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5 Mistakes To Avoid With Alla Prima Painting In Drawing Classes

02-12-2025
5 Mistakes To Avoid With Alla Prima Painting In Drawing Classes

When trying the alla prima technique during drawing classes, be sure to avoid using excessive medium, be careful with paint thinness, avoid pure black colour, avoid working in one area at a time, and avoid focusing on details. 

In this blog, VR School of Art, a leading art school in Toronto offering oil painting classes, explores these 5 alla prima mistakes in detail.

 

What To Avoid When Trying Alla Prima In Drawing Classes?

Don’t Use Excessive Medium

When using mediums such as oil paints, make sure to not use too much of it when practicing alla prima. This is especially true in the early layers, as too much medium can make the painting too thin or thick.

 

Be Cautious With Paint Thinness

While applying a thin first layer is a great idea with alla prima, donot use solvents to make the medium thin. Instead, focus on applying a thin first layer by taking less material.

 

Avoid Pure Black Colour

Black is not a good choice for alla prima painting, as it can make the work look too dull. If you desire darker shades, try to mix different colours to achieve this.

 

Don’t Focus On One Area At A Time

The concept of alla prima is to make a general and visually striking painting in a single session. Therefore, focusing too much on one area can ruin this idea as it can become overworked.

 

Don’t Focus Too Much On The Details

Details are not a big part of alla prima style of artwork. Think broad and flowing strokes for this style, so avoid focusing too much on the details. This can hinder the overall aesthetic of the painting. 

 

Conclusion

Want to learn more about drawing classes? Contact us at VR School of Art today. As one of the leading art schools in Toronto that offers oil painting classes and other forms of drawing classes, we also offer landscape painting, portraiture and much more. Call us at 647-894-7706 for more details.

 

FAQs:

Where is alla prima technique used most frequently?

Alla prima technique is mainly used in plein air drawing classes.

 

What is the difference between alla prima and wet-on-wet painting?

Alla prima and wet-on-wet painting are alternative names of the same technique.


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