Introduction to John Singer Sargent watercolors

Study Notes

John Singer Sergeant was a highly successful portrait painter and watercolorist.
His paintings are characterized by their bright, beautiful, and direct view of the world, as well as a childlike perspective.
He preferred watercolors to oil paintings, and used the alla prima method of working directly on the canvas with a loaded brush.
Sergeant's fame comes from his finely rendered oil portraits, but he was also a remarkable watercolorist. His watercolors are generally much more relaxed and playful than his oil paintings, and he often used simple washes of color to create an impressionist feel.
After slaving away over his portrait commissions, Sergeant may have lost some of his passion for painting, but he still produced a lifetime of watercolors. His watercolors are highly portable and dry fast, making them ideal for travel. He never made attempts to sell his watercolors, making most of his fortune from his portrait commissions. While he encouraged his students to paint many studies on the same subject, he also encouraged them to be daring and take risks. John Singer Sergeant was an incredible artist who will be remembered for his beautiful and daring watercolor paintings.
Sergeant used a big brush to create his paintings because he believed that it was important to be bold and free in his work.
However, he was also deliberate and considered the effects of sunlight on his paintings.
This was a philosophy that Sergeant followed while he was studying impressionism.