The video discusses the process of painting "a La Prima," an Italian term meaning "of the first" that refers to completing a painting in one sitting. The artist explains that this technique requires a high level of focus and immediacy, as the painting must be completed before the oil paint dries.
The artist begins by transferring a drawing onto the canvas and then blocking in the major areas of the painting using a mixture of raw umber and oil paint. They then focus on establishing the middle values of the painting, gradually building up to the lightest and darkest areas.
Throughout the process, the artist emphasizes the importance of comparing and contrasting different color values to achieve a sense of harmony and balance in the painting. They also discuss the need to economize time and effort, as the painting must be completed within a limited window of time before the paint dries.
The artist notes that a La Prima painting is not suitable for large, highly detailed compositions, but rather for quick and intimate studies of a subject. They also highlight the benefits of this technique for students, as it requires them to make decisions quickly and work efficiently.
Ultimately, the artist completes the painting, noting that while there may be areas that could be improved, they have fulfilled their goals for the piece and demonstrated the effectiveness of the a La Prima technique.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. The video is based on a longer lesson on alla prima painting available on the artist's Patreon page.
2. The artist teaches oil painting and has a Patreon page with tutorials.
3. The term "alla prima" means "of the first" in Italian and refers to a painting completed in one sitting.
4. Alla prima painting is suitable for quick and intimate studies of a subject.
5. The artist uses raw umber to reiterate the drawing in oil paint.
6. The artist starts with middle values and expands outward to the highest key lights and darkest accents.
7. The phrase "local color" or "local value" refers to the average color value of an area.
8. The artist mixes a "flesh tone pool" to ensure harmony in the flesh tones.
9. The artist uses a palette knife to mix a generic fleshy hue.
10. The artist aims to capture the average color value of the lighter half-tones within the face.
11. The artist uses a warm yellowish gray to tint the flesh tone.
12. The artist refines the generic sense of color values while advancing the drawing and form.
13. The artist aims to realize a full gamut of color and value to represent the picture.
14. Oil paint has a window of drying time, which affects the painting process.
15. The artist economizes effort and time by treating peripheral areas with broad loose brushstrokes.
16. The artist gets tighter and more specific with the drawing and design as they get closer to the features of the model.
17. The artist believes there's no way to shortcut specificity in drawing the features of a face.
18. The artist thinks alla prima painting is an effective method for students, especially online remote learning students.
19. The artist believes alla prima painting forces the artist to make decisions fast and not rely on technique or subsequent glazes to fix things.