Trompe l'oeil attempt..."The Window Seat"

[Timothy C. Tyler]

It is, I think, important in these fool the eye attempts to actually be in front of the actual painting for the trick to stand a chance, but here's a photo of it anyway.

This is an idea I had had for some time and was born from size restrictions imposed by a show 30x40 w/o frame. So I made a frame 29x39 and sand blasted it and then painted it as close as I could to some real old barn wood that had been weathered a long time in the elements.

I then posed the model in the box and painted it sight size from life. The work was shown at the Oil Painters of American National Exhibit, Impressons of New England at the Bennington Center for the Arts and is on it's way to the American Classic Austion in Houston.

The outer 1 inch of what looks like the frame is canvas painted to match the frame which was, as I say was done first. What say you?

[Maxine Gilder]

It's very different. It takes a while to get used to the idea. I'm wondering where you intended the focal point to be. My eye goes to the feet, face, and head, then back to the feet. The hand stands out the most, but the feet are more fun!

[Timothy C. Tyler]

I meant that the head would be the focal point and that the hands and feet would just be spots of interest to form asymtric balance...the bouncing around of your eye that you described pleases me well, Thanks, Tim

[Brian McDaniel]

I like the idea, and I think you did a very good job of painting and piecing it all together. I too, like to get the viewer to look around a bit, but I still feel that the focal point should stand out. I think the feet, perhaps due to those greenish socks, do draw the viewers eyes over there a bit too much. Perhaps a bit of red worked into them to match the sweater, or perhaps more green tied into the sweater and face would balance those feet out.

Overall though, very nice. These are just nit-picky points I'm bringing up.