In this program, students discover the richness of figurative and realistic painting fused with academic draughtsmanship, and endeavour to discover how the masters created works of universal significance. Over the course of 40 weeks, you will be fully immersed in the education and culture of the Florence Academy of Art. Students of all levels work together under one roof. You will be welcomed into a community of hard working students that includes the three-year Academic Program and other workshops and courses. All of the instructors work in studios on the school premises, allowing students to benefit not only from daily instruction but also from watching the professional artist at work. This relationship, developed over many hours spent together in the studio, is significant to the general atmosphere of the school and is considered fundamental to the student’s development.
The faculty will guide students through the techniques and materials that will improve their understanding of how to translate three-dimensional forms into two dimensions. Instruction is designed to take students of all levels through a series of exercises aimed to develop their observational skills and accuracy in drawing and painting, whilst learning a methodology to observe and translate directly from nature.
After an introduction of studying old master drawings to understand measurement, proportion and shadow shape, students progress to drawing from the plaster cast, and painting the still life, portrait and the figure while practicing the use of pencil, charcoal and oil. The program allows students to experience each part of the three year Academic Program in Drawing and Painting curriculum at The Florence Academy of Art.
Working from life is a unique and fulfilling experience, one that is fundamental to the training at The Florence Academy of Art and central to a long-standing tradition. Working from a live model, students will learn how to approach the human figure, observing proportion, body type and gesture and important anatomical points. With pencil there will be a focus on outline and shadow line to explain the form. With charcoal and oil paint, focus will be on mass and overall sense of light and atmosphere through comparison of light and shadow shapes.
At the end of each week students will be encouraged to continue to work on the exercises in the program, or work on their own projects under the guidance of instructors. Additional visits to the Museum of Natural History and Gothenburg Museum of Art to sketch from their respective collections will be scheduled.
There are three levels of this program, enabling students an individualised time of study at the FAA:
We welcome students of all experience levels. In the beginning of the school year, and in dialogue with the Program Director, students will choose which level they will follow during the year.
Download a PDF of the full program description and syllabus here.
