About
this course
General Description
Learning to paint the human figure is considered one of the most technically challenging exercises at the Florence Academy and lies at the heart of our curriculum. Students will learn to compose the figure in space while recreating the qualities of flesh in oil. Technical discussions on the materials and techniques of oil painting will be introduced. The class will work on one long pose, focusing on structure, proportion, edge quality, light impression and atmosphere. Students will learn the sight-size method of measurement to view the subject with accuracy to reproduce it successfully. Throughout the course, students apply this method of measurement to the human figure. Students will receive daily individual critiques to help guide them towards a fully resolved and accurate painting. By the end of the workshop, students will have experienced the process of making an oil painting from start to finish.
Beginning – Intermediate – Advanced levels welcome.
Maximum enrollment 12 students.
Additional Info
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.
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 200
What’s Included
- 60 hours Instruction in English
- Individual critiques
- One primed canvas
- Welcome Party in the gardens of the Budini Gattai Palace in Florence on the first Thursday of the month, to meet fellow students and faculty
- Guided museum visit to the Bargello Museum with the Academy’s resident Art Historian to view major works by Renaissance sculptors
- Summer Exhibition to view the latest work by FAA faculty
- Access to the on-campus FAA Café where students may purchase breakfast, lunch and enjoy an afternoon aperitivo
- Extended access to the studios and school facilities after class until 9 pm
- Discounted art supplies
- List of housing recommendations
Faculty
Toby Neve is a British painter born in 1993 whose specialised education in drawing and painting began in 2011 at the London Atelier of Representational Art, before he joined The Florence Academy of Art in 2012. Upon graduating in 2015, and having started teaching as an student-instructor in his third year of studies, he was awarded the Fourth-Year prize, working for a year under Daniel Graves, next-door to his private studio.
Toby is Director of the Intermediate Program, teaching drawing and painting to second year students. He also lectures on the materials of drawing and painting. Toby’s private studio is on the FAA campus where students are welcome to visit out of working hours. He was awarded a first place ARC scholarship in 2014 and was a 2015 Hudson River Fellow.
See more of Toby’s work in the Alumni Gallery and at @toby.neve
Born in 2001, Elizabeth Ralph-Smith grew up in New Zealand, where she was introduced to the arts through the New Zealand Suzuki Institute. She performed piano at various locations throughout the country and was awarded scholarships for her photography and English. In 2018, her visual arts portfolio was selected by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority for a national tour. In 2019, Elizabeth moved to Florence to pursue formal education in the traditional methods of figurative drawing and painting at The Florence Academy of Art. She graduated in 2022 from the painting program and was awarded a Graduate in Residence position. She now lives and works in Florence as a Principal Instructor at The Florence Academy of Art, painting from life and exploring the rich figurative tradition.
The specific instructor for the course is allocated according to the session and class available once the applicant’s place has been confirmed.
Location
ADDRESS: Via Aretina 293, Florence, Italy
