- Matisse found that when he painted colors that are opposite to one another, they would appear more concentrated than when they were juxtaposed with other colors. Because of this, he often applied orange next to blue, red with green and other opposing colors together. For example, in his painting "Open Window, Collioure," Matisse paints red flowers with green leaves and blue boats that have orange masts. These bold contrasts give the painting an intensity it would not otherwise have.
- Matisse often used an impasto technique in his paintings. To do this, he would use either a wide brush or a palette knife to make an unusually thick layer of paint over a part of the painting. This layer would stand out in relief from the rest of the work. Matisse employed this technique to create visual interest.
- Matisse often used a scraping technique. After applying several layers of paint, he would scrape off part of it to expose the underlying colors. He did this with wet as well as with dry paint. This technique was used in his 1939 painting entitled "Music."
- Rather than painting objects exactly the way they looked, Matisse typically painted things in simplified forms. The colors he used and the ways in which he manipulated the paint were as much a part of the painting as the subject matter itself. This was an innovative approach during Matisse's times and his simplified form technique helped him to create works that are charged with energy. "Large Reclining Nude," painted in 1935, exemplifies Matisse's use of this technique.
Contrasting Colors
Impasto
Scraping
Simplified Forms
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