When you look at a wall, What do you see? Do you see a plain wall or do you see an illusion of something that is not really there. When sitting in your garden, do you think about being somewhere else, or do you feel like you are somewhere else?
Trompe l'oeil (pronounced: “tromp loy”) is a mural art tradition dating back to the 1400’s which strives to create the illusion of reality, playfully fooling the eye of the viewer. It is the process of using light and shadow to create a seemingly 3-d object on a flat surface. To get a good understanding of the effect visit the websites and picture galleries in the reference section below.
Whether it be a mural or a trompe l'oeil, you too can give your dream backyard that extra "WOW" factor. With murals there are no limits! Your backyard can have a pond, waterfalls, or the landscape of a faraway country. You can have flower gardens that bloom all year round, or be in a tropical paradise during the gloomy days of winter.
If you are artistically inclined you can paint it yourself, or you can commission a muralist. Some companies will paint the mural onto a canvas which can then be applied to a structure like wallpaper. The cost of commissioning a muralist is not cheap. It can take many days or even months depending on the size and complexity of the painting, and it may also require scaffolding. Whether it will be painted directly onto a structure or canvas, the surface must be prepped before painting begins, and after it must be sealed and protected with a varnish type product.
I too think there should be more murals in the world. If you decide to add a mural to your outdoor environment, may you all find happiness in your space while making the world a more beautiful place.
Reference
There are more mural artists with websites offering their products and services from around the world than we can list here. However, we have selected a couple with some useful information as well as our own pictoral examples.
Trompe l'oeil Backyard garden transformation.
Pictures of Murals on Buildings
Interesting Anamorphosis Trompe l'oeil Pictures
Mural Preparation information
Painting Murals
Mural Protection information
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