the impressionist painters looked for a "technique" (a way of doing something) to paint landscapes that showed the light and the weather. the light and the weather change all the time. the light of the sun on the landscape changes every minute as the earth turns. impressionist painters looked at the works of earlier french artists such as camille corot and gustave courbet. courbet often took his paints outdoors and made quick coloured sketches that he could then use to make large paintings in his studio. the impressionist painters were more interested in the sketches than the finished paintings.