After a visit to Helen Frankenthaler's studio with his friend, fellow painter Kenneth Noland, in 1953, Louis was captivated by Frankenthaler's
revolutionary staining technique.
Her signature paint - thinning
technique, in which she diluted the oil paint with turpentine, coupled with an entirely
revolutionary method of
staining (rather than dripping or brushing paint onto) the canvas undoubtedly changed the course of art history and influenced the likes of Kenneth Noland, Morris Louis and Jules Olitski.