PAINTING A TROMPE L'OEIL WINDOW & PAINTING STONES TUTORIAL

PAINTNG A TROMPE L'OEIL WINDOW & PAINTING STONES TUTORIAL

My client had just moved into her new home.  She had a huge, oddly shaped niche in her family room that I guess was for a large television.  But, she didn't want her television there.  She wanted it across the room and asked me if I could paint the niche to look like a window. Also, she wanted me to faux paint her walls in her big open family room and kitchen/breakfast room area.

I can't find my pictures of "before".  

She wanted me to paint her walls a Tuscan gold color and I ragged a tea stain glaze over that color. It was subtle, but a very nice look. 

My camera flash made everything look brighter and more colorful than it actually was.

The niche was the color of the walls.  

I drew and painted the stones and then started on the sky mural.

I really love painting flowers and birds.

TUTORIAL

For the stones, I faux painted the walls the colors I wanted the stones to be.  Then, I used a level and drew the lines the size I wanted the stones to be.  I used a pencil for drawing the lines.  Then, with a small brush I painted squiggly lines on the pencil lines to define the mortar lines of the stones.  

I wanted the stones to look mossy and aged.

This is the way it looked from across the room. Not leaning, of course.  When I took these pictures, I didn't know I was going to have a blog and would need better pictures! 

My client was very happy with her new trompe l'oeil window.

As you walk in the front door it is in front of you across the room.

It looked like it really could be a window!

Original Post:  10/17/13