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Alla Prima: Everything I Know About Painting
This hardback book "Alla Everything I Know About Painting" is pre-owned and is in very good condition. This is a 6th printing June 2004. On the first page it has the name of the previous owner written at the top of the page. This book was obtained in an estate sale of Bo Pilgrim of Pilgrims Pride. The dust cover has shelf wear. I do not see any other markings other than noted above. The book looks new other than the name of previous owner written on the page.
193 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1998
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
June 19, 2018
I've been an artist all of my life but that doesn't mean I've spent the adequate amount of time learning my craft. After all, I like to paint, sculpt, animate and write so with so many different disciplines, I pick my teachers carefully to keep from wasting my time. As I looked at my paintings from college (1984-1988) I was frustrated with my lack of experience. By the mid 90s I was growing afraid to paint because I primarily work in black and white pencil or inks on paper. I looked for a one-stop painting guide and a much better painter than I recommended Alla Prima: Everything I Know about Painting by Richard Schmid.
It's an understatement to say that Richard Schmid is a great painter. Go take a look at his sampling of oil paintings and you'll see that he knows what he's doing. I haven't met someone who didn't respect what he's doing and that's saying a lot given the diversity of opinion in the arts. But being able to paint is one discipline and being able to teach is another. I've taken many art classes from a lot of different teachers and found that being a good painter doesn't always translate to being a good teacher. In fact, I find that combination rare. But Richard Schmid is both and he displays both a mastery of painting and teaching in book form, which is a hard enough task.
I started reading Alla Prima my normal skeptical self. I figured the $95.00 price tag was just to look at Schmid's beautiful painting and that the teaching side would be the usual vague garbage, poorly written and poorly thought out. Within a few pages I realized that Schmid was actually teaching me something! By half way through the book I started to see my paintings and subject matter in a different light and by the end of the book I was ready to paint!
Now, this is going to be a pretty big claim, but it's true: After reading Schmid's book my painting launched ahead by probably four years of instruction! I committed to doing one oil painting every Sunday for a year... I ended up beating that and doing about 61 paintings. I don't want to make it sound easy, because it was still hard. I had to put in the work and break my old habits and replace the way I saw things with what Schmid was saying. That's actually a disadvantage to those of us who are primarily self-taught, we have to back away from our lazy bad habits and turn the Queen Mary in another direction. But there was instant improvement and I was working on difficult subject matter; primarily portraits of people I know.
I also need to add that I used the Zorn limited pallet (5 colors) to keep me from getting into too much trouble but I was able to paint, it looked like the subject I was trying to paint and Schmid has given me things to think about I still mull over twenty years after I read it. This book is not for beginners, though beginners who read it will be taking a step in the right direction. But if you're a painter and you want some good principles to work from, I highly recommend Alla Prima. Oh, and if you think the $95 is expensive, try taking a class or even buying a few tubes of oil paint. It's cheap and it saved me years of time which I consider a real value.
It's an understatement to say that Richard Schmid is a great painter. Go take a look at his sampling of oil paintings and you'll see that he knows what he's doing. I haven't met someone who didn't respect what he's doing and that's saying a lot given the diversity of opinion in the arts. But being able to paint is one discipline and being able to teach is another. I've taken many art classes from a lot of different teachers and found that being a good painter doesn't always translate to being a good teacher. In fact, I find that combination rare. But Richard Schmid is both and he displays both a mastery of painting and teaching in book form, which is a hard enough task.
I started reading Alla Prima my normal skeptical self. I figured the $95.00 price tag was just to look at Schmid's beautiful painting and that the teaching side would be the usual vague garbage, poorly written and poorly thought out. Within a few pages I realized that Schmid was actually teaching me something! By half way through the book I started to see my paintings and subject matter in a different light and by the end of the book I was ready to paint!
Now, this is going to be a pretty big claim, but it's true: After reading Schmid's book my painting launched ahead by probably four years of instruction! I committed to doing one oil painting every Sunday for a year... I ended up beating that and doing about 61 paintings. I don't want to make it sound easy, because it was still hard. I had to put in the work and break my old habits and replace the way I saw things with what Schmid was saying. That's actually a disadvantage to those of us who are primarily self-taught, we have to back away from our lazy bad habits and turn the Queen Mary in another direction. But there was instant improvement and I was working on difficult subject matter; primarily portraits of people I know.
I also need to add that I used the Zorn limited pallet (5 colors) to keep me from getting into too much trouble but I was able to paint, it looked like the subject I was trying to paint and Schmid has given me things to think about I still mull over twenty years after I read it. This book is not for beginners, though beginners who read it will be taking a step in the right direction. But if you're a painter and you want some good principles to work from, I highly recommend Alla Prima. Oh, and if you think the $95 is expensive, try taking a class or even buying a few tubes of oil paint. It's cheap and it saved me years of time which I consider a real value.
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June 30, 2008Here's an enjoyable read for the serious hobbyist or professional. Imagine sitting down with a master painter while he attempts to impart some wisdom about his craft. The author is a renowed oil painter, and the book focuses often on portrait & figure painting, but the principles
also apply other kinds of painting.
This is not a typical procedural book with step-by-step exercises. Instead, the author offers his thoughts on the principles of painting, his process and his motivation. It may not be as relevant or useful to beginner as it will be to an intermediate painter. If you're very new to painting and can't relate to the book, you may wish to return to it after you've got some more experience under your belt.
I particularly enjoyed the book because I like the author's attitude. Near the beginning of the book, he states:
"If you want to be famous, get into politics, or crime, or show business, or sports. If you paint just to get rich, shame on you. If you paint because you must do it or die, you are my kind of painter, read on!"
He also offers several pieces of advice that have helped my paintings, such as:
- "If there is ever a conflict in your mind between what you know and what you are seeing, paint what you see..."
- "'Looseness', as I am fond of pointing out, should be the way a painting appears, not how it is accomplished."
- "We are not usually conscious of hard edges in our peripheral vision, which is why them seem unreal when scattered throughout a painting. We are aware of hard edges at or near the point we focus on."
- "Light does not lighten or darken without also changing color."
He also offers do's and don'ts for squinting, and detailed discussions about seeing colors & edges, which I found very helpful. My favorite parts of the book, however, are the philosophical discussions, particularly near the end of the book. Here is a quote that sums up a long-held opinion of mine about the role of a painter and the importance of discipline:
"Awareness and deep response are the beginning of any poetic act, but they are common human experiences, not exclusively artistic, and everyone has them. What sets you apart from the rest of humanity is your ability to give visual form to an idea --- the skill to transform it into something more than merely the insight or perception alone."
also apply other kinds of painting.
This is not a typical procedural book with step-by-step exercises. Instead, the author offers his thoughts on the principles of painting, his process and his motivation. It may not be as relevant or useful to beginner as it will be to an intermediate painter. If you're very new to painting and can't relate to the book, you may wish to return to it after you've got some more experience under your belt.
I particularly enjoyed the book because I like the author's attitude. Near the beginning of the book, he states:
"If you want to be famous, get into politics, or crime, or show business, or sports. If you paint just to get rich, shame on you. If you paint because you must do it or die, you are my kind of painter, read on!"
He also offers several pieces of advice that have helped my paintings, such as:
- "If there is ever a conflict in your mind between what you know and what you are seeing, paint what you see..."
- "'Looseness', as I am fond of pointing out, should be the way a painting appears, not how it is accomplished."
- "We are not usually conscious of hard edges in our peripheral vision, which is why them seem unreal when scattered throughout a painting. We are aware of hard edges at or near the point we focus on."
- "Light does not lighten or darken without also changing color."
He also offers do's and don'ts for squinting, and detailed discussions about seeing colors & edges, which I found very helpful. My favorite parts of the book, however, are the philosophical discussions, particularly near the end of the book. Here is a quote that sums up a long-held opinion of mine about the role of a painter and the importance of discipline:
"Awareness and deep response are the beginning of any poetic act, but they are common human experiences, not exclusively artistic, and everyone has them. What sets you apart from the rest of humanity is your ability to give visual form to an idea --- the skill to transform it into something more than merely the insight or perception alone."
March 19, 2011
I just devoured this thing. Written by one of today's greatest oil painters - this is a must read, common sense, instructional tool for the representational artist.
(March 2011) Upon rereading, I have to add a warning based on the fact Richard Schmid is an absolute genius: He spews good advice like a firehose. Mere mortals can't keep up. The result is a new ability to pick apart your artwork to a degree you were never aware of before. You can read his advice, you can say "Ah-Ha!" a million times, you will see with new eyes, you will have more confidence. Until... your past mistakes now appear brighter than the sun, you will hate every painting you ever did.
Still a must-read. Still Five Stars.
(March 2011) Upon rereading, I have to add a warning based on the fact Richard Schmid is an absolute genius: He spews good advice like a firehose. Mere mortals can't keep up. The result is a new ability to pick apart your artwork to a degree you were never aware of before. You can read his advice, you can say "Ah-Ha!" a million times, you will see with new eyes, you will have more confidence. Until... your past mistakes now appear brighter than the sun, you will hate every painting you ever did.
Still a must-read. Still Five Stars.
February 15, 2010
Excellent for intermediate to advanced painters. Schmid has a gift for distilling art ideas into clear and easy to understand everyday language, which is often hard to find in an artist or art book. He is truly a gifted teacher, and in turn has helped me become a better teacher. There are things I read in this book that I knew instinctively, but never could articulate quite as precisely and coherently as Schmid does. It has helped me to focus my efforts in the right places and to more systematically analyze problems in my paintings. On top of it all, he delivers his wisdom and advice in a conversational tone, interspersed with humor and honesty. This book was truly a pleasure to read and is highly recommended!
August 12, 2012
Absolutely the best!! Every painter should read this book by the master!!
June 15, 2018
A must have art book for artists
August 4, 2010
I would recommend Alla Prima to every person I know who enjoys painting. Richard Schmid is truly a wise soul who knows his art form well. This book not only describes his process of painting but also reveals how he sees his subject matter from his own unique perspective. I read this book cover to cover and savored every word, hoping that this wisdom will be reflected in my next painting. I will never look at edges or brush strokes the same way after reading this book. I especially like the way he ended the book: "Somewhere within all of us is a wordless center, a part of us that hopes to be immortal in some way, a part that has remained unchanged since we were children, the source of our strength and compassion. This faint confluence of the tangible and the spiritual is where Art comes from. It has no known limits, and once you tap into it you will realize what truly rich choices you have. May each painting you do from that sacred place include an expression of gratitude for the extraordinary privilege of being an artist."
March 30, 2019
This is one of those books that will always present some new information no matter how many times one has read it. Richard Schmid is one of the truly great artists of our time and in this particular book he discusses so many of the aspects of painting that lends that certain touch of mastery that many artists seek. From perception, control, color, and even confidence, the reader is given suggestions, based on Schmid's experience, on how to achieve confidence in one's painting. I particularly liked his discussion about softening edges and lines (Chapter 6) to control the viewer's perception of the art work; this is a strategy that I have experienced in some of my art classes.
This is an excellent book for anyone who seeks to improve their work or for that shot in the arm to get out the colors and brushes. It is a purchase that I am glad to have made and highly recommend it to anyone who loves, and enjoys, making art.
This is an excellent book for anyone who seeks to improve their work or for that shot in the arm to get out the colors and brushes. It is a purchase that I am glad to have made and highly recommend it to anyone who loves, and enjoys, making art.
October 10, 2020
After trying to oil paint by myself and failing miserably I decided to read this book and it was totally not what I was expecting. He gives advice into the mind of an artist and goes over some things which are not just related to technical painting. I took notes as I was reading so it took me a couple months to get through but I am hoping that I refer back to the notes for a lifetime. My favorite part was about doing colour charts, I never considered how to approach mixing colours but I am going to give it a try!
I love the way he writes, its personal and not in an intimidating way even with his wealth of knowledge.
I love the way he writes, its personal and not in an intimidating way even with his wealth of knowledge.
August 20, 2021
A Must if you are into oils!!!
Alla prima is simply painting what we see (in a single sitting) instep of painstakingly trying to depict subjects only according to their external forms we concentrate on capturing the effects played by light.
It's a method that turned out to be one of the most liberating discoveries in the history of art after the Renaissance.
He guids you to achieve that sweet spot in-between realisum and abstract.
To achieve that illusion of details!
Plus an awesome collection of his paintings!
Alla prima is simply painting what we see (in a single sitting) instep of painstakingly trying to depict subjects only according to their external forms we concentrate on capturing the effects played by light.
It's a method that turned out to be one of the most liberating discoveries in the history of art after the Renaissance.
He guids you to achieve that sweet spot in-between realisum and abstract.
To achieve that illusion of details!
Plus an awesome collection of his paintings!
November 4, 2011
If you are an artist, this is a life changing must read. If you aren't an artist, you might find it interesting, or dry. I personally found each page full of technical revelations that only come from years of experience. Be smart and draw on this wonderful artist's vast store of knowledge to inform your own work. Well written and witty, the text is almost as good as the artwork.
July 10, 2019
Plodding through Clarkson's and finding the author irritatingly Victorian, condescending to beginners, and sexist, I turned to Schmid and devoured it practically in one sitting! Schmid is charming, entertaining, and most of all encouraging!
March 20, 2017
If you're an artist: R E A D T H I S
September 10, 2024
I am finding it hard to get through this book, probably because I am finding Richard Schmids work to be more like preliminary sketches, of which he admits to in some of his examples. He falls in love with his underpaintings.
His paintings lack the contrast that I like and lacks originality. His subjects have been painted before, again and again. Alla Prima is not always the best way to paint a masterpiece. Alla Prima is good for preliminary sketches and if you are really skilled you might make something finished and really good. Study the masters.
Learn the technical skills of drawing and then painting as the old masters did.
His paintings lack the contrast that I like and lacks originality. His subjects have been painted before, again and again. Alla Prima is not always the best way to paint a masterpiece. Alla Prima is good for preliminary sketches and if you are really skilled you might make something finished and really good. Study the masters.
Learn the technical skills of drawing and then painting as the old masters did.
December 31, 2022
If you want to elevate your art, this book is a must. The artist covers every aspect of painting as he guides you through the fundamentals of making a good painting. I am not an oil painter, but can apply almost all of the good things Mr Schmid teaches to acrylics and watercolor. This is a very generous gift of instruction from one of the great painters of this past century.
March 10, 2017
This is a sophisticated how to book. It wasn't what I thought it was going to be. It is a discussion on techniques in painting focusing on the author's own work. Makes sense he uses his work to illustrate his point. But I was looking for more of an art history discussion.
December 17, 2023
The best is the paintings, steps by steps are few but the most valuable assets from this book. Comprehensive starter tips and refreshing for more seasoned artists. Strikes a good balance between citing rules but also making sure to draw the line between subjective opionions and convetions.
March 10, 2024
All you need to read if you want to oil paint. Excellent like a good textbook on the subject- studied then forgot everything in this book and gave it to a friend-
Super technical- kind of made me lose the joy of wonder and surprise!
Super technical- kind of made me lose the joy of wonder and surprise!
December 10, 2024
This book made me see the craft of painting in a completely new light! Beautifully written by a masterful artist. The way this man shares his knowledge is profound and very inspiring. I will be returning to this book for sure!
June 1, 2017
Nice! First book, which advice me to go to the drugstore.
August 27, 2018
A must read book for oil painters. I have learnt tons of things from this single book.
September 3, 2018
Must have for painters, great insights about the fundamentals of painting - Edges, Drawing, Colour and Values.
July 27, 2019
An easy, simple, pleasant read.
January 19, 2021
Mestre vivo da pintura a óleo. Grande guia
April 10, 2021
A total staple for anyone who wants to learn/perfect their painting abilities. The sheer amount of knowledge I gained from this read is priceless.
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March 22, 2023🙌🙌🙌
March 2, 2025
One of the best books on painting I’ve ever read
September 4, 2025
Super digestible, super authentic. He's another no nonsense critical thinker, which is common among the masters. Many new ideas for furthur investigation. Genius
September 6, 2025
wow… 6 stars ✨
September 23, 2019
Heart-endearing. The mind of an artist whose words I take to heart, as well as every teaching of his.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews