I’m cramming this blog in the wee hours of the night after a jam-packed day filled with an abundance of non-stop art!
Starting the day off with a morning walk (we do a lot of walking!) to the Boboli gardens, we were free to sketch a sculpture within the magnificent gardens, which were originally the hunting grounds behind the Medici family’s country palace. We learned how to use a value range of darks and lights to shade our sketches, which really helped to show the play of light on the marble statue. It was an amazing experience to quietly sketch a centuries-old masterpiece in the shade of a tree-lined pathway, listening to the symphony of cicadas while a warm Tuscan sun dimpled on the backs of my shoulders.
With 11 figure sketches as homework, I grabbed a quick lunch of mozzarella and tomatoes at home and began drawing my friends during our siesta break. Pleased with my work, I headed out to the Ufitzi with my art history class to see the old masters and the development in style from the 12th century to the beginning of the Renaissance. It was quite a drastic yet intriguing change to see!
After an afternoon in the Ufitzi, I spent the evening at a ceramics school learning the 16th century technique and style of plate painting. We painted, replicating the times (with the exception of using lead paint of course!).
I can’t wait to get mine back from the kiln next week! It’ll be an amazing souvenir!
-Phoebe