Alla Prima Floral Fundamentals (Online Course)
Sandra Sanchez
Wednesdays, 2 PM – 4 PM ET – please adjust for your timezones
June 4, 11, 18, 25, July 2, 9, 16 (no class July 23), July 30, 2025
8 weeks
– Tuition $495
Plus over 12 hours of recorded demos. Each week’s corresponding demo is provided a week before each live class.
*Note: first demo sent a week before the live class starts – there is homework due the first class.
Limit: 10 students
Take this class:
- To explore techniques for painting flowers.
- To learn helpful painting techniques like palette organization and color decision making.
- To capture the complexity of florals in an efficient manner.
- To build an organized practice for painting within a limited timeframe.
- If you have foundational experience painting.
Is this class for me?
- This class is open to all levels. Some experience painting in oils is highly recommended.
- Taking GCA’s Orientation Seminar is helpful if you are new to GCA.
- Some drawing experience, especially in the Academic method, is always useful for painting classes at the GCA.
Class format notes:
- 2 hours of pre-recorded demos distributed weekly. The first demo is distributed the week before the first live class. Homework is due on the first class.
- 2 hour live critiques class.
- The class will be conducted on the Zoom platform and is a live online experience.
- The pre-recorded demos will be shared via a private video link on YouTube. YouTube is free but will require an account to view the video.
- This class also uses Google Classroom to distribute materials. Watch this video for more insight.
All of these services are free but require registration. - It will be necessary for students to have access to a computer, tablet or smartphone. The recommended device is a laptop or desktop.
- Every online class is recorded.
- Critiques are only given during the live class time.
- Students work on their weekly assignment outside of class time.
- Attendance at every live class isn’t mandatory.
- Absentee students can still submit their work at least 15 minutes before the live class starts and the instructor will critique the work during the class. The critique will then be viewable in the recording.
- Students receive access to the class recording within 24 hours of the class finishing. The recording gets posted into the google classroom.
- Access to the recordings is available for the duration of the class plus an additional 30 days. There are no extensions.
“Sandra has taught me so much, not only about alla prima, but composition, artistic approaches, and how to learn from the masters. She very generously and clearly communicates her wealth of knowledge.” – Christelle
Course Description
Alla Prima Floral Fundamentals will refine artists’ technical oil painting skills with a focus on painting flowers and foliage. Students will make a new painting every session of the 8-week-course under the guidance of painter and instructor Sandra Sanchez. Each class will focus on a new skill, covering everything from creating a basic block-in to painting a full bouquet ‘Alla Prima’ style in a single session. Throughout the class, students can paint the flowers of their choice. Sandra will demonstrate with seasonal varieties that make for good beginner paintings.
Flowers provide an excellent opportunity to learn about color mixing and design. The fragility of flowers provides a special chance to explore luminosity of light passing through petals. Paint handling can help enhance the balance of making the flowers feel both three-dimensional and radiant.
Throughout the class, Sandra will share masterwork examples inviting questions and casual conversation with participants. Students may turn in their homework for weekly individual in-class critiques, which include detailed feedback and digital paint-overs in Procreate to show ways to improve in real time.
Note: The first demo will be distributed the week before the live class begins. There is an assignment due the first day of the live class.
Week 1 – Set Up and Raw umber block-in
Drawing with raw umber oil paint and solvent to depict a single flower to understand how to use the materials.
Week 2 – Value through grisaille painting
Painting a grisaille flower to get a basic understanding of how to use values to achieve organized and painterly effects.
Week 3 – Volumes of flowers
GCA form methodology is introduced into florals, considering volumes of flowers in space. There will be a comparison of simple flowers, such as tulips and lilies with large, clear volumes, to more complex varieties, such as peonies or carnations.
Week 4 – Color mixing fundamentals
The fundamentals of color. Sandra will demonstrate how to mix colors while maintaining values and drawing.
Week 5 – Investigation of foliage
Exploring the variety of foliage which can enhance composition.
Week 6 – Composing multiple flowers on a surface
Practice mastering additional painterly effects such as the classic “glow” that can make a subject feel lively, as well as the power of thick/thin paint handling to create more three-dimensional effects.
Week 7 – Vessels for flowers – Vases, fishbowls, glassware
How a specific shape or material affects the feel of the flower and the overall composition, and how to paint these different containers.
Week 8 – Alla prima bouquet composition
Employing lessons from the previous weeks to execute a bouquet painting in one session.