4 Insights to Paint Alla Prima
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- Опубліковано 30 вер 2024
- Alla prima painting is direct and intentional. It demands paying attention. This week I share four ideas that will help you the next time you paint alla prima.
The colors on my palette:
Titanium White
Cadmium Yellow Lemon
Cadmium Yellow Medium
Yellow Ochre
Cadmium Orange
Cadmium Red Light
Alizarin Permanent
Dioxazine Purple
Ultramarine Blue
Chrome Oxide Green
Phthalo Green
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Thank you, as always, Ian, for the instructive demonstration. I especially appreciated seeing through your eyes at the very end, where I was struck again by the power of these subtle changes.
Thank you so much Hollis. That is my hope - for you to experience my own painting process and can apply it to your own pieces. Glad you enjoyed it
I so look forward to Tuesdays. I have both books. Recently purchased Creative Authenticity. It is changing my life, the way I feel, think and see. Thank you for your authenticity!
Thanks for sharing this Joanie. Makes me very happy to hear you're enjoying the book so much
I didn't start painting until I retired 5 yrs ago. I have discovered that the more I paint, the more I realize how much more there is to learn. Ian has the ability to take complex complex subjects and distill them to the basic concepts. I have often felt that I am trying to drink from a fire hydrant. These tutorials have taught me to take sips as from a glass of wine.
HI Joseph, I think most things are like that aren't they. The more you get into it, the more you realize you don't know. I hope it is a fine wine you are sipping. all the best.
Thank you for your attention and devotion to these videos. They are always excellent. I have both of your books and they are keepers. Mastering Composition has been especially helpful in learning to be a better artist. I have picked it up many times and re-read and refreshed my memory.
Beautifully stated, Ann. . . attention and devotion. Perfect.
@@paintlady2268 made me smile. Thank you.
@@paintlady2268 of course, Mary Oliver gets the credit. :)
@@annhgreen indeed, yet perfectly used.
HI Ann, delighted you enjoyed the video. And the books. Nice to hear from you. My very best wishes to you for the holidays.
You're a good teacher, Ian. I've been painting alla prima for a while, trying to get everything down in one go, doesn't always work, sometimes I have to come back but I've gotten away from fiddly details and it really helps. While I'm not a novice there's so much to learn. Between your videos and Richard Schmid's great book my painting has taken a leap forward. Keep up the great work.
So glad my videos have helped Richard. It doesn't always work but when it does it's worth the effort. And always so much to learn. I still feel that.
When you first spoke the quote from Mary Oliver on the Live last Saturday, I wrote it down then. Love the quote. Great Live last Saturday! This was a wonderful Alla Prima demo. Thanks for all you do for us, it's appreciated.
I highly recommend buying the book of hers. So many pearls of wisdom. You are so welcome and thanks for watching the live also!
How wonderful a video explaining exactly what I couldn't figure out about alla prima painting. Thank you so very much!
Outstanding video! I’m definitely going to see about getting one of your books. Thanks for your efforts Ian.
I have SUCH a battle just leaving a brushmark, so much so, I have failed completely. The inner perfectionist makes me want to tear my hair out. I am hoping it will click in one day.
Another great video - thank you! I have both of your books and they are fantastic!! Thank you for taking the time each week to share your painting knowledge - it’s amazingly helpful and inspiring.
That makes me happy to hear. Glad you are enjoying the videos and my books!
❤ thank you. I really enjoyed this demo and teaching and how you made alla prima not so scary.
Always enjoy your Tuesday vids. I have had my attention drawn to Sargent this week, and found your lesson very timely. In my humble opinion, this painting is by far your best work. Very much alive! Thanks again for the lesson.
HI Bonnie, delighted you enjoyed the video. And the painting,. All the best.
Truly, valuable video!
Thank you so very much, Robert!
I just discovered you today. Your instructions and explanations are so easy to understand. Looking forward to watch the rest of your videos.
Lovely to watch painting done with confidence and care. And what a lovely result.
Thanks so much Priscilla
Some of the best instructional videos ever!! Thank you 🙏 Ian. Merry Christmas!!
Thanks so much Joann and the best Christmas to you as well.
Thank you so much for the instruction that you give each
week. Unlike other instructional videos on Y.B., your teaching comes from the heart and the love of painting.
It is truly a labor of love.
Thank you for saying that Patti. All the best
Wonderful! Thank you Ian… 🙏🏼❤️
Loved what you said at the beginning about Alla Prima's freshness. A few years back, I joined a plein air group who went out painting once a week. This was new to me. I feel like I spent most of the time setting up and not painting. I was embarrassed by my inexperience. I did start to be more comfortable each week and I have a few of those paintings I started. When I look back at them now, they are still "fresh" and I can remember I stopped myself on some of them because I had gotten the colors right. I didn't want to lose them or mess up the painting. I wouldn't try to complete those paintings today but use them as a another reference to paint from even though those right colors are only tiny patches in the painting. I consider myself still new at painting because I've always had several years of not painting in between short bouts of painting. Plein air is such a humbling but informative proess, it becomes a thing to conquer for me when I'm really absorbed in it. I'm on Cape Cod and every time we went out, my first challenge was getting the color of the ocean right. Several days all I could mix looked like the Caribbean water. One of my reference paintings is where I got the ocean right. And, it still looks fresh. Thank you, Ian. --KateColors
Hi Kate, plein air can be humbling for sure. But as you say it does teach you a lot. I taught a workshop once on the Cap near Falsmouth. I loved it. All the very best.
Fantastic as always 💪
Thank you so much Stefan
Great video, Ian. I find myself looking forward to Tuesdays more than the weekends with the release of each new video from you. Although I can paint reasonably well in my studio, until I began to binge your videos, most all of my plein air work was a mess. I find hope in your videos, and a certainty that the lessons learned there will improve all my work.
All my best to you and your family.
thanks so much Timothy. All the best to you for the holidays as well.
Thank you for sharing and for a great video. Love your painting. Have a nice week and also thank you for last saturday!
You are so welcome. Thanks for coming to the live Joanne! All the best
Love it. I am purely an acrylic artist. I think you provide a great example of blocking in and finding the basic tones. That way adjustments and corrections are easier, quicker and in my opinion enjoyable. So many times we rush into a painting without as much thought as we should and this takes away from the fun!
Another great lesson. I love the fact that you showed what you adjusted in order to get the viewer to go where you want them. It shows that even though an artist may paint Alla Prima, adjustment is sometimes needed in order for a painting to be successful. I agree with you, adjusting the grasses changed where my eye is drawn. Thanks once again for all that you do. You are truly a great teacher. I highly recommend your books to everyone, they are a great addition to any artist library. I also wanted to thank you for the live stream, I really enjoyed it--thank you to Anne and Robert as well. Best Wishes, Natalie
Thanks so much Natalie for all your appreciations here. My very best wishes to you for the holidays.
Another great demo!
You challenge and change the way I look at painting.
Thanks!
Thank you very much Joe
Amazing learning these wonderful Tuesdays. Thank you Ian!!!
My pleasure Marianne
Your narrative is so clear. You are a wonderful teacher.Think I need a new book or two for Christmas. Thank you for sharing your work and vision.
Sounds like the perfect holiday gift! Thank you Bobbie
Excellent! I am actually painting only in watercolors but your lessons are so good, i really love to listen and watch.
Hey! Finally picked up a copy of your book for my library as a gift to myself this year. Great reference so far. Thank you!
Glad you are enjoying it! Wonderful
I love watching your brush “dance” across the surface. Somehow when I think of “Alla Prima” I envision thick, glommy paint. But your application is quite light in some places. I like the freshness of this versus the heaviness of very thickly applied paint. (Also, I can highly recommend the two books. This is a good reminder for me to revisit them. I learn something new with each read.)
Thanks so much Linda. I guess alla prima can look a lot of different ways. I'm delighted you have enjoyed the two books. All the best for the holidays.
Thanks again for a simple and direct tutorial.
You are welcome Paul!
Between your Mastering Composition book and your collection of really helpful videos I’m learning a lot…and enjoying the process. This video is especially rich with ‘ahas’ for me. Worth several careful viewings, and some sketching and painting along practice. Thank you so much!
I really enjoy watching your video, Ian! Treasury on UA-cam, undoubtedly!!!
YES! Mastering Composition is a must-have for every painter's library! (NOT that I've truly mastered much from it, but I keep trying to understand and improve.) Above, all, Thank You, Ian, for your wonderfully helpful and generous, NON-judgmental instruction. I turned my back a while ago on an opinionated, self-centered instructor after coping with/battling his "my way or the highway" pronouncements about his students' paintings for too long. Done. I learned a lot (!) about landscape painting from him, but I'm happily going back to Square One with you.
I am delighted you are enjoying the weekly videos and MC as well. I suppose there are few things that are so foundational that they need to be repeated often. But I suppose there are ways to do it too. Anyway, glad you're here.
Hello Ian. Great video and terrific painting! You mention "...you're painting shapes. One to the next, to the
next. Don't put colors here, and here, and here." I understand that you mean don't put in details right away. Is this what you mean?
Thanks again for your much appreciated help!
Yes, interested if you reply to this Ian - same question. Great demo and wonderful tips at the beginning!
Hi Lyne, glad you liked the video. No I meant as you apply the paint shape by shape, mix and test the color right next to the last shape so you are comparing colors on the panel and not in your mind. Color next to color. So I meant don't put some paint down for a tree here, surrounded by blank canvas, and then some yellow fields over here surrounded by blank canvas and so on. Because you cant' really tell whether the color is right unless it is in relationship to the color that will sit next to it. Does that make sense?
@@IanRobertsMasteringComposition Wow, awesome advice Ian, thank you so much and thank you Lyne for asking the question!
Loved this video. I just ordered your book Mastering Composition.
Hi. Just starting to paint in oils, and just found your channel. A great demo and a great painting. I especially appreciated your early comments, when doing the trees, about picking the color and defining the edges against the sky; done once, and that's it. I've never had that point made so clearly before, and it came as a real 'relief' from overworking that sort of detail. Subscribed and will be attentive to all your posts and products.
This was thoughtfully presented and very informative, Ian. I love painting mostly in one sitting, but you filled in some gaps for me to challenge myself with this more. Greatly appreciated as always, Thank you so much!
Glad it was helpful Christine. Thank you!
Wonderful demo Ian, thank you so much! I'm an acrylic and watercolor painter, and decided to give oil a go. Actually painted my first one today, wasn't bad a little bit of skating, I used the alla prima method. How long did your painting take to dry? and do you use linseed oil to thin the paint or do you paint straight from the tube? Thank you.
I don't understand how to get that smoothness of application, using thinner or some other diluting medium without ending up with the canvas weave showing through too much. I love the thick paint look but then I risk losing the spontaneity of image by over applying and overworking the paint.
Mastering composition is an amazing book! Highly recommended :)
I feel attracted by the road at the end.. but... the lighting post "distract" me a little, I believe I wouldn't have painted it, just a subjection, what do you think?
I love this…..training my brain to accept ‘less is more’, with my painting is something I definitely need to embrace.
Ian - I loved the theme of simplification in this video and also really like how your painting turned out. I’ve enjoyed your book, and it’s great to see Chris Fornataro featuring it as one of his favorites as well - right along Sargent and McPherson. 👍 The insights you share make the whole world of painting more approachable for beginners like me. I just ordered the other book you reference here as well. Merry Christmas do you and your family!
Thanks Paul. Delighted you liked the video. Chris has been very generous with his recommendations. He used to live in LA and said next time he comes we should do a video together. My very best wishes to you for the holidays as well.
thank you so much from Barcelona, I really like your videos and I think I will learn a lot, thanks again. I'm already subscribed.
Ian- thank you so much for always churn out quality content. For a novice who never did Alla prima, would you suggest doing a small painting first ?
Very inspirational, great lesson as usual! I learn a lot from you. I am going to paint a landscape "alla prima" next week. In the opportunity, I wish you Merry Christmas and all the very best in 2022!
hi ian
your pictures and suggestions as well as your painting technique are all ok,
but you copy photos, more or less compositionally but i don't see any creativity. Where is the vision or your own expression? Many "artists" paint your pictures, I miss what makes an artist, you don't have that style. But you've got the business.
I see on your wall behind you, a still life drawing. Do you ever do examples on how you draw in a subject, similar to what you do with the landscape paintings?
Thank you for another great video!! 💌
You are so welcome!
Sir ' Mastering Composition' is not available on Amazon in India. I want to purchase.
Did you use any solvent or medium? Or just the straight paint from the tube?
Whats your medium/medium percentages ?
Hi Ian ! I am always amazed by the way you explain in such detail and yet in such a short time ! I am ever so grateful to you week by week ! Thank you ever so much. Wish you and Anne a wonderful Christmas and look forward to Tuesday !
Warmest regards Lorraine 🎨🤗
Hi Lorraine, thanks so much and all the best to you for the holidays as well.
Love learning more about alla prima!
Glad you enjoyed it!
I can’t believe i did not found this video before ! Thank you
That's a beautiful painting, Roberts.
Very informative 👌
Glad you think so! Thank you
I am looking forward to having both of your books for Christmas . I can’t wait to read them. I am learning a lot with your Tuesdays classes, thanks.
Thanks so much Merchi and all the best for the Christmas.
It's important to decide when the painting is ready
This really taught me a lot. How many tubes of paint make up your pallet?
Brilliant as always, Ian...thank you!
You are so welcome!
One of my tutors said “it’s all about the mark’
Very Helpful to a rookie painter!
"Attention is the beginning of devotion". mary Oliver..THaNK YOU Ian for this wonderful quote and your guidance thru the alla prima method...also Richard Schmid has the book ALLA PRIMA...Your explanation is much more simplified and direct...btw a beautiful painting!!
Delighted you liked the quote and the video. Schmidt's book is packed with good ideas. But it is dense.
Tuesday has become my favorite day of the week. I've got your composition book. I bought it when I started painting after 30 years of not. It helped me get back to my art class days. Authenticity is on my Christmas list. Thank you!
So happy you have come back to painting and found my channel,. Makes me happy. All the best for Christmas.
Ian...thank you again for your video on Alla Prima...I will definitely try this ...
I hope you enjoy it Joseph
If possible, when you show the picture of how you have adjusted the painting....could you go back and show the first again....so I can see the comparison one more time. Thank you for your teaching....
Hi Jill. I can. I am usually by the end of the video just trying to figure out how to end it because I'm concerned it is going too long. Two things, One you can of course just note the time at the bottom of the screen and click back and forth a few times. And two if might be a good idea to focus more on that (painting at end of session and then the finished painting) and go back and forth and show the changes I made. It's a good suggestion. Thank you.
PS Dear Ian , could you possibly describe that other book about creativity? I have read the description on the HomePage but, would appreciate a little closer introduction- If possibly…/Thank you in advance🌺/🇸🇪🇫🇷
HI Marie, if you go to my website ianroberts.com and click on books you can see a description and you can read the first chapter.
You are so humble to be that brilliant! Amazing video!!! Thank you thank you.
You are most welcome Hilda.
Thank you. Really enjoyed this video. Loved the simple points you explained and demonstrated. Just got your composition book; a little early gift from myself.
Wonderful. I just know you will enjoy the book. Thanks so much and happy holidays
Really instructive and inspiring thank you Ian, from someone with an over tweaking tendency!! Sheena
Glad you enjoyed it Sheena.
Thank You from Brazil.
Great video thanks. You know the term, “Law of Attraction?”…. Let’s change it to the “Law of Intention”. LOL
That's great Sue. Glad you liked the video.
Is uw boek ook in het Nederlands te koop?
I hope, I'll find your book under my Christmas tree. Can't wait! 😊
Sounds great. All the best for the holidays.
"Intentionality"? We already have a perfectly useful word with the same meaning: intent.
Can we stop making up new words by tacking "ality" on to the end of them?
Yikes.
Terrific Ian. Love your videos. Could I ask you what colours you use? Learnt a lot from this video of putting colours down next to each other as you go. :)
HI Belinda, glad you liked the video. If you go to my video just below, and above the comments, there is a line of text and then it says SHOW MORE. Click on that and all the colors plus cobalt blue for the sky, are listed there.
In addition to your main points, what jumps out at me from this exercise is the importance of value control and how it is the foundation of painting. Color is both deceptive and subjective. You could have made a powerful painting using just black and white. Or even different values of pink or orange. It would look cartoonish, but it would still work and have depth and impact if the values are correct.
Too often we as painters put too much emphasis on color in general as if it was the 'be all and end all' to painting. It goes without saying that color and color temperature is important and needs to be used correctly. But in reality it is the eye candy of painting. The most important parts are design, composition, and value.
You know the line, value does all the work, color gets all the attention. It is as you say, the icing on the cake. Not the substance of it.
All the best.
Painting seems so easy in your hands!
I have both your books which are inspirational!! Thank you.!
Glad you like them Joan! You're very welcome
Thanks a lot for this wonderful demos and explanations. If i may ask a question... if i am painting in acrylic... is it the same approach? I mean oil as it takes more time to dry out you can go back to a spot for manipulating edges etc.. but acrylic dries faster... so is it the same technique to follow?
Some parts are the same. But with oils you can, on the same day, much wet paint into wet. Acrylics as you say are dry. That is why acrylics often look more edgy than oils. You can keep spraying an area with a mixture of water and medium to keep it wet. Or you can try that transition color thing I was talking about on the live video last Saturday. That makes it painterly.
Ian, in the photo the road appears to have more of a C curve to it than your road in your painting. Artistic choice? To me it makes the road look like it's straighter and that it dives down beyond the horizon rather than turns. Actually, in thinking about it I think I like your view better. Thanks for another insightful painting lesson.
Hi George, so I'm going with the idea that in the end you like the road. All the best.
I find it always amazing to see how the painting comes together. I remember from the live chat there was some discussion that you were going to give a presentation on watercolour. Like all your videos I think that will be an inspiration as well.
I'm hoping to do that next week Ralph.
I actually loved this video. I see a triad of focal points. The end of the road- the bell tower- and the front right variety of grasses. For me this works as the eye explores triangular points of interest. I think its fine to offer this to the viewer. Thanks.
Hi Annie, glad you liked it. You don't, in fact, want just one spot that holds your attention. That's often called an eye trap. The idea that your gets pulled around the picture plaln is good. But you do want one to be dominant.
So good. Helpful. Gratitude for your teaching.
You are so welcome!
Loved your painting! Were you using a cat's tongue brush?
Hi Candi, thank you. I've never heard of a cat's tongue brush. I use hogshair filberts. All the best.
I think for me the road seems to dead end, I guess I'm used to seeing a road lead you around the corner telling you its going somewhere. but I liked everything else and driving home the idea of simplicity.
Hi Brian, well it is a cross road. So I guess it does end there. All the best.
extremely helpful… especially every mindful step
Glad it was helpful!
A comment about your choice of center of interest. While you want the viewer to go back along the road to the dark patch, there is "nothing there". It seems to me there should be something to go to, a "center of interest", a reason for the painting, saying this is what I want you to notice.
Hi Anne, so to me this gets to the idea of design-driven over subject-driven. The whole painting is orchestrated around that move to the end of the road. There doesn't to be a thing there. Imagine if I put a figure at the end of the road. Sure we'd go to that. But it doesn't change where your eye will go. It will still go to the end of the road. There doesn't need to be a there there for it to work. I don't think, for myself, putting something at the end of the road would make it better. Because the whole structure is pulling us there now. Anyway that is how I looked at it when I was painting it.
My attention is drawn the most to those cypress trees behind the building. Seems like your lightest light and a darkest dark meet there.
I put them in thinking that might be the case and thinking I'd probably have to put more paint at the top to the cypresses to reduce the contrast. But it never bothered me. Now I"ll have to go back and look again.
You an absolute magician…love love love your work…
Thank you so much Randall
I LOVE this painting! Great video!
Thank you so much Sally
what a gorgeous bit of teaching!❤
I'm glad you found it helpful.
Beautiful work... I love it, well done.
I'm a superrealist oil painter... And I'm so jealous of the fun and freedom you have.
Continue bringing us joy and awe!!! 👍❤💪
YOu make it look so easy... Happy Holidays to you and Anne,
Thanks Greg. And all the best for the holidays to you and Sandy as well.
Hi Ian. When you're NOT painting alla prima (or plein air) do you generally let your paintings dry between the block-in and the finished work?
Thanks for these videos. Sooo helpful :)
Thanks ! Great tutorial video!!
Glad you enjoyed it Frances!
I love your still lifes! And your ability to see shapes that I wouldn't appreciate until you develop them. Thanks for doing this video after video. I am gradually learning to see!
Hi! This is a very helpful video. I just did a alla prima painting but have to go back and change something. I always feel a little down when I can't get it correct the first round. What you said about that it's ok if you have to go back and change something made me feel so much better. I did finish 90% the first go round and I'm pleased with it. Everything you said makes so much sense. Thank you! You're painting looks beautiful!
HI Lynette, I always find there are things that catch my attention after I'm finished. Often it is just adjusting an edge. But that I think happens to everyone. You put it all in and then you sit with it and the paintings tells you. Glad you liked it. All the best.
@@IanRobertsMasteringComposition Thank you!