Paint with the Impressionists: A step-by-step guide to their methods and materials for today's artists

by Jonathan Stephenson

In this approach to Impressionism and its methods, the author’s instruction enables amateur artists to paint like the Impressionists. The book is illustrated with well-known works of art, and shows how the masters achieved their effects and how their ideas and styles can be adapted today.


An introduction provides historical background to Impressionism, and a section is included on artist’s materials available then and now. Demonstrations show how to achieve the desired effects, from the initial sketch to the finished painting.


Sections on the artists provide insight into individual techniques. You will learn how to re-create the style of Monet’s landscapes, Cézanne’s still lifes, or Degas’s figures, and see your own Impressionism develop from the first brushstroke to the finished painting.


Jonathan Stephenson carried out his own painting experiments to help identify how the Impressionists must have worked.

Genres: Art

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

Reviews

[Ruth Charchian · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fabulous book. The author describes how Degas, Monet, Renoir and other famous painters approached and completed their paintings. He details brushes to use, paint colors and full color start to finish step by step guides to their styles. Anyone who wants to paint like the old masters only has to copy his guides. It works like a charm. I bought the book i liked it so much. And, he inspired me to try one of the step by step paintings. It works.

[Tara Lewis · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a very simplistic book. It would be useful to someone starting out but didn't meet my needs at all. Nice layout though.

[Dottie Suggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun book. Jonathan takes on over forty styles from the impressionists different paintings and then leads you thru a creating process. He spells out the paint colors, canvas types and prep for each piece of art. He also explains the approach the painters would have taken to daylight and timing of dryness. Now that I have read the book, I plan on going back to work some of the paintings.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book does an excellent job of giving the historic background on both the techniques, materials, and supplies used by the impressionists. I've referred to it many times. The author appears to have an inflated opinion of his artistic abilities, though.

[William Goslin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really nice well defined book.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

This describes their techniques using oil paints. This is very accurate, but I don't use oils, so it was less useful for me. This is a guide to recreating their exact materials.