ACCADEMIA

1 COURSE

One space – two directions in painting. Contemporary realistic painting as a medium and monumental art as a basis for compositional solutions.

DRAWING
PAINTING
СOMPOSITION
THEORY AND PRACTICE
TECHNIQUE AND THINKING

Realistic art of the 21st century, having assimilated the cumulative wisdom of preceding generations, rightfully asserts its status as a legitimate artistic medium. Art is not just about rules and techniques. It is a way of thinking, seeing and speaking. And our school is a place where you can master this language to express yourself in any form.

Whether you want to paint realistic portraits, build complex multi-layered compositions, work with color and spot, or create your own style, you will have all the tools to find your visual language. Our goal is not just to teach students to draw "like someone else", but to help them use painting as a tool to communicate ideas. We do not make imitators out of our students, but give them the freedom to speak the language of painting.

The Objectives of the

Educational Program

To deliver a comprehensive and academically rigorous education rooted within the paradigm of the Realistic School of Art.
To seamlessly integrate the principles and methodologies of the academic realistic school of painting into the domain of modern and monumental art.

To establish strategic partnerships and collaborations with esteemed studios in Florence, focusing on the cultivation of skills in monumental techniques such as stained glass, mosaic, fresco, tapestry, and sgraffito. This initiative aims to furnish students not only with theoretical knowledge but also with practical expertise in material execution.

To orchestrate curated exhibitions showcasing the artistic endeavors of students, fostering engagement and dialogue with the wider artistic community through collaboration with reputable galleries.
Positioned in the geographical heart of Italy, the studio capitalizes on its proximity to exemplary works from the Renaissance and other significant epochs in European art history. The pedagogical framework is informed by a holistic appreciation of art across various periods, with a particular emphasis on the Renaissance era.

A central tenet of the educational ethos is the critical examination and reinterpretation of the legacies left by past masters. By assimilating their techniques and methodologies, students endeavor to apply these lessons within the contemporary context of 21st-century art, all while meticulously adhering to the aesthetic conventions and cultural heritage of European artistic tradition.

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Methodology

To deliver a comprehensive and academically rigorous education rooted within the paradigm of the Realistic School of Art.
To establish strategic partnerships and collaborations with esteemed studios in Florence, focusing on the cultivation of skills in monumental techniques such as stained glass, mosaic, fresco, tapestry, and sgraffito. This initiative aims to furnish students not only with theoretical knowledge but also with practical expertise in material execution.

To orchestrate curated exhibitions showcasing the artistic endeavors of students, fostering engagement and dialogue with the wider artistic community through collaboration with reputable galleries. Positioned in the geographical heart of Italy, the studio capitalizes on its proximity to exemplary works from the Renaissance and other significant epochs in European art history. The pedagogical framework is informed by a holistic appreciation of art across various periods, with a particular emphasis on the Renaissance era.

A central tenet of the educational ethos is the critical examination and reinterpretation of the legacies left by past masters. By assimilating their techniques and methodologies, students endeavor to apply these lessons within the contemporary context of 21st-century art, all while meticulously adhering to the aesthetic conventions and cultural heritage of European artistic tradition.

Given the rich experiential grounding provided to students through our extensive still-life practice, numerous opportunities and advantages emerge when working with figurative compositions. Hands-on engagement with still life empowers students to adeptly select materials for composition, depict them accurately, and apply them in sculptural resolution.
A succinct comparison between the approaches to composition in monumental and easel painting is warranted. This perspective on painting underpins the artistic objectives across all disciplines within monumental and modern painting curriculum.

Thus, the foundation for successful compositional work lies in skills honed through still-life practice, formal composition programs, and regular analysis of student sketches.

Educational Framework

The engagement with life models sets the educational tone and serves as the cornerstone of the realistic school of art. This encompasses:

- Painting and drawing from life, focusing on both figure and portrait studies.
- A comprehensive formal composition course complemented by regular analysis of compositional tasks.

- Thorough exploration of fundamental monumental techniques and material practices.

- Research of contemporary realistic art and its connection with classical plastic art
- Critical analysis of compositional decisions and sketches.

- Use painting as a tool to convey ideas. We do not make imitators of students, but give them the freedom to speak the language of painting.

- Every great artist was not just a master of technique, but also a researcher. We study painting so that Michelangelo, Rembrandt, Matisse or Picasso, etc. do not remain unattainable figures, but become your teachers. Not to copy, but to understand their artistic language.

Collectively, these components equip students with high-quality skills applicable to easel, monumental and contemporary painting. Upon completion of this process, graduates will have received a profound artistic education.

Program overview

Structured around 9 foundational blocks:

1. Painting from life (portraits and figures) - daily

from Monday to Friday 3 hours

2. Drawing from life (portraits and figures) - daily

from Monday to Friday 2 hours

3. Still life as a composition - independently daily

4. Fundamentals of formal composition - one

lecture per week

5. Techniques of monumental art

(including fresco, mosaic, stained glass,

tapestry, and sgraffito) and compositional principles in

contemporary art - one lesson per week

6. Plein air practice - during Easter holidays

(1 week - included in the annual course) and in summer

(2 weeks - paid separately from the annual course)

7. PREPARATION FOR SUCCESS OF AN UNKNOWN ARTIST.

The subject that will allow you to become

famous in the art world - one lecture per week

8. Analysis of compositional sketches and checking

the progress of work in still life, landscape and execution

of fragments in the material of monumental techniques -

2 classes per week

9. Final exhibition in a partner gallery (portraits,

landscapes, still lifes and compositions)

And a big bonus for every student is the ability to use

the workshops for work at any time.

Schedule:
Classes - from September 25 to June 15
Holidays - December 15 - January 5;

2 weeks for Easter; and June 16 - September 24

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What awaits you on the course:

- International teaching staff with both classical academic and contemporary artistic backgrounds.

- Both individual and group sessions await you, where students discuss their work, ideas and receive constructive feedback.

- Critical reviews and presentations.

- Recommended reading: books and websites available to learners from which they can choose which are most developmentally appropriate.

- Module feedback: in addition to the feedback you receive throughout each module of study, at the end of each module you will participate in a review of your work, which helps you move to the next level of mastery.

- Filling your portfolio with work of the highest calibre.

- Compositional work on sketches of paintings with detailed plastic analyses from experienced teachers.