Another Matte

Matte Paintings today are usuall done in computer programs and edited there as well, however in the old days, they were painted on large sheets of glass using pastel or oil paints because they were scenes and locations that would be too expensive or impossible to build. Computers then edited in the live action footage from a green screen and it all came together. As seen with the excellen piece above, the paintings are usually VERY detailed and well done. Not only does it look epic, but it fits the criteria of it being an impossible. Some notable mattes are the Government Warehouse in Raiders of the Last Ark, Emerald City in Wizard of Oz, and even London as Mary Poppins floated on her umbrella. Today these things are pretty much painted in photoshop or another design program for ease and lesser cost of materials total, but it is amazing how they did it in the past.