noun
matte
A mask controlling which parts of an image are exposed or combined.
The editor created a matte around the actor.
Etymology
Matte already described a dull, nonreflective surface. Image-making adopted the word for masking arrangements that block selected areas while other parts are exposed or combined.
More examples
- The matte separated the foreground from the replacement background.
- A carefully drawn matte controlled the visible area.
- The software refined the matte’s edges.
Forms
matte · mattes
Similar words
- mask
- Mask is the broader editing term; a matte defines which image areas remain visible or combine with others.
- alpha channel
- An alpha channel stores transparency information; a matte supplies a mask used to control compositing.