Q: What mediums did the Impressionists use to paint such soft, colorful strokes?
A: The long strokes have more to do with technique than a
particular medium. It is often said that artists are products of their
age. This adage is particularly true of the Impressionists. By the
1850s the chemical industry had produced an array of new pigments that
changed the nature of oil paint, making it more reliable and more
brilliant in color. For the first time oil paint was available in
tubes, which was not only more convenient but also quite portable. Even
more significant was that the paints were of a new consistency, thanks
to the widespread use of mechanical grinding and poppyseed oil, among
various other additives. All of this contributed to the alla prima
techniques of pronounced brushstrokes and heavier applications of
paint.
The Impressionists used a rapid technique that was suited to plein
air painting and was necessary to capture changing light and weather
conditions. Generally working on a white ground, often with no
preliminary drawing, they placed the brushstrokes side by side, not on
top of one another, using medium-size brushes, long flats, and small
brights, leaving the characteristic square brush-marks visible. What is
deceptive is the appearance of long brushstrokes, which are in fact
made with a springy touch, a slight twist of the wrist. The artists
introduced more and more brush marks until the whole of the canvas was
covered. When modeling was necessary, they dabbed on darker tones in a
similar manner. The result is a shimmering effect of continuous light
and color and the long, soft strokes you admire.