Old Masters

The paintings in this gallery were painted by students in the Atelier. These students are by no means professional painters. In fact, many of these paintings are the student’s first serious attempt at oil painting. A large number of these students had never taken painting lessons before or were discouraged by previous lessons taken elsewhere.

It is unusual but not impossible for a student to finish a painting in one session however in general it may take three sessions to complete a full painting. Students are encouraged to take home and work on the painting between class times if they are in a rush to complete the work. Although our goal is to complete a painting, it is the skills that inform your ability to paint that are the focus of the lessons.

Most students work from a photographic source which is the same size as the final painting.The choice of subject is a matter of discussion between the Maestro and the student. Although many students have decided to focus on portraiture, the subject of the painting can vary from landscape, wildlife, still life, nude study to narrative painting. Students may choose to copy an already existing master work, while others choose an already existing photo or photograph their own subject under the guidance of the Maestro. Working from a photograph (known as working from the flat) is not seen as a limitation, but rather a necessary step to learning how to paint since the same skills are used when painting from life (working from the round).