Landscape painting is a key part of mastering modern art and drawing. A staple in oil painting classes and drawing classes in general, they cover the beauty of natural landscapes. One major technique taught during these classes is alla prima painting, also known as wet-on-wet painting. It is a technique where wet oil paint is applied to another layer of wet paint. It requires some level of mastery and intuition. In this blog, VR School of Art, a leading oil painting lessons provider in North York, covers 3 tips to master this technique in due time.
Since alla prima involves painting on wet paint, one has to be quick. To do this, make a loose drawing of what you want the painting to look like. Block out spaces and shapes. Also, plan where you will place your light and shadows in the painting to add depth. The core idea here is to move from general to specific, as trying to hit a specific vision right away will not work.
With a basic framework ready, now it's time to do the actual wet-on-wet painting. Try to achieve a sense of fluidity and expressiveness in your brushstrokes instead of precision. Remember that you are starting out with generalisms, so don’t get too hung up on the details. Even with colours, focus on achieving an overall cohesiveness and harmony instead of trying to match each colour.
Once the broader oil painting is finished, then go for details such as specific colours, textures and small finishing touches. Following this hierarchy will help you to quickly paint on the canvas while it is still wet.
As it breeds spontaneity and creativity, alla prima is often used in oil painting classes. To learn more tricks of the trade, reach out to us at VR School of Art today. As one of the leading oil painting lesson providers in North York, we also offer drawing classes for kids and adults alike. To know more about our different classes, schedules and fees, contact us at 647-894-7706.