Portrait of Mila Skukan (born Dobrosavljević) alla prima

surface prep

Prepare a primed canvas or panel. While historical texts describe glazing over a dry grisaille monochrome (Source 2), the 'alla prima' designation implies working directly on a toned or white ground. A neutral mid-tone ground (such as raw umber diluted with solvent) is recommended to help judge values immediately, as alla prima relies on direct value placement rather than building up from a dark underpainting.

underdrawing

Use a charcoal or thin wash of burnt umber to lightly sketch the proportions. Since the sources do not describe Krupa’s specific preparatory drawing methods, follow standard contemporary realist practice: establish the major landmarks of the face (eyes, nose, mouth) and the shoulder line before applying paint. Avoid heavy lines that will show through the wet paint.

underpainting

In an alla prima workflow, a distinct underpainting layer is typically omitted. Instead, the first application of paint serves as both the underpainting and the initial color layer. If a monochrome block-in is desired for value control, it must be done quickly and kept wet to allow for immediate color integration, though this deviates from strict alla prima. Given the title, proceed directly to color application.

Simultaneous Contrast

Using complementary colors in the background or clothing to make the skin tones appear more vibrant and distinct. For example, a blue drapery heightens a rosy complexion (Source 1).

Alla Prima

Painting wet-on-wet in a single session or continuous sessions without glazing. This requires confident brushwork and immediate value/color decisions.

Chiaroscuro

Creating volume through the juxtaposition of light and dark tones, rather than relying on line alone (Source 4).