Alla PRIMA

Raw Umber Studios tutor LIZET DINGEMANS presents an introduction to the direct painting technique that can be used to create lively, spontaneous pictures

- LIZET DINGEMANS

Lizet's materials

• Paints Titanium White, Scheveningen Yellow Medium, Cadmium Orange, Cerulean Blue, Raw Umber and Ivory Black, all Old Holland Classic Oil Colours •

Brushes Daler-Rowney Graduate synthetic flat brushes, various sizes; Rosemary and Co. Series 308 hog bristle long flat brushes, various sizes •

Support Wooden board primed with Golden Acrylic Gesso, 45x50cm (approx.)

• New Wave wooden palette

• Sansodor medium

• Odourless turpentine

• A dipper

• A palette knife

Alla prima can roughly be translated as “at first attempt”. It is a method of working directly into still-wet paint, which is very different to the commonly used layering approach, where one would be painting a layer and letting it dry, before working over it again. When painting alla prima, the picture is traditionally completed in a single sitting, which allows for a spontaneous execution that is incomparable to any other technique in terms of finish and boldness of brushwork.

A still life is a perfect subject for alla prima painting as it is infinitely patient and needs no breaks. I chose a pair of cowboy boots, lit by a single light source from the left, which provided clarity and made it easier to distinguish the tones. The latter is especially important for alla prima work, as it will make the process easier and more direct.