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Artists in France, such as Monet in the 1860s, became very famous for working outside "en plein air" ('in the open air').
We can see this in the painting by the British artist John Singer Sargent,
Claude Monet Painting by the edge of the wood, 1885 (shown right).
The French Impressionists produced paintings in a loose sketch-like technique, often quickly, with brush
strokes remaining visible.
The Pre-Raphaelite paintings were produced in incredible detail, direct from nature itself in the more traditional style of
a 'finished painting' (in which the surface was polished) and over an extended period (8-9 months in the case of
Ophelia although Millais was not working only on this painting). |
Tate
century, it was common for artists to work outside and produce sketches, which they would then take back to their studio
and use as reference to create a larger finished painting.
They would sketch with drawing materials on paper, small panels (wood) or small canvasses (pieces of cloth),
(see 
