Well, it is officially the end of our first week here in Firenze, and all I can say is, “I have had an amazing couple of days!”
Like I stated in my previous blog, my visual arts class had maintained a very relaxed attitude, both through the teachers and the students. Morning classes start with us meeting up at the coffee joint around the corner and then heading out to one of the many piazzas of Firenze, to begin with, a gesture or blind contour drawings. We can spend anywhere up to two or three hours sketching whatever catches our eye.
This Friday, however, started the beginning of the oil painting portion of the class, with students starting the morning with painting a still life using only a palette knife as an instrument. Granted I have already taken oil painting, but it was an interesting exercise considering I had never painted with a palette knife and it has been two to three weeks since I last picked up a paintbrush.
Next week we are expected to start practicing our skills at sketching the human figure through painting and drawing, and the week will eventually conclude with a sketch of The David on site at the L’Accademia and the beginning of our oil paint self-portraits. In addition, we have also been given the assignment to copy one of the Florentine masters’ works that will be due by the end of the program.
In short, we artists have our work cut out for us here in Firenze, but the idea of getting to propel my artistic skills every day while getting to learn more of the history behind some of the Renaissance’s most prized pieces of art has kept me motivated and always looking forward to the next day. Well, that’s it for now. To end off I will leave you with some pictures from our trip to Lucca today. -Ethan