the tongs (1960) (special effects)
- Sink the Bismarck (1959) (special effects)
- The mummy (1959) (special effects)
- The ugly duckling (1959) (special effects)
- Swiss family Robinson (1959) (Special effects)
- The hound of the Baskervilles (1958) (special effects)
- The Trollenberg Terror (1958) (special effects) aka The Crawling Eye
- Grip of the Strangler (1958) (special effects)
- Dracula (1958) (special effects) (uncredited)
- Town on Trial (1957) (special effects) (as Leslie Bowie)
- Quatermass II (1957) (special effects)
- X: The Unknown (1956) (special effects associate)
- One Wish Too Many (1956) (special effects)
- The curse of Frankenstein (1956) (special effects)
- Keep It Clean (1956) (special effects) (as Bowie and Margutti)
- The Quatermass Xperiment (1955) (special effects)
- 1984 (1955) (special effects)
- The Damn Busters (1954) (special effects)
- Spaceways (1953) (special effects)
- The master of Ballantrae(1953) (special effects)
- So Long at the Fair (1950) (special effects)
- Oliver Twist (1948) (matte painter) (uncredited)
- The red shoes (1948) (matte painter )(uncredited)
- Great Expectations (1946) (matte painter) (uncredited)
- School for secrets (1946) ( scenic artist)

The full gallery is not available yet, but you can visit the old site:

http://galeon.com/traditionalfx2/LesBowie/bowie-Gallery.html