This is the final image from a thread called Matte from the beginning, http://forums.cgsociety.org/showthread.php?f=196&t=690213.

The start image was a panoramic photo from the Village of Stamford. Stamford has been used a s a period location for several hollywood films. Daniel Day Lewis and Penelope Cruz, were filming a mile away for a new period drama/musical.

The image was put together in photoshop and corrected. The snow was done in photoshop. The sweet shop was modelled in Sketch Up and painted in photoshop. The snow was hand painted in photoshop. A lot of research was carried out. The image then was placed in After Effects for the particle snow effect. Colour correction was carried out in AE as well.

The finished video though short is viewable here,

http://www.vimeo.com/2323946

This was a bare your soul exercise where I shared the process with fellow matte painters. I really value the open opinions and support given by fellow CG artists. I would like to give everyone here my blessings for a Happy and Safe New Year.

Rich