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Impressionism, as an art movement, is renowned for its focus on capturing light and color in a more spontaneous and subjective manner.
Impressionist painters were fascinated by the effects of natural light on their surroundings. They sought to capture the fleeting qualities of light as it changed throughout the day, influencing colors, shadows, and atmosphere.
Impressionists often painted outdoors (en plein air) to directly observe and capture the effects of natural light. This allowed them to study the interplay of light and color in real-time, rather than relying solely on memory or studio work.
Impressionists employed a technique known as broken color, where they applied small strokes or dots of pure color next to each other on the canvas. When viewed from a distance, these separate patches of color would blend optically, creating a sense of luminosity and vibrancy.
Impressionists utilized complementary colors (colors opposite each other on the color wheel) to create visual harmony and enhance the perception of light. For example, they might use touches of blue to complement areas of orange, or touches of red to complement areas of green.
Impressionists often departed from the traditional color palette of academic painting. They favored brighter, more intense colors and experimented with unconventional color combinations to convey the effects of light and atmosphere.
Impressionist artists captured not only the appearance of objects and landscapes but also the atmosphere surrounding them. They depicted the way light interacts with haze, mist, fog, and other atmospheric conditions to create subtle shifts in color and tone.
Impressionism prioritized the artist’s subjective perception and sensation over objective representation. Artists aimed to convey the essence or impression of a scene rather than its precise details, using light and color to evoke mood, emotion, and atmosphere.
Overall, the focus on light and color in Impressionism revolutionized the way artists approached painting, paving the way for subsequent movements in modern art.