The Barnes Atelier

The Barnes Atelier teaches academic methods of drawing and painting to aspiring professional realist artists. The studio based in Barnes, in southwest London provides an excellent learning environment with two studios, one with both natural and artificial light, and one with lighting set up for copy and cast work.

The studio set-up allows for a small number of students at any one time in order for the principle artist(s) to work closely alongside the students, demonstrating their own work and allowing them to provide one-to-one teaching to each student.

The Atelier, which continues in the tradition of the ateliers of 19th-century Paris, is run by artists Travis Seymour and Nancy Fletcher, together classically trained at the Angel Academy in Florence as well as The Water Street Atelier and Grand Central Academy in New York.

Atelier Diploma Programmes

Our atelier diploma programmes form the core curriculum for full-time study and includes 2 key stages: The drawing programme and painting programme. The curriculum teaches students both the sight-size and comparative measurement methods to ensure confidence with drawing & painting in any environment.

Drawing

At the start of their study, students are immediately introduced to the idea of excellence in their work. From the approach, to the execution and refined finish, students learn how to ‘construct’ an image.

The drawing programme will see students begin with block-in drawings of the plaster casts and master copies before rendering them to an exact likeness with a full range of tone. These exercises are increased in drawing difficulty as the student’s skills become more refined.

Additionally, each afternoon the students work from the life model utilising the techniques learned in the morning, adding to them elements of composition & design, emotive characteristics, as well as the difficulty which comes from drawing from life.

Emphasis is placed on the handling of the materials, accurate observation of the relationship between light and form, and a proficient understanding over the structure of human anatomy.

As drawing is the foundation for painting, it is important that students master these skills before progressing on to the painting programme.

The drawing programme forms a key part of the full-time curriculum but can also be studied as a standalone option.

Painting

The first half of the painting programme will be dedicated to the transition from drawing to painting by working with the grisaille (monochrome) palette. Students will focus their attention to painting from the plaster cast, copying master works, and painting the life model ‘en grisaille’. The second half will see the student transition to using the full palette of colour while repeating the exercises of cast painting, master copies, and working with the life model before progressing on to still-life.

The Core Studio Schedule

Each academic year is broken into three equal terms of 10 weeks each with a half-term project week. Core studio hours are from 9:30am - 4:30pm Monday through Friday. 

Students receive individual daily critiques from the primary instructor.

Applications

Applications are accepted throughout the year and from students with different levels of experience. 

For enquiries please email any questions to: info@barnesatelier.com