Alla Prima Adventures

Alla Prima

Alla prima—Italian for “at first attempt”—is direct painting in which the work is completed while the paint remains wet, typically in a single session.

These paintings are created from life in a limited window of time. Some were painted privately; others developed as live demonstrations with an audience watching the entire process unfold. There is little opportunity for prolonged refinement or revision. Observation, drawing, color, value, paint handling and decision-making all have to happen in real time.