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The Impressionists achieved colourful, vibrant grays in their paintings through a few key techniques:
Impressionist pages on this site:
1. They avoided mixing colours with black, which would dull and deaden the tones. Instead, they mixed complementary colours like blue and orange to create greys that retained luminosity and vibrancy.[1]
2. They used desaturated warm and cool colours like cerulean blue mixed with burnt sienna to create atmospheric greys that captured the subtle shifts in light and atmosphere.[1]
3. They layered strokes of different colours like ultramarine blue and orange over a white ground, allowing the eye to optically mix the colours into a vibrant grey.[1][4]
4. They incorporated colours like blues, purples, and greens into their greys instead of just using black or brown. This captured the coloured effects of light in shadows.[3]
5. They juxtaposed warm and cool greys next to each other, creating a vibrant interplay between the complementary hues that added depth and atmosphere.[1][2]
By carefully balancing warm and cool desaturated colours while avoiding blacks, the Impressionists were able to create colourful, luminous grays that mimicked the subtle effects of light and atmosphere in nature in a revolutionary way.
Sources
Sources
[1] The Impressionists’ Palette: Capturing True Light with colour https://www.malcolmdeweyfineart.com/blog/the-impressionists-palette-capturing-true-light-with-colour
[2] What’s the Impressionist Way of Painting with colour? - Artists Network https://www.artistsnetwork.com/art-techniques/colour-mixing/whats-the-impressionist-way-of-painting-with-color/
[3] Impressionist Art Movement - Masters Of Light And colour https://drawpaintacademy.com/impressionist-art-movement/
[4] Impressionist colour (article) | Khan Academy https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/becoming-modern/avant-garde-france/impressionism/a/impressionist-color
[5] Impressionist Painting Techniques - Jackson's Art Blog https://www.jacksonsart.com/blog/2015/04/24/impressionist-painting-techniques/
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