In 1934, Fortin returns from a trip to France with his head brimming with
ideas. In fact, at this time, the technique known as «the black
manner»
was born from Fortin’s mind.
«The
method of painting on a black base is a technique which brings out a hundred
percent of the colour values.
It’s the relationship between shade and light in a landscape. When you
put a sombre green on the black, it becomes even more darker, it’s more
beautiful. This technique is better for cloudy days rather than sunny ones.»
Marc-Aurèle Fortin
Anyone who watched the artist painting on a black base is dumbfounded by the
swiftness with which he applied his paint. A veritable whirlpool of bright
colours descends on the canvas, giving the impression of being so abstract
at the start that it is difficult to guess what subject they will create.
Then little by little, in these swift sessions, forms take shape signalling
the embryo of a landscape. Everything is done by instinct
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