Alan Sonneman
1938 Channing Ave.
Palo Alto, CA. USA 94303
650 465-3790
asonneman@mac.com
Work Experience:
Eevolver, Los Angeles, CA // Feb 2023 - Mar 2023
Harry Winston Jewelry Spring Catalog - Photo re-touch artist
● Composted and re-touched photographs and computer-generated images.
Oversaw color color grading for continuity of final images.
FuseFX, Los Angeles, USA // Jan 2018 - May 2018
Numerous TV shows – Digital matte/photo re-touch artist
● Completed 2D elements for Love, Ball Street, Ozark, American Crime Story,
Scorpion. Designated Survivor and Timeless including photo re-touching stills
for marketing.
Method Studios, Santa Monica, USA // Apr 2017 - May 2017
Spider-man Homecoming – Digital matte artist
● Completed 2D elements for compositing for the Washington Mall sequence.
Method Studios, Santa Monica, USA // Feb 2017 - Apr 2017
Guardians of the Galaxy 2 – Digital matte artist
● Completed 2D elements for 3D projection in Nuke for compositing for the
Berhart crash sequence.
MPC, Montreal, Canada // Oct 2016 - Jan 2017
Ghost in the Shell & Wonder Woman – Digital matte artist
● Completed several matte composites for 3D projection in Nuke.
MPC, Santa Monica, USA // Feb 2016
Samsung / Dreams are Awesome – Digital matte/photo re-touch artist
● Completed several 2D matte paintings as well as photo retouching stills for
marketing.
Pixomondo, Santa Monica, USA // Oct 2014 – Nov 2014
Marco Polo / Netflix Series – Digital matte artist
● Completed multiple matte paintings of the walled city in episode 10.
Mirada Studios, Los Angeles. USA // May 2014
Exxon Mobile / Print – Photo re-touch artist
● Composted and re-touched photographs for a print campaign.
Logan, Los Angeles, CA USA // Jan 2014 - Feb 2014
Captain America / The Winter Soldier – Digital matte artist
● Completed a group of aerial images for compositing into surveillance
interfaces.
Mirada Studios, Los Angeles. USA // Jan 2014
Exxon Mobile / Print – Photo re-touch artist
● Composted and re-touched photographs for a print campaign.
Mirada Studios, Los Angeles. USA // Nov 2013 - Dec 2013
Exxon Mobile / Print – Digital matte artist
●Composted and re-touch photographs for the print edition of the New York
Times.
The Molecule, Los Angeles. USA // Mar 2013
Elementary TV Show – Digital matte artist
● Completed matte paintings of snow in NYC for television.
Mirada Studios, Los Angeles. USA // Feb2013
Exxon Mobile / Print – Digital matte artist
Composted and re-touch photographs for the print edition of the New York
Times.
Mirada Studios, Los Angeles. USA // Feb 2013
Exxon Mobile / Print – Photo re-touch artist
●Composted and re-touch photographs for a print campaign for corporate
presentation.
Buster Design, Los Angeles. USA // Jan 2013
The Governor’s Wife – Photo re-touch artist
Composited large image out of dozens of other images for a print ad.
Mikros Images, Montreal. Canada // Apr 2012 – Jun 2012
Asterix and Obelix 3D – Digital matte artist
● Completed matte paintings for stereoscopic projection in Nuke.
Crytek Games, Frankfurt, Germany // Feb 2012 – Mar 2012
Ryse – Photo re-touch artist
● Completed several large panoramas or ancient Rome and a sky dome for game
environment.
Eveo, San Francisco, CA // Jul 2009 – Aug 2009
Healthcare Marketing – Concept/photo re-touch artist
● Completed concept work for sub-cell simulations.
Motion Theory, Venice, CA // Nov 2008
McCain’s Chips / A Natural Symphony – Digital matte/concept artist
● Developed concepts and multiple matte paintings for English TV
commercial.
Troika, Los Angeles, CA // Aug 2008
ESPN - Sports Center – Concept/photo re-touch artist
● Completed concept work for prime-time network intro graphics.
Digital Domain, Venice, CA // Jun 2008 – Jul 2008
Sobe Life Water / Summer Magic – Digital matte artist
● Completed multiple matte paintings for a TV commercial
Rhythm & Hues, Los Angeles, CA // Mar 2008 – May 2008 The
Mummy / Tomb of the Dragon Emperor – Digital matte artist
● Completed several matte paintings for the Himalayan temple
sequence.
CafeFX, Santa Maria, CA // Dec 2007 – Jan 2008
Nimes Island – Digital matte artist
● Completed multiple matte paintings for feature film.
Digital Domain, Venice, CA // Dec 2006
Fox / Daytona 500 Commercial– Digital matte artist
● Completed opening zoom-in from space for this commercial.
Speedshape, Birmingham, MI // Aug 2006
Saturn – Photo re-touch artist
● Produced still images for Saturn ad campaign
The Orphanage, San Francisco, CA // Jun 2006 – Aug 2006
In the Name of the King – Digital matte artist
● Completed multiple matte paintings of mountains and cliffs.
Blind, Santa Monica, CA // Apr 2006 – May 2006
Fox Sports / 2006 All-Star Game – Digital matte/concept artist
● Developed concepts, 2D and 3D matte paintings for over 20 shots.
The Syndicate, Santa Monica, CA // Dec 2005
ESPN Monday Night Football – Concept/photo re-touch artist
● Developed 3 concepts for the fall 2006 launch program.
Engine Room, Santa Monica, CA // Oct 2005
Lionsgate Title Design – Concept artist
● Developed final graphic for the Lionsgate corporate motion graphic.
Radium, San Francisco, CA // May 2005 – Jul 2005
Wolverine Boots – Digital matte artist
● Designed, photographed location, and executed 4 matte paintings for a 64x
zoom-back of climbers shot against a green screen to place them on the rim of the
Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River.
Threshold, Santa Monica, CA // Dec 2004 – Apr 2005
Creation / Crystal Cathedral – Digital matte/photo re-touch artist
● Created two large images 9200 pixels wide for projection onto a 250 ft wide
stage for the theatrical production “Creation” at the Crystal Cathedral, Garden
Grove, CA.
Morgan Creek Productions, Los Angeles, CA // Aug 2004 – Sep 2004
The Exorcist / The Beginning – Digital matte artist
● Created texture maps and matte elements for a 3D model of Cairo for opening
sequence.
Hammerhead Productions, Los Angeles, CA // Apr 2004 – May 2004
The Chronicles of Riddick – Digital matte artist
● Completed multiple matte paintings for feature film.
ILM, San Rafeal, CA // Dec 2003 – Jan 2004
The Day After Tomorrow – Concept artist
● Created concept art for the New York snow sequence.
Giant Killer Robots, San Francisco, CA // May 2003 – Jul 2003
Matrix Revolution – Digital matte/concept artist
● Created concept designs and matte paintings for the Zion sequence.
Digital Domain, Venice, CA // Jan 2003 – Apr 2003
Secondhand Lions & Loony Tunes – Digital matte artist
● Completed multiple matte paintings involving 3D projection in Nuke.
Electronic Arts, Redwood City, CA // Jul 2002 – Sep 2002
The Two Towers – Digital matte/photo re-touch artist
● Created 360-degree skydomes for the game Lord of the Rings / The Two
Towers.
GRP, St. Helena, CA // Apr 2002 – Jun 2002
Apollo 17 – Photo re-touch artist
● Developed a color map of the whole earth from NOAA B&W scans to exactly
match the famous Apollo 17 photo of the whole earth from space.
Electronic Arts, Redwood City, CA // Sep 2001
Bond – Digital matte/photo re-touch artist
● Created 360-degree mountain dioramas for the game Bond / The World is
Not Enough.
PDI Dreamworks, Palo Alto, CA // Aug 1997 – Aug 2001
Feature Film – Digital matte artist
● Antz, Shrek, Forces of Nature, The Legend of Bagger Vance, AI, Minority
Report, People I Know, Evolution, Mission Impossible 2, Super Nova
● Responsibilities included the design and development of concepts for matte
paintings and their execution in either 2D or modeling and camera mapping when
necessary using Maya.
Interscope Pictures, San Francisco, CA // May 1997 – Aug 1997
What Dreams May Come – Concept artist
● Assisted Academy Award winning Production Designer Eugenio Zanetti in the
design and development of murals and backdrops.
Digital Domain, Venice, CA // Oct 1996 – May 1997
Feature Films and Commercials – Digital matte/concept artist
● Dante’s Peak, Fifth Element, Titanic, Budweiser Lizards.
● Oversaw the design and executed the matte elements for the opening and
closing shots of the movie Dante’s Peak.
● Created the concept designs for the Budweiser Lizards.
● Matte painting on Fifth Element and paint fixes for Titanic.
Rocket Science Games, San Francisco, CA // Oct 1995 – Aug 1996
Obsidian – Digital matte artist
● Under the tutelage of the legendary Ron Cobb I made the
transition to the digital environment, doing matte painting, texture
maps and level design.
Matte World Digital, Novato, CA // Jun 1995 – Jul 1995
Hackers – Digital matte artist
● Worked with Chris Evans on a large photo-based traditional matte painting.
Academy of Art Studios, Novato, CA // Jun 1995 – Jul 1995
Museum Displays – Senior scenic designer
● Weyerhaeuser Visitors Center, Livingston, WA; Natural History Museum,
Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC
● Designed and oversaw the painting and installation of scenic backgrounds
for museum dioramas.
Boss Films, Los Angeles, CA // Apr 1900 – Aug 1993
Feature Film and Commercials – Traditional matte artist
● Cliffhanger, Batman Returns, Aliens 3, United Airlines Whales, Showscan
● Worked with senior matte artist Michelle Moen and visual effects supervisors
Neil Krepela and John Bruno on traditional matte shots over three years
on a job-to-job basis.
Before joining Boss Films, I worked as a traditional painter on films, commercials,
rock videos, and murals as well as showing and selling my own fine art. I
participated in the creation of MTV working on videos for Madonna, Prince and
Michael Jackson. I also worked for Bob Abel, Limelight and Propaganda
Films.
Commissions:
● Biltmore Hotel (Lobby & Bistro) LA, CA 1985
● San Francisco Hilton (Presidential Suite) SF, CA 1989
● Barry Sanders Residence, Bel Air, CA 1990
● Riverside County Hall of Justice, Riverside, CA 1992
● Fairmont Hotel (Lobby), New Orleans, LA 1993
● Northern Trust Bank (Exec. Office Lobby) LA, CA 1993
● Dept. of Water and Power, Sun Valley, CA 1994
● Lobby, US Embassy, Islamabad, Pakistan 2016
Education :
● Northwestern University, Evanston, IL
● San Francisco Art Institute BFA 1975
Teaching Experience:
Corcoran School of Art, Washington, DC 1979 – 1982
● Lectured on contemporary art issues
Otis College of Art and Design, Los Angeles, CA // 1990 – 1993
● Taught basic still-life drawing for the foundations department
Academy of Art University, San Francisco, CA 2002 to 2010
Taught the following:
● Matte painting at the graduate level
● Graduate class in the application of visual effects
● Photoshop for both graduate students and entry-level stud