Many landscape artists try for spectacular light effects. Mostly, they fail to make it look convincing. Georges Inness (American, 1825–1894) made it seem easy.
Not all of his paintings depend on special effects like this, but these are some of his best.
Hi David!. I just discovered your interesting stories and lessons about painting and everything that comes to painting. And I must say, it makes me absorb the articles. I learn a lot from you and your fellow artwriters and it improves my paintings (I hope…). Continue writing and painting (!) and I will look forward to your next article. An artistic greeting from Holland.
Jiddje,
Thanks.
George Inness is an interesting and original painter. For he is one of the greatest landscape painters.
Your right about light effects, it’s hard to do.
I am working on this right now.
Stunning work, thank you for directing me to it.
I have been trying to learn his glazing and texture techniques. Please help me find a class or workshop or book about these tonal techniques. I can not find anthing.
I can be of assistance I believe. His technique is not all that difficult. Not really that much glazing done. And you might want to abandon canvas. Inness almost always painted on plywood. Most of us from that school come to realize that alot of the texturing seen on late 19th century paintings is created by the artist, not the painting surface. Iness did a lot of oil dry brush to build up to the density of color and a final dry glaze for the chroma of color. That is the way I paint. And you should know that many of those paints are not manufactued anymore. In that respest we have been ripped off. We can only emulate these masters colors
Rena,
I’m sorry, but I don’t know much about Inness’ methods. From the examples I’ve seen in museums, it mostly looks like direct, bravura brush strokes combined with occasional glazing. It does not look like a technically complex approach to painting. But that’s just a guess.
Thanks for getting back with me. What are bravura brush strokes? Do you know of any artists that have that style?
I am a master romantic realist studio painter from Pennsylvania and my school of study has always been the Brandywine River School of artists as well as a few Hudson River school masters, namely George Inness and Winslow Homer. Take a look at my works of art and see if I might be of help to any of your question’s. I only want to help. Sincerely
R. mccurdy Pennsylvania Romantic Realist Painter and Illustrator http://www.mccurdyart.net
Went to D.C. and Cincinnati to see his show at the Taft. I get the idea he just more or less rubbed in the general effect and then refined with smaller brushes. Based on his harmonies I think likely in a monochrome to start. His medium seems ordinary– not greasy not dry occasionally cracking if used much which indicates to me a resin. Basically I think he just went at it in the normal kinda searching manner and kept at it until it came about fully. I suppose knowing when to stop must have been an overriding concern for him. That and keeping it all under control until the end.
Anwar,
That sounds right to me.
Sometimes for a luminous effect for clouds I use a silver and bronze base then build on it with layers of glaze and thin layers of cream tones until there is a just discernable glow to the cream or white that I wish to achieve. I liked seeing the pictures thank you for sharing them.
You’re welcome. I love Innes.
Try building up an impasto base of white lead in the initial lay-in. Build texture and brilliance with Lead white (lean white) in the underpainting stage, glaze and scumble on top of that as usuual when dry. It will glow. Also remember that whatever color you put in — bright , clear and transparent in the underpainting –will glow through almost every succesive coat in oils. You can’t kill the glow of a cad yellow scrub in later stages for instance. In oil paining, what’s underneath affects what’s on top.
Thanks, Rob.