Mathieu Raynault is a Canadian digital matte painter, concept artist, and VFX art director. He has been producing matte paintings and illustrations for over 15 years. He is well known for his contributions on film productions like The Lord of the Rings, The Matrix series, Terminator Salvation, The Golden Compass, King Kong, Gangs of New York, and Star Wars saga; as well as many video games and print advertising projects. In 2011, after five years at RODEO FX, the internationally known VFX studio he co-founded in 2006, Mathieu launched his in Montreal, Canada.
Early life and education
Mathieu graduated from the four-year professional program in Architecture Design at the Laval University Art & Architecture School, as well as the National Animation and Design Center in Montreal. Once his studies were completed, he honed his craft on the high-definition TV series The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne, as well as with Montreal-based FX houses Icestorm Digital and Tube Studios, creating 2D and 3D digital environments, and 3D animations for HDTV series, commercials and 3D rides. A portfolio of his work on Jules Verne scored him an interview with Lucasfilm in San Francisco in 1999. That led to a staff position with the fabled Industrial Light + Magic studio, where he created matte paintings for, among other feature films.
Discovery Channel - Super Volcano - concept artist - matte painter
Discovery Channel - Inside The Space Station - 3D artist - matte painter
Recognition, Awards, and Nominations
December 2009: His Financial Time print piece wins Silver Award at the Creative Circle for Best Landscape Poster and Silver Honor at the Campaign's Big Awards 2009.
February 2008: Academy Award. Raynault was part of the Oscar-winning team in the visual effects category for Golden Compass. Credited as Digital Matte Painter.
March 2006: Academy Award. Raynault was part of the Oscar-winning team at Weta digital, in the visual effects category for King Kong. Credited as Digital Matte Painter.
June 2005: “Into the Pixel” award winner - E3 2005. The “Babylon on Fire” matte painting created for the videogame Prince of Persia III was selected by The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences for its videogame art exhibition at the E3 videogame convention.
March 2004: Academy Award. Raynault was part of the Oscar-winning team at Weta digital, in the visual effects category for The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. Credited as Digital Matte Painter.
March 2003: Academy Award. In the visual effects category for Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones. Raynault was part of the nominated team at ILM, credited as Digital Matte Painter.
March 2003: Academy Award. Raynault was part of the Oscar-winning team at Weta digital, in the visual effects category for The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. Credited as Digital Matte Painter.
February 2003: Art work and matte painting selected and presented in the book The Art of The Two Towers by Gary Russell.
January 2003: VES Awards nominee for Best Matte Painting in a Motion Picture for The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. Industrial Light & Magic|visual effects Society Awards.
January 2003: VES Awards nominee for Best Matte Painting in a Motion Picture for Gangs of New York. visual effects Society Awards.
In the year 2003, he was nominated for VES Award for Gangs of New York and The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.
March 2002: Nominee for Best Special Effects at the Saturn Awards. Nominated for digital matte work on the movie The Mummy Returns.
July 2000: CG artwork selected and presented on the CG Channel “Top CG Elite Gallery”
June 2000: Nominee for Best visual effects at the Monitor Awards for digital matte artwork created for the HD television series The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne.
April 1996: Third prize for excellence in architecture design, class of 1996 at Université Laval, Quebec City, Canada.
