Where to Start with Richard Schmid
Richard Schmid was one of the finest representational oil painters of the twentieth century. He started studying landscape painting, figure drawing, and anatomy at twelve, trained under William H. Mosby at the American Academy of Art in Chicago, and spent decades refining a mastery of color, edges, and direct painting that few have matched. His instructional writing is just as precise as his brushwork: clear, authoritative, and rooted in real experience at the easel.
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Alla Prima II: Everything I Know About Painting — and More
Richard Schmid · 328 pages · 2013 · Challenging
Themes: alla prima technique, color theory, representational painting, brushwork, observation, edges, composition, drawing
The single best book on oil painting ever written, according to a remarkable number of professional painters. Alla Prima II is the expanded, definitive edition of Richard Schmid’s landmark instructional text, and it belongs on the shelf of anyone serious about representational painting.
Why Start Here
Schmid’s original Alla Prima went through thirteen printings and became a cult classic among painters. This second edition is over a third larger, with 328 pages and 262 color images including paintings, step-by-step sequences, and diagrams. The color chapter alone grew from 48 to 75 pages. It does not just update the original, it supersedes it entirely.
What sets this book apart from other painting instruction is Schmid’s clarity. He distills decades of professional experience into principles you can actually use at the easel. The sections on color mixing, edge control, and drawing are worth the price on their own. He writes the way he paints: with confidence, economy, and no wasted effort.
What to Expect
A dense, thorough reference that rewards repeated reading. This is not a weekend project book. Schmid covers color, values, edges, drawing, composition, and the alla prima method of painting from life in serious depth. The writing is direct and opinionated, the reproductions are excellent, and the step-by-step demonstrations show how theory translates to practice. You will return to this book for years.
Alternatives
Richard Schmid · 193 pages · 1998 · Challenging
The original edition that made Schmid’s name as an instructor. Shorter, more focused, and now out of print, it remains a landmark in painting instruction.
Why Start Here
You probably should not, unless you already own a copy. Alla Prima II expanded and improved on everything in this book, with better reproductions, more detailed explanations, and entirely new sections. The original went through thirteen printings, which speaks to its quality, but the second edition makes it redundant for new readers.
That said, some painters prefer the original’s conciseness. At 193 pages it gets to the point faster, and a few readers feel the tighter format suits them better. If you find a copy at a reasonable price, it is still excellent. But copies on the secondary market often sell for inflated prices, which makes Alla Prima II the smarter buy in every sense.
What to Expect
A compact but dense guide to alla prima oil painting. Schmid covers the same core topics as the expanded edition (color, edges, drawing, composition) in a more compressed format. The tone is the same: authoritative, practical, no-nonsense. Expect fewer illustrations and less depth than Alla Prima II, but the same clear thinking about what matters at the easel.
Richard Schmid · 143 pages · 1975 · Moderate
An early showcase of Schmid’s virtuoso technique, focused entirely on landscape painting in oils. Long out of print but worth tracking down if landscapes are your primary interest.
Why Start Here
This book predates the Alla Prima series and focuses specifically on painting landscapes outdoors and from reference. It covers materials, color, composition, edges, values, perspective, and outdoor light with the same practical clarity Schmid brought to his later writing. Eight fully illustrated step-by-step demonstrations walk you through complete paintings from start to finish.
If your goal is specifically landscape painting rather than a broad foundation in representational technique, this book gets there more directly than Alla Prima II. But for most painters, the broader book is the better starting point, and this one makes a fine companion piece.
What to Expect
A focused, compact guide at 143 pages. The original edition is a collector’s item and can be expensive on the secondary market. A revised edition called The Landscapes is available through Schmid’s official site. The writing is clear and instructive, the demonstrations are detailed, and the gallery of finished landscapes at the end shows what the techniques look like at their best.