We had the pleasure of painting the backgrounds for Le Mal Aimé, a Christmas short film directed by Illogic Studios for Intermarché.
Starting from the 3D plates provided by the studio, we refined each shot through digital matte painting, adding painterly brushstrokes, texture, and depth to bring the environments to life. The process allowed us to move away from a purely technical look and embrace a more hand-painted, expressive approach, while keeping the lighting and perspective grounded in the original 3D scenes.
From quiet, snow-covered forests to warm, food-centered interiors, every background was carefully designed to support the story. As the wolf’s journey progresses, the environments gradually become warmer in both color and atmosphere. Subtle shifts in palette, contrast, and texture helped shape this transition, using the backgrounds themselves as a storytelling tool.
This project was a great opportunity to explore painterly environment art within a production pipeline, balancing artistic freedom with technical constraints. Seeing how warmly the film was received by the audience made the experience even more rewarding.We’re incredibly proud of the final result and grateful for the collaboration. Many thanks to Illogic Studios for their trust, and to the entire team who helped craft this soft, comforting visual universe with such care