Alla Prima Portrait

The term alla prima literally means "at first attempt," and refers to a painting completed from start to finish in one sitting, typically in a short matter of time (2 or 3 hours at the most).  I wouldn't say I'm great at alla prima painting, but I love it.  It's a lot of fun, and is really great at teaching problem-solving and improvisation. 
So today I completed an alla prima portrait, and hopefully you will see the video of it as soon as I get it uploaded and edited.  And sure enough, I did a lot of improvisation and problem-solving through the course of the painting.



Alla Prima Portrait Study
oil on canvas
14x11 inches
2013

Today's painting was brought to you by the following palette:  titanium white, cadmium yellow, cadmium orange, scarlet lake red, indian red, alizarin crimson, sap green, burnt umber, prussian blue, and viridian.

I am expecting to get an invitation to the 2013 Blue Springs Show soon... hopefully in the next month or so.  In the meantime, new paintings are on their way, and hopefully some more shows as well.  I am really hoping to get back in touch with Latteland on the Plaza again.  I really loved showing work there before in May-June 2011.  It was awesome!  I heard lots of good things from the baristas there, and incidentally they were hearing good things from customers in those three weeks that my work was hanging there.

 

More to come soon!