Impressionism emerged in nineteenth-century France and is characterized by painting outdoors and spontaneously, rather than in a studio from sketches. The main subjects of impressionist art were landscapes and everyday life scenes. Instead of working in a studio, impressionist artists found that they could capture the fleeting effects of sunlight by painting quickly in front of their subjects, outdoors. This approach heightened their focus on light, color, and the ever-changing patterns of nature. The brushwork became rapid and broken into separate dabs to convey the ephemeral quality of light.