Dylan Cole
Dylan Cole is an American Digital Matte-Painter and concept artist specializing in work for film, television, and video games. Cole received a degree in fine arts from UCLA.[1] He is best known for his work on feature films like The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Avatar[2][3] and its sequel, Daredevil, Alice in Wonderland, Tron: Legacy, Maleficent and The Chronicles of Riddick. He recently published his first book, The Otherworldly Adventures of Tyler Washburn.[4][5]
Matte-painting community
Cole co-authored the book D'artiste Matte Painting: Digital Artists Master Class[6] in which he shares of his work process and industry experiences throughout his career, and through the Gnomon Workshop has released instructional DVDs featuring his digital matte painting techniques.[7][8]
Career
After a vast career as Digital Matte Artist, Cole became an Art Director and is today the Production Designer for the Avatar franchise produced by Lightstorm Entertainment and distributed by 20th Century Studios, including Avatar 3. The second installment, The Way of Water, was released on December 16, 2022. The planned sequel series was announced by 20th Century Fox on December 11, 2009, one week before Avatar was released to theaters. 20th Century Fox had confirmed the series on January 15, 2010. The Avatar franchise is one of the most expensive franchises undertaken, with the combined budget of the first film and its four sequels estimated at $1 billion. The franchise has grossed over $5.2 billion worldwide; it is the 14th-highest-grossing film series of all time.
Recognition
Awards and nominations
As part of the team that created the artwork for James Cameron's 2009 film Avatar Cole received a 2010 Directors Guild of America Award for Excellence in Production Design. He also received nominations from Art Directors Guild for Excellence In Production Design For A Fantasy Feature Film for both Alice in Wonderland and Tron: Legacy.[9] Cole stated that his inspiration for the forests of Avatar came from a trip on the Kuranda Skyrail.[10][11]
Partial filmography
- Daredevil (2003)
- The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
- Van Helsing (2004)
- The Chronicles of Riddick (2004)
- I, Robot (2004)
- Little Black Book (2004)
- Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004)
- The Aviator (2004)
- Flight of the Phoenix (2004)
- The Ring Two (2005)
- A Sound of Thunder (2005)
- Herbie: Fully Loaded (2005)
- Four Brothers (2005)
- The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005)
- The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006)
- Superman Returns (2006)
- Evan Almighty (2007)
- The Kite Runner (2007)
- The Golden Compass (2007)
- 3:10 to Yuma (2007)
- Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007)
- Speed Racer (2008)
- The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2008)
- The Spiderwick Chronicles' (2008)
- John Adams (7 episodes, 2008) (TV)
- Eagle Eye (2008)
- G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009)
- The Road (2009)
- Avatar (2009)
- Land of the Lost (2009)
- 2012 (2009)
- Clash of the Titans (2010)
- Alice in Wonderland (2010)
- Tron: Legacy (2010)
- Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011)
- Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)
References
- "D'Artiste: Dylan Cole". Animation Artist. Retrieved 2011-02-24.
- "Awesome concept art for James Cameron's AVATAR surfaces". The Quiet Earth. May 28, 2009. Retrieved 2011-02-24.
- Alex Billington (May 28, 2009). "Two New Concept Art Pieces from James Cameron's Avatar". First Showing. Retrieved 2011-02-24.
- "VFX Artist Dylan Cole's Otherworldly New Picture Book". 28 May 2013.
- "VFX Artist Dylan Cole's Otherworldly New Picture Book". 28 May 2013.
- Alp Altiner; Dylan Cole; Chris Stoski (2005). Daniel P. Wade (ed.). D'artiste Matte Painting: Digital Artists Master Class. Volume 3 of D'artiste digital artists master class (2, illustrated ed.). Ballistic Media Pty Ltd. ISBN 1-921002-16-6.
- Bill Desowitz (October 19, 2006). "Gnomon Workshop Releases Matte Painting DVDs". Animation World Network. Retrieved 2011-02-24.
- "Dylan Cole". The Gnomen Workshop. Retrieved 2011-02-24.
- "Art Directors Guild: 15th Annual Excellence in Production Design Awards". Art Directors Guild. Archived from the original on 2012-09-08. Retrieved 2011-02-24.
- staff (January 16, 2010). "Kuranda Skyrail inspires Avatar rainforest". The Cairns Post. Retrieved 2011-02-24.
- Charlie Jane Anders (Jan 14, 2010). "Avatar's Designers Speak: Floating Mountains, AMP Suits And The Dragon". Io9. Retrieved 2011-02-24.