What made you choose Angel Academy over the other atelier studios you looked/studied with?
I knew I wanted to study abroad, where I would have access to all the great art and culture. I did a lot of research on the net and looked at works of students from each of the atelier. I thought that the works from Angel Academy were consistently good. Additionally, I spoke at length with a couple of artists who had studied with John Angel.
Having said all that and finishing the program at Angel… I believe that a lot of it has to do with your own dedication and tenacity. You get out what you put in. The most a school/atelier can do is to provide a supportive environment, knowledge on technique, and constructive criticism. When I was at Angel, I felt I learned the most when there were other dedicated and talented students around me. Therefore, it’s important to fine a school where you feel comfortable and supported.
back to topIn general, Florence is an expensive city compare to the rest of Italy. However, it is affordable compare to other big European cities. Your major expense is going to be rent. Food in general is very affordable and of high quality. It’s a small city so you won’t have much transportation cost. Medical care is also affordable/free. You can get an annual pass to all the museums in Florence for 60 Euros (25 euros if you are 25 or younger). If you stick to the basics – housing, food, basic everyday necessity, and an occasion night out, you should budget around 700-1200 euro a month.
back to topFrom my experience, it’s best to not count on working while you are attending school. Instructional classes run from 9:30 am to 5 pm, M-F. Many students stay until 9 pm and also work on homework assignments on the weekends. When I was in school, I would spend the summers back in the US working and applying to scholarships. In the later years, an occasional sale and teaching beginning drawing in school also helped tremendously. I kept my expenses pretty low. While you shouldn’t wait till you have enough funds for the whole program before starting, it’s best to have enough fund for at least the academic year.
back to topThe most important thing, by far, to “paint” the human form realistically is sound drawing. According to Ingre, drawing is 2/3 painting. Sound drawing is being able to reproduce accurately what you see. Life drawing, practice, a critical eye, and copying old master drawings are some of the most effective ways to develop drawing skills.
Once you can draw the human form well, then it’s color. In general, flesh tones are grayer than you think, except in certain areas. You can pretty much get away with using white, black, burnt umber, yellow ochre, and some kind of red to represent believable flesh tones.
This question can take pages and pages to address properly. I’m still considered a “beginner” at figure painting and figuring out a lot of nuances. Don’t be discouraged if your paintings don’t look like Bouguereau’s – the human form is the hardest thing to master.
back to topGenerally speaking, opaque in the lights, semi-transparent in the half-tones, and transparent or thin paint in the shadows. However, in school, we were taught to paint the shadows thinly, but opaquely.
back to topcoming soon!
back to topcoming soon!