The most basic and important skill that an artist must acquire is the ability to draw. Drawing from plaster casts of Ancient and Renaissance sculptures is one of the most traditional and effective ways for an artist to enhance their drawing skills.
Here in Monte Castello di Vibio, students will work from plaster casts in our collection. Striving towards accuracy at all times, students will render a drawing of a cast of their choice. The process is intensive and time-consuming, but those willing to put in the hard work will be rewarded with heightened skills that will serve them for the rest of their lives as artists.
As part of the course, participants will make an excursion to view original drawings in the Gabinetto dei Disegni at the Galleria degli Uffizi in Florence. Seeing a drawing touched and executed by the hands of masters such as Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and Raffaello is an experience one never forgets.
A VERY SHORT HISTORY OF CAST DRAWING
From ancient times until the nineteenth century, the ability to realistically depict the visual world was mandatory for any working artist. An essential part of an artist’s training was drawing from plaster casts of Ancient and Renaissance sculpture. This practice dates back to the late Renaissance, although perhaps the most famous cast drawing program is the one executed in the French academies of the 19th century. Only upon completion of an intensive period of cast drawing were students permitted to work from the live model. The rigor of cast drawing produced countless artists with highly refined skills, many of whom created masterpieces that fill our museums to this day.
Today we have a less structured system but the training to become a highly skilled artist is no less rigorous. Classical programs always involve a heavy emphasis on cast drawing, allowing students to practice proportion, understand shading, and gain an appreciation of the aesthetics of the classical world.
Materials for the course will be available in the ICA Art Supply store in Monte Castello.
Participants will be housed in the remarkably well-preserved Umbrian hill town of Monte Castello di Vibio. Your workshop package is all-inclusive, providing welcome and departure services and airport transfer from the Rome Fiumicino, Leonardo Da Vinci Airport (FCO) aboard our comfortable private bus, single occupancy accommodations with shared bath (a wide range of upgrades with private bath are available), 3 meals per day Monday-Thursday, Prosecco brunch and dinner on Saturday and Sunday (no meals are served on Friday, our excursion day. Your workshop includes one excursion per week and many additional options are available on weekends for an additional fee. Of course, 24/7 access to facilities and 24/7 bi-lingual support are provided.
Karen Warshal has been teaching anatomical figure drawing and portraiture for 26 years, the last 13 of which have been at the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore where students seek her out for her traditional approach (see:https://karenwarshal.com/artwork/drawing/). 
