In each video, artist Dale Zinkowski will complete a four-hour still life painting from start to finish and discuss techniques while he works.  The series will examine how to combine a practical understanding of color, values, edges, and paint handling (without second guessing) with the goal of completing an aesthetic, naturalistic painting. There will be a strong focus on sound drawing, composition, and shape design.

There will be a theme for each of the six demos in this series. Artists are encouraged to participate in the theme and embrace the theme as simply or complexly as they desire.

ALLA PRIMA Fall 2023 – Series I

September 13 – Apple Picking: Red, golden, granny, or crabby, something nice and round for our first foray into form turning…an apple a day…

September 20 – Eggs: Robin, Chicken, Duck or Hen – Form, drawing, value and color need to all be carefully considered when trying to paint these delicate, challenging, oval beauties.

September 27 – Corn: Those ears we love to shuck – from husk to silk to the reveal of those golden kernels, get ready for some color and textural delights.

October 4 – Spice: We’re warmed up, so let’s turn up the heat and get our saturation on. Turmeric, Paprika, Cloves, Cayenne, be bold and explore how value affects color.

October 11 – Chocolate: From bean to bar – extra dark, milk or white – foil wrapped, paper ripped, or chunked – there’s plenty of nuance to get sweet on. (Feeling indulgent? Dip into a metallic foil wrapper…)

October 18 – Turnips: white, yellow, pink, purple with or without their lush green stems, these majestic bulbs illuminate local value changes on a spherical form. Play with arrangement, play with color or play with time in capturing the green stems before they wilt. There’s plenty to root for painting these hardy vegetables.

ALLA PRIMA Fall 2023 – Series II

November 7 – Pumpkins: Small to large, orange to white, carve it or leave it whole – these great finds in the pumpkin patch provide a perfect example of big form vs. small form modeling.

November 14 – Cranberries:  As we linger on the deep, dark crimson subtleties of these tiny, tart, seasonal berries, we will explore how to handle multiples in a single session.

November 21 –  Kiwis: The brown fuzzy outsides reveal a beautiful fleshy green inside and a white heart that radiates tiny black seeds. We will explore the magic of ellipses and modeling factors that make surfaces appear a certain way.

November 28 – Say Cheese: Is there a more adored food than cheese? From the holes of swiss, to the smooth orange glow of aged cheddar, to the white rind of brie, we will look at translucency, texture, and construction of this dairy marvel.

December 5 – Tea Time: From shiny pots to porcelain cups, to those lovely little papery bags – the idea of tea not only allows for interesting composition, but lots of textures to explore.

December 12 – Put the Pedal to the Metal: Polished or tarnished, copper, silver, or gold, let’s ring out the year with something bold!