2/3 on Degas and his methods
Degas -- Getting in Shape
One of the most fascinating artists of all times is Edgar Degas. He is usually regarded as one of the Impressionists, together with Monet, Renoir, and others.
Some commonly used criteria for what is called Impressionism is that a painting is made on location (en plein air), preferably painted in one sitting (alla prima), and consisting of broken pure colour painted in short brushstrokes or dabbed onto the canvas with the tip of the brush, capturing an impression of the scene. To this we can add that Impressionists strived to capture the quality and quantity of light, also the light shimmering in shadows, and that they often avoided black (but did not ban it) and used the so called prismatic colours unmixed to achieve effects, letting the pigments blend optically on the canvas. They strived to capture a moment of time with spontaneity.
Degas, on the other hand, always worked in his studio, often painted indoor scenes at night and lit by artificial light, preferred dry pastel sticks to oils, and is said to have relied heavily on sketches drawn on location. He drew outlines around objects, and planned paintings carefully, putting great emphasis on composition and design.
Not the usual methods of an Impressionist.
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