About
this course
General Description
At The Florence Academy of Art, painting directly from life is the culmination of various skills. The course begins with an in-depth explanation of the Florence Academy method, a technical demonstration on mixing colors, organizing the palette, preparing mediums, and producing a painting from life. Students work 6 hours daily, with the day divided between figure painting and portrait painting.
The daily session is divided into two three-hour classes. In Figure Painting, students work from a long pose designed to strengthen the visual relationship with three-dimensional form. Using a limited palette, with its phenomenally broad range of color effects, they focus on color harmony and the unity of light. The pose continues for several days, allowing students to develop a finished and accurate painting.
In Portrait Painting, held in an atmospheric north-light environment, students study the essential qualities of classical painting: accuracy, rhythm, the effect of light, and the illusion of form and space. The class is designed to increase accuracy and refine each student’s approach to painting from life, whether experienced or beginner. The gained knowledge and sensitivity are applicable to every form of artistic expression.
As a basis for observing and accurately measuring figures or portraits, students will be taught to use the sight-size method.
This two-week course is with 30 hours per week of full instruction in English. Students work from the live model six hours per day. Instruction is on an individual basis, so students of all levels are welcome.
Additional Info
WINTER-SPRING WORKSHOP SCHEDULE NOTE:
Please note that the first week runs Tuesday through Saturday (including Saturday, April 3) to make up for the Easter Monday closure on March 29.
Week 1: Tuesday, March 30 – Saturday, April 3
Week 2: Monday, April 5 – Friday, April 9
WORKSHOP CREDITS: 3 per session
Please note: The Florence Academy of Art expresses workshop coursework in credits to the equivalent of 1 credit for 20 hours of completed study. Academic grades are not awarded and there are no exams. Please see each course for total hours of study. Any final acceptance or recognition of hours of study or credits for workshop (external activity) is at the discretion of the Home University or institution in question and in accordance with each institution’s transfer policy.
Maximum enrollment: 12 students.
Medium & Materials
Oil paint
Students receive a list of materials required for the workshop in their acceptance email. Unless indicated, materials are not included in the tuition fee and may be purchased in advance and at a discounted rate directly from the Florentine art supply store, Zecchi. Students will find their supplies waiting for them in their studio upon arrival in Florence.
Estimated cost of materials: EUR 300-430
Overall costs can vary depending on the selected brand and/or supplier.
What’s Included
- Instruction in English
- Individual critiques
- 30 hours per week with the figure/portrait model
- Two primed canvases
- Discounted art supplies
- Technical demonstrations on mixing colors, organizing the palette, and preparing mediums
- Extended access to the studios and school facilities after class until 7 pm
- Access to the on-campus FAA Café, where students may purchase breakfast, lunch, and enjoy an afternoon aperitivo
- List of housing recommendations
Faculty
Born in Molfetta in 2001, Giuseppe de Palma has been passionate about painting and drawing since early childhood. While studying Architecture in high school, he also trained with local painters, developing a strong foundation in classical techniques.
After visiting Florence for the first time, he was captivated by the city’s cultural vitality. Two years later, he chose to leave Puglia and make Florence his permanent home. He enrolled at The Florence Academy of Art, where he studied under master painters and refined his skills in painting from life and in the principles of composition. His exposure to historical works deepened his fascination with narrative painting—a genre that continues to inspire him. His art seeks to tell stories, using painting as a communicative language with social resonance. After completing the Academy’s three-year program, he was awarded the Fourth-Year Prize as a Graduate-in-Residence and later served as a Principal Instructor. Over the years, Giuseppe has exhibited in numerous national and international exhibitions and competitions. Most recently, he was named a finalist—one of only fourteen painters selected worldwide—in a prestigious competition held by St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome to create a new “Via Crucis” for the Basilica.
See more of Giuseppe’s work on Instagram: @giusdepalma
Cameron Marsh is an American painter born in Columbus, Ohio, in 1995. Cameron graduated from Swarthmore College, studying Computer Science and Mathematics, before pursuing a formal training in academic drawing and painting, enrolling in The Florence Academy of Art in 2021. Upon his graduation in 2024, he was selected as a Graduate in Residence, where he also studied etching under Daniel Graves. Cameron has exhibited his works in Europe and the US, and now lives and works in Florence as a Principal Instructor at FAA, where he hopes to continue the realist tradition in painting and etching.
See more of Cameron’s work on Instagram: @cmarshart
Location
ADDRESS: Via Aretina 293, Florence, Italy
