ALLA PRIMA!
Alla prima, also known as du premier coup, is a first strike — a painting resolved in a single sitting.
I'm not hide-bound by rules. There is good practice and there are beautiful, compelling paintings. The twain doesn't always meet. That said, alla prima requires both a sound foundation and working strategy.
You begin with striking the big shape (the block-in), followed by serving up the initial half-tones in the abstract. Just like John Singer Sargent taught. And then you're out the gate! Building up the paint surface (the abstract structural surface) with a sympathetic concordance to the underlying anatomical form and succinct bravura codas until an engaging, 3-dimensional alla prima portrait emerges that is as fresh as hot biscuits.
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ALLA-PRIMA-Part-1
Before you begin download the syllabus & supply list: artacademy.com/tv/alla-prima1.pdf Therein is also the link to the reference image.
In Part 1 we strike the arabesque and proceed to blocking-in the structural elements of the head.
Part 1 of 9. 4K
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ALLA-PRIMA-Part-2
The structural elements are refined and the half-tones served up in the abstract. Part 2 of 9. 4K
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ALLA-PRIMA-Part-3
The plastic architecture of the head is constructed with a limited palette. Part 3 of 9. 4K
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ALLA-PRIMA-Part-4
Corrective measures. Part 4 of 9. 4K
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ALLA-PRIMA-Part-5
For the second pass your palette is expanded and a range of flesh tone are mixed. Part 5 of 9. 4K
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ALLA-PRIMA-Part-6
The facial forms are extrapolated with an anatomical concordance. Part 6 of 9. 4K
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ALLA-PRIMA-Part-7
The facial forms are extrapolated with an anatomical concordance. Part 7 of 9. 4K
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ALLA-PRIMA-Part-8
The facial forms are extrapolated with an anatomical concordance. Part 8 of 9. 4K
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ALLA-PRIMA-Part-9-4k
Final articulations and going for the full stretch of light/dark : warm/cool. Part 9 of 9. 4K
