DRAWING & PAINTING TROMPE L'OEIL WINDOW & SKY ARTWORK ABOVE PATIO DOORS

DRAW & PAINT WINDOWS ~ SKIES ~ SHUTTERS

Years ago, before I finally started using a digital camera I took lots of pictures of my work and had the "film developed".  I bet there are some people who don't know what that means.  Looking through those pictures I'm finding work I want to share with you.

In her living room, my client had very high walls and a big empty space above her doors that went out to her patio.  She asked me to come by and suggest something to go on that wall.  She asked what I thought about some design with scrolling.  But, seeing the outside I immediately saw a window with a sky and trees. 

 I suggested that to her and she loved the idea.

It was very easy to draw and paint.  I think you could do it, too.

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TUTORIAL

First I drew the frame that would frame the sky.  I made it 4" or 5" wide.  You can decide how wide you want your frame to be and paint it any color you want.  I painted it the same white as her doors and woodwork/trim.  Use craft paints raw umber or some darker browny gray for shadowing around the edges.  In your color tray water down the paint just a little bit so it will flow more easily as you paint.  Painting that thin shadow will make it look more 3 dimensional.  For shadow reference, look around the room at the shadows on other trim.  Next, with my brush I smudged and swiped blue and white (like faux painting) and made it look like a sky with clouds.  Draw you some birds.  You can make copies or draw them on paper and trace the birds on the wall, then paint them.  Decoupage would be ok, too, for the birds.  For the trees I like to draw the branches first with a pencil.  I draw lines where I want them to be.  Paint over them with raw umber or whatever shade of brown or gray brown that you want.  Then, draw leaves or use a small paint brush and dot, dot, dot with green.  You can also draw any size or shape of leaves you want.  At first you might not be happy with your artwork, but wait a while and let your family and friends see it.  After a while I bet you will be very happy with yourself.  

Have fun!!

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PAINTING SKY & CLOUDS ARTWORK IN A NICHE ABOVE THE LINEN CABINET

While I was doing other work at Carolina's home she asked me to look at her guest bath.  She wanted me to paint the cabinets black and metallic gold.  There was an open space above her linen cabinet and she asked if I could paint a sky inside of it.  

She added a bird nest.  

That completed the scene and looked just beautiful to me.

There is a light at the bottom, shining up at the sky.

Here you can see it from the guest bedroom.

Before she added the bird nest.

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TUTORIAL

In a small space like this you can paint the blue first and add swirly white or you can paint the white first and paint some swirly blue.  Then, work on the area to get your clouds and sky just the way you want them.  I used brushes, but you can use a rag or a sponge.  If you want to add some branches, use a small brush.  Use the paint colors of green for leaves and brown for branches.  Draw your branches then draw tiny leaves or the size you want them to be for your sky.
I used craft paints.

HERE IS A LINK TO 

PAINTED BLACK & METALLIC GOLD CRACKLED CABINETS

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SHUTTERS

PAINTING METALLIC GOLD/LEOPARD SPOTS SHUTTERS FOR A WINDOW

(LINK TO)

PAINTING SHUTTERS METALLIC GOLD & LEOPARD SPOTS

& TUTORIAL

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