Trompe L'oeil Archives - Leichsenring Studios

An Illustrated Map

by Sharon Leichsenring· January 11, 2026· in Artwork, Clouds, Fine Art, Gifts, Historic, Places, Trees, Trompe L'oeil· 0 comments

Finding the perfect opening sentence is sometimes a challenge but this commission was a joy start to finish. It depicts a Texas map, noting that my client, a longtime Houston resident, was moving to her new home in New Braunfels. She picked scenes and places that will mark how special her new home is to her and her family. What made it particularly personal for me was the fact that I know all these places having visited them with her. So lets start with the sketch. I had a list of what to include and this is like a moving jig saw puzzle giving every piece its best place to shine. Once approved, I prepped my canvas. The canvas is a 36” square with a 2” depth. I will be finishing the edges as well, so there will be no need to frame. After painting it a soft white, I added a quick glaze to give the background a parchment feel. Ready for the fun stuff. First, here’s the Gruene Tower. Anyone familiar with the area automatically knows the tower marks the location of the Gruene Dance Hall. Built in 1878, it is Texas’ oldest continually operating and most famous […]
Read More

Image showing the depth that trompe l'oeil does best

Winter 2024 Masonic Lodge Update

by Sharon Leichsenring· February 13, 2024· in Artwork, Columns, Murals, Trompe L'oeil· 0 comments

So I admit, there was a point in time when I was completely satisfied with my work at the Masonic Lodge in Park Ridge, NJ. The bones of the painted illusion turning the lodge hall into the Temple of Solomon were completed. The eight columns were done. They supported a perimeter of painted ornament around the space which framed the huge open sky tray. Yes, a point in time. But a really brief moment. As soon as I started what we would call phase 2, I simply don’t have words to describe how radically the new work would push what I thought was complete into an entirely new level. I often explain that once I’ve got the design put to paper, I can see it done in my mind’s eye. Boy, was I wrong. Once I started painting the massive blocks ( 20” by 48”) that would fill in the wall space and create the window opening that would feature the first of the project’s murals, I really felt like I was creating magic. Yeah, I know, hardly humble here, but this is one of the few moments in my mural painting career when I have surprised and actually amazed […]
Read More

New Year 2024 : It’s a new year with new challenges at the Masonic Lodge Project

by Sharon Leichsenring· January 02, 2024· in Artwork, Ceiling, Clouds, Columns, Trompe L'oeil· 0 comments

It’s been three months since my last newsletter. I have conquered my fear of driving across the Tappan Zee Bridge since it’s part of my commute since this past August. I’ve wrapped up what we call Phase 1 at the Masonic Lodge project, that being the sky tray, eight columns and connecting ornament around the entire ceiling edge. And it would be an understatement to say I’m pleased with the results. I was honored to be trusted with this commission and though I was confident it would be successful, it has exceeded my expectations. You will have to take my word that pictures don’t do it justice. I’ve had the sincere delight to watch my husband and friends JoAnn and Jack walk into the space for the first time since completion. Their jaws just dropped. JoAnn took this picture ) two days before completion so you’ll see a tiny bit missing. I think this shows you the enormity of the room (36’x 62’ x16’). So a quick recap. This is the space as I first saw it. The directive: change this space with paint to resemble a classic approach to the Temple of Solomon at this Masonic Lodge in Park Ridge, […]
Read More

My project at the Masonic Lodge

by Sharon Leichsenring· September 28, 2023· in Artwork, Ceiling, Clouds, Trompe L'oeil· 0 comments

It’s been a while since my last newsletter. I wanted to have enough progress to share, and I certainly do. To recap, I started this project on site in August. I am painting a very large space in a Masonic Lodge in northern New Jersey. Using trompe l’oeil ( French term meaning “fool the eye” using light and shadow to make a two-dimensional space look three dimensional) , I am creating the Temple of Solomon. The space is 36’ by 62’ with 16’ high ceilings. I am just about done with the tray in the ceiling. Here’s what my sample looked like. I agonized for a bit, trying to figure out how I would get this tray laid out on the ceiling by myself. I had to avoid the light fixtures as well. Luckily, I discovered what might be one of the most remarkable tools in my arsenal, a Bosch 3-plane laser. It allowed me to measure easily on the floor and the laser sends out a line that travels around the space in two directions. Crazy. The line can be up to 200’ long so it shoots out straight, up the wall, across the ceiling and back to […]
Read More

Be Careful What You Wish For

by Sharon Leichsenring· July 06, 2023· in Artwork, Birds, Ceiling, Clouds, Columns, Trompe L'oeil· 0 comments

I am at a loss for words. Well, almost. I am excited to share the beginning of a new project with you. It’s huge in scope for me. I was contacted recently about the possibility of painting a ceiling in a Masonic Lodge in north New Jersey, a little over an hour from home. So, distance-wise, doable. And not just the ceiling. There are four shallow projections on two sides of the space. Make those into columns. Ermmmm…..Ok. So how big is the space? Wait for it. It measures 33’4” wide by 61’6”. That’s 2200 square feet. It’s 16’ tall. We’d like you to come up with a concept to make the space look like a temple, open to the sky. The sky, by the way, will travel from dawn to night. Let’s take a look. The picture you are seeing shows about half of the room. I’m not one to say no to a challenge and this one is not going to scare me away. In fact, less than ten minutes into the discussion, I could see the design in my mind’s eye. And you might be asking, how do I share that with a client. I’m a huge […]
Read More

Odds and Ends

by Sharon Leichsenring· December 31, 2022· in Artisan Finish, Floor, Trompe L'oeil· 0 comments

I did title this email Odds and Ends. The “Odd” portion is not so much odd as it is simply a technique I don’t use often. And what is the rarely (for me) used technique? Its French name is Faux Bois , translating as fake wood, or woodgraining. It falls into the category of trompe l’oeil, French for fooling the eye. So, the new challenges presents itself and it’s one I’m ready to take. A portion of the floor in my client’s library was damaged when the adjoining foyer floor was replaced. Staining the damaged area and trying to restain the existing floor which was decades old would never be a good match. So gather up all the little tools of faux bois that so seldom see the light of day on my watch and let’s tackle this floor. I thought I’d share the steps so that perhaps if you ever have the opportunity to see some faux bois work, you can appreciate the many steps needed to achieve it. First, choosing a basecoat like what the color peaking through the grain that the eye sees. If only all the steps were this simple. I primed the area first, and […]
Read More

Once Upon A Time in Bristol, CT

by Sharon Leichsenring· October 31, 2022· in Artwork, Clouds, Historic, Trees, Trompe L'oeil· 0 comments

What a ride (taxi cab!) this painting commission has been. I was contacted by the owners of a magnificent building in the somewhat sleepy town of Bristol in Connecticut. I would soon see that what is a town that has escaped the noise of big cities by being located away from major interstates, was in fact, a bustling commercial city in the early 1900s. At that time, it was considered one of the premier clock-making cities in the United States. I’ll try to keep the background brief. If you get curious, google New Departure Mfg. Co. Bristol CT. A business started by the Rockwell Brothers (the Rockwell Company) would become known as New Departure Manufacturing Company. Not content with their successful cycling venture, they drew up plans for an automobile. The first was produced in 1904. The Roxwell Taxi rolled out of the Bristol plant. Check out this ad So the current owners of the building, my client, had an image of a hand colored photo from about the same time. There was no way to enlarge much bigger than a sheet of paper without the image pixelating. And, that dear readers, is my cue to enter the picture. We arrived at a […]
Read More

Tromping the Wall

by Sharon Leichsenring· September 30, 2022· in Trompe L'oeil· 0 comments

Trompe l’oeil. Such an artsy, sometimes intimidating term. Simply translated, it means “to fool the eye”. To decorative artists, it means using light and shadows to create the illusion of three dimensions on a flat surface. And be still me heart, but I am totally on board when a designer says let’s try a little trompe l’oeil on this wall, for a very contemporary look. Let’s trompe! Working again with the talented Dyane Prezioso of Shadee Lady Interior Design and Custom window treatments. She’d had some thoughts of creating an architectural approach to a focal wall that mimicked using flat molding and paint. But let’s forget about using wood, and do it all in paint. Would it look believable? I’m going with a big, whopping yes on this one but let’s stop my giddiness right there. She wants a little more drama. We are going to be working on a dark charcoal background. The background wall is simply not smooth enough to tape. Sigh… So we will do it freehand. Engage steady hand and let’s go. Years of sign painting has readied me for the task. And so it goes. Working on a dark background, everything will need an extra […]
Read More

History Repeats Itself!

by Sharon Leichsenring· August 31, 2022· in Artwork, Historic, Horses, Murals, Staircase, Trompe L'oeil· 0 comments

I received an email recently, from a gentleman who had just purchased a home in Middletown, NY. He found a mural that I had painted there ten years ago. Music to my ears coming as he wrote “we admire the murals that you did. We will proudly keep them the way they are”. He taught high school history, and it was his curiosity that had him inquire. He asked if I could fill him in on any of the background of his murals. (Don’t worry, I’ve got the old newsletter with all the pictures and I’ll be sharing that below). He had not bought the house from my client. There had been , in fact, another owner in between, who also left the murals as they were. I had painted them on Masonite panels as the work was very detailed, translate, time consuming, and Middletown was just a little too far for a commute. I painted them at home and installed them when completed. I explained my client, a police officer, had not just a historical interest in the city. He was also a Civil War buff. We decided to morph that focus into a view of Middletown starting at the time […]
Read More

The other sports are just sports. Baseball is a love

by Sharon Leichsenring· April 30, 2022· in Artwork, Childrens, Murals, Trompe L'oeil· 0 comments

It’s been said, “All the other games are sports, but baseball is a love.” You either get it or you don’t. I love baseball, and so does my client. There are actually two murals in this young boy’s bedroom. Today I’d like to share the first project. There was a perfect space to paint a set of lockers, filled with baseball equipment. A perfect space? So says my client, pointing at the wall. All I can see is the paneled door, waiting with traps and crevices. He says, yeah, just paint over it. So that’s the plan. I start working on a sketch. You can see I included the door frame, and it’s obvious from the start I cannot plan to avoid any of the difficult areas, the corners of the raised panels. I will simply force my brush over them. Here’s my sketch. You’ll see a blurry area on the top of the two shirts, here and in further pictures. I’ve blurred the area that shows my clients son’s name, first and middle, to protect his privacy. The sketching goes fairly easily. I’m starting to believe if I squint enough the door will disappear. The blocking in process goes smoothly […]
Read More