Blog post 3: Art Behind the Color Scheme

How is color related to some piece of art like the Expressionist and the Impressionist paintings? If you were the painter, how would you choose the right colors to use in your paintings? Before we get discuss about color scheme, expressionism and impressionism, let us take a look on how the three terms were defined by Merriam Websters.


Expressionism is a movement of German artists that began in the first decade of the 20th century that shows exaggerated color and form for the purpose of expressing emotion. On the other hand, Impressionism is a style or movement in painting originating in France in the 1860s, characterized by a concern with depicting the visual impression of the moment, especially in terms of the shifting effect of light and color.Color Scheme is the choice of colors used in design for a range of media.

According to an article found in Color in Art- Impressionism and Expressionism, Expressionist painters use color to evoke feelings. One example is a person's skin may be color blue to give the feeling of melancholy. An expressionist may change the color of an object depending on how he/she interprets a color. Actually, I've tried to research about the commonly used colors in expressionist paintings. But, I have found no result! In other articles, the vivid colors such as green, yellow, cyan and blue are used. In some other paintings, the simplest colors like white, pink and yellow are commonly used. This attempt made me more puzzled. Until I realize the true meaning of color schemes behind Expressionism. There is really no pattern of colors used in different paintings. I mean, the colors are chosen by how a painter interprets a certain hue. For example, red may symbolize war, hate and anger. But if a painter sees red as a color for sensation and comfort, he/she may use this color to express how intense the feelings are. There are different shades of red anyway!
If you were the painter, you must start by letting the subject matter of the painting determine the colors you select. Go with your instinct, not your intellect. Initially limit the number of colors you use to five -- a light, medium, dark, and two tones in between. Then paint with them according to tone not hue. If you want to use more colors,  start by adding complementaries. Use the color straight from the tube, unmixed. Don't second guess yourself until you've done quite a bit of painting, then step back and look at the result. 

The skin is green and her hands are quite big.
There isn't actually a green person so this girl can be anyone.

Another way of using colors in an expressionist painting is the shapes and forms drawn with emphasis on feeling at the expense of recording the subject's actual appearance. One example is a person drawn with really big hands that reaches up to express wonderment.

Below is a sample work of expressionist art.

How about the usage of color scheme in impressionist paintings? Are the color patterns the same with all paintings?

Unlike the expressionist paintings, impressionist used dabs of color, letting the brush strokes show. Paintings can be of any texture -- from disintegrated, to blurred an to smooth- polished look. Actually, impressionist paintings introduced new techniques, particularly in the use of small, broken patches of color to show sensations of the light on objects through the use of colors.

Painters created the effect of light by the use of light and dark tones. The dark tones in the shadows often deadened the painting, indicating the absence of light and color. As explained by Claude Monet, a famous impressionist painter, "The point is to know how to use the colors, the choice of which is, when all's said and done, a matter of habit. Anyway, I use flake white, cadmium yellow, vermilion, deep madder, cobalt blue, emerald green, and that's all." 

With that, I've realized that color patterns in this type of painting differs on how painters would like to be interpreted by the viewers. If the expressionist was about the painter's meaning of colors, the impressionist is about how the viewers would see the painting. As differentiated by ask.com, "Expressionism is a one-sided art form, it outlays twisted reality and the term frequently implies a moving anxiety. To the fundamental description of the technique of bold colors the two-dimensional and non-perspective style also refers to this. On the other hand, impressionism put importance on light in its varying qualities, brushstrokes, open work of art, movement, normal subject matter and strange visual angles."

Below is a sample work of impressionist art.

This apple is made up of different color strokes. The background is green, which is opposite red on the color wheel (complementary color). The shadow is made up of blues and purples. The table top is yellow, which is the complement of purple. All of these methods were devised by the Impressionist.

I find it really fascinating how colors come to life. The articles that I've read before doing this blog post has helped me know more about the application of colors in art. Colors can come to life by mixing it and experimenting on its meanings. As a painter, it's up to you on how to use and manipulate the canvas. Go on and try it yourself! :)