The most important rule of trompe l'oeil painting is to paint the objects at actual size. All of the objects except the figurine are painted from life. I set them up in the studio and used a ruler to measure the actual height of each object. The goal is to paint a picture which could be mistaken for an actual object. A picture frame automatically destroys the attempted illusion. We are incredibly sophisticated as viewers and it doubtful that anyone is really fooled by a trompe l'oeil painting. For me it is a challenge and a way to connect to an ancient and timeless tradition.
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This blog traces my influences, studio practice, learning, and teaching of art.