Every December, a familiar claim resurfaces: “Santa Claus was invented by Coca-Cola.”It’s a popular myth but it’s also completely wrong. While Coca-Cola played a major role in popularising the modern image of Santa Claus, the character himself existed centuries before the company was founded. To understand the truth, we need to look at Santa’s real […]
Painting a mural is a fun and rewarding process — it combines creativity, planning, and a bit of technical skill. Here’s a complete step-by-step guide to help you get started, whether you’re working indoors or outdoors: 1. Plan Your Design Before you pick up a brush: Tip: For a first attempt, keep the design bold […]
Inspired by a visit to The Edwardians - Age of Elegance exhibition at the King’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace last weekend, some lovely portraits but the most exquisite thing was a blue cigarette case with a serpent. This and Easter has inspired me to look into Fabergé’s eggs. The Fabergé egg stands as a glittering emblem […]
A combination of Art, Maths and Science. The creative distortion of light along with the deception of your point of view. Anamorphosis, in the visual arts, an ingenious perspective technique that gives a distorted image of the subject represented in a picture when seen from the usual viewpoint but so executed that if viewed from a […]
Among the most celebrated examples of trompe l'oeil, a technique that uses optical illusion to trick the eye into perceiving painted details as three-dimensional, is Andrea Pozzo's "The Apotheosis of St. Ignatius." This extraordinary work adorns the ceiling of the Church of Sant'Ignazio in Rome and is widely regarded as one of the most stunning […]
In perspective drawing, the centre line of vision (CLV) is a key conceptual element used to align and organise the perspective view. It represents the viewer's straight-ahead line of sight and is critical for maintaining accurate and realistic perspective. Here's how it works: By correctly using the centre line of vision in perspective drawings, artists […]
Trompe l’œil - to trick the eye Creating a trompe l’œil requires an understanding of perspective to make the mural work visually. Perspective in mural art involves the use of techniques to give the illusion of depth and three-dimensionality on a two-dimensional surface. Here are some key points to consider: Linear Perspective Linear perspective is […]
Atmospheric Perspective This technique involves using colour and contrast to convey depth. Objects that are farther away from the viewer should have lighter colours, less detail, and reduced contrast compared to objects in the foreground. This mimics the natural effect of the atmosphere scattering light as objects recede into the distance. Size and Overlapping Another […]
Painting a mural with a Roman landscape with Pompeiian architectural aspects is a unique way to transform a space and open up an area. An exterior Italian view with a trompe l'oeil surround to fill a blank wall is a clever design choice. Trompe l'oeil, which means "deceive the eye" in French, is a technique […]