IMPRESSIONIST
adventure
Teacher’s Workshop Notes
Artworks
‘Hoeing the Fields’, William Marshall Brown, 1911 , East Lothian Council (ELC) Collection in the John Gray Centre.
William Marshall Brown RSA (1863—1936)
William Marshall Brown was not a native of East Lothian, but like many artists he was captivated by the coast and landscape
of the county and the inhabitants of these parts. He spent many years working in the county and many of the figures he
painted — fisher girls and farmworkers feature strongly — were characteristic of his times. Even when a scene is not named,
the East Lothian connection can often be discerned in the details — for example, ‘ugli’ bonnets, creels and baskets.
Born in Edinburgh, Marshall Brown studied at the city’s Royal Institute and the RSA’s Life School. He also spent time in
London and painted in the Netherlands and France, but became recognised for his figurative work in Scottish landscape
settings. Although he ranged widely across Scotland he, like the ‘Glasgow Boys’, found Cockburnspath a useful base and kept
a studio there from which he executed some of his best work. Brown also worked as a wood engraver and a book illustrator.
Many of his works are large, exhibiting broad and rapid brushwork and a bright palette. A favourite composition might be
executed several times with slight variations.
The ELC Collection holds a number of works by Marshall Brown. His works are also held in other museums including the
City of Edinburgh Collection, the Harrogate Art Gallery and The Kirkcaldy Art Gallery.
Supplementary Artworks
William Darling MacKay’s works from ELC Collection & various copies of Impressionist paintings by Monet, Seurat,
Pissarro, Renoir, McTaggart etc.
IMPRESSIONISM – An Introduction
The Impressionists were a group of artists who revolutionised painting, especially the use of colour.
They used bright, unmixed colours which shocked the public when their work first went on display in Paris in 1874.
The name Impressionism comes from a painting by Claude Monet called ‘Impression, Sunrise’. People who disliked the work
of Monet and his friends used the term ‘impressionism’ to insult the young artists, saying that these artists could not paint
properly, only create impressions or unfinished paintings.
The Impressionists tried to capture the effect of light on their subject. Because light effects change constantly they had to
work quickly. They therefore had no choice but to use paint in a loose manner, putting small dabs of pure, unmixed colour
directly onto the canvas in order to capture the changing colours in front of them. They painted out-of-doors, because they
were always searching for subjects which showed the ever-changing appearance of nature. They also painted the everyday
things of urban life – buildings, cafes, streets, docks and people. The Impressionists wanted to convey the movement and the
vibration of life just as they saw it.
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Impressionist Technique:
• Short, thick strokes of paint quickly capture the essence of the
subject, rather than its details. The paint is often applied impasto
(wet paint on wet background).
• Colours are applied side-by-side with as little mixing as possible,
creating a vibrant surface. The optical mixing of colours occurs
in the eye of the viewer.
• Greys and dark tones are produced by mixing complementary
colours. Pure Impressionism avoids the use of black paint!
• Wet paint is placed into wet paint without waiting for successive
applications to dry, producing softer edges and intermingling
of colour.
• The play of natural light is emphasised. Close attention is paid
to the reflection of colours from object to object.
• In paintings made en plein air (outdoors), shadows are boldly painted
with the blue of the sky as it is reflected onto surfaces, giving a sense
of freshness previously not represented in painting.
• Painters throughout history had occasionally used these methods,
but Impressionists were the first to use them all together, and with such consistency.
Impressionist Q&A
Q: What did the Impressionists usually paint?
A: They preferred ordinary, everyday subject matter, focusing on fleeting moments and ephemeral phenomena such
as weather and depictions of seasons. Landscape painting was a favourite genre but portraits were also popular.
Q:When did the Impressionist artists start exhibiting together?
A: In 1874. Then they took part in 7 more exhibitions in Paris – the last one was in 1886.
Q: How could the Impressionists paint outdoors so easily?
A: They took advantage of the introduction of premixed paints in lead tubes (resembling modern toothpaste tubes),
which allowed artists to work more spontaneously, both outdoors and indoors. Previously, painters made their own paints
individually, by grinding and mixing dry pigment powders with linseed oil, which were then stored in animal bladders!
Q: What kind of composition did the Impressionists usually use?
A: They relaxed the boundary between subject and background so that the effect of an Impressionist painting often
resembles a snapshot, a part of a larger reality captured as if by chance. Their favourite composition was open.
Q: What were the Impressionists thoughts on photography?
A: Photography inspired Impressionist artists to pursue other means of artistic expression, and rather than compete
with photography to emulate reality they had to search for a ’new style’!
Q: Who were the most famous Impressionists?
A: Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Alfred Sisley, Camille Pissarro, Berthe Morisot and Mary Cassatt.
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The Session
Stage 1
At school, look at some Impressionist paintings (online or in books) and talk about what you like/dislike about them. What
are the colours like? Are they dark or bright? How do they make you feel? Would you like to have a painting like that at
home? Were they painted quickly or slowly? What do they usually show?
Stage 2
In the JGC, look for, identify, talk about different types of landscape paintings from the collection and discuss their texture,
colour, composition, narrative etc.
In front of ‘Hoeing the Fields’ by William Marshall Brown sketch the figures at work, focusing on capturing their poses
within the landscape. Show some sketching techniques. If you have time, play a few ‘drawing games’.
Stage 3
• Discuss colour, scale, atmosphere/mood and artists’ techniques in front of ‘Hoeing the Fields’.
Look at the composition and the different components within the painting i.e. background, middle ground and
foreground. Discuss how trees, skies and water change in the different seasons.
• Discuss how to create pattern, colour and texture using paints or pastels (this can then be used at school).
• Demonstrate colour-mixing to achieve tones in skies and land.
• Consider colours used - pale/strong to achieve receding/advancing.
Stage 4
Reflection & group discussion.
Aim
To introduce children to art in a fun way. To introduce pupils to the different elements within a landscape painting and how
artists use materials and techniques to achieve a variety of effects.
Objectives
• Look at, identify and discuss different parts of Impressionist paintings.
• Select, observe and draw from paintings.
• Make an impressionistic artwork at school applying the knowledge of Impressionism gained at the JGC
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Follow-Up Activities: Impressionist Adventure
Ideas for teachers upon participation in a JGC session
Making your own Impressionist painting
Children will learn:
•
To record from first-hand observation
•
To look at colours in the local landscape
•
To experiment with mixing colours
1.
Give the children soft chalk pastels or oil pastels and ask them to choose one colour. Then ask them to fill a piece
of paper with as many different shades of that colour as they can, e.g. dark green, yellowy green, blue green, by
mixing their chosen colour with other colours. See how many different shades of one colour they can make.
Talk about which colours they like best.
2.
Take the children outside with drawing boards, paper and pastels. Ask them to draw the landscape, paying
particular attention to the different colours they can see. Try to get them to cover their whole sheet of paper
with colour. Back in the class the drawing could be developed into a mixed-media drawing. Rip up bits of
coloured paper and glue them down in patches, to create a collage of the landscape. Draw in the details of the
landscape with pastels over the top, mixing the colours together to create new ones, and letting the coloured
paper show through in some places. If you cannot go outside, set up a still life in class.
3.
An extension of this activity might be to ask small groups of children to explore a place at different times
of the day, just like Monet. They could even imagine how the landscape would look at night.
4.
This activity could be developed into a painting. Use watercolours and a thick brush to cover the whole page
with colour. Experiment with different effects – try painting on top of one colour with another colour while
the paint is still wet, or use a sponge to lift off areas of colour. Coloured tissue paper could also be added
to create a layered effect. When the whole page is covered, use small brushes, cotton buds, rags or old
toothbrushes to paint.
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