How to Paint Impressionism
Impressionism is a style of painting that flourished in Paris, France during the late 18th century. The movement rebelled against Romantic style paintings, which typically depicted scenes of exotic subjects which most people would never see in their lifetime. The Impressionist painters, including Cezanne, Renoir and Picasso, favored everyday scenes and the immediate impressions they made on the artist.
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Instructions
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Find an area of natural beauty such as a lake, river, flower garden, field or forest. Most Impressionist paintings were drawn outdoors. In addition to the myriad of colors changes caused by a setting or rising sun, painting outdoors freed Impressionist paintings from the confines of the studio.
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Consider the time of day at which you want to start painting. Study areas to see how they appear in different lights, such as during sunrise or sunset or just before stormy weather. Impressionist painters were interested in how light and shadow could imbue seemingly normal scenes with vivid life.
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Think about movement before painting and how to capture the effect of movement when painting. Impressionist artists often did this by making vivid, swirling motions to create a sense of nature alive and in flux.
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Make sure the scenes you choose are not out of the ordinary, such as a grand castle or a well-kept ornamental garden. Impressionists were more interested in ordinary everyday scenes which took on renewed life at specific times of day.
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Set up your easel, ensuring that it's securely positioned on the ground. Bring a chair, canvas and a selection of paints.
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Paint the scene as you see it, without putting too much time or effort into making it perfect. Impressionist painters painted quickly, from feeling and instinct, in stark contrast to many studio painters.
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Use brief, short strokes when painting. Don't worry about embossed residue in areas of the canvas, either. This was a common trait of the Impressionist style, with imperfections essential to creating an immediate impression of a scene.
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Avoid the use of black paint and clearly defined lines. Impressionist paintings were usually full of vivid color. Suggest lines, by placing brighter colors next to darker ones, rather than clearly defining them.
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Remember to paint what you see and what you feel. Impressionism is a highly subjective art form, so artists were encouraged to pursue their own visions rather than render a template that could be accepted by everyone.
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References
- Photo Credit Photos.com/Photos.com/Getty Images
