Everyone has seen pavement artists at work from time to time in their city . Usuall, they will painstakingly chalk a famous and instantly recognisable painting onto the pavement for passers by to admire and donate money to. But in recent times there has been a spate of breathtaking ‘3D’ optical chalk drawings that are refeshingly new and innovative – drawings that trick the eye and make you gasp.
The art of 3D street art is an exacting one. It is a kind of trompe l’oeil, (which means to deceive the eye) and it is optical illusion that appears in 3D form.
Manfred Stader began pavement painting during his artistic studies at the Städel Art school in Frankfurt at the beginning of the 1980s . In 1985 he became a Master Modonnaro (master street painter). This title was awarded to him in the largest international Street painting and Pavement Painting Contest.competition in Grazie di Curtatone in Italy.
Using pastel chalks, Stader recently created this 9ft x 13ft painting in London’s Covent garden – with great effect! The ‘frog’ is made from a kind of dry grain. The painting is called appropriately(after the grain) – ‘Chaff’. I think it’s fantastic – a real crowd stopper…also a good advert for Costa coffee! There is a sequential video of the painting on Manfred Stader’s website here
Manfred Stader’s website and Chaff painting here Easy jet painting here
image info here
PS…………………….
Theres another GREAT poem AND a new Haiku over on Bookstains! The Van Gogh poetry challenge is till open (just click Vincent to read the poems and participate)
Echostains Blog 
I have looked upon these 3D street art images in awe. This one is really creative. Most of the ones I have viewed are a view looking down a street or tunnel, in otherwords images that settle into the pavement and not rise out of it. This one is just plain “HOT”. 🙂
Yes, I seen the tunnel shaped ones and the ‘holes’ in the pavements too (though never in real life) i think there is such an art to this – its fascinating trying to work it out:) – I give up 🙂
This street art is so much fun and I wonder why we don’t see more of this in the states? It seems a mostly European art form from what I can tell.
You may be right Al. i’ve yet to see this type of art in real life. Wish I’d seen the London one grrrrr. i’ve watched programmes and seen stuff on the net, but all I’ve seen are the ‘famous paintings’ ones in my citys streets 😦
Oh this is very very exciting! I echo Al’s notes about where to see this art in the states. KC has a sidewalk chalk art event but so far none of the images have this size or scope. How to surround ourselves with art in everyday life! Oh yeah.
That coffee cup is one of the cleverest i have seen to date
Aint it just eh! Wished I’d actually got to see it….
last time we went to london was May this year I think – to see Iggy;) Should have checked this out:(
This is amazing! I’ve shared your post on my posterous blog! 🙂
Aw thanks Kimbers! 🙂 I’ll check that out:D not discovered posterous yet – stumbeld though (a lot)
Brill!
I’ve never seen any of these ‘in the flesh’ (or should that be in the paving stones?) but three other pavement artists worth checking out are Edgar Mueller, Julian Beever and Joe Hill. If you do a search on them, it should turn up quite a lot.
🙂
Thanks Val! Beever I am aquainted with – but not the others, I will check them out 🙂
This is the best cup I have in years.
Gulp!
🙂
Hhehe bendedspoon 😀 I think this man is very talented too – I love the floating frog too – a great touch!
Cool pictures 🙂 thanks for sharing!
Thanks incompletehistory 🙂