The Technique of Pointillism

The world of painting has provided us with an infinite number of techniques and styles, particularly between the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, i.e., during the period stretching from Impressionism to the avant-gardes. Today, we are going to explain to you what the pointillism technique is.

We will talk about its origin, its main exponents, and its impact. We will explore the key elements of the technique and we will also look at some contemporary artistic trends.

Henri-Edmond Cross. The Walk or The Cypresses, 1897

What are the origins of Pointillism?

Impressionism brought one of the most remarkable pictorial revolutions in the history of Western art. Its way of challenging the norms of the time and proposing new ways of painting inspired the artists who followed. This is the case with Seurat who, by questioning pictorial practice, found a much more methodical and meticulous approach in order to create a stronger chromatic and luminous impact in his works.

To achieve this, he extensively studied the emerging color theories of his time, eventually leading to what we now call pointillism.

How did the artists of this movement paint?

Georges Seurat, along with other enthusiastic artists of this new movement such as Paul Signac, Henri-Edmond Cross, and Maximilien Luce, began to fill his canvases with dots of color, replacing the free brushstrokes of Impressionism.

And not only that: he also questioned the idea of painting according to an intuitive perception of color. They preferred rigorous work, applying color according to a solidly built theory.

Colors blend in the viewer's gaze

The greatest ingenuity of this technique probably lies in the fact that the colors are not combined in a conventional manner. They are neither mixed on the palette nor directly on the canvas. It is also not about glazes: it is a totally different solution, and of course, related to the dots.

To put it simply, it involves placing primary colors very close to each other so that from a distance, the viewer perceives the illusion of a mix. For example, in the grass of pointillist paintings, there is not a single green dot: just blue and yellow dots in different proportions.

Pure colors for maximum brightness

When we work with pigments, we are subject to the chemical reactions of the elements that compose them, which generally causes a loss of saturation or brightness when they are mixed.

During their research, pointillism artists understood that using the optical trick we just looked at was not only fascinating as an illusion: it also allowed for brighter colors, because they did not mix physically and thus retained their own brightness.

More intensity thanks to the proximity of complementary colors

Color theory tells us that complementary colors are those that are directly opposite each other on the color wheel. Generally, they are used to create strong contrasts or to darken a color without losing its saturation.

But with this technique, these colors can be the small pinch of salt that brings out certain shades. For example, in the middle of a green area (made up of yellow and blue dots), a few well-placed red dots can make the main color much more intense.

Color theory applied to composition

Not everything is based on illusions: this color theory also applies on a large scale in painting in general. We can observe all kinds of carefully considered contrasts. For example, in the works we have just studied, red dominates in the characters' clothing: this is no coincidence. The goal is to make them stand out strongly thanks to their complementary color, green, which is present throughout the environment.

Pointillism today

The idea of creating entire works from something as simple as a dot is truly ingenious, having transcended its era and enabled the emergence of other artistic styles in various visual languages, such as illustration, graphic design, or tattooing.

Everyone uses this principle to increase expressiveness and add an interesting aesthetic touch.

And that's it for today! I hope this article has been informative and has shed light on what this movement is, on the essential concepts to keep in mind when applying it in your drawings or paintings, as well as on the manifestations you can observe in the contemporary world.

Writer and illustrator: Bryam