The Three Fundamental Principles Of The Australian Tonal Impressionist Method

Australian-Scott Max Meldrum (1875-1955) developed his painting method and philosophy after a long stay in Europe researching the works of the old masters; in particular Velazquez’s. He also studied briefly at the Colarossi and Julian ateliers in Paris and read extensively the new treatises in optics and light which were being published at the time. All these sources of knowledge informed his particular painting system which on his return to Australia became the foundation of his school and the artistic movement that followed.

When one study the method under the guidance of an experienced instructor there are many ideas and advise given along the way. I think it is of great benefit to the student though to separate what we could call a a fundamental principle from secondary ones or corollaries. 

The most basic concept is that all images are a collection of abstract flat shapes on your retinas. Or in other words images on the back of your eyes are like the pictures on your TV set. And if you think about it that is what your flat canvas is; you pile up abstract shapes of paint like a mosaic on its flat surface which when analysed by viewers create the illusion of tridimensionality and space in their heads… or at least that is the hope.

The second principle which informs directly the procedure at the outset refers to the visual essence of your motif. This states that the most important aspect of the subject (the ‘subject’ being the entire image you are observing and trying to paint) is its First Impression. Which is what you are able to see when your eyes are almost shut. Because if you are able to see something when your eyes are just short of being closed that has to be optically very relevant; the backbone of your subject, so to speak.

And finally the principle that underpins the procedure once you have achieved the first impression at the outset is what Tonal Impressionists call The Order Of Visual Importance. This tells us that an image and all its aspects do not present themselves to our eyes all at once but in a sequential and natural order. Our eyes capture certain things first and others second. This happens so fast that we don’t notice it. Nevertheless if we pay more attention and/or open our eyes very slowly we would realise that the first differentiated things we perceive are tonal discrepancies  (this area in our subject is lighter than this other area for example). As we open our eyes more and more we would discern shapes and when we have our eyes fully opened  we would distinguish colour differences to a high level of refinement. 

Using this last principle we compare subject and our work together squinting very hard and asking the question what is the main difference between my subject and my painting? If nothing comes to our attention as an obvious discrepancy between the two then we must open our eyes just slightly until an evident difference shows up. That is what we must correct on our canvas at that moment in time and nothing else. And because of the order of visual importance at the beginning of the painting session we will correct tonal discrepancies more often than any other visual aspects, then slowly we will move over to drawing differences and finally the rectification of colour will happen by the end.

So these three principles underpin the methodology and core philosophical aspects of the Australian Tonal Impressionist system. Secondary concepts in a way can be traced back to one of these core ideas.