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Drawing & Painting Courses in Florence, Italy

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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).

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Why Choose The Florence Art Studio?

Photo of Drawing & Painting Courses in Florence, Italy
 Personal Attention
You work within a structured environment under the guidance of an expert instructor, who will personally monitor your progress and development. We aim to provide an extremely encouraging environment, with a great deal of personal attention to get the most out of your available time and energy. 

• Focus On Student Development
Through intensive individual training and one on one instruction, our customized courses provide a very high level of teaching and a disciplined study of the fundamentals of drawing and painting from life. Throughout your course, you learn how to learn, be disciplined and patient, and objectively self-critical to transform every small obstacle or challenge into a rewarding lesson.

As you engage in the program, your skills develop, and your talent emerges along with personal content and expression.

 Learn At Your Own Pace
The aim of the program is to offer training to any person regardless of their age or previous training, and it is specifically geared towards adults for whom art is a passion. You progress through each module at your own pace. In learning drawing skills, you copy drawings, draw antique casts, and live models until you have developed sufficient skill to progress to the painting program. Our program is extremely flexible.

 Artists Are Made - Not Born
The mission of The Florence Art Studio is to evolve the academic training of artists in the humanist tradition for the continuous renewal of representational art based on aesthetic refinement and beauty.

 Return To Florence At Your Convenience
Many of our students wish to return to Florence for further instruction. As a service to our continuing students, we issue assignments and monitor your work through critiques from your instructor via the Internet. You can continue to the next level when you next return to Florence.

 No Previous Experience Required
We believe that the ability to draw and paint is attainable by anyone who is willing to pursue it. Therefore, the only prerequisite for attending our school is the desire to learn.

Intensive Drawing and Painting Courses:

Image of Drawing & Painting Courses in Florence, Italy• We offer a unique program of academic training that is divided into sequentially progressive modules that cover the fundamentals of drawing and painting from life.

• Each module serves as the foundation for the next, allowing you to build on the skills and techniques you have previously learned.

• Alternatively, you can choose to take any module as a stand-alone course, from one week to a month or longer.

Modules / Areas of Study include:
• Bargue Drawing
• Cast Drawing
• Freehand Cast Drawing
• Portrait and Figure Drawing
• Still Life Painting
• Portrait and Figure Painting

Course 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

Course Structure:
• The standard day program consists of instruction in the studio five days a week, Monday through Friday for three hours a day (9am to 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.

Short Art Workshops:

Photos of The Florence Art Studio
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.

Central Location in Florence
• The Florence Art Studio is situated on Via Ghebillina, only a few steps from the principal historic and artistic places of interest in the center of the city.

• For example, our school is close to the Uffizi, Ponte Vecchio, Palazzo Vecchio, Duomo, Badia, Bargello, Piazza Signoria, the Basilica of Santa Croce, and the house of Michelangelo, among many others.

Ideal Artistic Working Environment:

Picture of Drawing & Painting Courses in Florence, Italy• Study in a historic registered 18th century palazzo in the heart of the birthplace of the Renaissance!

• Our art school incorporates three studios, each of which is an ideal working environment with high ceilings and illuminated by large north-facing windows.

• One studio space is dedicated to the live model and the other two are for studio practice. There is a dedicated service/work area, a small library and gallery, and a kitchen/service area. 

• The studios are also equipped with special computer controlled LED fixtures. The Florence Art Studio frescos, with a history dating back hundreds of years, will not be affected by this lighting. The Studio has been renovated with in-floor radiant heating, providing an optimal level of comfort and air quality.

Student Reviews / Testimonials:

Images of The Florence Art Studio• "Gary's attention to the finest detail ensures that no student overlooks a single part of the learning process. His rigour is infectious and the fleeting frustration experienced when one struggles to 'get it right' is compensated for over and over; the teacher's tenacity and his students' discipline are rewarded with gradual acquisition of skill based on true understanding."
Nicole

• "What better place than Florence to travel and immerse oneself in the great art of the Renaissance?...Painting as a progression from drawing was also a revelation with Gary motivating me step by step from basic preparation, organization and final application to another level of skill.

I have a long way to go but with the very dedicated personal tuition I received from Gary, I feel confident I am well on my way! A most enjoyable and rewarding experience; highly recommended to anyone, at any level wishing to learn, progress and achieve their own artistic goals.”

Glyn, Advertising Executive, UK

• “I recently had the pleasure of attending The Florence Art Studio. The school is in a beautiful 18th century palazzo. My incredible instructor, Gary Adcock, gently guided me through the process of learning the sight-­‐size method. With patience and several approaches to learning he helped me to achieve my goals...

I am eagerly waiting when I can return for more lessons. I highly recommend this type of art education to anyone interested in becoming an artist or if you already are and want to hone your skills.”
Kelly, Art Student, New Mexico, USA

• “I fulfilled my dream last month. I booked 7 days of instruction at The Florence Art Studio with Gary Adcock. It was wonderful. Not only is the studio a magnificent space to work in, but also Gary is a brilliant instructor. I loved every moment of it."
Penny, Travel Executive, UK

"Spending time with Gary both working in the Studio as well as benefitting from his seemingly limitless knowledge during visits to the Uffizi has been invaluable. My knowledge and understanding is greatly enhanced giving me the focus I require to move forward. 

I unreservedly recommend that anyone who wishes to find focus, and improve their skills in drawing and painting whilst absorbing all that Florence has to offer attend The Florence Art Studio with the certain knowledge that they will not be disappointed.”

Chirria, Portrait Artist, UK

• “My time at The Florence Art Studio with Gary was the best art instruction I have ever had, and that covers almost 50 years. For the first time I actually learned how to draw, how to see, and how to evaluate my own work. I feel so lucky to have finally learned the classical way to draw as the masters did."
Emma, Retired Teacher, USA

Introductory Video to The Florence Art Studio by our students:


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Address: Via Ghibellina, 121 50122, Florence, Italy
Some interested visitors submitting program inquiries to our school up to 2024-02-03 were from:

Saudi Arabia; Kamuela/HI, USA; Canada; Melbourne Victoria, Australia; Buje, Croatia; Reston, USA; Ojai CA, USA; NSW, Australia; Antwerp, Belgium; and more.