Trompe L'Oeil

Trompe L'Oeil is French for 'deceive the eye'. It is an art technique that uses realistic imagery to create the optical illusion that the painted objects are three dimensional. I use this technique often to create the look of stone or wood, especially in window-scapes where a view is framed by a stone frame. I especially enjoy creating trompe carved reliefs - like stone benches, corbels or rose medallions. Many layers of paint and glaze create the shadows and highlights that make an object appear to extend from the wall. The grapes and wine glasses of my Tuscan murals also appear to be real. The bamboo poles, woodgrain effect and thatched walls in my Tiki Hut Mural are another example. Here's a collection of some of my work in this technique...