Making Walls Disappear

I've spent some time with Edwin while he has worked on his last several murals, and through observation and questions, have come up with a basic model of what steps he takes when painting a mural. The first thing he does is to sketch out the design in chalk.  Once this is done, he "blocks" (or 3-D's) the different objects in the design.  This is the time when he makes any small adjustments to the approved design in order to fit everything into the allotted space.  This is a very visual part of the work and Edwin views the sketch from different angles and distances to ensure balance and fluidity of the picture. Once the design is sketched out and adjustments made, the next step is to paint in the background around the objects.  It is much easier to do this now rather than after painting in the main elements because you don't have to worry about getting over spray on them, so the picture is much cleaner. At any time during this process, the client is su...

Translated from French, trompe-l'oeil (pronounced tromp loy) means literally to 'deceive the eye'.  It is a technique that has been used for centuries that creates the believable illusion of a three-dimensional subject but portrayed on a two-dimensional surface such as canvas or paper. It often gives the appearance of "opening up" or expanding space.  For example, a window or a door that seems to lead to an expanded vista. A Vineyard in Tuscany Doves on Window Sill over Entryway Stairway along the sea  Although it is said to have its origins in the Baroque period, it would be better to say that it  re -emerged during that time, but has been around dating back to the time of Pompeii in Greek and Roman history.  During the Renaissance period, Italian artists were using a type of trompe-l'oeil known as "di sotto en su' (translation:  from below, upward), when doing ceiling painting.  The elements on the ceiling were painted as...