Curious about oil painting but not sure where to start? The Essentials of Oil Painting introduces you to the vibrant, expressive world of painting in oils, and without toxic solvents. No prior experience is required. Whether you're an artist working in another medium, or completely new to painting, or an oil painter looking to explore the dynamic alla prima technique, this class is for you.
Alla prima, meaning “all at once,” is a lively, direct painting method where wet paint is applied over wet layers without waiting for them to dry. It’s favored by plein air landscape and still life artists for its energetic, spontaneous quality that captures your gestures and decisions in real time.
In this hands-on workshop series, you'll start with guided color-mixing exercises to get comfortable handling oils and brushes, while exploring color theory. From there, you'll apply your new skills to still lifes from observation, and then move on to landscapes, learning to work confidently with shape, value, and color in the alla prima style.
Just show up ready to paint, and Anne Pfeiffer will guide you! To help you continue learning after the class, you’ll receive a PDF handout with notes, recommended artists, and resources to deepen your oil painting practice.