The advent of digital imaging made these techniques obsolete. In the past, mattes were limited by the available technology. Most were created with just a few elements: often only the plate and the painting. Today, most matte painting is done in Photoshop; it encompasses advanced compositing techniques that could never have been achieved without computers.
With digital compositing, it isn’t uncommon for a shot to be created out of hundreds of different elements. Two-dimensional artwork can now be combined with 3D geometry to produce mattes that move and change perspective. But always remember that whether it’s achieved with a camera and a piece of glass or by the most advanced computer system with the latest compositing software, the matte shot starts with the skills of the artist who creates the illusion of reality.