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Portrait portray has been a ardour of mine for so long as I can bear in mind. I’ve been persistently working to get higher at it since my early 20s, after I was a pupil in Florence, Italy. I studied conventional strategies of drawing and portray that had been handed right down to my lecturers from real masters of the nineteenth century. In the present day, I proceed to hone these abilities as a drawing and portray teacher.

Two Approaches to Constructing Expertise

Ability-building is a posh endeavor for artists. First, we have to have the precise theories after which comply with them via with the precise workouts. I’ve discovered there are two approaches greatest suited to the observe of portray:

• Longer research revamped the course of many days, weeks, or typically even months
• Alla prima studies, which are completed in a single session

Benefits of Alla Prima Studies

Painting alla prima studies is a relatively low-risk way to build your skills. Whether the work ends up fit for framing or gets tossed into the bin, you’ll have spent a day seeing and observing the light and your subject directly from life. The results of your decisions and color choices will be right there on the surface, with no hazy glazes or layers of fiddling standing in the way. For this reason, an alla prima study is one the best exercises for students of painting who truly want to see improvement in their work.

Get the Support You Need

You’ll need a variety of materials for alla prima studies, but the support is the most important. You’ll want to work on a surface that’s quite absorbent—one that allows you to lay down clear brushstrokes that show a pure and opaque color with the first application.

Stonehenge Oil Paper by Legion is far and away my preference. The paper’s absorbent surface allows for the subtle blending of brushstrokes, making it perfectly suited to an alla prima approach. A list of other recommended supplies is below.