Art murals by John Pugh, master of trompe l'oeil art

Trompe l’oeil art is French for “trick the eye” and an art technique that creates the optical illusion by using extremely realistic imagery. Depicted images appear in three dimensions and are often used in murals. Although the phrase originates in the Baroque period, trompe l’oeil art dates much further back, at least into Greek and Roman times.

Art murals by John Pugh, astonishing trompe l’oeil art images painted on the sides of buildings, look so real that have tricked many.
.

Wonder Wave trompe l'oeil art by John Pugh

Wonder wave: John Pugh’s Mana Nalu mural in Honolulu. Fire crews rushed to save the children from the mighty wave – before realising it was an optical illusion

.
.
John Pugh uses his skills to create huge 3D scenes works of art, painted on the side of perfectly intact buildings. Some of them look like as if some kind of natural disaster has shaken away the walls of these buildings, just to reveal architecture hidden away for thousands of years.
.

Greek Tragedy trompe l'oeil art by John Pugh

Greek tragedy: But the Doric-style columns apparently exposed in this university hall are nothing but paint

.
.

Treasure trove trompe l'oeil art by John Pugh

Treasure trove: An Egyptian style mural adorns a wall in Los Gatos, California. Pugh paints people into the mural to heighten the 3D effect

.
.
Art murals by John Pugh can be found around the world, including in his home state, California. The artist stated, ‘It seems almost universal that people take delight in being visually tricked.’
.

Take a Pew trompe l'oeil art by John Pugh

Take a pew: This looks like a nice spot to rest your weary feet on a sidewalk in Sarasota County Health Center, Florida

.
.

Blurring the Lines trompe l'oeil art by John Pugh

Blurring the lines: A mural entitled Art Imitating Life Imitating Art Imitating Life, at the Cafe Trompe L’oeil, in San Jose, California

.
.
John Pugh works on a large scale in public and residential areas from New Zealand to Hawaii and many of his trompe l’oeil art works are telling a story of the area where they are placed. He is used to “Wow did you see that. I thought that was real.” people’s reaction when they pass his murals.

In his opinion ‘Public art can link people together and stimulate a sense of pride within the community.’ and ‘These life-size illusions allow me to communicate with a very large audience.’

Master of trompe l’oeil art is currently working on a mural for a police station in California and also one for a recreation center in Calgary, Canada.
.

Bay in a Bottle trompe l'oeil art by John Pugh

Trick of the eye: John inserts a passer-by into the mural painted in Santa Cruz, California, entitled Bay in a Bottle, who is watching the ocean scene

.
.

I hope you enjoyed today’s cool designs – Art murals by John Pugh, master of trompe l’oeil art. Let us know by leaving a comment!