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Masterclass

Part1

This is an in-depth look into the techniques & tips I employ for a trompe l'oeil. 

The page is intended as a demonstration for Art Students with a sound knowledge of  painting

Subject: trompe l'oeil stone arched windows looking out to a secret garden

Size: 8 feet x 4 feet (2440 X 1220mm).                            Medium: Acrylic

Marking out the Design with charcoal. Establish the horizon/vanishing point. Using that state-of-the-art piece of equipment, a piece of string and a bit of tape to draw in the perspective lines.

Then  block in rough shapes with the charcoal, carefully blending with ...

After you've had fun getting covered in charcoal, look down to make sure you've remembered the dust-cloth!

You then need to seal the charcoal, so rework the areas with a wash: I am using a Burnt Sienna. This creates a wonderfully warm feeling when allowed to show through some areas; for instance, the cloud shadows (not my invention, check out Canneletto's skies and you'll see that warm glow pushing through the blue)

Talking of sky; that's the first thing to start painting: distance first. Keep your strokes loose and shadows thin. I also start to add a hint of a background with a thin grey (allowing the blue and the sienna to pop through.) Too much detail here and you'll have nowhere to go.

I then work the distant foliage and trees, keeping the style  loose and colours cool. 

The contrast has peaked too early, so I need to glaze down the shadows with a thin blue/white. 

For the Arch, I first suggest a few cool highlights

Then work a very weak shadow around the highlights to help bring some 3D to the stonework

Sky, background and furthest arch completed: 

Some extra detail has been added,  I decided to bring some ivy onto the arch using slightly warmer colours and sharper highlights to start bringing the scene forward.

BEGINNERS    BOARD GAME    MURAL DESIGN    MASTERCLASS