Muraling Part Eight
The picture above has been painted on a closed door at the end of a hallway. Notice the door nobs in both pictures. This is simply the results of using perspective.
Paintings, including murals, are painted in layers. Start with sky and work forward—that’s back to front for opaque paints such as oil-base and acrylic. Far away mountains, trees, buildings etc. should be painted after the sky. If you use muted cool colors they will automatically fall back into the distance. Closer subjects are next. Use stronger, warmer colors to bring them forward. The last items to be painted are the details in the foreground. For example, flowers on a lattice, in front of a house, in front of a row of trees, in front of grassy hills. An umbrella on the sand, in front of the water and sky. A man sitting on a fence, in front of a cornfield. The flowers, umbrella and man are all painted last. Even these last subjects should be painted in layers. Paint the man first. Add a pair of overalls and then a pocket on the overalls. Highlights can be added any time, but last is good.
Murals are most effective when they fool the eye, have a 3-D effect, draw you into the picture and simutate real depth. Layering is part of creating an illusion, but the proper use of perspective is the only way to create spectacular depth. The best way to see perspective is to observe a long road with telephone poles running along one side. Notice that the poles nearest you are quite tall. They become smaller and shorter as they get farther away. If you have a photograph of such a road, take a ruler and place it at the tops of all the poles. Draw a line and then put the ruler on the road at the bottom of all the poles. Draw a line. Notice you have a triangle—you have perspective. It would be well worth your while to study perspective further.
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