Alla Prima Wet-Into-Wet Techniques: Painting a Christmas Robin in Oils

Building the Base

I start by taking the white out of the canvas. I tone the whole surface with Michael Harding Transparent Burnt Sienna. It gives a warm base that sits nicely under the cooler greys we’ll be using later. For alla prima, a toned ground makes the whole process easier, you’re not fighting the glare of white canvas.

Creating the Background

Next, I scrub in three greys: a dark, a mid, and a light. I keep the paint thin so I can blend easily. This gives me that soft transition from dark at the bottom to light at the top. The distant trees go in with a mix of Raw Umber and Ultramarine Blue, and I soften them with a mop brush to push them back and get that quiet winter look.

Blocking in the Robin

I always start with the darkest values. I scrub in the deep reds for the breast, the dark greys for the belly, and the shadow shapes around the eye. Keeping these first layers thin lets me add thicker highlights later without the paint turning muddy.

Building the Colour

With the shadows in place, I move into the mid-tones: the warm oranges, reds, and yellows on the chest. I place them right next to the darks and blend where needed. The branch and snow follow the same principle — I use light greys, not pure white, because the contrast makes them look brighter anyway.

Adding the Feathers

Once the main colours are in, I begin adding feather texture. I use a liner brush flattened into a chisel edge and build the feather strokes in layers. Cross-hatching works well on the chest. I soften any harsh marks with a light tap of the mop brush.

Final Details

I add the small highlights on the claws, the beak, and the chest. The catchlight in the eye is the final touch. I also drop a few soft snowflakes into the background while it’s still wet so they blend nicely.

A Simple Winter Study

This little robin is a great example of how alla prima works when you control your layers: thin to thick, dark to light, and always watching your values. It’s a calm, manageable project that shows how much you can achieve in one sitting. You can watch the complete start to finish on my YouTube Channel