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Painting the Impressionist Landscape: Lessons in Interpreting Light and Color
Impressionism—its techniques as well as its practitioners, past and present—continues to excite the passion of artists and art enthusiasts alike. From the plein-air landscapes first painted near the forests of Barbizon outside Paris, through the fields of Giverny that Monet immortalized, to the art of American expatriates such as John Singer Sargent and the European-trained American nativists like William Merritt Chase, the influence of impressionism on American art has had a long and distinguished history.
Through artistic principles developed by Charles Hawthorne, an influential American impressionist and educator who studied with Chase and founded The Cape Cod School of Art, the rich legacy of the impressionist tradition was passed on to several generations of twentieth-century American artists.
In Painting the Impressionist Landscape , Lois Griffel, the current director of The Cape Cod School of Art and an accomplished artist in her own right, explores and illustrates Hawthorne’s philosophy and theories about color and light, enabling artists at every level of ability and experience to apply his insights to their own work.
The first part of the book, “Fundamentals of Color and Light,” elaborates on the circumstances and individuals that contributed to the development of impressionism. The author then outlines the progression of the study of color and light that is covered in detail later in the book, from simple block studies—the most effective way to learn to use pure color to express the effects and quality of light—through the more complex rounded forms in still lifes and portraits, to the most challenging forms intrinsic to landscape.
Griffel then discusses the essentials of color—its terms, the impressionist palette, and color mixing—as well as how established color theory expresses and influences the impressionist approach.
The second part of the book, “Impressionism in Practice,” takes readers through a series of explorations that guides them toward a mastery of the impressionist landscape. Griffel begins by itemizing the materials that artists need to prepare for painting outdoors and describing how the light of the setting affects color within the context of a composition. The detailed chapters on the studies—from sunny day and cloudy day blocks, to still lifes and portraits, culminating in landscapes—are all structured to lead readers through each step, enabling them first to evaluate, then eventually realize in their own painting, Hawthorne’s enlightening perceptions about capturing the radiance of nature's light in art.
Beautifully illustrated with the art of the author, her colleagues at the artist’s colony in Provincetown, and selections by Monet, Sargent, and Hawthorne himself, Painting the Impressionist Landscape is a lively and informative guide to expressing light as color in art.
Through artistic principles developed by Charles Hawthorne, an influential American impressionist and educator who studied with Chase and founded The Cape Cod School of Art, the rich legacy of the impressionist tradition was passed on to several generations of twentieth-century American artists.
In Painting the Impressionist Landscape , Lois Griffel, the current director of The Cape Cod School of Art and an accomplished artist in her own right, explores and illustrates Hawthorne’s philosophy and theories about color and light, enabling artists at every level of ability and experience to apply his insights to their own work.
The first part of the book, “Fundamentals of Color and Light,” elaborates on the circumstances and individuals that contributed to the development of impressionism. The author then outlines the progression of the study of color and light that is covered in detail later in the book, from simple block studies—the most effective way to learn to use pure color to express the effects and quality of light—through the more complex rounded forms in still lifes and portraits, to the most challenging forms intrinsic to landscape.
Griffel then discusses the essentials of color—its terms, the impressionist palette, and color mixing—as well as how established color theory expresses and influences the impressionist approach.
The second part of the book, “Impressionism in Practice,” takes readers through a series of explorations that guides them toward a mastery of the impressionist landscape. Griffel begins by itemizing the materials that artists need to prepare for painting outdoors and describing how the light of the setting affects color within the context of a composition. The detailed chapters on the studies—from sunny day and cloudy day blocks, to still lifes and portraits, culminating in landscapes—are all structured to lead readers through each step, enabling them first to evaluate, then eventually realize in their own painting, Hawthorne’s enlightening perceptions about capturing the radiance of nature's light in art.
Beautifully illustrated with the art of the author, her colleagues at the artist’s colony in Provincetown, and selections by Monet, Sargent, and Hawthorne himself, Painting the Impressionist Landscape is a lively and informative guide to expressing light as color in art.
- GenresArt
144 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 1994
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66 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
September 18, 2018
Fun. Am interested in Impressionist painting and although I didn't read this cover to cover (yet) did enjoy the pictures and the points the author was making with the illustrations. Someday, in retirement perhaps, I'll start the steps in this book. Remember reading Churchill's memoirs and when he took up painting he sat and stared at the blank canvass more scared than he had ever been in his life. An acquaintance pulled up to the house, came over to him (for he was outside at Chequers), grabbed a paint brush and put a blob of paint on the canvass. She told him not to be afraid and marched into the house to have tea with his wife. Kept thinking of that as I read this---wondering if I’ll have the courage to start.
January 31, 2022
The paintings are profuse and beautiful; many are hers; but other artists' as well. And despite what one of the snarkier commenters here said about her work not stacking up to Monet, most - if not all - of her paintings are superb (imho). So 4-stars on that. As for the color exercises: colored blocks (sun, cloud, different local colors of block, different facets, shadow), and curved surfaces. I didn't even try .... several years of practice and classes informs me that without an in-person instructor I'm hopeless. Perhaps these exercises might help others. Too much verbiage, besides. An accomplished artist could appreciate the exercises. (But, probably wouldn't need them). So 2-stars on the how-to aspect. As with some (many?) how-to art books I've read, the emphasis seemed to be "see what a great artist [i.e. the author] can achieve." (And, imho, she is a great artist). There are however some practical takeaways (e.g., don't just always reach for the dark umber when painting a tree; many more such). I was also pleased when she said that painting with a palette knife instead of a brush is acceptable, and has some advantages; as well as her saying that using paint right out of the tube [in contrast to what so many other teachers & books say] is also acceptable on occasion. As with the exercises, perhaps too much verbiage throughout - at least for me to be able to absorb or remember. Basically I'm left with a sense that to 'get it right' (understanding color and light) is an overwhelmingly complex task - too much for ordinary mortals. Altogether, perhaps 3-stars.
April 27, 2024
Overall inspiring, and I loved the example pieces Griffel included throughout. Loved the concept of mud-heads! A bit repetitive in places...
March 14, 2010
A strange book -- the author seems to think she is on a par with Monet -- and often prints her own pictures alongside his... to her disadvantage. On the other hand, this book was quite useful for me -- since until two weeks ago, I had no idea what a palette knife was -- much less how widely it is used -- and thought 'color' was something a sportscaster did.
I have no idea whether or not this is a good book, and to even find myself reading something of this sort is quite astounding to me.
It is written by the third director of an American art school (in Cape Cod) that derives from a color theorists who is himself an early 20th cen. offshoot of the Impressionists. There is something ossified about this... But it is fascinating nonetheless, and helping me to begin to understand the complex nature of brush-strokes and colors used by the Impressionist painters.
I have no idea whether or not this is a good book, and to even find myself reading something of this sort is quite astounding to me.
It is written by the third director of an American art school (in Cape Cod) that derives from a color theorists who is himself an early 20th cen. offshoot of the Impressionists. There is something ossified about this... But it is fascinating nonetheless, and helping me to begin to understand the complex nature of brush-strokes and colors used by the Impressionist painters.
May 2, 2011
While I don't like Griffel's work, she provides an excellent explanation of the Hensche method, especially block painting and different kinds of light.
October 21, 2011
Wasn't really helpful. It had too much text and not enough images to show you what they are trying to convey in the text.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews