4 Insights to Paint Alla Prima 

Im always coming back to your videos to get myself on track to keeping it simple. I recommend your utubes to fellow classmates at our learning centre in Mundaring W Aust. Many thanks for passing on your experience free of charge

I didn't start painting until I retired 5 yrs ago. I have discovered that the more I paint, the more I realize how much more there is to learn. Ian has the ability to take complex complex subjects and distill them to the basic concepts. I have often felt that I am trying to drink from a fire hydrant. These tutorials have taught me to take sips as from a glass of wine.

I have SUCH a battle just leaving a brushmark, so much so, I have failed completely. The inner perfectionist makes me want to tear my hair out. I am hoping it will click in one day.

How wonderful a video explaining exactly what I couldn't figure out about alla prima painting. Thank you so very much!

Watching this video again after two years, I always find something new to learn .. I was especially taken by the blockin of the buildings. that gray color would’ve freaked me out if I had put that down! but as you added color, it worked so well.. Thank you❤

Painting seems so easy in your hands!

Thanks again for a simple and direct tutorial.

Loved what you said at the beginning about Alla Prima's freshness. A few years back, I joined a plein air group who went out painting once a week. This was new to me. I feel like I spent most of the time setting up and not painting. I was embarrassed by my inexperience. I did start to be more comfortable each week and I have a few of those paintings I started. When I look back at them now, they are still "fresh" and I can remember I stopped myself on some of them because I had gotten the colors right. I didn't want to lose them or mess up the painting. I wouldn't try to complete those paintings today but use them as a another reference to paint from even though those right colors are only tiny patches in the painting. I consider myself still new at painting because I've always had several years of not painting in between short bouts of painting. Plein air is such a humbling but informative proess, it becomes a thing to conquer for me when I'm really absorbed in it. I'm on Cape Cod and every time we went out, my first challenge was getting the color of the ocean right. Several days all I could mix looked like the Caribbean water. One of my reference paintings is where I got the ocean right. And, it still looks fresh. Thank you, Ian. --KateColors

Thank you, as always, Ian, for the instructive demonstration. I especially appreciated seeing through your eyes at the very end, where I was struck again by the power of these subtle changes.

That's a beautiful painting, Roberts.

what a gorgeous bit of teaching!❤

Beautiful example of alla prima 🎨

I can’t believe i did not found this video before ! Thank you

Amazing - you make it look so easy Ian. Thanks for this - I always learn a lot watching your videos. I will try painting this same picture.

Amazing learning these wonderful Tuesdays. Thank you Ian!!!

❤ thank you. I really enjoyed this demo and teaching and how you made alla prima not so scary.

Another great demo! You challenge and change the way I look at painting. Thanks!

I actually loved this video. I see a triad of focal points. The end of the road- the bell tower- and the front right variety of grasses. For me this works as the eye explores triangular points of interest. I think its fine to offer this to the viewer. Thanks.

Thank you for sharing and for a great video. Love your painting. Have a nice week and also thank you for last saturday!

Love learning more about alla prima!

Outstanding video! I’m definitely going to see about getting one of your books. Thanks for your efforts Ian.

Your narrative is so clear. You are a wonderful teacher.Think I need a new book or two for Christmas. Thank you for sharing your work and vision.

Wonderful! Thank you Ian… 🙏🏼❤️

Excellent! I am actually painting only in watercolors but your lessons are so good, i really love to listen and watch.

I love this…..training my brain to accept ‘less is more’, with my painting is something I definitely need to embrace.

I just discovered you today. Your instructions and explanations are so easy to understand. Looking forward to watch the rest of your videos.

Some of the best instructional videos ever!! Thank you 🙏 Ian. Merry Christmas!!

Thank you for your attention and devotion to these videos. They are always excellent. I have both of your books and they are keepers. Mastering Composition has been especially helpful in learning to be a better artist. I have picked it up many times and re-read and refreshed my memory.

Thank you so much for the instruction that you give each week. Unlike other instructional videos on Y.B., your teaching comes from the heart and the love of painting. It is truly a labor of love.

Mastering composition is an amazing book! Highly recommended :)

YES! Mastering Composition is a must-have for every painter's library! (NOT that I've truly mastered much from it, but I keep trying to understand and improve.) Above, all, Thank You, Ian, for your wonderfully helpful and generous, NON-judgmental instruction. I turned my back a while ago on an opinionated, self-centered instructor after coping with/battling his "my way or the highway" pronouncements about his students' paintings for too long. Done. I learned a lot (!) about landscape painting from him, but I'm happily going back to Square One with you.

Truly, valuable video! Thank you so very much, Robert!

Thank you for the lesson! Beautiful painting!

Another winner Ian. Thank you!

Lovely to watch painting done with confidence and care. And what a lovely result.

When you first spoke the quote from Mary Oliver on the Live last Saturday, I wrote it down then. Love the quote. Great Live last Saturday! This was a wonderful Alla Prima demo. Thanks for all you do for us, it's appreciated.

Fantastic as always 💪

You an absolute magician…love love love your work…

Your study of colour brings this painting together.

Thank you SO much for this video about alla prima: it is certainly the best instruction about alla prima I have seen. I am passionate about painting but have be😂en discouraged about my attempts...😮 It certainly makes me want to try again!!!😊 Thanks again! 😊

I've fallen in love with the manner of your teaching and demonstration!!!

I so look forward to Tuesdays. I have both books. Recently purchased Creative Authenticity. It is changing my life, the way I feel, think and see. Thank you for your authenticity!

I hope, I'll find your book under my Christmas tree. Can't wait! 😊

Hey! Finally picked up a copy of your book for my library as a gift to myself this year. Great reference so far. Thank you!

Another great lesson. I love the fact that you showed what you adjusted in order to get the viewer to go where you want them. It shows that even though an artist may paint Alla Prima, adjustment is sometimes needed in order for a painting to be successful. I agree with you, adjusting the grasses changed where my eye is drawn. Thanks once again for all that you do. You are truly a great teacher. I highly recommend your books to everyone, they are a great addition to any artist library. I also wanted to thank you for the live stream, I really enjoyed it--thank you to Anne and Robert as well. Best Wishes, Natalie

Brilliant as always, Ian...thank you!

Tuesdays! Thanks Ian!

Always enjoy your Tuesday vids. I have had my attention drawn to Sargent this week, and found your lesson very timely. In my humble opinion, this painting is by far your best work. Very much alive! Thanks again for the lesson.

I really enjoy watching your video, Ian! Treasury on RU-vid, undoubtedly!!!

You are so humble to be that brilliant! Amazing video!!! Thank you thank you.

Fantastic tutorial. Simple concepts, elegant results. We need less than a half dozen colors to make a lasting impression. Thanks for this.

Ian...thank you again for your video on Alla Prima...I will definitely try this ...

You're a good teacher, Ian. I've been painting alla prima for a while, trying to get everything down in one go, doesn't always work, sometimes I have to come back but I've gotten away from fiddly details and it really helps. While I'm not a novice there's so much to learn. Between your videos and Richard Schmid's great book my painting has taken a leap forward. Keep up the great work.

Great video, Ian. I find myself looking forward to Tuesdays more than the weekends with the release of each new video from you. Although I can paint reasonably well in my studio, until I began to binge your videos, most all of my plein air work was a mess. I find hope in your videos, and a certainty that the lessons learned there will improve all my work. All my best to you and your family.

I LOVE this painting! Great video!

Love it. I am purely an acrylic artist. I think you provide a great example of blocking in and finding the basic tones. That way adjustments and corrections are easier, quicker and in my opinion enjoyable. So many times we rush into a painting without as much thought as we should and this takes away from the fun!

Very Helpful to a rookie painter!

I am looking forward to having both of your books for Christmas . I can’t wait to read them. I am learning a lot with your Tuesdays classes, thanks.

So good. Helpful. Gratitude for your teaching.

I always learn and gain confidence watching your demos!!!

"Attention is the beginning of devotion". mary Oliver..THaNK YOU Ian for this wonderful quote and your guidance thru the alla prima method...also Richard Schmid has the book ALLA PRIMA...Your explanation is much more simplified and direct...btw a beautiful painting!!

Thank you for another great video!! 💌

Between your Mastering Composition book and your collection of really helpful videos I’m learning a lot…and enjoying the process. This video is especially rich with ‘ahas’ for me. Worth several careful viewings, and some sketching and painting along practice. Thank you so much!

I decided to teach myself to draw and paint from online courses and youtube videos. I started at age 68 and now at 71 with much viewing and practicing accomplished, I find your videos the most helpful and informative. Thanks so very much for all the inspiration and technical assistance you have provided. You help make my new passion more rewarding than I ever thought possible.

I have both your books which are inspirational!! Thank you.!

Loved this video. I just ordered your book Mastering Composition.

Thank yo so much Ian, I love the way your brushes just dance on the painting so easily, much appreciated.

Merci monsieur Roberts. LISTENINS TO YOUR CLEAR EXPLANATIONS AND WATCHING YOU PAINTING is such a plleasure and learning of every minute. Nice week axelle

Tuesday has become my favorite day of the week. I've got your composition book. I bought it when I started painting after 30 years of not. It helped me get back to my art class days. Authenticity is on my Christmas list. Thank you!

Hi! This is a very helpful video. I just did a alla prima painting but have to go back and change something. I always feel a little down when I can't get it correct the first round. What you said about that it's ok if you have to go back and change something made me feel so much better. I did finish 90% the first go round and I'm pleased with it. Everything you said makes so much sense. Thank you! You're painting looks beautiful!

Beautiful work... I love it, well done. I'm a superrealist oil painter... And I'm so jealous of the fun and freedom you have. Continue bringing us joy and awe!!! 👍❤💪

I love watching your brush “dance” across the surface. Somehow when I think of “Alla Prima” I envision thick, glommy paint. But your application is quite light in some places. I like the freshness of this versus the heaviness of very thickly applied paint. (Also, I can highly recommend the two books. This is a good reminder for me to revisit them. I learn something new with each read.)

I love your still lifes! And your ability to see shapes that I wouldn't appreciate until you develop them. Thanks for doing this video after video. I am gradually learning to see!

I find my attention going to the cypress trees and the steeple in the back because of the contrasting value with the sky, then to the end of the road. Thanks for showing an example of what you discussed in the last live stream!

Ian - I loved the theme of simplification in this video and also really like how your painting turned out. I’ve enjoyed your book, and it’s great to see Chris Fornataro featuring it as one of his favorites as well - right along Sargent and McPherson. 👍 The insights you share make the whole world of painting more approachable for beginners like me. I just ordered the other book you reference here as well. Merry Christmas do you and your family!

Thank you. Really enjoyed this video. Loved the simple points you explained and demonstrated. Just got your composition book; a little early gift from myself.

Another great video - thank you! I have both of your books and they are fantastic!! Thank you for taking the time each week to share your painting knowledge - it’s amazingly helpful and inspiring.

Hi Ian ! I am always amazed by the way you explain in such detail and yet in such a short time ! I am ever so grateful to you week by week ! Thank you ever so much. Wish you and Anne a wonderful Christmas and look forward to Tuesday ! Warmest regards Lorraine 🎨🤗

I absolutely love how you simplify everything!

Hi. Just starting to paint in oils, and just found your channel. A great demo and a great painting. I especially appreciated your early comments, when doing the trees, about picking the color and defining the edges against the sky; done once, and that's it. I've never had that point made so clearly before, and it came as a real 'relief' from overworking that sort of detail. Subscribed and will be attentive to all your posts and products.

Thank You from Brazil.

An important reminder that the perfect can be the enemy of the good or even moderately good! We always learn more form the races we lose rather than the ones we win! Given the many decisions to make when painting all prima, this should encourage all of us to have a go. I find the example of top down very helpful so that you can soften edges and not have to return. So pleased that you not only left out the heap of sand but also the flying saucer and aliens behind the cypress trees! I wish you both a well earned rest from YT and have a merry Christmas and a happy new year!

This was thoughtfully presented and very informative, Ian. I love painting mostly in one sitting, but you filled in some gaps for me to challenge myself with this more. Greatly appreciated as always, Thank you so much!

I loved this video Ian! The process of watching an a la prima process was fascinating! Thank you!

Beautiful! Thank you.

Thank you Ian , as always you make things look so easy.

thank you so much from Barcelona, I really like your videos and I think I will learn a lot, thanks again. I'm already subscribed.

Wow! You make it seem so easy. Paint shapes! It makes all the difference. Thank you!’

I find it always amazing to see how the painting comes together. I remember from the live chat there was some discussion that you were going to give a presentation on watercolour. Like all your videos I think that will be an inspiration as well.

clear and nice painting message: getting drawn into a beautiful landscape scene via the road. Thank you

Your lessons are so well taught and efficient!

extremely helpful… especially every mindful step

Encore et encore Merci😊

I love it! Great work!

I think that may have been the best one of your videos so far. I tried oil painting last week first time and the points you made regarding putting the paint down and leaving it alone really struck home for me. Thanks so much for your time in sharing your knowledge and skills in this domain.

As usual, I find your content very interesting! I really like to overlap all edges and then go back and strengthen a few. Really fascinating! I hope to continue watching when I can. The children are all pushing to have me move closer to them, which I want to do, close but separate. Lets see how this plays out! Lord have mercy!

Wow posted in the morning!? I wake up at 3 am everyday. So much time to myself before work. I go to sleep at 9 pm. So far 6 hours has been great for me. I can't sleep up to 8 hours I don't feel energized if I go over 6 hours. 3 am to 6 am is when I get my learning for the day done.

Yet another excellent video. Ordered your book last week, can't wait for it to come. Without knowing it, you have given me so much!

In addition to your main points, what jumps out at me from this exercise is the importance of value control and how it is the foundation of painting. Color is both deceptive and subjective. You could have made a powerful painting using just black and white. Or even different values of pink or orange. It would look cartoonish, but it would still work and have depth and impact if the values are correct. Too often we as painters put too much emphasis on color in general as if it was the 'be all and end all' to painting. It goes without saying that color and color temperature is important and needs to be used correctly. But in reality it is the eye candy of painting. The most important parts are design, composition, and value.

Really instructive and inspiring thank you Ian, from someone with an over tweaking tendency!! Sheena