Alla Prima
Alla prima are two Italian words that we use in English to refer to wet into wet painting or a painting made all at once. Often oil paint is used for alla prima painting as it cures slower and has a longer working time. Alla prima painting is in contrast to a painting made in layers, where one allows each layer to dry and then paints another layer on top of (often called a staged painting). En plein air painting is alla prima painting done outdoors generally landscapes. But alla prima painting can be done anywhere and is used for portraits, still-lives, and landscapes. Alla prima literally means "at first attempt" in Italian.
Van Gogh often worked alla prima as do contemporary painters Carol Marine and Hester Berry.
