A celebrated artist named John O'Brien painted European city street scenes. One in particular (Place L’Amour, pictured below) inspired me to create a miniature neighborhood in Paris and bring his painting to life. Complete with cafe, storefronts, an art gallery and upstairs apartments, everything is made from scratch except for tiny framed artwork and wine glasses. Little scenes, just barely visible through each dimly lit window, lent itself to a room box in my mind. A wider shot would reveal that I used forced perspective, with scale decreasing from 1" in the foreground to 1/2" in the background.

(excerpted from http://johnobrienartist.com) John O'Brien's artwork conveys a series of mystery and romance seldom found in contemporary art. With exquisite craftsmanship, poetic ideals, and a modern awareness, he created a unique style, which has become known as "contemporary romantic realism." His passion for France, Italy and Ireland can be seen in the romantic settings of elegant interiors, European street scenes, and neighborhood cafes and pubs.