Oil, linen, and a real still life in Florence—great combo.

This 5-morning workshop turns the city’s art energy into hands-on practice, with instruction in a light-filled palazzo studio in the historic center. I love that the group stays small (max 10), so you actually get close eyes on your work, and that the course is built around your own finished still-life painting to take home.

The teaching led by Laura and Frank is practical, calm, and focused. You’ll learn the fundamentals of oil painting—materials, methods, and color mixing—then apply them step by step, even if you haven’t picked up a brush in years. One technique I especially appreciate is Sight Size, used famously by John Singer Sargent, because it helps your drawing look right before you get lost in paint.

One consideration: the class runs five days in the morning (3 hours per day, starting at 10:00am), so it’s a real schedule commitment. If your Florence days are tightly packed, plan around those mornings first, then build everything else around the studio time.

Key things that make this workshop worth your time

• Small-group instruction (max 10) that supports real one-on-one help
• Sight Size drawing method, taught as used by John Singer Sargent
• Oil painting process from tonal underpainting to full color on an oil primed linen panel
• Five-morning pacing (15 hours total) that’s long enough to finish, not just sample
• Flexible start day, so you can choose a weekday that fits your trip rhythm

Florence’s still-life studio: what you’re really booking in 15 hours

This workshop is a focused course: 15 hours across 5 mornings, with a consistent studio routine each day. You start at 10:00am and keep working through the still-life painting process until you’re ready to take your artwork home.

The setting matters. Florence can be visually loud in the best way, but this course pulls you into a slower, more concentrated kind of art making. You’ll be painting in a working-artist atmosphere in a palazzo setting near the historic center, where you can actually see your light, your shadows, and your color decisions as you make them.

I like that it’s not a “tour plus a quick craft.” It’s a real class with a defined structure: lecture and demonstrations, drawing, transferring, underpainting, full-color painting, then finishing details.

Entering the studio: meeting Laura and Frank, and getting comfortable fast

The workshop is taught by Laura and Frank, and the vibe they create comes through clearly in the way the class is described. People talk about feeling comfortable the moment they walk in, and that’s exactly what you want before you start messing with oil paint.

In a small group, you’re not competing for attention. The most practical benefit is simple: if something feels off, you can ask, adjust, and move forward while your canvas/panel is still in the stage where changes are easiest.

And because instruction is personalized for each student, the class doesn’t treat beginners and more experienced painters like the same worksheet. You’re learning fundamentals, but you’re also able to keep going if you already have skills and want a strong refresher.

Day-by-day: what happens in each of your five mornings

You’ll run through the same overall sequence, but you’ll experience it at the pace of a working studio. Each morning is about 3 hours, with a plan that takes your still life from drawing to finished oil painting.

Morning setup and materials: learning what to use and why

You begin with a lecture and demonstration of materials and methods, plus color mixing. This is more than a materials slideshow. The goal is to give you the logic behind oil painting choices so you can make better decisions later without waiting for someone to tell you every step.

Then you set up your own still life using available objects and props at the studio. That matters because the workshop isn’t only teaching technique in the abstract—it gets you translating real objects into shapes and color.

Drawing the still life with Sight Size

Next comes the drawing stage using Sight Size, a method associated with John Singer Sargent. The promise here is confidence: if your drawing is accurate, the painting stages become easier and less frustrating.

In Sight Size, you’re not guessing proportions from memory or stylizing by habit. You’re measuring what you see in relation to your view, so your painting starts with a structure that feels believable.

Transferring the drawing to an oil primed linen panel

After you draw, you transfer the drawing to an oil primed linen panel. This step is where you move from pencil logic to painting reality.

The practical value is that your painting gets a reliable starting map. You’re not starting over, and you’re not hoping the drawing will magically “work out” once color enters the scene.

Tonal underpainting: values before color

Then you paint a tonal underpainting to establish values—your light and dark structure. This is one of the most useful stages in the entire workshop, because it trains your eye to think in contrasts, not just colors.

If you’ve ever had a painting turn flat, this step is often the fix. Values create depth. Even before your colors are fully in place, you’ll build an image that reads clearly.

Full color and finishing details

Once the value framework is set, you paint in full color. Color mixing is part of the earlier instruction, and now it becomes your daily tool for controlling mood and realism.

Finally, you add finishing details. That’s where your still life gets its polish and where your personal choices start to show—edges, highlights, and the small decisions that make the painting feel finished, not temporary.

Why Sight Size is a big deal for beginners and pros

Sight Size can sound a little old-school, but it solves a modern problem: people draw what they think should be there, not what is actually there. This method pushes you to slow down and look precisely.

The benefit for beginners is huge. If you’re uncertain about drawing, Sight Size gives you a system that reduces guesswork. You’re learning how to “see” proportions and relationships instead of memorizing art rules.

For more experienced painters, it can be a reset button. Even advanced artists can drift into assumptions. Sight Size brings you back to observation, which is the foundation for everything else you’ll do with oil paint—especially when you’re relying on accurate values and edges during the tonal and color stages.

Oil on linen: the workshop’s real learning curve

The workshop’s structure teaches you oil painting as a sequence of problems, not as a single moment of inspiration.

First you learn the tonal underpainting, which is basically the image’s spine. Then you layer color on top. That pacing matters because you’re training two skills at once: seeing contrast and controlling color mixing.

The workshop also uses an oil primed linen panel. Linen is a classic surface for oil painting, and learning on a ready-to-paint panel means you’re focused on technique rather than setup tinkering.

You’ll leave knowing what the next step should be when you continue painting at home. That’s the difference between a casual class and something that builds real confidence.

Packing your artwork so you can keep the result

One of the most practical details: the workshop packs your painting for easy transport home with you. That’s a big deal for a city trip where space is limited and travel logistics are real.

Because the course runs long enough to reach finishing details, you’re not bringing home a “practice piece” that you’ll later regret leaving unfinished. You’re bringing a completed oil painting that’s designed to survive the trip back.

Price and value: is $789.39 fair for 5 mornings in Florence?

At $789.39 per person for about 15 hours of instruction, you’re paying for several things at once: guided teaching by working artists (Laura and Frank), small-group attention (max 10), and a full structured process that ends with a finished painting.

If you were to recreate this experience on your own—finding a reliable studio setup, coordinating materials, and getting one-on-one feedback—it would likely cost more in time and money. Here, you’re buying a teaching plan plus the studio environment where you can actually use what you learn immediately.

The price also makes more sense when you compare the outcome. You’re not just learning brush handling. You’re learning a full still-life workflow: setup, Sight Size drawing, transfer, tonal underpainting, full color, and finishing details.

Booking is often done about 42 days in advance on average, so the value equation improves when you lock in a spot early enough to match your schedule.

Who this workshop suits best (and who might hesitate)

This class fits you if you want a guided way to learn oil painting without feeling lost. Beginners are explicitly included, and the personalized instruction means you won’t be left behind.

It also works if you already paint. The course teaches fundamentals and uses a proven method that can improve your accuracy and value-reading, which are the building blocks behind stronger paintings.

Where I’d pause is for people who don’t want a structured schedule. This is five mornings, 10:00am start time, in a concentrated studio flow. If you want your Florence time to be fully flexible day-to-day with no commitments, this may feel like too much structure.

How to fit it into a Florence itinerary (weekday start options)

You can choose your start on any weekday. The workshop teaches Mondays to Fridays, and if you start on a Tuesday, your last day is the following Monday. That flexibility helps when your flight dates or sightseeing priorities don’t line up neatly with a fixed start.

The meeting point is Borgo Santi Apostoli, 18, 50123 Firenze FI, Italy. You meet there at 10:00am, and the activity ends back at the same meeting point.

It’s also near public transportation, which matters in Florence where walking is common but not always convenient when you’re juggling mornings.

Final verdict: should you book 5 Mornings Still Life Painting in Florence?

I think this is a strong choice if you want more than a souvenir from Florence. You’re getting a full still-life oil painting course with a clear workflow and enough studio time to actually finish.

If you care about technique—especially drawing accuracy and tonal structure—this workshop is built to teach those skills in a way you can repeat at home. The small group size and the teaching presence of Laura and Frank are exactly what keep the class feeling personal, not generic.

If you’re on the fence because of the price, focus on the outcome and the teaching hours. $789.39 buys 15 hours of guided instruction plus the structure that helps beginners feel capable and helps experienced painters correct the foundations.

If you want a Florence art experience you can carry home in your hands and on your wall, this is one of the more direct ways to get there.

FAQ

What is the duration of the workshop?

It runs for 5 days (approximately). Instruction is 5 mornings at about 3 hours per day, for a total of about 15 hours.

What time does the class start?

The start time is 10:00am, and the activity ends back at the meeting point.

Where is the meeting point in Florence?

The meeting point is Borgo Santi Apostoli, 18, 50123 Firenze FI, Italy.

How big is the class group?

The maximum group size is 10 travelers.

Do I need any prior painting experience?

No experience is necessary. The class is suitable for both beginners and more advanced painters, with personalized instruction.

What materials and painting process will I learn?

You’ll learn materials and methods, including color mixing. The process includes setting up a still life, drawing with Sight Size, transferring to an oil primed linen panel, tonal underpainting, full color, and finishing details.

What is Sight Size?

Sight Size is a drawing method taught in the workshop, noted for its association with John Singer Sargent.

Can I choose my start day during the week?

Yes. You may choose to start on any weekday. The workshop teaches Mondays to Fridays, so your last day depends on your chosen start day.

Will I be able to transport my finished painting home?

Yes. The workshop packs your painting for easy transport home with you.

Is it possible to cancel for a full refund?

Yes. Free cancellation is available if you cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience’s start time for a full refund.