Claude Monet was a famous 19th century French Impressionist painter, known for his radical use of light and colour to create beautiful compositions centred on nature. Born in 1874, he began painting at a young age, selling his first works as he entered the École des Beaux-Arts in 1869. He met other painters who would soon become known as Impressionists, such as Paul Cézanne and Vincent Van Gogh, often joining them in plein air (painting in the open air) for inspiration and reference material.

Paul Signac was a French painter born in 1863. He is best known for his use of the pointillism technique, which involves painting with small dots of colour. This technique was developed by Signac and Georges Seurat, who were the first two artists to use it. Signac's paintings are characterised by their vivid colours and powerful brushstrokes. He often used a palette knife to apply the paint to his canvases, resulting in bold, textured brushstrokes.

Vasily Kandinsky was a 20th century painter who was one of the first to develop pure abstract art. His paintings are characterised by bold, unrestrained colours and energetic brushstrokes. Kandinsky believed that colour could be used to express emotions and convey spiritual messages.

Abstract art focuses on the expression of feelings and emotions through shapes, colours and textures rather than the realistic representation of concrete subjects. Abstract artists often use techniques such as dripping, scratching and even throwing paint to create dynamic works that evoke an emotional response in the viewer.