Alla Prima Oil Paintings

Alla prima is an Italian phrase that means ‘at first attempt’. It refers to a wet-on-wet approach whereby wet paint is applied to previous layers of still-wet paint, often in a single sitting. This made it popular with the Impressionists, as they were able to more easily capture the fleeting light and color of the environment. Subject edges in Alla prima oil paintings are soft, blended ones contrasted with those sharply defined. However, controlling these edges and how the paint mixes require the preparation of colors and decisive handling of the material. Alla prima direct painting technique is perfect for capturing fleeting moments in a spontaneous, fresh, and immediate style. When painting Alla prima, there will always be an element of unpredictability, no matter how much control you paint with.

Expressionism is an artistic style in which the artist expresses not the objective reality but rather the subjective emotions and responses that objects and events arouse within a person. Although Realism is about producing art related to the physical body, the artists of Expressionist paintings, used paint to convey solely inner life, frequently via the depiction of brutal and harsh topics. Expressionism as an art movement can be very broad and difficult to characterize. Expressionist art was therefore not defined by a set of aesthetic principles, but rather as a tool of expression and societal commentary.