All images used were licensed under Creative Commons and were taken from Flickr or DeviantArt.

Flickr:

ippei + janine, Luke Robinson, hogeasdf, mioi, lmbaker3, Rodrigo_Soldon, Rodrigo Sousa1, datageist, the_girl, grungetextures, ajawin, webtreatsetc, DominusVobiscum, timtak, shinyai, jimg944, Stuck in Customs, Aaron Webb, Hector de Pereda, Adurinha, infinitewhite, sanue, sleeptako, linux4all, Jeremy Burgin, ~Duncan~, tanakawho

DevArt:

Sitara-LeotaStock, MatrixStock, SimplyBackgrounds, Disney-Stock, Heeeeman, Princessmia62, Pieceofmestock, SuperAwesomeStock, sfprincess-stock, Mimose-Stock, Telophase, LucieG, Skybase, Keunt-Stock, Cyborgsuzystock, Resurgere

Final image with credits~

DOOOONNNEEEE >__< 250+ images and 50-60hrs of work…. and it’s finally done… Certainly need more practice with matte painting in the future though…

6.1 Added texture with photoshop brushes (from DevArt) to add some more depth and realism to the fog. Also added more shadows to the gates and sand in the foreground. Small details added to the metal rocks. Only thing I’m not content with now is the top of the sky… >.o

6.0 Started adding fog… too dull though - needs textures.

5.0 Finished the foreground, found a replacement for the main body of the water and played with colours a bit more… Almost done! Will edit the skyline and colours of the water in the morning I think >_<

4.1 Rocks and wires progress: this is the fourth attempt to create metal rocks @__@ tried 3 different photoshop methods and photos and even attempted to create some in Maya then finally found some photos of padlocks that suited ^^

Also painted the wires manually and then added small images of metal wires for some texture… not fantastic but it’ll have to do. Adding one more metal rock and then I finish editing the orange gateways.

4.0 Detailed close up of Ryokan - added metal bars and painted metal textures on to the building. Currently working on wire cables and the metal rocks.

3.2 Edited middle ground colours, water and started on the foreground. Added lanterns and metal poles - need to texture metal rocks and bars and add cables >.o then start editing the orange gates… getting there…

Bit confused about the colours of the foreground… to create depth it should be dark and dim… but since it’s the focus of the picture… it should be lighter… orange highlights maybe?

3.1 Still working on the sky, but the base is down~ Started manipulating the colours of the background mountains and shoreline with Hue/Saturation, Colour Balance, Curves and Color layers. Next is the middleground colours~

Light source: behind and slightly left from centre of the image/camera.

3.0 Nearly have all the base images down - just need to add the sky and small details (like lanterns) and then I can start playing with the colours and painting over it~

It’s not as neat as I’d hoped >.o but suitable Creative Commons images are hard to find…. and there’s well over 200 layers in there so far…

I am proud of this bit though XD

Started this as an extension of the beach but found the perspective wasn’t right so I moved it back - it takes away a lot of the detail but meh, I like it ^_^

2.2 Added the far shoreline, refined the trees in the foreground and started work on the middle ground hills. White scribbles on the water = reference for lighting.

2.1 Did my best with the water… had a bit of trouble finding links between the foreground and middleground. Also started adding forestation behind the ryokan and added the orange gateways. Focusing on getting the base images down for now - will add finer details and textures afterwards.

2.0 Started to get the water sorted - focusing on the ripples rather than the colours…

1.1 Draft layout and progress work~

Finally decided upon a composition ^^ trying to go for a slightly more simple design (compared to my other ideas and working with images I have found). Setting will be dusk so the colour palette will be pinks, purples and oranges fading in to darker blue and purple in the background. Rusty metal will be wrapped around the building in front and the gates in the water. Following the water line will be cliff faces and forestation. Mountains in the far back aaand then sky and fog to fill.

1.0 Composition: Colour and Depth Guide

2.1 Matte Painting by Raphael Lacoste

Love love love this. Very much a dystopia though the colours make it look utopian - shall use this sort of contrast in my own creation to give the illusion of utopia. Love the reflections and shadows and the monumentality and depth of the layout.

2.2 Matte Painting/Concept Art by Raphael Lacoste

Slightly more painterly than I intend to go, but I do love the mood and composition of this picture. Also referencing the steampunk elements and use of colour.

2.3 Matte Painting by Andreas Rocha

Great composition and use of lighting. Love the layers.