Impressions in Color:
Mixing Like Monet
Inspired by Claude Monet’s Waterloo Bridge (from the Permanent Collection of the Santa Barbara Museum of Art) Lesson Developed by SBMA Teaching Artist Monika Molnar-­‐Metzenthin Claude Monet, French, Waterloo Bridge, 1900. Oil on canvas. Bequest of Katharine Dexter McCormick in memory of her husband, Stanley McCormick. Materials: •
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SBMA Teaching Artist Project Prototype, Monika Molnar-­‐Metzenthin P
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o canvas boards or any sturdy paper (i.e. water color paper), no larger than 11x14 water-­‐soluble oil pastels white tempera paint bristle brushes, 1/8” and/or 1/4” paper towels water containers paper plates (or any other receptacle) for distributing tempera paint strips of water color paper for color painting a reproductions of Monet’s painting of Waterloo Bridge Lesson goals: The purpose of this project is to learn how to mix colors visually by placing two colors next to each other as was the practice of Impressionist painters like Claude Monet. For this reason students are asked to study an Impressionist painting and try to reproduce it in a master study rather than create an original piece of art. Once students show an understanding of the technique they may apply it in an original work of art, possibly working from a landscape photo first, then in plein air capturing their impression of nature. • learn about the impressionist way of visually mixing colors by placing two colors next to each other • mix secondary colors • mix tertiary colors • mix tints (color + white) • create a master study of an impressionist painting Procedures: In order to be knowledgeable about color most students benefit greatly from reviewing color mixing in a separate lesson. It is therefore highly recommended to experiment with the materials on hand before delving into the actual art project. Preparatory color mixing exercise: Practice mixing colors by combining 2 hues of water-­‐soluble oil pastels on a separate sheet of water color paper. Place little spots of 2 different colors next to each other. Dip the brush into a little bit of white tempera paint and gently smudge the two colors so they mix, yet keep the source colors visible. a) mix secondary colors yellow+red red+blue blue+yellow b) mix tertiary colors orange+yellow orange+red purple+red purple+blue green+yellow green+blue c) mix greyish tones with complementary colors yellow+purple red+green blue+orange Important: In order to get authentic results, you must keep your brush clean by rinsing it well and/or blotting it with the rag (paper towel). Master Study and VTS Discussion Discuss one of Monet’s paintings of the bridges in London. Suggestion: Open the PDF file (SBMA website) for a Storytelling Lesson about Monet that describes the moments when he painted the bridges over the Thames from the Savoy Hotel. If possible, have students look at the painting very closely, then move them further away. What seems like an array of random dots of color will magically turn into a visible image of “something” -­‐ the longer they study the image the “something” will turn into “a lot of things”. Remember to follow VTS (Visual Thinking Strategies): Rather than asking “What do you see?” which will lead to students just listing things they see, ask “What do you think is happening in this painting?” and ask for a follow up support statement “What makes you say that?” (“It is foggy.” “I can tell, because all the shapes are blurry.”) Make sure students note the following regarding the painting technique before they embark on their own master study: • Mixed colors are actually colors placed next to each other. What appears orange from far away are actually small areas of yellow, orange and red close to each other. Colors seem to be flickering/shimmering, again, because tones of color are placed next to each other •
instead of being “properly” mixed. • Areas that seem closer (foreground) are more heavily textured than areas that seem farther away (background). For their master study this means: more blending of colors in the background, less blending, more visible “brushstrokes” in the foreground. Paint Before you do anything else, remove the black oil pastels from the boxes. Impressionist painters never used black -­‐ nor will you. Study your reference picture and experiment recreating the colors you see on a separate piece of paper first! For example, mix pink with light blue for a light purple rather than using red and ultramarine, Study the composition of the original painting. What are the main shapes and lines and where are they in relation to each other? Sketch out the basic composition with very light loose strokes. Apply color in small, short smudgy strokes. Be cautious about the amount of oil pastel you use -­‐ less is more. Once it seems like enough color is applied in an area start blending colors with small amounts of white tempera paint. Use short strokes. Again: less is more. Work form light to dark. It is always easier to make something darker than lighten areas. Repeat this process multiple times. Work with the water-­‐soluble oil pastel into the painted areas. Note: wipe the oil pastel clean in case it gets “dirty” from working into the wet areas. Every once in a while step away from the artwork and look at it from a distance. Remember: when looking at the original from up-­‐close it was only a bunch of random dots of color and the picture only came together when looked at from a distance. The same is true for your own work of art. Note from Monika: In my experience students of a younger age are determined to create homogenous looking areas of color instead of more impressionist areas of mixed color. Be clear that students are trying something new, that they are studying a master so they can learn a new way of creating a piece of art which is very different from the way they would do it. Trying something new can be scary, so be supportive of their efforts and encourage them to dive into new ways of mixing colors and painting.