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Sydney Richard Dutton began his career in
the mail room at
Universal Studios. While delivering mail, he was introduced to the art
of matte painting via daily visits to the studio of veteran
matte
painter Albert Whitlock.
Fascinated by
Whitlock's approach to
realism, Dutton began nearly a decade in the department, beginning as
Whitlock's assistant matte artist.
Whitlock taught him the basics of painting photographically and how to
give life to a painting.
After Whitlock's
retirement in 1984, Dutton, along with his
colleague, Director of Photography Bill Taylor, decided to buy the
department's
equipment and formed Illusion Arts with the talented staff they had
worked with at Universal Studios. Illusion Arts closed at
2009. Dutton joined Zoic studios
that year.
He
is an active mentor to many current matte and visual/special
effects/digital artists.
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Links
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Dutton
painting a matte on glass
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Syd
Dutton works on a Season 1 matte B&B painting
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(left)
Syd
Dutton (r) and Bill Taylor, partners in Illusions Art |
Set
B&B walls, some with mattes attached |
 
Iconic
'Chamber of the Winds' matte.
Matte sequences were shot on 35mm film, while the rest
of episode was videotaped.
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Set
and matte painted for it. |
Set
and mattes of Whispering Gallery bridge
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| Images from a recent auction |
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Matte of stone stairs gallery
| The Whispering Gallery
 | The Pipe Chamber
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Bridge and Gallery
| The Underground River (To Reign in Hell)
 | Multi-level ruined gallery from Pilot episode
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Matte
of the chimney over the Mirror Pool in 'Ashes, Ashes'
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The
long
staircase - set, lighting and final version
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Shooting
boat scene from 'To Reign in Hell'
This was later superimposed on matte of underground lake
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| Episode
captures of matte
art scenes |
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Distant
view of bridge in 'Terrible Saviour' |
Close
up of bridge
in 'Terrible Saviour' |
Detail
behind bridge in 'Terrible Saviour' |
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Bridge in
'Labyrinths'
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Bridge
in 'Trial' |
Bridge
in 'Walk Slowly' |
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Tunnels and Culverts
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Brick
tunnel in 'Beast Within'
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Tunnel
in 'An Impossible Silence'
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Three way culvert
in 'A Children's Story
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Tunnel
view in 'Terrible Saviour'
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Another
tunnel image in 'Terrible Saviour'
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Culverts in 'To Reign in Hell'
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Signature
wet tunnel first seen in 'The Alchemist |
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Brooklyn
Bridge in 'Masques'
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NYC
night backdrop in pilot episode |
Iconic
scene with NYC backdrop in pilot episode |
NYC
backdrop in 'A Distant Shore
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Looking
up in 'A Happy Life'
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| Tunnel Scenes |
Tunnel
scene in pilot episode
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Iconic
running scene from pilot episode
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Iconic
tunnel still in 'Terrible Saviour'
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The Stone Spiral Steps
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'Dead
of Winter'
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'Outsiders'
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Bottomless steps
in 'Legacies' |
Chimney over Mirror Pool
in 'Ashes Ashes'
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The Pipe
Chamber
in 'Impossible Silence
Other
scenes
Warehouse
interior in 'Beast Within'
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Network of steps and tunnels with a pool
in 'The Rest is Silence' |
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The
Waterfall
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'A
Happy Life'
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'Remember
Love'
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'God
Bless the Child'
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'Orphans'
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'A
Time to Heal' |
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The
Nameless River
First
view in 'To Reign in Hell' |
Second
view, same episode |
More
colourful view, same episode |
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The
Abyss
'Terrible
Saviour'
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'Fever'
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'Brothers' |
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The Chamber of the Winds
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'Dark
Spirit'
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'A
Happy Life'
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'Temptation' |
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