Waterlilies: Impressionism or Fauvism?

I’m finding my exploration of Fauvism very rewarding. When I began studying the works of Henri Matisse and Andre Derain, I imagined the steps they took and what they were thinking when they were painting. I’m sure they weren’t thinking of opposing to Impressionism every second of their career, but it’s sometimes difficult to conclude whether your actions are motivated by decisions or oppositions.

I tapped into one of my favorite collections, by one of my favorite artists in my first revival. I spoke about attainting the right vision you’ll need for your artistic journey (or career) and now I feel that confident with the lens I’m looking through. Waterlilies is a collection that can astound anyone when they take experience Monet’s fluency in French Impressionism.

To avoid exhausting the subject, I will dive into my main source of inspiration. I was fortunate to come across John Harney, a wonderful photographer based in Connecticut. His new photo of waterlilies urged me to paint, but he continuously inspires me with every shot. Here it is.

The colors and saturations of this photo are unmatched. It would actually make for an incredible impressionist painting. But this (I) wild beast ins’t going down that path. The whole purpose of this revival is to oppose impressionism, just like the Fauves did long ago. However, I had my own oppositions with Fauvism too. For example, I’m continuing to paint with watercolors. It is weird and untraditional, but it is liberating.

I’m quite happy with the way my painting turned out.

Waterlilies in Litchfield County, Watercolor on paper, 5×7, 2020

I think the most valuable prize that comes with painting (and Fauvism) is learning about your own art style within the form you’re exploring. I can see my brushstrokes being rounder rather than linear, just like my handwriting. My colors are often more pigmented than watery. I’m also more keen on small brushstrokes, just like my preference for smaller paintings.

I will also be selling all paintings due to me moving in a couple months. I can’t wait to see my paintings hung in their new homes! Contact me via the commissions form if you’re interested in purchasing any of my work.

Reviving a Vision

For the first revival, Claude Monet’s vision will be examined to understand how paintings are seen before they are painted. In his legendary series Water Lilies, various viewpoints are visible across the paintings. Some include more details whereas others are more simple. What the community aims to focus on for the first step toward revival is achieving the right vision. Monet’s work includes many details of a landscape, but those details aren’t distracting. That is why every brushstroke is essential to the work. Here, we will be centering our vision on the essential parts of an image or abstraction we wish to recreate.

Below is one of Monet’s paintings from his Water Lilies series, which was retrieved from Monet | Kelly published by Yale University Press (you can purchase this book here).

As it is perceptible, there aren’t many details in the artwork. The artwork may also seem unfinished, but that isn’t the center of focus at the sketching stage. What is most crucial in sketching is capturing the bigger picture first. After that, smaller details may be added, depending on the art style the artist will use. So the take away point is to concentrate on silhouettes. Think about mountains, surfaces, land, water, clouds; all things a child will capture because they aim to create something that can be seen clearly.

Here is an image of a small pond that I took last year on my trip to Lake Placid. It is full of details that are hard to capture within a sketch. But an artist isn’t required to replicate every single silhouette they see.

To show you how silhouettes must be sketched and what should be in the frame, a section of this image will be worked on. Here is a cropped version of the original photo.

Look closer into the picture, and then at the reference. An image has within itself images that seem to come from different universes.

A sketch based on this image will look quite simple if the goal is to focus on silhouettes. In one word; outline. At this stage, shading and dimensions don’t necessarily matter. The most important thing is defining objects, surfaces, and distances. Scroll down to see the sketch.

Materials you’ll need for this revival: an artist’s pencil (HB), eraser, sketch paper.

Exact materials used in this post:

You might think: “This looks nothing like the picture!” Well you’re right. An artist should not aim to achieve realism within the first sketch. Begin working on outlines from pictures you take. Remind yourself to take pictures that have clear silhouettes. Or challenge yourself with a less defined image. It is also up to you how much of an image you’d like to recreate. Sometimes, the details are in the bigger picture, not within the detail itself.