Marina Dieul
My Inspiration
I began painting animal Trompe l’oeil several years ago, and while I have painted a variety of different animals, I still haven’t found a better subject than mice and cats together. Both animals are close to humans; their natural expressiveness and the predator/ prey relationship allows many humorous possibilities. I had several generations of pet mice, and now we’re fostering cats for a local no-kill shelter, so most of models were also precious companions with very different personalities. I like to play with their natural abilities, and I created several pieces that highlight the nibbling expertise of the mice.
My Design Strategy
Trompe l’oeil is a French term meaning literally “fool the eye.” It’s a visual game Betises 16, where the goal is to create the most perfect three-dimensional illusion. To gain in terms of efficiency, the Trompe l’oeil must be painted life-size and at eye level. A single light source from one side is the most efficient light to reinforce the illusion. Placing the cat in a “hole” allowed me to paint him life-size without creating too much difference in size with the mouse and positioning the mouse closer from the viewer and partly outside of the painted mat gave a lot of depth to the composition.
My Working Process
When working on a Trompe l’oeil, I always plan the composition very carefully. I really appreciate the spontaneity of the alla prima approach, although it requires a very intense focus. I always begin with the darker values, keeping them thin and transparent, then I built the lights with thicker paint, and finish with impasto for the highlights. I take extra time to work on the cat’s eyes to get the transparency, luminosity and color right. At the end of the day, when I’m happy with the section I finished, I’m softening the transitions to the next section. At the very end I paint the whiskers, with a liner brush and holding my breath I apply one stroke varying the pressure to end with as light as pressure possible.
Finalist
Contact Details
Email: marinadieul@yahoo.ca Website: www.marinadieul.com