I'm unsure of how silent image is supposed to work...

[Seharvepernfan]

Is it basically a screen taking up four 10ft. cubes, showing whatever you want? Or does it have to be one actual "thing" that moves around within that space?

My group has been using it as a "screen", for instance, putting one in front of them that shows the hallway they are standing in, minus them.

[dwlc2000]

It creates an illusion of something that makes no noise. You could make an illusion of an ogre, but it could not make any noise

[Urpriest]

You can't make things disappear with Silent Image, since it's a Figment, and that sort of thing is explicitly a power of Glamers and not Figments. That includes using it like a screen.

[KillianHawkeye]

Mass Invisibility is a much higher level spell.

[ArcturusV]

Well, it says "object, creature, or force". So a lot of it comes down to imagination, and DM interpretation. If you wanted to make a "Screen", you could. You could even make an illusion of something like a tapestry with moving figures on it. You could give Concealment to an object, but not Cover (As there is nothing actually there), thus making something "disappear" by the logic of there is no longer Line of Sight to it. As long as the "object, Creature, or Force" is within your limit. And of course this would mean doing something like making a brick wall appear between you and the creature you are trying to hide from. You can't make an "object" that is the absence of an object.

Of course due to language you shouldn't expect DM screw if you try to do something like make a "scene" inside the image. Or rather I should say it wouldn't be DM screw, but RAW/RAI if you tried to do something like say your "Image" was something like a Bedroom and thus contained a cot, nightstand, rugs, chest, etc. As that is several different objects. And more in the territory of Hallucinatory Terrain.

Probably the one thing I've done that is farthest from RAW/RAI that has gotten DM approval/denial was using a Silent Image to make a section of road appearing where there was none (Pit Traps, etc), depending on if you count a section of ground as an "object" or not. And just how much ground an "object" is. I mean a boulder, probably going to get approved. A pile of gravel? Maybe. 10 square yards of dirt trail? Eh.

[Seharvepernfan]

I just thought of a way to explain what I mean better. Have you seen mission impossible 4: ghost protocol? You know that part where they're in the Kremlin with the portable screen that makes the hallway look empty? That's what I mean, except we don't move it.

Now, the image isn't transparent, so we're not making anything disappear.

I guess the question is, can the image be a "painting" that has the illusion of depth?

@ArcturusV: I hear you. I'm trying to determine exactly what counts as an "object". IIRC, hallucinatory terrain allows someone to walk through it without noticing that it's an illusion, whereas a silent image is just a tv projection, basically, and anything as simple as a thrown rock shows that it's not real, much less actually walking through it.

[ArcturusV]

See, it's the sort of thing I'd allow. But trying to copy something to the level of detail where that would pass muster would probably involve a skill check of some sort for me. Some sort of think like Profession (Painter) or the like to represent the level of detail and accuracy you'd need to create something quite appropriate to it.

Of course that's the problem with Illusions. DM mileage. But you might suggest something like that to a DM to help get them to agree to it.

[Deophaun]

I guess the question is, can the image be a "painting" that has the illusion of depth?
Partially. I could see you making the illusion have some real depth, and then playing with perspective to make it look deeper than it is. This would really only work to fool people looking at it from a certain distance and angle, but it would be less obvious than a flat painting.

Otherwise, you are effectively trying to produce a glamer effect with a figment, so that would be a no-go IMHO.