What is Impressionism art and how can it enhance your design projects?

What is Impressionism?

Impressionism is an art movement developed in France during the mid-to-late 19th century. It’s characterised by unblended colours and small, visible brushstrokes that create the impression of form and natural light. Impressionist art often conveys the atmosphere of an experience rather than a realistic depiction.

The Impressionist movement began as a form of rebellion. Artists, who were tired of the French Academy’s strict standards, travelled to the countryside to paint on location instead. They worked in nature and captured the light and movement they witnessed firsthand, which soon evolved into the Impressionism art we know today.

5 Impressionism facts.

Impressionism served as a groundbreaking turning point for all modern and postmodern artistic movements, including abstract art, pop art, Surrealism and Dadaism. Let’s take a further look at impressionism.

• Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Alfred Sisley, and Frédéric Bazille were among some of the founding members of the Impressionist movement.
• Impressionism became a mainstay of the Salon, the official exhibition held in Paris, by the late 1800s. This came because of Impressionist artists being rejected by the French Academy of Fine Arts.
• The term “Impressionism” was coined by French art critic Louis Leroy. Originally used sarcastically, it came from one of his reviews of Impressionist art following an exhibition in 1874.
• Impressionist artists often began their paintings outdoors rather than in a studio – which was unheard of at the time. This allowed them to see how colour and light affected the scenery.
• Many French artists settled in London in the 1870s, which gave rise to Impressionist paintings being exhibited in London galleries.

Key Impressionism characteristics.

Impressionism art can be defined by a few key characteristics that help to capture an ethereal moment in time. Here are some top traits of Impressionist art that you can apply to your designs.

Bold, bright colours.

Impressionism emphasises bold, bright hues. While bright colours are used in other art forms like graffiti, which could also inspire your designs, Impressionism art relies on a bold palette to give context and shape to abstract imagery.

An unrefined finish.

Although Impressionist art can resemble real life, it doesn’t seek a complete finish that can immediately be identified as a specific subject. Instead, Impressionism uses fuzzy and unfinished imagery to portray the essence of an object, place or person. Despite its coarse finish, Impressionism artwork typically becomes clearer when standing further away.

Unusual takes on ordinary subjects.

Artists often look to create work that adds something new to the discourse. But Impressionism primarily focuses on visual impressions. Impressionist art often features unusual shapes, angles and alternative takes to add something extraordinary to a seemingly familiar subject.

An accurate depiction of light.

Light is very important when capturing the impression of an image. Impressionist artists used hues from the light spectrum in their paintings to depict clear, blue skies or water reflections. When lighting scenes, Impressionist art is about portraying something accurate and authentic, while prioritising natural lighting.

Visual brush strokes.

Impressionism art doesn’t focus on the fine details. Historically, Impressionist artists didn’t have much time to complete their work, and would move quickly with small, loose brush strokes. That’s why you’ll often see rogue strands from a paintbrush in an Impressionist piece.

Well-known Impressionist artists.

Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Edgar Degas, Camille Pissarro, and Berthe Morisot. These were some of the most well-known members of the Impressionist movement. Their innovative techniques challenged conventional art, inspiring audiences and fellow artists worldwide.

• Claude Monet. A landscape artist who is considered the face of Impressionism due to his dense brushwork and emphasis on light. He is perhaps most well-known for his paintings The Water Lily Pond, Impression, Sunrise and Woman with a Parasol.
• Pierre-Auguste Renoir. A portraitist and leading Impressionist artist noted for his painting, Luncheon of the Boating Party. His depictions portrayed huge crowds in vibrant colours.
• Edgar Degas. An artist known for his pastel drawings and oil paintings of intimate interior scenes. The Dance Class is his most notable Impressionist artwork, depicting a room of ballerinas.
• Camille Pissarro. A Danish-French artist and the oldest painter in the Impressionism movement. Pissarro used rapid painting techniques to capture people and landscapes, with the Boulevard Montmartre series among his most notable works.
• Berthe Morisot. A founding member of the Impressionism movement known for her oil and pastel paintings. Her distinct use of colour against unprimed canvases earned her the nickname of the “virtuoso colourist” of Impressionism.

Use bright colours in your business cards.

Make your business card pop with bright colours inspired by Impressionism art. Adobe Express’ business card templates can be customised to represent the essence of your brand. Use unexpected palettes to boldly create your identity and incorporate a delicate font for an artistic design.

Bring an unrefined finish to your posters.

Posters are often crisp and clean but, to draw your audience’s attention, use impressionist techniques to add an unrefined quality to the finished piece. Adobe Express’ free poster templates can be customised to bring a fuzzy quality to your imagery and capture your audience’s interest.

Focus on lighting for your Instagram posts.

What is Impressionism art without lighting? Apply natural and authentic lighting to your social media posts using Adobe Express’ Instagram post templates. Place the focus on lighting setups and unique light sources to reframe your imagery and draw the eye where you want to.