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| Wine Niche Trompe L’oeil Mural |
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by Patricia Buzo
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 Step 1: They key to achieving vibrancy and realism using acrylic paints is layering. It could be said that it is the single most important aspect for a trompe l’oeil piece. After having drawn out the design, start to apply the under-layers of the stonework and arch in a mixture of burnt umber and earth brown. Apply with a large “wash” brush and soften with a sponge for texture, followed by a badger brush. At this point you may choose to follow these same steps for the wood board and draped fabric. I have used woody yellow (Golden’s “Naples yellow”) as a base for the board, and a mixture of alizarin crimson and earth brown for the fabric. |
 Step 2: Start to define the stonework by using a small round brush and earth brown. You can soften the edges with water or use your badger brush. Continue to apply layers to the background using the same colors as before, but now adding to your palette dark green and a touch of dark purple to the darker areas. By adding Van Dyke brown to these, you will get an even darker, more neutral color. Use the Van Dyke brown mixed with dark green and apply an even coat over the wine bottles, avoiding the areas that will be the labels. |
 Step 3: Make sure the interior of the niche is dark, but not uniform. There should be lighter tones around the center, which will give the illusion of more light hitting this area. You may use small amounts of watered down black to achieve the darkest darks. Apply an even opaque coat of woody yellow to the wood board to prepare for wood graining. |
 Step 4: Using the dark green mixed with burnt umber and Van Dyke brown, apply to the right sides of the wine bottles softening with a softening brush or badger as you go. Slowly add woody yellow to the mixture and blend from right to left. This step may take several layers to achieve the desired depth. By using these same colors for shading on the wine label, you will create uniformity in the painting.
Simply add water to the colors to make them transparent. Soften with badger brush leaving more light towards the center. Again, several layers will be necessary. For highlights on both the bottle and label, you may now add white to your palette, however mix this with woody yellow so as not to create such a stark contrast. At this stage you may also begin to lay in the darks of the fabric. Use your base color mixed with Van Dyke brown and water for transparency. Continue to define the stonework, adding cracks and crevices. |
 Step 5: After taping off wood board, mix earth brown with glaze. It is important to use glaze for this layer as it will not work with water alone. Apply and even layer in panels to the board. While wet, comb through the glaze from top to bottom and again at a slight angle. You may add knots in the wood if you wish. |
 Step 6: Begin to add shadows for the various objects, remembering that the light source is coming from the left front. Using Van Dyke brown mixed with water is an easy mixture for shadows. Remember the key is to apply in layers so as to not get too dark to begin with. Soften with your badger brush. |
| Step 7: Add several more layers of shading to the fabric, as well as highlights. To mix a color for the highlights, mix the base color with woody yellow. Layer the paint mixture to achieve the desired lightness as opposed to adding white. Add final highlights to the entire painting, sign, and roll on a protective topcoat for longevity. |
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