Atelier Ireland | Schoolhouse for Art

As part of our Academy programme the Schoolhouse for Art is introducing an intensive 160 hours accredited Atelier course.

This academic art training is based on 19th century French and Russian Ateliers that many of the great masters of the past 200 years were trained and where they gained their experience in the craft of drawing and painting.

Academy trained painter and artist Will Nathans will be guiding students through this in-depth and accredited Atelier training. Students will complete a series of projects designed to measure their progress and mastery of precise techniques.

This course curriculum is based on key projects of increasing complexity aimed towards working from the life model in a colour oil palette while also developing a solid foundation in drawing and design basics. Each of the projects can be broken down into weekly and overall goals for the people attending. Will Nathans will be completing a series of demonstrations for each project.

Students have the opportunity to continue the course each semester to persue a full portfolio of Atelier work; bargue & cast drawing and paintings, working from life and finally a graduate piece.

Our studio is housed in the West Wing courtyard of Russborough House. On your walk to our studio past the grand main house on your right hand side and the incredible view of the Wicklow mountains on your left hand side you have an endless source of inspiration and constant muse. Russborough House has one of the most important private collections of European fine and decorative arts in Ireland, including world class furniture, silver, porcelain and, of course, paintings.

COURSE STRUCTURE:

This program is designed specifically to help give students the necessary fundamentals in the craft of drawing and painting which in turn will ultimately lead to their own mastery and voice for their art.

Figure Drawing & Painting - Working weekly with the nude figure (male/female), students will complete a series sight-size life drawings & paintings. Progressing through techniques of figurative drawing, perfecting skills through pencil, charcoal, grisaille & oil painting. This module results in a complete understanding of the human form and the flesh palette in oils is mastered. ::

Bargue Drawing & Copying - The Bargue Drawing method focuses on sight-size copying of the Old Masters Plates as perfectly as possible. This precise study teaches artists to see distances, lengths and angles, as well as seeing and depicting both light and shade using a two-dimensional reference.

Cast Drawing & Painting - Cast Drawing is the next exercise. Cast drawing teaches you to see ‘form’ in three dimensions and transfer it with meticulous detail in pencil/charcoal to a two dimensional surface - the drawing paper. Following this stage the same technique will be used to apply oil to canvas replicating the cast. This practise teaches the mastery of values.