LEARN TRADITIONAL ARTISAN TECHNIQUES
ABOUT OUR COURSES
Florenceart.net have been providing art classes and workshops in traditional, historic techniques for over 20 years. We offer a range of courses designed to effectively teach the skills of decorative painting, gilding, mural decoration, painting architectural illusion, trompe l’oeil, historical lime and fresco techniques.
Our in-person courses are held in the studio in southern Tuscany in Italy so that you can benefit from the immense wealth of inspiration this area has to offer. We are happy to accommodate beginners to advanced students. We plan your experience with us around giving you the maximum hands-on learning as possible; not just theory, but practice.
We also have some new online classes that you can do to get a taster of what our in-person classes are like. Please see our online classes or keep reading for more information below.
Authentic Teachings
ARTISAN CRAFTS
All our courses are taught by the owner of the FlorenceArt.Net studio, Alison Woolley. Alison is a Scottish born, ex-pat Canadian with more than 20 years experience living and working as a decorative artist in Tuscany. Her teachings and art are firmly rooted in the Florentine tradition and in the artisan community there. This combination allows Florenceart.net to offer you real interaction with Italian master artisans and their techniques, while facilitating your stay and responding to your need to feel at “home away from home”. Tuscany is a truly unique location to learn. It is the cradle of the Renaissance, and the medieval town of Anghiari is considered one of the top ten most beautiful towns in Italy.
For Lovers of Art
CLASSES FOR ALL LEVELS
We believe art can be enjoyed by everyone! Across our courses, we cater for all levels. For beginners, we give step by step instructions, recipes, and make sample frames and panels. You can learn to create painted and decorative effects that you never thought you could in the country that gave birth to the decorative arts. Art lovers and visitors to Italy say that the ‘hands on’ sessions in the workshop led them to a whole new appreciation of the works of art that they see in museums. For advanced students, our courses are for immersing yourself in Italian quality, style and craftsmanship. As professionals, you can add some exciting and genuine quality finishes to your portfolio. We offer you Italian techniques and ways of improving your work, always with an eye on an efficient use of time and a level of quality that will set you apart.
IN-PERSON COURSES AND CLASSES
Select a technique below to learn more about individual courses that we run. If you would like a full list of all courses then please see the Course List below. Throughout the year we also hold retreat courses in which all students stay and learn on site in a beautiful location such as the Castle of Volognano.
COMPLETE COURSE LIST
The table below shows all our in-person courses. Courses are scheduled according to demand. Once a course is scheduled, dates will be added to the list below. If you are interested in joining a course, please complete our Course Enquiry Form.
Course Group | Course Name | Description | Course Dates | Fees | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mural Decoration | Mural Trompe l'Oeil Painting Techniques | Learn techniques of the ancient art passed down through generations of artisans. | 2025 MAR 18-21 | 600 EUROS PLUS MATERIALS | FlorenceArt.Net Studio,
Carmine Anghiari |
Antique water based painting mediums | Casein and Egg Tempera Painting | This is an introduction to the use of casein and egg tempera paints for decorative painting. | 2025 MAY 20-23 | 600 EUROS PLUS MATERIALS | FlorenceArt. Net Studio, Carmine, Anghiari |
Gilding | Introduction to Water Gilding | Learn the basics of water gilding with 22 karat leaf, dutch metal leaf, and silver leaf. | 2025 JUN 3-6 | 600 EUROS PLUS MATERIALS | FlorenceArt.Net Studio,
Carmine Anghiari |
Gilding | Advanced Water Gilding | Further your knowledge of the techniques of Italian water gilding with gold and silver leaf. | 2025 JUN 10-13 | 600 EUROS PLUS MATERIALS | FlorenceArt.Net Studio,
Carmine Anghiari |
Grottesca and Fresco | Grottesca Painting and Fresco Techniques | Learn to create Renaissance Grottesca style decoration and fresco painting | 2025 JUN 29-JUL 3 | 750 EUROS PLUS MATERIALS | FlorenceArt.Net Studio,
Carmine Anghiari |
Gilding | Gilding at L. Lemare Studio | Learn historically correct Gilding Techniques | 2025 JUL 17-20 | lorilemarestudio.com | Hamilton, Ontario, Canada |
Grisaille, Metal Leaf | Gild and Paint West Dean College | Introduction to Italian decorative Techniques | 2025 AUG 17-21 | westdean.ac.uk | West Dean College Chichester, UK |
Decorative Painting | Intro/ Intermediate Decorative Painting | Learn traditional techniques for producing traditional Florentine painted decoration. | 2025 SEP 13-18 | 900 EUROS PLUS MATERIALS | FlorenceArt.Net Studio,
Carmine Anghiari |
FREE VIDEOS
Below we have a selection of free videos that you can watch anytime by selecting the play buttons. These short tutorials will take you through some of the fundamentals, like how to select a color palette and what are the correct brushes. These are the perfect introduction to one of our online courses which can also be seen below. You can also receive our downloadable class notes that accompany these free videos.
ONLINE COURSES
Alison has created some online video courses, each broken into multiple sections and lessons. The courses are designed to let you practice at your own pace. The videos can be paused and returned to whenever you want. Please select an online course to get started.
Retreat Courses take place at various beautiful locations in Italy. Students stay and learn at the retreat setting. The number of students on each course is small which allows participants to really immerse themselves in the lessons and their projects. To learn more, visit our Retreat Courses page.
RETREAT DATES
Retreat Name | Description | Retreat Dates | Fees | Retreat Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Tuscan Luxury Gilding/Painting Retreat | An 8 day retreat in a beautiful villa. Decorative work for gilded surfaces, antique painting mediums. Accommodations and meals on site at the villa. | Sep 24- Oct 1, 2024 | see course description | Anghiari, Italy |
Intro Gilding Monastery Retreat | Learn about Water Gilding through this immersive course in the stunning setting of renaissance monastery | Sep 29- Oct 22, 2022 | see course description | Anghiari, Italy |
PRIVATE LESSONS
Throughout the year, Alison is also available for private lessons on Zoom or in person from the FlorenceArt.Net studio. These are the perfect way to maximise your learning time and to hear tried and tested tips from a working artist. Private lessons have also proved to be popular gifts for the artists in your life. More information about the lessons and how to book can be found on our Private Lessons page.