Short / Intensive Drawing & Painting Courses - Florence, Italy

The Florence Art Studio:
Learn the fundamentals of drawing and painting from life with The Florence Art Studio! Located in the heart of the historic city center, The Florence Art Studio is a private working studio providing short and intensive art programs & workshops taught in English to international students and professionals from around the world. Our main program of 1, 2, 3, or 4 weeks or longer can be divided into six discrete and sequentially progressive modules, each of which serves as the foundation for the next. Alternatively, each module can be taken as a stand-alone course. We also offer Watercolor painting, Fresco and Oil Painting workshops throughout the year, private lessons, weekend classes, holiday & vacation programs, preparation courses for entrance exams to Fine Arts schools. The majority of students are adults of all professional backgrounds & levels - from complete beginner, intermediate, to advanced artist (who are all passionate about Florence, the Renaissance, Painting and Drawing).

Intensive Art Programs in Florence - Taught in English
- Specializing in Drawing & Painting
- The starting date for any program is generally at the beginning of the week (Monday). 

• The Florence Art Studio provides intensive art training in English that is designed to teach you the fundamentals of drawing and painting from life.

• We offer 6 discrete and sequentially progressive modules, each of which serves as the foundation for the next, allowing you to build on the skills and techniques learned already. Each module can be studied from one week to one month or longer. 

• On completion of a module, you can choose to progress to the next level. However, each module can also be taken as a stand-alone course.

Study Options include:
- Intensive Drawing and Painting Program
- 1 Week Drawing and Painting Course
- 2 Week Drawing and Painting Course
- 3 Week Drawing and Painting Course
- 4 Week Drawing and Painting Course
- Customized length of course in Drawing and/or Painting

• You work within a structured environment under the guidance of an instructor who personally monitors your development and progress. Work progresses at your own pace. As you engage in the program, your skills develop, and your talent emerges along with personal content and expression.

• The ideal program length depends on the your objectives and work/life schedule, and may be discussed prior to your arrival in Florence.


Drawing & Painting Modules / Areas of Study:
You can choose to study each module from one week to one month or longer. You will work at your own pace, under the guidance of your instructor.

• Bargue Drawing
• Cast Drawing
• Portrait and Figure Drawing
• Freehand Cast Drawing
• Still Life Painting
• Portrait and Figure Painting 

• The standard day program consists of 15 hours per week of instruction in the Studio, five days a week (Monday-Friday), for three hours each day, 9am-12pm.

• For the remainder of the time, you will have drawing sessions with live models (when you have reached the sufficient skill level), work in the studio, and enjoy activities outside the studio. 


Bargue Drawing Course
• Taught in an elegant and conveniently-located environment, Bargue's Cours de Dessin introduces you to a drawing method used to quickly develop your basic drawing skills, the ability to see geometric and tonal relationships, and uncompromised accuracy.

• Along with other material, this will be used to introduce drawing techniques and concepts.

• Subsequently, you will be assigned other master drawings which you will carefully copy to learn various drawing techniques and principles for their application to life drawing. 


Cast Drawing Course
• Observing sculpture teaches you how to abstract the essentials of an object from life. It allows for the study of form, while indirectly influencing the mind to the concepts present in the original work of art. 

• Building on the skills and techniques learned in the preceding Bargue Drawing module, this course involves working under unchanging light conditions using the sight-size method.

• Firstly, you envisage the cast in geometric form, then it is rendered in precise outline, shadow shapes identified and finally, it is modeled to give the illusion of three-dimensions.

• You will make a series of cast drawings. Initially, these will be done in charcoal on white paper, and then using a toned paper with chalk to extend the value range, which prepares you for your first painting of the cast. A grisaille oil painting carries the lessons of the cast into the medium of paint, completing the drawing program. 


Portrait and Figure Drawing Course
• In this module, you will develop proficiency in drawing the human form from life using the sight-size method. Considerations of establishing the pose, lighting the figure, and composition will be discussed. 

• With drawings done in pencil, charcoal and chalks, you will have particular concern for accuracy in line and form, chiaroscuro (the use of strong contrasts between light and dark), and gesture, with an organic unity devoid of superfluous details. Finally, you will render the form.

• The average figure pose is two weeks, sufficient to allow ample time for guidance as you develop an understanding of the drawing techniques.


Freehand Cast Drawing Course
• In the preceding Cast Drawing module, students learn the sight-size method which involves envisaging the cast in geometric form, rendering it in precise outline, identifying shadow shapes, and finally modeling it to give the illusion of three-dimensions.

• Sight-size is a powerful technique. However, you need to be able to work outside the studio, or in other situations where this technique cannot be applied.

• In this module, in order to balance the previous work in sight-size, you draw casts using proportional relationships freehand in charcoal or pencil, with modeling techniques appropriate to the drawing medium.


Still Life Painting Course
• In this module, you learn about the fundamental techniques of painting. In addition, we provide an overview of the development of the Still Life in art history.

• You will create a uniquely individual Still Life painting developed in a step by step approach from the selection of material and set-up, through to the final painting.


Portrait and Figure Painting Course
• Building on the successful completion of the previous studies, you will attempt to master the supreme goal of academic training - painting of the human form. The average pose is two to four weeks.

• You will complete a strong block-in drawing of the model, transfer it to a panel or canvas, execute bozzetti or color studies, then paint the model in oil paint, first in limited, and then full color palettes over a carefully studied under painting.

• The goal of this course is to make you comfortable handling paint, and to understand the procedures necessary to begin and finish a painting.


Short-term Art Workshops:

• Paint like Da Vinci (Theoretical + Practice reproduction of Mona Lisa). 
Oil painting course duration: 15 hours over 5 days.

• Watercolor Workshop for beginners to advanced art students.

• Fresco - (One of the oldest painting techniques used for centuries to decorate churches & palaces). Minimum course duration: 1 week.

• Still Life (Oil Painting) lessons in English or Italian
• Paint like Da Vinci oil painting class: Theoretical + Practice reproduction of Mona Lisa.
• Open Drawing Sessions with Live Model
• Paint & Wine - Draw & Wine (social evening)
• Fresco workshop (One of the oldest painting techniques used for centuries to decorate churches & palaces)
• Tailor-made Private Lessons (2 or 3 hour workshops, including on weekends and for those on holiday / vacation in Florence.
• Drawing and painting courses for fashion & design institutes.
• English and Italian preparation courses for the entrance exams the Academies of Fine Arts courses in Painting, Decoration, Scenography, Graphics. 


Student Reviews / Testimonials:

•  “As I was going through the lessons of the cast, my drawing skills were rapidly increasing, especially in speed. I learned about how to approach a drawing, to focus on the most important aspects that would make it effective and to keep from "overworking" it.

Later when we moved on to painting I could apply all that I had learned in the cast. My painting skill and velocity had already improved. The way I would approach and start a painting had changed. So the main thing I got out of the time we spent on painting was how to mix the colors. But, what really changed my understanding of painting was the time I spent on the drawing exercise.

Overall the time I spent at the Florence Art Studio was very fruitful for me. The studio is beautiful and there is a good working atmosphere. The program is very intense and to really get somewhere in a short amount of time requires continuing to work on the exercises in the afternoon and on the weekend...

The environment, and staff were excellent. Everything was well organized and coming to Florence as a foreigner, one is well taken care of and becomes part of this small community. With daily coffee breaks and the infamous budini di riso. Thank you for the good time and all that I learned.”
- Lea, Student, Germany


“Having built a busy 42 man architecture firm at a young age, I saw the need for a sabbatical, a chance to recharge my creativity and focus on my art which was the basis for the firm’s public exposure. 

I enrolled in a six-­‐week course with Gary, open to the quiet constructive observation of my drawings up to that point. Afterwards I believe it changed everything I did for the better: a renewed focus on design, accuracy of perspective, shadows/shapes, and most importantly, self-­‐ criticism. I believe my time with Gary was efficient, well timed and perfect for my continued work as an architect and artist.”
- Keith, Architect, Georgia, USA