Painting the Galaxy

From Tatooine to Scarif, matte paintings have played a crucial role in creating the far-flung locales of Star Wars. Insider caught up with visual-effects veteran Paul Huston for a look at how the techniques have evolved over the course of the saga.

JON D. WITMER

The Death Star’s chasms. Bespin’s Cloud City. The Ewoks’ village in the trees of Endor. The Gungans’ home beneath the waters of Naboo. The starship graveyard of Jakku. The rainsoaked crags of Eadu. What could unite such disparate vistas? From the beginning of the Star Wars saga through to its most recent big-screen installments, matte paintings have helped realize far-flung settings that dazzle the eyes and fuel the imagination. By the time George Lucas formed Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) to create the visual effects for the original Star Wars, multiple variations of the technique—which combines a live-action element with painted scenery in order to create the illusion of a larger setting—had been developed and refined. The processes by which visual effects artists bring matte paintings to cinematic life would…

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Star Wars Insider Special Edition 2020 (Digital) - 1 Issue, Star Wars Insider Special Edition 2020

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