The shed in our backyard was in dire need of a makeover! The paint scheme needed to be more cohesive, and the door was too far right, throwing the whole visual out of balance.
As my Italian Grandmother would often remark, ‘It’s a sore eye!’
So what/who inspired me?
My art group’s monthly challenge asked us to paint something in the style of an artist we admire. They didn’t say it had to be on a canvas, so I painted a Trompe-l’œil window on the shed in honor of artist Phyllis Mc Adams.
Prep Work:
I did some prep work before I started. I shot a picture of the shed, put it in Canva, and played around with the window size until I got a scale that felt just right. Then, I unified the shed’s paint scheme by replacing the white door color with the off-white shed color.
I used a T-square, painter’s tape, and a tape measure to draw in the window. Thankfully, some of the vertical boards were just the right size, so I didn’t have to draw too many lines.
Painting Process
Next, I blocked in the window with flat black acrylic paint and used leftover house paint for the trim. Once that section was dry, I added window pane dividers using the off-white house paint. Then, I painted random streaks of glossy ultramarine blue acrylic over the black to mimic reflections. The last step was to feather in shadows with grey acrylic mixed with the off-white house paint.
Final Notes
It’s incredible how a little bit of creativity and paint can completely transform a space. Plus, honoring an artist you admire by incorporating their style into your work is a fantastic way to pay tribute. My shed’s new faux window brings me joy every time I see it!
Did you transform a space? I’d love to hear about it! Please comment below.