Claude Monet was an Impressionist painter.
Impressionist artists use the effects of light in nature to create a reinterpretation of reality. Historically, Impressionism followed the naturist movement of the Renaissance, and artists such as Monet and Renoir focused on giving objects in landscapes new color values. An example of this vision is painting an ocean pink hues to showcase the effects of a sunset. Landscapes are a popular subject with Impressionists, and painting them requires brushes, hardboard, a limited color palette and brush techniques.
Instructions
1. Soft art pencils are used to sketch the landscape prior to painting.
Sketch your drawing on canvas. Using the soft pencil, lightly detail the elements of the landscape on the hardboard. This allows you to proportion your painting correctly, and provides a guideline for eventual paint application. Gently erase any mistakes made with pencil and sketch over them as needed.
2. Impressionist painters blend colors gradually to create minimal variations.
Mix paint colors. Attempt to match the colors in the photograph by mixing colors to create the desired shades. Traditionally, Impressionists used minimal color variations, so choose a maximum of seven or eight color pots to paint with. Experiment with dabbing small amounts into larger pots, and gradually add more as necessary until the desired shade is achieved.
3. An easel may be used to hold the canvas in place during painting.
Apply paint to each section. View the landscape scene as blocks of color and tonal shapes, and begin painting oil onto the canvas. Neatness is not necessary, and thick dabs of one color may be applied to represent the sky, and variants of that color may be added to depict cloud formation.
4. Use sable brushes, rags and your fingers to blend colors after application.
Begin blending colors together. Blend the seams of color blocks and shapes together with intricate brush strokes to create coherence in your work. Impressionist work is expressive and brush strokes reflect this, so your finished work doesn't have to be polished.
5. Framing adds a finished look to your Impressionist painting.
Frame your work. After emulating the Impressionist painting process, show pride in your hard work by framing and hanging it. If a standard frame is not suitable for your Impressionist painting, bring your work to an art and framing store for measuring and framing.
