The Florence Art Studio

I wish to say that the Florence Art Studio was and will be again the best practical drawing and painting experience I can imagine. Gary Adcock's peerless instruction is perfectly paced and ever attentive to the details. Nothing escapes his passionate spirit. And all this against the background of the Renaissance city itself !! The traditional teaching approach is solid. There is time for talk too. The streamlined instruction is , I believe, a refinement of the Academies.... all the rigour and very hands-on. There's no hit and giggle but rather a highly satisfying sense of purpose and achievement. That's how it went for me. I have used enough adjectives to witness my feeling of complete satisfaction with this gem of a studio. As that other Renaissance Man, Bart Simpson said : Enough talk, let's do it.

I spent 3 weeks at the Florence Art Studio. I have made great progress and this is really due to the attention and care I received from Gary and the tutors Alessandro andLudovico. Together they have collectively really helped in fine tuning my skills and I have been taught the tools to self correct which is what I really needed. Now I am on a journey to be able produce works of art to a better standard. Gary is an intense and thorough teacher. He does not accept “almost correct” drawings, he has pushed me to "see correctly” and be accurate in every line I draw. Gary shows how to use certain tools to help you see errors, which in turn leads to producing accurate drawings. The two projects I did during my stay were extremely challenging especially the St Jerome cast and it was by all means not a smooth ride, I had days of frustration but the tutors were always there to support me. Alessandro is a wonderful tutor, his teaching style is positive and encouraging. His pleasant approach in shining a light on areas of improvement and mostly helping me to come up with the solution, tested my understanding of the technique and solidify my learnings. Ludovico is a brilliant tutor, he is direct, thorough and really gets into my perspective of the cast. They both find the areas I need to correct and even if it is a millimetre off. Not only are they dedicated great teachers, they all have made my stay very enjoyable, especially our well deserved break time. During our break we will all go to cafe to have delicious coffee and pastry and discuss about art and many things. It really is an intensive course and the challenge is learning "how to see correctly”, however if you are willing to learn and work hard at all times, you will really benefit from such a place. I am very happy with the teaching I have received from the Florence Art Studio. The studio itself is beautiful and has a pleasant atmosphere, perfect for learning. Also you will be in the heart of Florence with art surrounding you. Purchasing a museum membership allowed unlimited access to the Uffizi and Pitti Palace galleries which was a real plus point, and why Florence is the place to learn art! I am very grateful to have met and learnt under such amazing people. It has been invaluable to my artistic development.

If I could give 6 stars, I would! We had an amazing, informative, well structured and fun time at The Florence Art Studio. Gary, Alessandro and Margaritha taught us exactly what we came for, and so much more... They were very professional and pushed us to be far better artists than we could have imagined. We'll miss our laugh at the coffee shop in the break and we'll be back for sure!

I just finished four weeks of drawing training at The Florence Art Studio and I can't recommend it enough. If you're fantasizing about running off to Italy to become an artist, that's exactly what Gary and the team deliver in the awe-inspiring city of Florence. The studio itself is a beautiful, creative space focused primarily on the sight-size technique which means drawing and painting things in the exact size and scale that you see them.  This not your average community art class, but don't let that scare you away. Everyone can learn with the right teachers and Gary, Alessandro, and Ludovico are those teachers. Gary will guide you calmly and directly through the bumpy bits. Ludovico will challenge you and push you to do more and move faster. And Alesandro will quietly observe how you work and then hone in on ways to help you improve your drawing. You will benefit from each of the teachers and you will see a distinct improvement in your drawing ability in a short period of time. You can also look forward to lively discussions on life and art over coffee each afternoon. By the time you're done, you'll be walking through the Uffizi Galleries commenting on how there are no curves–only straight lines the work of the Renaissance masters and seeing shapes everywhere. This is the beginning of your transformation as an artist.