Monet paints wonderful, tiny details.  Some say he paints with an urgency to what he views.  The landscape occupies the top half of the painting and the waterscape the lower half.  This painting does have a human element with women chatting and small figures in the water, but Monet's painting is always more about the water, wind, light, and reflections.  He is a systematic, loose painter, and paints with big brushes and makes the same  strokes with thick paint and covers the entire canvas.  Look at all those horizontal and vertical strokes.  
 
Renoir's version has many more figures which is his preference.  This particular bathing establishment is where gentle folk would go to drink and party the afternoon away.  Renoir captured the softness in the receding landscape and flowey materials of his subjects clothing.  His paint strokes are rounded and plump and he utilizes a variety of strokes.  He has a much more controlled style.
They both were Impressionistic painters using light brush strokes, everyday subject matter, and movement.

 
Which brings me to a contemporary comparison.

I rather enjoy writing about myself and my river hiking artist friend, Sarah, in the same context as Monet and Renoir!  Ha!  Please allow my folly.
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My (art) life review...It was a cold and cloudy morning.  (Ha!...what a great way to start a newsletter!)
I had been out walking Angel, the wonder dog, when I saw my neighbor friend, Kathy, jogging towards me.  We catch up and share our lives often, on local residential streets.  She asked me about a recent Open Studio & Gallery I had and I eagerly told her about the group that attended the scheduled art talk I gave.  She told me I was courageous.  It's always fun connecting with her.

My mind kept revisiting our conversation.  Was I really courageous?  I know I can be laser focused when I'm interested in something.  Now if you have been reading my newsletters, you know they sometimes contain my vulnerable perspectives.  Warning:  here I go again....

I sat back and experienced a mini (art) life review.  I was in my studio two years earlier and viewed my watercolor paintings with appreciation.  Then I decided firmly to give up this area of expertise... and become a novice painter of acrylic on canvas.  A huge re-direction.

My last watercolor painting.

I just began, and quickly progressed through trial and error.  I knew all the elements of art so it was a matter of re-applying them to a new medium.  These new beginnings were fun and joyful but I couldn't help but compare the new me with my established art groups, and feeling how much of a novice I  was!  Very uncomfortable.
Back in the studio, my joy would return as I focused on landscapes, brush work, blending, and every day I painted.

One day I hiked down to a stream and challenged myself to go from painting a 10"x10" canvas to a 24"x30".  I figured out a different way to sketch that large, and created a real beauty.  Actually, this first large painting was recently purchased by Multnomah County for the downtown Portland's  permanent art collection!
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This is the painting Multnomah County purchased for their permanent collection.