Claude Monet's Impressionist Style

Context (History and/or Artists)

Claude Monet was the leader of the French Impressionist movement. Which started in 1874. Painters of this movement painted in the open air to capture the changing qualities of natural light & atmosphere. Color was applied in small, loose brushstrokes to create qualities of light constantly reflecting in nature. Impressionism wasn’t accepted by the European art world at first, but now it’s very popular and some Impressionist paintings are worth millions of dollars.

Advanced Preparation

Palettes: Squirt equal parts blue & white tempera paint in compartments of tray or area of paper plate. 
If possible, prepare a slide show of Monet’s and Berthe Morisot’s work.

Tips & Tricks

• Add colors to the palette in stages to allow for mixing colors.
• If possible, make a slide show of Monet’s and Morisot’s paintings that change automatically on the screen.
• Don’t allow students to refill palettes. Adults only. Students tend to over-pour.
• No water cups! Water makes the paint runny. Students can dry brushes on paper towels & the paint is added in a way that the mixing will work out.
• Students will be mixing colors constantly, not applying 1 color at a time or else the colors won’t blend.

Discussion Points

Point out how light reflects off everything in the painting: leaves, water, flowers & the bridge.

Point out how the bridge overlaps the nature & look for the bridge railings furthest away.

Talk about how nature is constantly reflecting light off each tiny surface, so the color is always seen as small bits of hues, tints & shades, depending on the light. This is very hard to draw or paint realistically, but the Impressionist technique helps create this illusion.

Look for large areas of shadow & highlight too. Point out dark areas contrasting with lighter areas.

Point out how light reflects off water: there are little reflections, ripples & highlights.

Reflection Point (Assessment of Learning Objectives)

Students will view Claude Monet’s “Le Bassin aux nympheas” & possibly more Impressionists work.

They will practice the technique of mixing color directly on the painting, using a repetitive brushstroke.

They will mix colors to approximate colors used in the painting.

They will mix colors to create contrasting tints that help objects show up.

Instructions for Lesson

Set-up: Play the slide show, or at least display a single Monet image. Pass out the paper & brushes.  Write the elements, principles & additional vocabulary words on the white board for reference. 

Bring up the “Le Bassin aux nympheas” (Japanese bridge over the pond) image & talk about the artist, using the context & discussion points provided above. Talk about how the elements of art and principles of design are used in this painting.

1. Using the overhead projector or on a large table surrounded by the students, draw a basic sketch of an arched bridge about halfway down & across the paper. The paper can be either portrait or landscape orientation (hamburger, hotdog). The sketch should be loose since it’s going to be painted over anyway.
2. Holding your 1” brush vertically, dab it into some blue paint & touch it to the area under the drawn bridge, pressing the bristles down to make a ’smudge’ type look. Dip the brush into white & touch it to the blue area in the same brushstroke to mix a bit of white into the blue.
3. Repeat this quickly to fill in the pond part of the painting. There should be an even distribution of blue & white, mixed loosely to bring out different tints throughout. Have students copy you.
4. When most of them are finished have them stop & observe your demonstration. Add yellow paint to your palette. Using the same brush (with blue/white paint on it), dip directly into the yellow & stir until it turns green. Dab in the area above the bridge using the same brushstroke. Dip the brush back into the yellow & blue, dabbing & mixing directly on the paper. For areas of shadow, don’t mix white into the green. You can cover most of the bridge but leave the small arc lines to be used as a guide later. Have students copy you.
5. When most of them are finished have them stop & observe your demonstration. On the palette, blend a green tint that is close to the color Monet used in his bridge. With the ¼” brush, paint a long smooth line over the bridge lines you drew. Have students copy. If the color doesn’t exactly match, it’s ok as long as it contrasts with its background, using tints or shades to contrast. Have students copy you.
6. If time permits, demonstrate adding a little pink to the palette to make waterlilies with the smaller brush edges making lines for petals. Mix green & do the same for the leaves under the lilies. Again, use tints to contrast with the surrounding water. Have students copy. By this time, the painted water area should be dry.

References and Attributions

Lesson written by Cynthia Moring & Priyanka Misra. Artist bio from The Art Story website. 

Notes for Educators

21st Century Thinking Skills
Thinking flexibly, creating, innovating, taking responsible risks, reflecting, observing, sequencing, decision making, comparing/contrasting.

WA State Learning Standards
(VA: Cr1.2.5) a. Identify and demonstrate diverse methods of artistic investigation to choose an approach for beginning a work of art. This happens when exploring the Impressionists’ brushstroke & color mixing technique.
(VA: Cr2.1.5) a. Experiment and develop skills in multiple art-making techniques and approaches through practice. This happens as they refine their skills of mixing directly on the palette & in the painting and using different brushstrokes. 
(VA: Cr2.2.5) a. Demonstrate quality craftsmanship through care for and use of materials, tools, and equipment. This happens when brushes are used appropriately.
(VA: Cr3.1.5) a. Create artist statements using art vocabulary to describe personal choices in artmaking. This happens if students write about the process.
(VA: Re7.1.5) a. Compare one's own interpretation of a work of art with the interpretation of others. This happens when the class art is shared.
(VA: Re7.2.5) a. Identify and analyze cultural associations suggested by visual imagery. This happens if you point out subject matter typically included in Impressionist paintings as an indication of the culture at the time.
(VA: Re9.1.5) a. Recognize differences in criteria used to evaluate works of art depending on styles, genres, and media as well as historical and cultural contexts. This happens if you discuss the unpopularity of the Impressionist style when it first emerged compared to its huge popularity now.
(VA: Cn11.1.5) a. Identify how art is used to inform or change beliefs, values, or behaviors of an individual or society. This happens if you use subject matter to show behaviors of the culture, & if the initial unpopularity of Impressionism is discussed.

Arts Integration Opportunities
Vocabulary words can be included in spelling lists. Students can write about the process of making this painting.
Science: Study of light.
Social Studies: This movement documents French society during the late 1800s.

Please note:  These lesson plans are intended for non-profit use only. Use of these plans for commercial purposes should give attribution to the Issaquah Schools Foundation and be accompanied by a nominal donation at www.isfdn.org/donate. Thank you.

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