A one-day workshop in the painter's oldest game with the eye, taught by Britta Noresten.
Course description
Trompe l'oeil. French for "fool the eye." The form has a long lineage, from the Greek tale of Zeuxis and Parrhasius and Roman wall paintings at Pompeii, through the Dutch and Flemish still life masters of the 17th century, to the late-19th-century American school of Harnett, Peto, and Haberle. Its vocabulary has stayed remarkably stable across the centuries: torn paper, pinned letters, ribbons, wood grain, shadows that reach beyond the picture plane.
This course is built around Britta Noresten's very personal approach to trompe l'oeil, and is now offered again by request.
You'll work from carefully chosen objects under controlled light. Britta will guide you through the seeing first, because what makes the illusion work isn't paint but observation, and then through the painting itself. Expect close attention to edges, to value relationships, to the small decisions that hold the eye.
Britta is a passionate trompe l'oeil painter. Her current solo exhibition, Saving Things From Chaos at Galleri Backlund in Gothenburg, includes several trompe l'oeil works (April 18–May 3, 2026).
Course Structure
The day runs from 10:00 to 17:00, with a lunch break from 12:00 to 13:00. Instruction is primarily one-on-one, supported by demonstrations and group discussion.
Practical Information
- Duration: 1 day (10:00–17:00, including lunch 12:00–13:00)
- Group size: Maximum 12 students
- Levels: Open to all levels. Instruction is adapted to your experience.
Materials Included
All materials are provided: panels personally picked by Britta, paints, brushes, everything you need. Read more about what's included on our materials page.
Application
Your spot is secured when the course fee is paid in full. First come, first served. New dates are added as previous ones fill, so check the table of available dates. Course fee: 2 900 SEK
About the Instructor
Britta Noresten has been a Principal Instructor at FAA/Sweden since 2016 and is Director of the Intensive Drawing Program. Before painting, she studied economics at Handelshögskolan in Gothenburg, then spent years in France and New Zealand before finding her way back to art. Her work has shown at the BP Portrait Award (National Portrait Gallery, London) and at MEAM in Barcelona, with regular solo shows in Sweden at Galleri Backlund, and an upcoming solo show in Paris at Galerie Ariane C-Y.
The courses at The Florence Academy of Art / Sweden are designed for students with a strong desire to develop their artistic skills. Most of the instruction is on an individual basis and our instructors adapt the exercises to your level of experience. This means that the courses are suitable for both beginners and professional artists. In addition to the individual feedback there will also be group lessons and in-class demos. The skills you acquire during your course can be applied directly to your continued artistic endeavours.
Full payment for each course is required to secure your spot in the class.
Please review our policy on admission and refunds in our Terms of Service.
The Florence Academy of Art reserves the right to substitute instructors of any course at the last minute or during the session.