Painting above by Kevin Murphy, 17 year old high school student
trained in classical skill-based art. Image courtesy of the Da Vinci Initiative.
trained in classical skill-based art. Image courtesy of the Da Vinci Initiative.
Design and the 20th Century Modern Art Movement
As early as the 1940s, classical design began to disappear from most art educational programs, along with all skill-based training, because of the Modern Art movement in America. And because this shift towards creating artwork based on one's "feelings" (not technical skills) became so popular with the masses and most art galleries, very few artists in this country were adequately trained in the application of Dynamic Symmetry or the 14 line armature of the rectangle. By the 1980s, over 1500 years of accrued technical skills were on the verge of becoming extinct. Unfortunately, this lack of education and knowledge of respectable design principles is still prevalent today.
For this reason, it's not surprising to hear that the 20th century is considered the worst period in the history of art. As Fred Ross states in the article Good Art, Bad Art, "Three-quarters of the 20th century will go down in art history as a great wasteland of insanity -- a nightmarish blip in the long road of the development of human logic, and reason and art, from which we are only just starting to awake."
Despite the negative impact of the last century, the art world is slowly changing. With modern Conceptual art popularity deteriorating and classical skill-based ateliers emerging all over the country, the next generation of artists is finally able to acquire the much-needed training that will allow them to create masterful art. In fact, if the current trend in the art industry continues, within the next ten years, learning design will be one of the most sought out and demanded "lost" skills in art education.
"Atelier training is no longer a dying tradition. More studios are opening across the country than I can keep track of, and the number of students, once just a handful, is now in the thousands. Despite every reason why this movement might remain small, it continues to grow."
- Juliette Aristides, Lessons in Classical Painting
What is Atelier Training?
By the Da Vinci Initiative
Ateliers are schools that train students in realism skills. They are often lead by one teacher who inherited hundreds of years of collective artistic information from another atelier-trained artist. For example, Paul Ingbretson currently runs an atelier in Manchester, New Hampshire. He trained with R.H. Ives Gammell, who trained under William McGregor Paxton, who trained under Jean-Léon Gérôme, whose lineage goes all the way back to Jacques-Louis David. Contemporary atelier training often requires 2-6 years of full-time study. It is common for atelier students to spend 3-4 hours every day with a live figure model, and an additional 3-4 hours per day on still life and other projects.
Usually, students work only in charcoal for the first year of training. Drawing skills are honed during this time.
Second-year students often begin training in painting, sometimes in Grisaille. Grisaille is a method of painting in black and white. The idea is that students will master paint handling skills before adding the additional component of painting in color.
Third-year students usually paint with a limited or full-color palette. This warm/cool training is an integral part of the curriculum at many ateliers, including the Aristides Atelier in Seattle, Washington.
Most ateliers are not accredited. However, some, such as The Florence Academy of Art, offers associate's degrees to their atelier students. Some are partnered with accredited colleges to offer credit for studying with them, such as Studio Incamminati in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Others, like the Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Art, incorporate some atelier training into their degree and certificate programs.
Anyone who is interested in learning how to paint in a realistic manner or a classical tradition is highly encouraged to attend an atelier. The gaming industry, motion graphics industry, and fine art market judge artists based on portfolios. Serious students who intend to pursue these career paths should attend an atelier for their artistic training.
What Are the Benefits of Atelier Training?
Atelier training is a method for teaching visual art to students. This method introduces technical art skills in a layered way that build on each other in order to intelligently translate objects into drawings, paintings, and sculptures. This includes being able to sensitively interpret three-dimensional subjects into two-dimensional artworks. In cases of sculpture, students work in a medium such as clay to better understand subjects and their construction in three-dimensional spaces. Just as in music where each new skill requires an understanding of the previous skill in order for the student to learn more advanced material, i.e., students must learn how to play notes before a song, DVI advocates for art classrooms to use this same teaching theory in order for young artists to achieve high levels of technical and expressive competence. For example, in a self-portrait art project, students can first learn how to find accurate angles of lines in the face, combine many found lines to describe the mass of the head, and then build on these skills to combine ideas of proportion, shading, planes of the face, etc.
The Da Vinci Initiative believes that the most creative children are those who have many skills in their tool belts from which to pick from and utilize in their own unique artwork. Additionally, DVI believes that every student should be able to produce artwork exactly as they envision it in their heads without compromise, which often requires a high level of technical competence. Skill-based learning is one of the most effective methods for teaching technical skills.
Benefits of Skill-Based Learning Include:
Continuity in Education
Skill-Based Learning requires a targeted teaching approach so that teachers can better assess what technical skills students can learn, and at what developmental stage pupils can learn them. With clear assignments where children execute specific tasks, continuity is gained in art education. When clear objectives are presented for what a student should learn from a day's lesson, teachers can measure how and what the student is actually learning. Skill-based training allows for accurate assessment of whether a student has learned the objectives for the lesson being taught.
Historical Awareness
Skill-based methods have been used to teach art since before the time of ancient Rome and continued to evolve throughout the 19th century. A strong foundation in classical training techniques engages students in history by exposing them to art of the past and the training methods that were spread from generation to generation throughout human history. By teaching these technical skills, students can more deeply understand how historical artworks were created. They can also extract greater insight into the artistic choices of paintings that are very much a mainstay in contemporary culture, such as Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa. Classical training teaches history to students through the application of traditional art-making techniques.
Visual Intelligence
It is important to note that skill-based training at its core forces the human brain to advance its visual intelligence. It is one thing for students to be able to recognize objects in the world around them and it is another for students to be able to break those objects down into specific abstracted shapes, lines, and values. By teaching students how to break objects down and reconstruct them in a different dimension, students gain advancement in their visual perception, and therefore their visual intelligence is increased. Think about the last time you saw an apple for example. Do you remember whether it was taller or fatter? Was the color more neutral or chromatic? Or do you simply remember it as a symbol of an apple? Imagine all of the rich depths of life students gain by learning how to read, and then imagine how similarly, acute visual literacy can enhance students’ experiences of the world around them.
Hand-Eye Coordination
Skill-Based Learning builds hand-eye coordination in a deliberate fashion that engrosses children in creating specific lines and shapes as well as fine motor skills that are easily applicable to many aspects of life. When a specific skill is taught in art classrooms, such as finding the angle of a line, students are often wildly inaccurate at first. When an inaccurate line angle is corrected, students improve how precisely their hands translate information from their eyes. Additionally, it takes a tremendous about of fine motor control in order to draw more and more accurate line angles, and practicing nuanced hand control improves overall fine motor skills. The act of practicing specific skills at a high level of accuracy trains the eye and hand to work together in the precise fashion needed to create skill-based artwork and complete other fine-motor-skill-based tasks.
Common Core Mathematical Understanding
of Geometry and Ratios
Whether you agree with Common Core Standards or not, principals all over the country now require art teachers to demonstrate how they are meeting Common Core Math Standards in their art curricula. Teaching skill-based learning in art classrooms is an effortless way to integrate these Common Core Math Standards because draftsmanship skills require extensive knowledge of geometry and ratios. In many skill-based lessons, students are asked to find shapes such as rectangles, squares, cones, and rhombuses. They build complex forms, such as figures, using spheres, cones, and cubes. Students in DVI lesson plans are asked to find notional space by identifying width-to-height ratios of a variety of subjects. They identify and utilize parallel lines to build design and structure in their drawings. They identify and adjust angles of lines by slight degrees. They must add, multiply, subtract, and divide to find the appropriate ratios of the subjects they are drawing, painting or sculpting.
The act of being able to break down complex shapes into simple shapes teaches students how to recognize geometry in the world around them and how the world is constructed from geometric shapes. Additionally, when a student can demonstrate that they can find the appropriate ratios they are looking for by putting objects in correct proportion to one another, an art teacher can assess that a student has an understanding of mathematical ratios which links art to Common Core Math Standards. Skill-based training requires students to practice nearly all of the Common Core Geometry Standards, and many additional Common Core Math Standards, while simultaneously training students in visual literacy and technical competence.
Common Core English Language Arts Standards
and Understanding Art as a Visual Language
By depicting objects and people from nature such as a moody landscape of fog over rolling hills, or blooming cherry blossoms on a sunny spring day, whether a work of art shows a mother playing with her child or a fierce battle scene, art literally paints a picture, and a picture is worth a thousand words. A student can equate the word tree for example with an actual tree in the same fashion as they can associate the word tree with a painting of a tree, hence demonstrating a visual language.
Students use recognizable subjects in their artworks to create a language that their peers intuitively understand. Just like other visual art forms such as movies and TV shows use recognizable figures to tell a story, the same is true for paintings, drawings, and sculptures created using skill-based techniques. Teaching students to study nuance and detail in drawings, paintings, and sculpture directly correlates to students identifying nuance and detail in literature. Using skill-based learning in art classrooms meets many of the Common Core English Language Arts Standards, especially those standards related to story-telling, identifying character hierarchies, finding details in stories, and more.
Makes Art Exciting
Many teachers are lead to believe that art has to come naturally from within and cannot be taught, but when art teachers make the assumption that art can be taught, everyone benefits. Teaching specific skills to students who self-identify as "not artists" is the most obvious way to convince them that, like all other subjects, hard work under the guidance of a knowledgeable teacher will yield impressive results. When the belief that they can learn art emerges, students become more actively engaged in art classrooms. Approaching art classrooms with the belief that art can be taught allows teachers to help all students develop a sophisticated understanding and appreciation for the visual arts and makes art class exciting for everyone.
An Additional Skill Set to Use in Self-Expression
Teaching a student skill-based techniques does not rob a student of the other techniques available to them. It simply gives them an extra tool in their proverbial toolbox. Rather than relying on emotion or innate ability alone, students can incorporate their skill-based training with their emotions as much or as little as they choose in order to attain the desired result. Not having the skill-based training at their disposal only limits the number of choices artists can make when creating their art.
Discipline
Just like with music, math, science, architecture, literature and virtually all other subjects, adding discipline to art through skill-based training educates students on the rewards of attaining skills acquired through dedication and practice. Since skill-based training requires intense focus and concentration, fortitude is needed to achieve high levels of skill using these methods.
Art Appreciation
Although not every student will become a professional artist, through skill-based training students experience visual problem solving and can, therefore, appreciate and identify the skills of other artists. Students gain an understanding of the work and dedication needed to create the skill-based artwork that they see hanging on the walls of museums and gain a deeper appreciation for the skills and knowledge required by the artist to create it.
Recommended Video
Help Me Help You
Not having any paywalls or charging for products gives me a global advantage over others teaching the art of composition. I can reach thousands of artists and photographers worldwide without asking them to open their wallets.
I'm not influenced by trends in marketing, I don't shape the content of my articles and videos to sell products, and I make no money on the books or videos I promote. I only have one interest in mind. Learning as much as I can about art and design and sharing that knowledge with those that visit my website. All for free.
Ever since I got my first camera in 1982, I have been passionate about taking better photographs. Spending all of my teenage years in my father's darkroom taught me a lot. I learned all of Ansel Adams' techniques on the zone system and swiftly moved into street photography from there.
I was heavily influenced by photographers like Henri Cartier-Bresson and Elliott Erwitt. And like many other amateur photographers, I wanted to learn how to shoot like the "masters." But unfortunately, sometimes our passion is limited by our lack of knowledge and experience. In other words, I kept hitting a wall with my progress regardless of how many photobooks I purchased or how many hours I spent shooting. What was missing in all of my images? One thing. My understanding of design.
Unfortunately, throughout most of my photographic journey, there has been very little written on the topic of composition. In fact, when I say "very little," I mean almost nothing. And sure, you could argue the fact that you can jump on any photography website and find a few cherry-picked concepts like the rule of thirds and the golden section. But this isn't enough. Not even close.
One day, in an intense effort to research information on composition, I stumbled upon the Barnstone Studios DVDs. To say I was excited would be an understatement. I immediately purchased the ten disc set and watched them for over a decade. That's where my true journey began.
From that point on, I have spent all my free time researching the art of composition. No easy task. Was this an obsession of mine? Sure, I would never argue that fact. But with everything in life, there are always unseen benefits when you set out to do something to improve yourself or your craft.
After spending many years studying design, I realized that other artists could benefit from the information I have discovered. In truth, my website The Art of Composition is a reflection of my passion and desire to learn. For those that have taken the time to visit my website, I want to thank you for stopping by. But more than that, I hope that you find the free books and videos beneficial and worth your time.
If you like this website and the information I provide, please feel free to make a donation. Any amount will help. With inflation on the rise, and the price of everything going up, it's getting more difficult to keep this website alive. With your generous help, you can keep my research moving forward and allow me to help you, the dedicated artist and photographer.
This website relies solely on donations for support.
Not having any paywalls or charging for products gives me a global advantage over others teaching the art of composition. I can reach thousands of artists and photographers worldwide without asking them to open their wallets.
I'm not influenced by trends in marketing, I don't shape the content of my articles and videos to sell products, and I make no money on the books or videos I promote. I only have one interest in mind. Learning as much as I can about art and design and sharing that knowledge with those that visit my website. All for free.
Ever since I got my first camera in 1982, I have been passionate about taking better photographs. Spending all of my teenage years in my father's darkroom taught me a lot. I learned all of Ansel Adams' techniques on the zone system and swiftly moved into street photography from there.
I was heavily influenced by photographers like Henri Cartier-Bresson and Elliott Erwitt. And like many other amateur photographers, I wanted to learn how to shoot like the "masters." But unfortunately, sometimes our passion is limited by our lack of knowledge and experience. In other words, I kept hitting a wall with my progress regardless of how many photobooks I purchased or how many hours I spent shooting. What was missing in all of my images? One thing. My understanding of design.
Unfortunately, throughout most of my photographic journey, there has been very little written on the topic of composition. In fact, when I say "very little," I mean almost nothing. And sure, you could argue the fact that you can jump on any photography website and find a few cherry-picked concepts like the rule of thirds and the golden section. But this isn't enough. Not even close.
One day, in an intense effort to research information on composition, I stumbled upon the Barnstone Studios DVDs. To say I was excited would be an understatement. I immediately purchased the ten disc set and watched them for over a decade. That's where my true journey began.
From that point on, I have spent all my free time researching the art of composition. No easy task. Was this an obsession of mine? Sure, I would never argue that fact. But with everything in life, there are always unseen benefits when you set out to do something to improve yourself or your craft.
After spending many years studying design, I realized that other artists could benefit from the information I have discovered. In truth, my website The Art of Composition is a reflection of my passion and desire to learn. For those that have taken the time to visit my website, I want to thank you for stopping by. But more than that, I hope that you find the free books and videos beneficial and worth your time.
If you like this website and the information I provide, please feel free to make a donation. Any amount will help. With inflation on the rise, and the price of everything going up, it's getting more difficult to keep this website alive. With your generous help, you can keep my research moving forward and allow me to help you, the dedicated artist and photographer.
This website relies solely on donations for support.
The Art of Composition
A Simple Approach for Creating Masterful Designs
The Art of Composition: A Simple Approach for Creating Masterful Designs evolved from my personal and professional experience as a photographer, master level darkroom technician, and graphic designer. After years of applying the same "popular" rules of composition to my images and designs, I reached a point in my artistic career where I was no longer able to improve my portfolio regardless of how much time and money I invested in photography workshops, photography books, and high-end camera equipment.
Realizing I was getting nowhere with the Rule of Thirds, the Rule of Odds, the Rule of Space, and Leading Lines, I began an intensive search for any information I could find on real design principles. I read every art and design book I could get my hands on and spent endless days and nights analyzing over five thousand works of art. The Art of Composition: A Simple Approach for Creating Masterful Designs is a series of personal analytical notes that reflect this ten-year study.
By sharing this collection of analytical notes with other artists and photographers, I hope to save them years of frustration and wasted time as well as put them on the most productive path for improving their lifetime body of work. While other books written on composition tend to focus on incorporating complex design methods using overlapped Dynamic Symmetry root rectangles, this user’s guide takes a one grid approach to teaching that will make it easier for the artist and photographer to learn the art of composition at the quickest rate possible.
A Simple Approach for Creating Masterful Designs
The Art of Composition: A Simple Approach for Creating Masterful Designs evolved from my personal and professional experience as a photographer, master level darkroom technician, and graphic designer. After years of applying the same "popular" rules of composition to my images and designs, I reached a point in my artistic career where I was no longer able to improve my portfolio regardless of how much time and money I invested in photography workshops, photography books, and high-end camera equipment.
Realizing I was getting nowhere with the Rule of Thirds, the Rule of Odds, the Rule of Space, and Leading Lines, I began an intensive search for any information I could find on real design principles. I read every art and design book I could get my hands on and spent endless days and nights analyzing over five thousand works of art. The Art of Composition: A Simple Approach for Creating Masterful Designs is a series of personal analytical notes that reflect this ten-year study.
By sharing this collection of analytical notes with other artists and photographers, I hope to save them years of frustration and wasted time as well as put them on the most productive path for improving their lifetime body of work. While other books written on composition tend to focus on incorporating complex design methods using overlapped Dynamic Symmetry root rectangles, this user’s guide takes a one grid approach to teaching that will make it easier for the artist and photographer to learn the art of composition at the quickest rate possible.
Recently Updated (02/05/2022)
Additional Recommendation
Thomas Kegler PDF on the Rule of Thirds/Harmonic Armature
Thomas Kegler PDF on the Rule of Thirds/Harmonic Armature
Dynamic Symmetry and Harmonic Armature Grids
(211 Pack)
(211 Pack)
THE ATELIER APPROACH TO ART EDUCATION
THE ATELIER APPROACH TO ART EDUCATION HAS ITS ROOTS IN THE GUILDS OF THE EARLY RENAISSANCE. FOR MORE THAN FIVE HUNDRED YEARS, MASTER ARTISTS TRANSMITTED A SYSTEM OF KNOWLEDGE TO THEIR STUDENTS. THIS TRADITION REACHED ITS ZENITH IN THE SECOND HALF OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY, WHEN ATELIERS PREPARED THOUSANDS OF ACCOMPLISHED ARTISTS TO PAINT IN DOZENS OF DIFFERENT STYLES ON COUNTLESS SUBJECTS. SKILL-BASED TEACHING IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY WAS CENTERED ON OBSERVATION OF NATURE, SOUND ARTISTIC PRINCIPLES, AND UNIVERSAL THEMES. ASPIRING ARTISTS OBTAINED THE TECHNICAL ABILITY, PERSONAL COMMITMENT, AND PHILOSOPHICAL VIEWS NEEDED TO CREATE GREAT ART. THE IMPACT OF ENLIGHTENMENT THINKING, WITH ITS RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND EQUALITY BEFORE THE LAW, ALLOWED ART TO EXPOSE THE EVILS OF SLAVERY AND CHILD LABOR AS WELL AS TO PROMOTE WOMEN’S RIGHTS AND OTHER SOCIAL ISSUES. THIS NEW DEMOCRATIC WAY OF THINKING, IN CONJUNCTION WITH UNPARALLELED CLASSICAL TRAINING, IGNITED THE GREATEST PERIOD OF CREATIVITY THAT THE FINE ARTS HAD EVER SEEN.
WITH A SHIFT IN THE AESTHETICS OF ART-WORLD POLITICS, AFFECTED IN PART BY THE HORRORS OF WORLD WAR I AND WORLD WAR II, CYNICISM, NOVELTY, SHOCK, AND REBELLION BECAME THE FASHIONABLE STAPLES OF ART IN THE EARLY TWENTIETH CENTURY. ART THAT COULD BE PRODUCED RAPIDLY AND YET BE CONSIDERED VALUABLE BECAME A DREAM COME TRUE. MODERN ART, ALTHOUGH IT MAY HAVE HAD CLAIM TO A FEW ARTISTS WITH A SINCERE DESIRE TO EXPERIMENT AND REBEL, SOON BECAME LOST, FOR WITHOUT STANDARDS OR ANY NEED TO COMMUNICATE THROUGH UNIVERSAL THEMES, IT WAS EASILY CONTROLLED BY THOSE WHO STOOD TO MAKE VAST FORTUNES FROM THIS “NEW” QUICKLY MADE ART. ART BECAME “ART ABOUT ART” NOT ART ABOUT LIFE.
AGAINST ALL ODDS AND FACING RIDICULE, A HANDFUL OF ARTISTS WHO WERE STILL ACADEMICALLY TRAINED MANAGED TO PRESERVE THE CORE TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE OF WESTERN ART AND TO CONTINUE THE PROCESS OF TEACHING ANOTHER GENERATION. THERE IS NOW A GROWING MOVEMENT OF ARTISTS DEMANDING TO BE TAUGHT THE CLASSICAL METHODS. THEY ARE PART OF A NEW RENAISSANCE THAT HAS BROUGHT THE ATELIER METHOD FULL CIRCLE AND BACK INTO THE ART WORLD OF TODAY. IN THE ATELIERS OF THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY, ARTISTS HAVE ONCE AGAIN LIT THE TORCH OF INSPIRATION WITH THE DESIRE TO REUNITE THE POWERS OF MASTERLY PAINTING AND HUMANISTIC SUBJECT MATTER. AS LONG AS HUMANITY IS PERMITTED TO COMPARE AND DECIDE FOR ITSELF WHAT CONSTITUTES ART, TRUTH, BEAUTY, AND A COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE WILL PREVAIL.
FRED ROSS
CHAIRMAN, ART RENEWAL CENTER
FROM THE BOOK CLASSICAL PAINTING ATELIER - JULIETTE ARISTIDES
(The painting above demonstrates the use of the 14 line armature)
THE ATELIER APPROACH TO ART EDUCATION HAS ITS ROOTS IN THE GUILDS OF THE EARLY RENAISSANCE. FOR MORE THAN FIVE HUNDRED YEARS, MASTER ARTISTS TRANSMITTED A SYSTEM OF KNOWLEDGE TO THEIR STUDENTS. THIS TRADITION REACHED ITS ZENITH IN THE SECOND HALF OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY, WHEN ATELIERS PREPARED THOUSANDS OF ACCOMPLISHED ARTISTS TO PAINT IN DOZENS OF DIFFERENT STYLES ON COUNTLESS SUBJECTS. SKILL-BASED TEACHING IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY WAS CENTERED ON OBSERVATION OF NATURE, SOUND ARTISTIC PRINCIPLES, AND UNIVERSAL THEMES. ASPIRING ARTISTS OBTAINED THE TECHNICAL ABILITY, PERSONAL COMMITMENT, AND PHILOSOPHICAL VIEWS NEEDED TO CREATE GREAT ART. THE IMPACT OF ENLIGHTENMENT THINKING, WITH ITS RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND EQUALITY BEFORE THE LAW, ALLOWED ART TO EXPOSE THE EVILS OF SLAVERY AND CHILD LABOR AS WELL AS TO PROMOTE WOMEN’S RIGHTS AND OTHER SOCIAL ISSUES. THIS NEW DEMOCRATIC WAY OF THINKING, IN CONJUNCTION WITH UNPARALLELED CLASSICAL TRAINING, IGNITED THE GREATEST PERIOD OF CREATIVITY THAT THE FINE ARTS HAD EVER SEEN.
WITH A SHIFT IN THE AESTHETICS OF ART-WORLD POLITICS, AFFECTED IN PART BY THE HORRORS OF WORLD WAR I AND WORLD WAR II, CYNICISM, NOVELTY, SHOCK, AND REBELLION BECAME THE FASHIONABLE STAPLES OF ART IN THE EARLY TWENTIETH CENTURY. ART THAT COULD BE PRODUCED RAPIDLY AND YET BE CONSIDERED VALUABLE BECAME A DREAM COME TRUE. MODERN ART, ALTHOUGH IT MAY HAVE HAD CLAIM TO A FEW ARTISTS WITH A SINCERE DESIRE TO EXPERIMENT AND REBEL, SOON BECAME LOST, FOR WITHOUT STANDARDS OR ANY NEED TO COMMUNICATE THROUGH UNIVERSAL THEMES, IT WAS EASILY CONTROLLED BY THOSE WHO STOOD TO MAKE VAST FORTUNES FROM THIS “NEW” QUICKLY MADE ART. ART BECAME “ART ABOUT ART” NOT ART ABOUT LIFE.
AGAINST ALL ODDS AND FACING RIDICULE, A HANDFUL OF ARTISTS WHO WERE STILL ACADEMICALLY TRAINED MANAGED TO PRESERVE THE CORE TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE OF WESTERN ART AND TO CONTINUE THE PROCESS OF TEACHING ANOTHER GENERATION. THERE IS NOW A GROWING MOVEMENT OF ARTISTS DEMANDING TO BE TAUGHT THE CLASSICAL METHODS. THEY ARE PART OF A NEW RENAISSANCE THAT HAS BROUGHT THE ATELIER METHOD FULL CIRCLE AND BACK INTO THE ART WORLD OF TODAY. IN THE ATELIERS OF THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY, ARTISTS HAVE ONCE AGAIN LIT THE TORCH OF INSPIRATION WITH THE DESIRE TO REUNITE THE POWERS OF MASTERLY PAINTING AND HUMANISTIC SUBJECT MATTER. AS LONG AS HUMANITY IS PERMITTED TO COMPARE AND DECIDE FOR ITSELF WHAT CONSTITUTES ART, TRUTH, BEAUTY, AND A COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE WILL PREVAIL.
FRED ROSS
CHAIRMAN, ART RENEWAL CENTER
FROM THE BOOK CLASSICAL PAINTING ATELIER - JULIETTE ARISTIDES
(The painting above demonstrates the use of the 14 line armature)
Books Available on Classical Skill Based Art Techniques
All of the books listed below I own and highly recommend. They are the best books available when it comes to learning classical skill-based art information that is easy to understand. If you have any questions about any of these books, please feel free to drop me an email.
All of the books listed below I own and highly recommend. They are the best books available when it comes to learning classical skill-based art information that is easy to understand. If you have any questions about any of these books, please feel free to drop me an email.
Are you tired of overly complicated books on Dynamic Symmetry? Do you want to learn the basics of design in days, not years? The Art of Composition: A Simple Application of Dynamic Symmetry by Michel Jacobs is the perfect book for those artists and photographers that want to learn more about the art of composition and improve their visual literacy skills.
A Simple Application of Dynamic Symmetry Video Lectures Series
10 Videos Now Available!
10 Videos Now Available!
Written by a well-known artist and best-selling art-instruction author with almost rock-star popularity in the contemporary world of representational art, Beginning Drawing Atelier, with its unique workbook/sketchbook approach, and high-quality paper, offers a comprehensive and contemporary twist on traditional Atelier art instruction practices.
Atelier education is centered on the belief that working in a studio, not sitting in the lecture hall, is the best place to learn about art. Every artist needs to learn basic drawing skills.
In this elegant and inspiring workbook, master contemporary artist and best selling author Juliette Aristides breaks down the drawing process into small, manageable lessons; presents them progressively; introduces time-tested principles and techniques in the Atelier tradition that are easily accessible; and shares the language and context necessary to understand the artistic process and create superior, well-crafted drawings. What makes this approach unique is the fact that it includes blank pages for copying and practicing within each lesson, facilitating traditional Atelier methods.
Ateliers have produced the greatest artists of all time--and now that educational model is experiencing a renaissance. These studios, in a return to classical art training, are based on the nineteenth-century model of teaching artists by pairing them with a master artist over a period of years. Students begin by copying masterworks, then gradually progress to painting as their skills develop. Beginning Drawing Atelier is like having an atelier in a book--and the master is Juliette Aristides, a classically trained artist. On every page, Aristides uses the works of Old Masters and today's most respected realist artists to demonstrate and teach the principles of realist drawing and painting, taking students step by step through the learning curve yet allowing them to work at their own pace. Unique and inspiring, the approach in this new book offers serious art courses for serious art students.
Atelier education is centered on the belief that working in a studio, not sitting in the lecture hall, is the best place to learn about art. Every artist needs to learn basic drawing skills.
In this elegant and inspiring workbook, master contemporary artist and best selling author Juliette Aristides breaks down the drawing process into small, manageable lessons; presents them progressively; introduces time-tested principles and techniques in the Atelier tradition that are easily accessible; and shares the language and context necessary to understand the artistic process and create superior, well-crafted drawings. What makes this approach unique is the fact that it includes blank pages for copying and practicing within each lesson, facilitating traditional Atelier methods.
Ateliers have produced the greatest artists of all time--and now that educational model is experiencing a renaissance. These studios, in a return to classical art training, are based on the nineteenth-century model of teaching artists by pairing them with a master artist over a period of years. Students begin by copying masterworks, then gradually progress to painting as their skills develop. Beginning Drawing Atelier is like having an atelier in a book--and the master is Juliette Aristides, a classically trained artist. On every page, Aristides uses the works of Old Masters and today's most respected realist artists to demonstrate and teach the principles of realist drawing and painting, taking students step by step through the learning curve yet allowing them to work at their own pace. Unique and inspiring, the approach in this new book offers serious art courses for serious art students.
Figure Drawing Atelier offers a comprehensive, contemporary twist to the very traditional atelier approach to the methods that instruct artists on the techniques they need to successfully draw and ultimately paint the figure. The book offers art instruction, practical and progressive lessons on drawing the figure, and high-quality sketchbook paper in a beautiful package that includes blank pages for sketching and copying. Artists will then have a record of their process, like with a sketchbook, which many artists like to document and save.
In this elegant and inspiring workbook, master contemporary artist and author Juliette Aristides breaks down the figure drawing process into small, manageable lessons, presents them progressively, introduces time-tested principles and techniques in the atelier tradition that are easily accessible, and shares the language and context necessary to understand the artistic process and create superior, well-crafted drawings.
Atelier education is centered on the belief that working in a studio, not sitting in the lecture hall, is the best way to learn about art. Every artist needs to learn to master figure drawing. Ateliers have produced the greatest artists of all time--and now that educational model is experiencing a renaissance. These studios, a return to classical art training, are based on the nineteenth-century model of teaching artists by pairing them with a master artist over a period of years. Students begin by copying masterworks, then gradually progress to painting as their skills develop. Figure Drawing Atelier is like having an atelier in a book--and the master is Juliette Aristides, a classically trained artist and best-selling art-instruction author with almost rock star popularity in the contemporary world of representational art. On every page, Aristides uses the works of Old Masters and today's most respected realist artists to demonstrate and teach the principles of realistic figure drawing and painting, taking students step by step through the learning curve yet allowing them to work at their own pace. Unique and inspiring, this book offers a serious art course for serious art students.
In this elegant and inspiring workbook, master contemporary artist and author Juliette Aristides breaks down the figure drawing process into small, manageable lessons, presents them progressively, introduces time-tested principles and techniques in the atelier tradition that are easily accessible, and shares the language and context necessary to understand the artistic process and create superior, well-crafted drawings.
Atelier education is centered on the belief that working in a studio, not sitting in the lecture hall, is the best way to learn about art. Every artist needs to learn to master figure drawing. Ateliers have produced the greatest artists of all time--and now that educational model is experiencing a renaissance. These studios, a return to classical art training, are based on the nineteenth-century model of teaching artists by pairing them with a master artist over a period of years. Students begin by copying masterworks, then gradually progress to painting as their skills develop. Figure Drawing Atelier is like having an atelier in a book--and the master is Juliette Aristides, a classically trained artist and best-selling art-instruction author with almost rock star popularity in the contemporary world of representational art. On every page, Aristides uses the works of Old Masters and today's most respected realist artists to demonstrate and teach the principles of realistic figure drawing and painting, taking students step by step through the learning curve yet allowing them to work at their own pace. Unique and inspiring, this book offers a serious art course for serious art students.
Want to paint more like Manet and less like Jackson Pollock?
Students of art hailed Classical Drawing Atelier, Juliette Aristides’s first book, as a dynamic return to the atelier educational model. Ateliers, popular in the nineteenth century, teach emerging artists by pairing them with a master artist over a period of years. The educational process begins as students copy masterworks, then gradually progress to painting as their skills develop. The many artists at every level who learned from Classical Drawing Atelier have been clamoring for more of this sophisticated approach to teaching and learning. In Classical Painting Atelier, Aristides, a leader in the atelier movement, takes students step-by-step through the finest works of Old Masters and today’s most respected realist artists to reveal the principles of creating full-color realist still lifes, portraits, and figure paintings. Rich in tradition, yet practical for today’s artists, Classical Painting Atelier is ideal for serious art students seeking a timeless visual education.
Students of art hailed Classical Drawing Atelier, Juliette Aristides’s first book, as a dynamic return to the atelier educational model. Ateliers, popular in the nineteenth century, teach emerging artists by pairing them with a master artist over a period of years. The educational process begins as students copy masterworks, then gradually progress to painting as their skills develop. The many artists at every level who learned from Classical Drawing Atelier have been clamoring for more of this sophisticated approach to teaching and learning. In Classical Painting Atelier, Aristides, a leader in the atelier movement, takes students step-by-step through the finest works of Old Masters and today’s most respected realist artists to reveal the principles of creating full-color realist still lifes, portraits, and figure paintings. Rich in tradition, yet practical for today’s artists, Classical Painting Atelier is ideal for serious art students seeking a timeless visual education.
The practice of drawing distilled to its essential elements. The companion DVD enclosed inside, beautifully filmed in Florence, Italy, provides real-time drawing lessons so that any gaps in the learning process are filled in with live instruction.
In this elegant and inspiring primer, master contemporary artist and author Juliette Aristides breaks down the drawing process into small, manageable lessons; introduces time-tested principles and techniques that are easily accessible; and shares the language and context necessary to understand the artistic process and create superior, well-crafted drawings.
In this elegant and inspiring primer, master contemporary artist and author Juliette Aristides breaks down the drawing process into small, manageable lessons; introduces time-tested principles and techniques that are easily accessible; and shares the language and context necessary to understand the artistic process and create superior, well-crafted drawings.
A companion volume to Lessons in Classical Drawing and an atelier in book form, Lessons in Classical Painting breaks down the foundational skills and techniques of painting in a format that is accessible and manageable for all readers.
With the same direct, easy-to-follow approach of Juliette Aristides's previous books, Lessons in Classical Painting presents aspiring artists with the fundamental skills and tools needed to master painting in the atelier style. With more than 25 years of experience in ateliers and as an art instructor, Aristides pairs personal examples and insights with theory, assignments and demonstrations for readers, discussions of technical issues, and inspirational quotes. After taking a bird's eye look at painting as a whole, Aristides breaks down painting into big picture topics like grisaille, temperature, and color, demonstrating how these key subjects can be applied by all painters.
With the same direct, easy-to-follow approach of Juliette Aristides's previous books, Lessons in Classical Painting presents aspiring artists with the fundamental skills and tools needed to master painting in the atelier style. With more than 25 years of experience in ateliers and as an art instructor, Aristides pairs personal examples and insights with theory, assignments and demonstrations for readers, discussions of technical issues, and inspirational quotes. After taking a bird's eye look at painting as a whole, Aristides breaks down painting into big picture topics like grisaille, temperature, and color, demonstrating how these key subjects can be applied by all painters.
Ateliers have produced the greatest artists of all time—and now that educational model is experiencing a renaissance. These studios, a return to classical art training, are based on the nineteenth-century model of teaching artists by pairing them with a master artist over a period of years. Students begin by copying masterworks, then gradually progress to painting as their skills develop. Classical Drawing Atelier is an atelier in a book—and the master is Juliette Aristides, a classically trained artist. On every page, Aristides uses the works of works of Old Masters and today’ s most respected realist artists to demonstrate and teach the principles of realist drawing and painting, taking students step by step through the learning curve yet allowing them to work at their own pace. Unique and inspiring, Classical Drawing Atelier is a serious art course for serious art students.
A painting's technique, color, and perspective may all be excellent, yet the painting will fail unless its composition succeeds. Composition is the harmonious arranging of the component parts of a work of art into a unified whole. Henry Poore examines the works of old masters and moderns in this book and uses these examples to explain the principles of compositions in art.
All the paintings that the author analyzes are illustrated in the text — 166 illustrations, including 9 in full color. Thirty-two diagrams by the author accompany his textural discussion of such topics as the importance of balance, entrance and exit, circular observation, angular composition, composition with one or more units, and light and shade. Balance is the most important of these topics, and it is considered in the greatest detail — balance of the steelyard, vertical and horizontal balance, and so on. A complete index enables the reader to locate his own specific areas of interest.
To see how a painting by Cézanne, Goya, or Hopper, for example, follows definite principles of composition allows the practicing artist or art student to learn composition from the finest instructors — the artists themselves. This book is also very useful to the art devotee, who will find his appreciation of the subject greatly enhanced.
All the paintings that the author analyzes are illustrated in the text — 166 illustrations, including 9 in full color. Thirty-two diagrams by the author accompany his textural discussion of such topics as the importance of balance, entrance and exit, circular observation, angular composition, composition with one or more units, and light and shade. Balance is the most important of these topics, and it is considered in the greatest detail — balance of the steelyard, vertical and horizontal balance, and so on. A complete index enables the reader to locate his own specific areas of interest.
To see how a painting by Cézanne, Goya, or Hopper, for example, follows definite principles of composition allows the practicing artist or art student to learn composition from the finest instructors — the artists themselves. This book is also very useful to the art devotee, who will find his appreciation of the subject greatly enhanced.
Arguably the most challenging of subjects for the artist, the human figure also offers opportunities for works of incredible beauty and complexity. In this book, one of today's leading figurative artists shares techniques and approaches for drawing the human form. With a reverent grounding in the methods of the Old Masters and keen perspective developed over Jon DeMartin's 20+ years of making and teaching art, this comprehensive workshop focuses on the power of line and how it can be used to achieve a convincing sense of dimension and life.
Beautifully illustrated with classical drawings as well as step-by-step progressions, these lessons explore the enlightening practice of copying, how to use proportion and measurement wisely, drawing the head and its features, rendering the figure in motion, short-pose exercises, and much, much more. Throughout, artists will master techniques for achieving a compelling "living force" in their drawings, while building a base of understanding that will ultimately make the process more intuitive and enjoyable.
Beautifully illustrated with classical drawings as well as step-by-step progressions, these lessons explore the enlightening practice of copying, how to use proportion and measurement wisely, drawing the head and its features, rendering the figure in motion, short-pose exercises, and much, much more. Throughout, artists will master techniques for achieving a compelling "living force" in their drawings, while building a base of understanding that will ultimately make the process more intuitive and enjoyable.
The art of portraiture approached its apex during the sixteenth century in Europe with the discovery of oil painting when the old masters developed and refined techniques that remain unsurpassed to this day. The ascendance of nonrepresentational art in the middle of the twentieth century displaced these venerable skills, especially in academic art circles. Fortunately for aspiring artists today who wish to learn the methods that allowed the Old Masters to achieve the luminous color and subtle tonalities so characteristic of their work, this knowledge has been preserved in hundreds of small traditional painting ateliers that persevered in the old ways in this country and throughout the world.
Coming out of this dedicated movement, Portrait Painting Atelier is an essential resource for an art community still recovering from a time when solid instruction in art technique was unavailable in our schools. Of particular value here is a demonstration of the Old Masters’ technique of layering paint over a toned-ground surface, a process that builds from the transparent dark areas to the more densely painted lights. This method unifies the entire painting, creating a beautiful glow that illuminates skin tones and softly blends all the color tones. Readers will also find valuable instruction in paint mediums from classic oil-based to alkyd-based, the interactive principles of composition and photograph-based composition, and the anatomy of the human face and the key relationships among its features.
Richly illustrated with the work of preeminent masters such as Millet, Géricault, and van Gogh, as well as some of today’s leading portrait artists—and featuring seven detailed step-by-step portrait demonstrations--Portrait Painting Atelier is the first book in many years to so comprehensively cover the concepts and techniques of traditional portraiture.
Coming out of this dedicated movement, Portrait Painting Atelier is an essential resource for an art community still recovering from a time when solid instruction in art technique was unavailable in our schools. Of particular value here is a demonstration of the Old Masters’ technique of layering paint over a toned-ground surface, a process that builds from the transparent dark areas to the more densely painted lights. This method unifies the entire painting, creating a beautiful glow that illuminates skin tones and softly blends all the color tones. Readers will also find valuable instruction in paint mediums from classic oil-based to alkyd-based, the interactive principles of composition and photograph-based composition, and the anatomy of the human face and the key relationships among its features.
Richly illustrated with the work of preeminent masters such as Millet, Géricault, and van Gogh, as well as some of today’s leading portrait artists—and featuring seven detailed step-by-step portrait demonstrations--Portrait Painting Atelier is the first book in many years to so comprehensively cover the concepts and techniques of traditional portraiture.
"This is an outstanding text for teachers and students." — The Studio
This richly illustrated examination of visual arts in the European tradition shows how the great masters employed the "golden mean" and other geometrical patterns to compose their paintings. Author Charles Bouleau explores a tremendous variety of ancient and modern works: the Parthenon friezes, Italian mosaics, the Bayeux Tapestry, and Gothic stonemasons' marks of France and Germany as well as paintings by Picasso, Kandinsky, Klee, and Pollock. His insightful expositions cast new light on such well-known works as Raphael's "The School of Athens," Botticelli's "Birth of Venus," Rubens' "Descent from the Cross," and Renoir's "Le Moulin de la Galette."
Advancing step by step through each painter's vast body of work, the survey highlights new contributions from each period and artist. Every analysis is conducted according to strict methods, placing the work within the intellectual atmosphere of its time. Original, informative, and stimulating, The Painter's Secret Geometry reveals the framework of art as well as its most profound and secret poetry. This new edition of the cult classic is a vade mecum for any student of art history or artistic composition.
"I found the material presented in this book to be fascinating. Though originally published in the 1960's it's tenets hold up well. It would lend itself well to an art history course or to anyone interested in the concepts outlines." — Tacoma Public Library
This richly illustrated examination of visual arts in the European tradition shows how the great masters employed the "golden mean" and other geometrical patterns to compose their paintings. Author Charles Bouleau explores a tremendous variety of ancient and modern works: the Parthenon friezes, Italian mosaics, the Bayeux Tapestry, and Gothic stonemasons' marks of France and Germany as well as paintings by Picasso, Kandinsky, Klee, and Pollock. His insightful expositions cast new light on such well-known works as Raphael's "The School of Athens," Botticelli's "Birth of Venus," Rubens' "Descent from the Cross," and Renoir's "Le Moulin de la Galette."
Advancing step by step through each painter's vast body of work, the survey highlights new contributions from each period and artist. Every analysis is conducted according to strict methods, placing the work within the intellectual atmosphere of its time. Original, informative, and stimulating, The Painter's Secret Geometry reveals the framework of art as well as its most profound and secret poetry. This new edition of the cult classic is a vade mecum for any student of art history or artistic composition.
"I found the material presented in this book to be fascinating. Though originally published in the 1960's it's tenets hold up well. It would lend itself well to an art history course or to anyone interested in the concepts outlines." — Tacoma Public Library
There is a lot more to photography than simply picking up a camera, pointing it toward something, and tripping the shutter. Achieving a great photograph requires thought and preparation, an understanding of the photographic process, and a firm grasp of how light and composition affect a photo. There must be personal involvement and personal expression. There must be experimentation, with the recognition that only a small percentage of experiments end successfully.
In this book, best-selling author and world-renowned photographer and teacher Bruce Barnbaum explores these seldom-discussed issues by drawing upon his personal experiences and observations from more than 40 years of photographing and teaching. In addition to photographs, Bruce also uses painting, music, and writing, as well as the sciences and even business, to provide pertinent examples of creative thinking. These examples serve as stepping-stones that will lead you to your own heightened ability to see and be creative.
Creativity is a topic that is almost wholly ignored in formal education because most instructors think that it cannot be taught or learned. To the contrary, Bruce has proven that photographic seeing and creativity can be taught, learned, and improved. This book expands on the ideas that are central to Bruce's method of teaching photography, which he has used in workshops for the past 41 years.
In this book, best-selling author and world-renowned photographer and teacher Bruce Barnbaum explores these seldom-discussed issues by drawing upon his personal experiences and observations from more than 40 years of photographing and teaching. In addition to photographs, Bruce also uses painting, music, and writing, as well as the sciences and even business, to provide pertinent examples of creative thinking. These examples serve as stepping-stones that will lead you to your own heightened ability to see and be creative.
Creativity is a topic that is almost wholly ignored in formal education because most instructors think that it cannot be taught or learned. To the contrary, Bruce has proven that photographic seeing and creativity can be taught, learned, and improved. This book expands on the ideas that are central to Bruce's method of teaching photography, which he has used in workshops for the past 41 years.
An essential guide to the oil painting techniques that will allow artists to master a variety of subjects, including figures, portraits, still life, landscapes, and interiors.
Many painters limit themselves to one type of subject matter, but in Oil Painting Essentials, artist and art instructor Gregg Kreutz shows how a multi-genre approach can dramatically improve your painting skills. Arranged by category, each chapter covers both the essentials specific to that subject matter and those that apply to all genres.
Through step-by-step lessons and examples from his own oil paintings, Kreutz shows how you can strengthen your skillset for one genre by painting in another. This comprehensive exploration of the conceptual and practical issues behind oil painting provides all of the tools and encouragement you need to successfully take on any type of oil painting.
Many painters limit themselves to one type of subject matter, but in Oil Painting Essentials, artist and art instructor Gregg Kreutz shows how a multi-genre approach can dramatically improve your painting skills. Arranged by category, each chapter covers both the essentials specific to that subject matter and those that apply to all genres.
Through step-by-step lessons and examples from his own oil paintings, Kreutz shows how you can strengthen your skillset for one genre by painting in another. This comprehensive exploration of the conceptual and practical issues behind oil painting provides all of the tools and encouragement you need to successfully take on any type of oil painting.
A landscape painting guide for oil painters that breaks landscapes down into component elements from nature, and showcases tools and techniques used by classic and modern oil painters for bringing these scenes to life.
Landscape painting is one of the most popular subjects for painters working in the medium of oils--from classic masters to contemporary artists. In The Elements of Landscape Oil Painting, established Watson-Guptill author and noted instructor/painter Suzanne Brooker presents the fundamentals necessary for mastering landscape oil painting, breaking landscapes down into component parts: sky, terrain, trees, and water. Each featured element builds off the previous, with additional lessons on the latest brushes, paints, and other tools used by artists. Key methods like observation, rendering, and color mixing are supported by demonstration paintings and samples from a variety of the best landscape oil painters of all time. With The Elements of Landscape Oil Painting, oil painters looking to break into landscape painting or enhance their work will find all the necessary ingredients for success.
Landscape painting is one of the most popular subjects for painters working in the medium of oils--from classic masters to contemporary artists. In The Elements of Landscape Oil Painting, established Watson-Guptill author and noted instructor/painter Suzanne Brooker presents the fundamentals necessary for mastering landscape oil painting, breaking landscapes down into component parts: sky, terrain, trees, and water. Each featured element builds off the previous, with additional lessons on the latest brushes, paints, and other tools used by artists. Key methods like observation, rendering, and color mixing are supported by demonstration paintings and samples from a variety of the best landscape oil painters of all time. With The Elements of Landscape Oil Painting, oil painters looking to break into landscape painting or enhance their work will find all the necessary ingredients for success.
Professional painting instructor Lea Colie Wight demystifies the formulaic process of oil painting into a simple approach to help you paint confidently and accurately in full color. Develop a core foundational skill set to develop your paintings and discover a signature way of working from life that can be applied to figure painting, portraits, landscapes and still life. Though the focus is on oils, the methods in this book can be applied to all painting mediums including acrylic, pastel and watercolor.
Following in the footsteps of author, artist, and art instructor Suzanne Brooker's previous title The Elements of Landscape Oil Painting, this book pairs the most universally-pursued topic for artists (drawing) with the popular subject matter of the natural landscape.
Brooker breaks down landscapes into their various elements--including the earth, water, air, and trees--to convey how the fundamentals of drawing are applied to capture each aspect. Using the graphite pencil as her baseline instrument, Brooker provides you with step-by-step lessons that help you improve your rendering skills and re-create the beauty of the world outdoors.
Examples from art history and contemporary masters supplement these lessons. The end result is a drawing instruction book that provides artists with everything they need to render landscapes no matter their skill level.
Brooker breaks down landscapes into their various elements--including the earth, water, air, and trees--to convey how the fundamentals of drawing are applied to capture each aspect. Using the graphite pencil as her baseline instrument, Brooker provides you with step-by-step lessons that help you improve your rendering skills and re-create the beauty of the world outdoors.
Examples from art history and contemporary masters supplement these lessons. The end result is a drawing instruction book that provides artists with everything they need to render landscapes no matter their skill level.
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NOW YOU CAN LEARN HOW TO CREATE A BEAUTIFUL CLASSICAL FIGURE PAINTING IN THE STYLE OF THE OLD MASTERS
Juliette has more than 25 years of art experience and is the director of the Aristides Classical Atelier at the prestigious Gage Academy of Art in Seattle. She is the author of four books, and her artwork is featured in galleries across the country.
Juliette is a modern master of the classical technique and a gifted teacher able to explain both the how and the why behind each brushstroke and each decision. The classical technique she teaches is perfect for both "the thinker" and "the feeler" within you.
Get the same world-class training that Juliette teaches at the Gage Academy of Art in Seattle (and in international workshops).
In our studio, Juliette created an inspirational 8-hour demonstration — a step-by-step tutorial on classical figure painting allowing us to "peek behind the curtain" to see how it’s really done.
Follow this tutorial, and Juliette will take you by the hand and show you how to go from the very first steps of posing your model and preparing your materials......to adding the final details to a figure painting full of life.
We’ve placed the entire 8 hours of instruction (plus an exclusive one-on-one interview) in a video titled: The Secrets of Classical Painting
Juliette has more than 25 years of art experience and is the director of the Aristides Classical Atelier at the prestigious Gage Academy of Art in Seattle. She is the author of four books, and her artwork is featured in galleries across the country.
Juliette is a modern master of the classical technique and a gifted teacher able to explain both the how and the why behind each brushstroke and each decision. The classical technique she teaches is perfect for both "the thinker" and "the feeler" within you.
Get the same world-class training that Juliette teaches at the Gage Academy of Art in Seattle (and in international workshops).
In our studio, Juliette created an inspirational 8-hour demonstration — a step-by-step tutorial on classical figure painting allowing us to "peek behind the curtain" to see how it’s really done.
Follow this tutorial, and Juliette will take you by the hand and show you how to go from the very first steps of posing your model and preparing your materials......to adding the final details to a figure painting full of life.
We’ve placed the entire 8 hours of instruction (plus an exclusive one-on-one interview) in a video titled: The Secrets of Classical Painting
This instructional documentary follows artist Thomas Kegler as he completes an oil painting on a linen panel outdoors. Over the course of two late summer days, Kegler captures the image of a veteran maple tree on the edge of a forest. The film focuses on the experience of painting outdoors – with an emphasis placed on observational, cognitive, and intuitive Plein air approaches.
It is intended for intermediate to advanced painters who already have a rudimentary knowledge and skill level in oil painting techniques and materials. Kegler’s commentary during the film explains his philosophy and processes of traditional Plein air painting. His technique mirrors the efforts of the Hudson River School greats of the mid- 1800s such as Durand, Cole, and Church. The final painting reveals a deep connection and understanding of his subject.
It is intended for intermediate to advanced painters who already have a rudimentary knowledge and skill level in oil painting techniques and materials. Kegler’s commentary during the film explains his philosophy and processes of traditional Plein air painting. His technique mirrors the efforts of the Hudson River School greats of the mid- 1800s such as Durand, Cole, and Church. The final painting reveals a deep connection and understanding of his subject.
This lesson by master artist Ken Goshen covers how to successfully design a composition. Video length: 1:53:58. Upon purchase you’ll receive a PDF with a link to the content page and an access password.
In this instructional video, you will see, firsthand, why Bill believes that composition trumps everything else, and why it’s crucial that you continue to study and apply design and composition to every painting you create.
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Mandy Theis Podcast Interview
Mandy Theis, president and co-founder of The Da Vinci Initiative, was interviewed by Daniel Digriz of the Thriving Artist Podcast. The interview delves into the necessity for traditional training in the visual arts, how realism has become a counter-culture movement in art and the need to educate the public on becoming art collectors.
Mandy Theis, president and co-founder of The Da Vinci Initiative, was interviewed by Daniel Digriz of the Thriving Artist Podcast. The interview delves into the necessity for traditional training in the visual arts, how realism has become a counter-culture movement in art and the need to educate the public on becoming art collectors.
Mandy Theis Podcast (Most Recent Interview)
Skill-Based Art Website: A Learning Resource for Art Students & Teachers
Skill-Based Art Website: A Learning Resource for Art Students & Teachers
What is An Atelier?
Ateliers are schools that train students in realism skills. They are often lead by one teacher who inherited hundreds of years of collective artistic information from another atelier-trained artist.
For example, Paul Ingbretson currently runs an atelier in Manchester, New Hampshire. He trained with R.H. Ives Gammell, who trained under William McGregor Paxton, who trained under Jean-Léon Gérôme, whose lineage goes all the way back to Jacques-Louis David.
Contemporary atelier training often requires 2-6 years of full-time study. It is common for atelier students to spend 3-4 hours every day with a live figure model, and an additional 3-4 hours per day on still life and other projects.
Usually, students work only in charcoal for the first year of training. Drawing skills are honed during this time.
Second-year students often begin training in painting, sometimes in Grisaille. Grisaille is a method of painting in black and white. The idea is that students will master paint handling skills before adding the additional component of painting in color.
Third year students usually paint with a limited or full color palette. This warm/cool training is an integral part of the curriculum at many ateliers, including the Aristides Atelier in Seattle, Washington.
Most ateliers are not accredited. However some, such as The Florence Academy of Art, offer associate's degrees to their atelier students. Some are partnered with accredited colleges to offer credit for studying with them, such as Studio Incamminati in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Others, like the Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Art, incorporate some atelier training into their degree and certificate programs.
Anyone who is interested in learning how to paint in a realistic manner or in a classical tradition is highly encouraged to attend an atelier. The gaming industry, motion graphics industry, and fine art market judge artists based on portfolios. Serious students who intend to pursue these career paths should attend an atelier for their artistic training.
Drawing above by Mandy Theis
Juliette Aristides is the founder and instructor of the Aristides Atelier at the Gage Academy of Fine Art in Seattle. Juliette teaches workshops both nationally and internationally. She is the author of Classical Drawing Atelier, Classical Painting Atelier, Lessons in Classical Drawing and Lessons in Classical Painting, her books provide an overview of traditional drawing and painting skills and within each book are exercises related to improving your artistic practice.
She exhibits in one person and group shows nationally including a solo exhibition, “Observations” at the Reading Public Museum of Art in Reading—Pennsylvania, an upcoming exhibition called 'A life's work' at the Customs House Museum in Clarksville TN, and her 4th Atelier show at the Maryhill museum of art. Click below to listen to the podcast.
She exhibits in one person and group shows nationally including a solo exhibition, “Observations” at the Reading Public Museum of Art in Reading—Pennsylvania, an upcoming exhibition called 'A life's work' at the Customs House Museum in Clarksville TN, and her 4th Atelier show at the Maryhill museum of art. Click below to listen to the podcast.
Danny Grant Interview with Juliette Aristides
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