More Insight into our Visual Language
We all recognize Claude Monet as one of today's favorite painters of those involved in the original Impressionist movement in the 19th
century. His study of how color changes depending upon weather, time of day, position of the sun, time of season and atmospheric conditions are evident in multiple series of paintings of a single subject.
Monet was not so much interested in the image itself. Rather, he used images as a vehicle for studying light and color. One we're all familiar with is the subject of haystacks in
a field. During about an 18-month period time, Monet created around 30 paintings of haystacks.
One thing Monet observed was how atmospheric conditions determine the degree of value contrast.
I've sampled and enlarged three areas from the middle and left paintings.
At the same time, Monet was observing what happens to the hues of images, depending upon the conditions, location of the sun and time of day.
Throughout every series Monet created, we can see how, along with other things he was observing, his studying the degrees of value contrasts and what was happening to the color was
of utmost importance to him.
Using the photos of two of Monet's Rouen Cathedral below, do some color studies in which you show the changes in value contrasts and color he discovered and expressed in each.
During my Language of Painting series, I explained the role of our visual elements. If you'd like to review those roles to better understand the behavior of elements, here are the links to each of those
discussions: Color --Value -- Shape -- Texture -- Size -- Line and Direction
Enjoy a weekend of visual discovery!
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