34 Artists&Illustrators
effect that occurs in the viewer’s mind.
Monet’s Waterloo Bridge, Overcast
is one of many Impressionist works
in which this takes place, particularly
in the river section. Warm pinks and
dark greens dominate, while strokes
of pure Vermilion and Cobalt Blue
can also be picked out. Together
they combine in interesting ways to
replicate the dappled Thames waters.6
FOLLOW THE FORM
One trick used by artists for
centuries is to make brushstrokes
follow the form of a subject. While
those marks were less apparent in
tightly-rendered works by the Old
Masters, they could be seen more
clearly in Impressionist paintings.
In Berthe Morisot’s Young Girl on
the Grass, the usefulness of thistechnique is seen in the young girl’s
clothing. Rather than “colouring in”
the hat, the strokes follow the circular
brim and the broken colours help
to indicate form and texture.
Likewise, the shape of her dress is
clearly described, sweeping around
the collar, along the shoulders and
around the sleeves. Whether your
brushstrokes are clearly defined or
not, this technique can add a greater
sense of three-dimensionality.7
REFLECT COLOURS
One of the primary jobs of an
artist is to be selective and decisive,
emphasising certain elements and
discarding others. The Impressionists
were masters at this as they chased
that elusive suggestion of a subject.
In terms of techniques, however, oneof the most important yet often
overlooked aspects of this comes
in their handling of reflected light.
Look again at that Morisot portrait.
Notice how the pinks of the young
girl’s face are echoed in the parts of
her red top that are angled towards it.
Now look for the slight green hue to
the underside of her chin and brim of
her hat, each faintly suggestive of the
grass below. These dabs of colour are
rendered perhaps more prominently
than they would have appeared in real
life, yet they are still rather subtle and
help to tie together disparate
elements of a painting.
Gauguin and the Impressionists:
Masterpieces from the Ordrupgaard
Collection runs until 14 June at the
Royal Academy of Arts, London W1.
http://www.royalacademy.org.ukRIGHT Berthe
Morisot, Young
Girl on the Grass
(Mademoiselle
Isabelle Lambert),
1885, oil on
canvas, 74x60cm
© ORDRUPGAARD, COPENHAGEN. PHOTO: ANDERS SUNE BERG