Impressionism (1870 - 1890)
Influences
Impressionism was the first of the art movement (1870 - 1890) that broke away from traditional printing style and subject matter completely, inventing new ideology and conception of art. Impressionism is best described as an innovative and a fresh start to modern compositional norms. Inventions of artificial pigments were being made to create new vibrant colours for artists to use on their works. Smaller, luminous canvases and metal paint tubes were being made causing artists to freely move from outside of their studios and paint outdoors. Conventions of camera influenced many artist's candid subject matter and composition
Aim/Intentions
Many Impressionistic Artists captured the fleeting vision of joyful, sombre and hardships of everyday life in terms of colour and manipulation of light, outdoors - a technique known as plein air painting; meaning painting outside of the studio. Impressionists used bright and vibrant colours to enhance their subject matter and create a "luminous" sensation. Artists during this time explored vast effects of light from the outdoor world. Paintings were painted very quickly to capture a quick, fleeting and spontaneous moment. Images of most impressionistic compositions were usually of the every day scenes such as: landscapes, seascapes, boating, horse racing, streets and cafe scenes.
Subject Matter
Artists during this time explored vast effects of light from the outdoor world. Paintings were painted very quickly to capture a quick, fleeting and spontaneous moment. Images of most impressionistic compositions were usually of the every day scenes such as: landscapes, seascapes, boating, horse racing, streets and cafe scenes.
Techniques
In impressionistic compositions, paint was applied directly to the canvas to create an "impression" of the subject matter rather than mixing colours to create blends. Pure colours, excluding black or brown shadow tones, were applied roughly and rapidly to produce a painterly appearance, for example quick strokes of yellow was used to highlight whereas blue and purple applications of paint was used for the shadow. The techniques used in most of the Impressionistic paintings was the broken colour technique, where different colours were roughly applied but becomes unified when looking at a distance.
Impressionism was the first of the art movement (1870 - 1890) that broke away from traditional printing style and subject matter completely, inventing new ideology and conception of art. Impressionism is best described as an innovative and a fresh start to modern compositional norms. Inventions of artificial pigments were being made to create new vibrant colours for artists to use on their works. Smaller, luminous canvases and metal paint tubes were being made causing artists to freely move from outside of their studios and paint outdoors. Conventions of camera influenced many artist's candid subject matter and composition
Aim/Intentions
Many Impressionistic Artists captured the fleeting vision of joyful, sombre and hardships of everyday life in terms of colour and manipulation of light, outdoors - a technique known as plein air painting; meaning painting outside of the studio. Impressionists used bright and vibrant colours to enhance their subject matter and create a "luminous" sensation. Artists during this time explored vast effects of light from the outdoor world. Paintings were painted very quickly to capture a quick, fleeting and spontaneous moment. Images of most impressionistic compositions were usually of the every day scenes such as: landscapes, seascapes, boating, horse racing, streets and cafe scenes.
Subject Matter
Artists during this time explored vast effects of light from the outdoor world. Paintings were painted very quickly to capture a quick, fleeting and spontaneous moment. Images of most impressionistic compositions were usually of the every day scenes such as: landscapes, seascapes, boating, horse racing, streets and cafe scenes.
Techniques
In impressionistic compositions, paint was applied directly to the canvas to create an "impression" of the subject matter rather than mixing colours to create blends. Pure colours, excluding black or brown shadow tones, were applied roughly and rapidly to produce a painterly appearance, for example quick strokes of yellow was used to highlight whereas blue and purple applications of paint was used for the shadow. The techniques used in most of the Impressionistic paintings was the broken colour technique, where different colours were roughly applied but becomes unified when looking at a distance.
Sample Essay: The Waterlily Pond by Claude Monet (Technique Analysis)
“The Waterlily pond” by Claude Monet; 1899 is an oil on canvas composition that depicts the typical impressionistic use of the broken colour technique and the emphasis of natural lighting in order to capture the brief and fleeting moment.
The short, rapid, vertical application of paint depicts the reflection of the background through the use of luminescent green, Monet portrays the sun’s light reflecting off the water's surface. Monet incorporates different shades of blue in his waterlilies contrasting with the water’s surface; the lilies are painted horizontally conflicting with the brushstrokes of the water. The light pink dabs applied on the lily leaf form an impression of the flowers, contrasting with the leaf, creating a soft texture to the composition.
Monet’s dynamic use of long, vertical strokes represents the falling foliage of the willow in the background; whilst in contrast with the short, rapid and undirected strokes creating the form and layers of the tree opposite to the willow. The creative use of lighting depicted in this composition is manipulated to create a sense of depth and realism; this is evident through the deep blue colour palette of the shrubbery cantered in the background and the use of warm yellow strokes of the greenery bellow the bridge, to enhance the soft texture and stress the light’s position.
Monet layers the tone of green and blue to create a wood-grain texture of the bridge. The use of heavy, long and refined brushstrokes of the bridge contrasts the conflict between the short horizontal and vertical lines of the pond and background; the fluid strokes create a sense of harmony and balance, separating the water from the greenery yet tying the whole composition together.
The short, rapid, vertical application of paint depicts the reflection of the background through the use of luminescent green, Monet portrays the sun’s light reflecting off the water's surface. Monet incorporates different shades of blue in his waterlilies contrasting with the water’s surface; the lilies are painted horizontally conflicting with the brushstrokes of the water. The light pink dabs applied on the lily leaf form an impression of the flowers, contrasting with the leaf, creating a soft texture to the composition.
Monet’s dynamic use of long, vertical strokes represents the falling foliage of the willow in the background; whilst in contrast with the short, rapid and undirected strokes creating the form and layers of the tree opposite to the willow. The creative use of lighting depicted in this composition is manipulated to create a sense of depth and realism; this is evident through the deep blue colour palette of the shrubbery cantered in the background and the use of warm yellow strokes of the greenery bellow the bridge, to enhance the soft texture and stress the light’s position.
Monet layers the tone of green and blue to create a wood-grain texture of the bridge. The use of heavy, long and refined brushstrokes of the bridge contrasts the conflict between the short horizontal and vertical lines of the pond and background; the fluid strokes create a sense of harmony and balance, separating the water from the greenery yet tying the whole composition together.