Italian guide to essential painting techniques

Today we share with you some very interesting information if you’re planning to join our painting holidays in Italy. Do you ever wish you could speak Italian or even better speak the painting lingo in Italian? No reason to worry, as we’ve made it very simple for you...just read our guide to essential painting techniques in Italian and start practicing today!

Colour Colore                                                                            

Primary Colours COLORI PRIMARI
Secondary Colours COLORI SECONDARI
Tertiary Colours COLORI TERZIARI
Warm Colours COLORI CALDI
Cold Colours COLORI FREDDI Complementary Colours COLORI COMPLEMENTARI
Tone TONO
Hue TONALITA’

Granulation GRANULAZIONE

Transparent colour COLORE TRASPARENTE

Composition COMPOSIZIONE
Golden Section SEZIONE AUREA
Viewfinder MIRINO
Balance and Counter Balance BILANCIARE E CONTROBILANCIARE
Focal Point PUNTO FOCALE
Viewpoint PUNTO DI OSSERVAZIONE / PROSPETTIVA
Linear Perspective PROSPETTIVA LINEARE
Aerial Perspective PROSPETTIVA AEREA

Sketching BOZZETTO

Thumbnail Sketches SCHIZZO                                                      

Painting Techniques TECNICHE PITTORICHE

Wet on Dry ASCIUTTO SU BAGNATO
Wet on Wet BAGNATO SU BAGNATO
Dry-brush PENNELLO ASCIUTTO
Highlights PUNTI LUCE
Stippling PUNTEGGIARE

Masking Fluid LIQUIDO PER MASCHERATURE

Allora..are you ready to practice your new language knowledge and enhance your painting skills on our painting holidays in Italy?

The authentic Italian art: interview with the Art Historian, Laura Morelli

Today's post in Flavours blog is an interview with the Art Historian and Author, Laura Morelli.  We met Laura and we discussed everything about Italian art and what is art inspiration for her (..we were delighted to hear that painting holidays in Italy are among these things)!  

Welcome to Flavours Holidays blog Laura. Please tell us a bit of your background and what inspired you to learn about Italian art. What is about Italian art and painting that fascinates you the most?

I am a traditionally trained art historian, so of course I studied the great Italian painters, sculptors, and artists of the past. However, when I had the chance to live in Italy I quickly realized that many of the traditions of the past are still living traditions. The skills, the forms, the knowledge, and more importantly, the spirit of the past, is kept alive in the hands of thousands of artisans who, even today, take pride in passing the torch from one generation to the next.

Some of our favourite Italian regions are Tuscany, Venice and Sicily. Have you visited any of these areas? What art venues and places do you find more characteristic about Italian art there and would you recommend to visit?

Tuscany: Tuscany has become such a popular destination for international travelers, but some of its most important traditions remain little known. You can discover them if you know where to look: the generations-old ceramics studios of Montelupo Fiorentino, the terra-cotta ovens of Impruneta, and the alabaster mines of Volterra.

Sicily: Ceramics are one of Sicily’s most vibrant traditions; the major ceramics centers are Caltagirone, Santo Stefano di Camastra, and Monreale. Coral jewelry is also a favorite. The Roman author Pliny mentions the artisans of Trapani, on the western coast of Sicily, working coral pulled from the sea.

Venice: In the history of Italian craftsmanship, Venice plays a unique and critical role. Tourism has been a double-edged sword for Venice. On the one hand, the industry has prompted the importation of cheap knockoffs that are made overseas. On the other, tourism has ensured that important Venetian handmade traditions such as mask-making and glass-making continue to thrive in our post-industrial society.

At Flavours Holidays we consider artisan making traditions, like limoncello making, a kind of art. We also believe that passing this kind of knowledge to the next generation is a type of art. What do you think?

So many of Italy’s culinary specialties are world-renowned: Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, prosciutto di Parma, traditional balsamic vinegar of Modena, grappa, and of course, let’s not forget limoncello!  If you think about it, the history, regional tradition, and artisanal processes that yield many of these culinary specialties are exactly the same as those that yield world-class artistic traditions like Florentine leather, Murano glass, or Deruta ceramics. It’s a very special recipe of family tradition, regional pride, and the teaching of traditional methods. 

Lastly, we want to ask you if you paint. Would you be interested to join painting holidays in Italy, like the ones that Flavours offer? What would you find inspiring on such a residential course?

I did start out as an art major in college, but luckily I realized my utter lack of talent early enough to change my field of study to art history! I can’t think of a more inspiring place than Italy to take a painting holiday.

Laura Morelli holds a a Ph.D. in art history from Yale University. Her books include Made in Italy, Made in France, and Made in the Southwest, which lead travelers to some of the world’s most authentic experiences. She has written for many national publications including USA Today and the New York Daily News, and has authored a column for National Geographic Traveler online called “The Genuine Article.” She has taught at Trinity College, Tufts University, Northeastern University, and the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, and has spoken to public audiences across the U.S. and Europe. To find out more about Laura Morelli please visit her website http://lauramorelli.com/ and follow her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lauramorelliphd and Twitter: https://twitter.com/lauramorelliphd.

Art Inspiration: Great Italian Artists part 1 - Tuscany!

Italian art is the number one motivation for our  painting holidays in Italy. Today, we are delighted to introduce a new series of articles to our blog about great Italian artists inspired from each of our favourite regions. Let’s start exploring Italian art in Tuscany with one of the greatest and most famous artists, Michelangelo Buonarroti. 

 The first thing that will probably shock you about Michelangelo is his date of birth and death: 6 March 1475 – 18 February 1564, basically he lived for almost 89 years, quite a lot for a 16th century man. Michelangelo was born in Caprese, near the current Arezzo (in Tuscany). Another surprising fact about this multi – tasking man is that he became famous while he was alive, this is not very usual for artists of any period. Michelangelo is famous around the world for his work: he was a sculptor, painter, architect, poet, and engineer.

Michelangelo’s importance is due mostly to his significant contribution to the High Renaissance in Italy; you may already know that the Italian Renaissance was the earliest manifestation of the general European Renaissance. In other words, all the other European Renaissance artists were inspired by the Italian ones, and so by Michelangelo. Few artists have left such a long-lasting mark on the history of art as the great Michelangelo Buonarroti.

So, imagine that you have just landed in Tuscany and you’re going to spend a fantastic holiday there. Why don’t you see some of his wonderful works?

We can suggest some of them for you… 

First stop:

Buonarroti house -  the family home of Michelangelo. Here you will find some of the very first works of the young Michelangelo, such as The Centaurs’ battle and Madonna of the Stairs . The first one is proof that he did great studies about classical statuary, while the second one is a clear homage to another great Italian artist, Donatello. 

Second stop: Holy spirit Church (Chiesa del Santo Spirito) - Michelangelo had a very strong attachment to this place because it’s where he found shelter after the death of his protector, Lorenzo de Medici. In this church you will find the wooden Crucifix. Moreover, this church is a must see, one of the most beautiful of the Renaissance period.

Third stop: Gallery of the Academy -  Here you will find the world famous statue of David (the original one). Because of the nature of the hero, the statue soon began to represent the defence of civil liberties embodied in the Florentine Republic, threatened on all sides by more powerful rival states and by the hegemony of the Medici family. Did you know that Michelangelo made this statue while he was very young (he was not thirty yet)? He said that "Every block of stone has a statue inside itself, the only task of the sculptor is to discover it". Of course he had the genius in his genes.

Fourth stop: Uffizi museum - Here you will find Michelangelo’s first work, Tondo Doni, alias The Holy Family. This is the only finished painting of Michelangelo. Still in its original frame, the painting was probably commissioned by Agnolo Doni to commemorate his marriage to Maddalena Strozzi, the daughter of a powerful Tuscan family. The painting is in the form of a tondo, or round frame, which is frequently associated with domestic ideas during the Renaissance.

These are definitely not the only stops that you have to do in Tuscany to see Michelangelo’s works: we suggest that you also go to Palazzo Vecchio, San Lorenzo Basilica and Museo dell’ Opera del  Duomo to see other spectacular  Michelangelo artworks.

If you are tempted to visit these magnificent places and get some first hand art inspiration you can check our next painting holidays in Italy for more information.

Prosecco..the Italian answer to champagne!

Today it is not uncommon to drink a glass of Prosecco while enjoying a meal with family, or celebrating a special occasion. Unsurprisingly, the roots of the wine lie deep in the Italian countryside, some several thousand years ago.

Prosecco has been drunk since the early Roman times, and was made using the same Glera grapes which are still used today. Glera grapes are abundant on the Karst hills north of the Italian city of Trieste, near the village of Prosecco - which lends its name to the wine. Over the 18^th Century the cultivation of Glera grapes multiplied exponentially, expanding through the regions of Veneto and Friuli, where the wine is made to this day. It is believed that the white grape’s aromatic qualities and dry taste are the main reasons for its boost in popularity.

Today, the Veneto and Friuli wine regions boast over 8,000 estates, from more than 150 sparkling wine producers. Each year around 150 million bottles of Prosecco are produced, an estimated 60% of the entire world’s supply. Furthermore, with Controlled Designation of Origin (DOCG) status under European law, you can be sure that any bottle sold as Prosecco is made to the highest quality, and has actually been cultivated and manufactured in this specific area of Northern Italy.

There are three main types of Prosecco, to suit all manner of personal preferences. Prosecco spumante is a fully sparkling wine, whereas frizzante and gentile are both very slightly sparkling. The duration and pressure used during secondary fermentation is what causes this variation in the wine. Prosecco undergoes secondary fermentation in stainless steel vessels, in what wine manufacturers call the Charmat method. This is a less expensive alternative to the méthode champenoise process of fermenting champagne, where the wine instead ferments inside the individual glass bottles.

In terms of flavour, Prosecco is commonly described as simple with a fruity taste and aroma. Tasters often detect yellow apple, pear, apricot and white peach, with less of the secondary taste and aroma which we find with the likes of champagne. In accordance with the EU laws surrounding the labelling of wine sweetness, Prosecco is generally described as a Brut, Extra Dry or Dry. This depends on the amount of residual sugar per litre of wine, but allows consumers to choose the bottle best suited to their preference.

Within Italy, Prosecco is enjoyed as a wine for all occasions. However, outside of the country it is generally enjoyed on special occasions or before a meal. In fact, many of us have enjoyed a bottle of Prosecco with a birthday meal or graduation celebration, just as we would do with champagne. However, unlike champagne which is said to improve with age, Prosecco doesn’t continue to ferment inside the bottle. It is recommended to be drunk within three years of its vintage, although certain high quality wines have the potential to last for up to seven years.

Do you have a favourite type of Prosecco, or are you more of a champagne person? Have you ever visited the stunning Veneto region?  

Watercolour painting and my teaching experiences in Flavours Painting Holidays in Italy

Watercolour is the choice of the majority of Flavours’ guests while on the painting holidays with me as their tutor in Italy. Watercolour is a portable and versatile medium with the added advantage that it dries quickly.

Italy has been and continues to be an inspirational venue for artists.  It is no surprise then that the regions of Tuscany, Venice and Umbria were at the very heart of the Renaissance producing great artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Piero della Francesca, Titian and Tintoretto.

For the landscape painter the views are spectacular and varied with that special quality of light that demands a palette of colour very different to that we would employ when working in the UK or elsewhere in the world.

The primary aim in my teaching in Flavours painting holidays in Italy is to develop or further develop the guests’ abilities in handling the painting medium, to expand their visual awareness through ways of seeing and to encourage a personal expressive response to the amazing Italian views.  It is also essential you enjoy a stress free holiday.

My experience to date has taught me that once we have met with as a painting group, and we have started enjoying working together Flavours’ painting guests become engrossed and reluctant to stop.With our materials set out beside us, a blank piece of watercolour paper before us and spectacular Italian landscape surrounding us we don’t know whether the end result of our days work will prove to be a success or end up being rejected and binned. 

 My former lecturer at Edinburgh College of Art, Sir Robin Philipson RA, described the creative process as being “the sleeping surprise” which perfectly describes the exciting journey we travel when painting.  

Flavours guests who have worked with me in the past will recognise my mantra ‘it is only a piece of paper’!

If we get over apprehensive or intimidated by the blank paper or the painting process our mark making is likely to become ‘precious’, being tight and restrictive resulting in a painting that will more than probably fail.  

If, however, we adopt a free and open approach to the creative process our paintings will only become precious when the last mark is made and the overall result is a successful and true representation of our response to our subject. 

OK this is challenging but it is also great fun.

We welcome all ranges of ability to our Flavours painting holidays in Italy.  If you haven’t picked up a paintbrush since leaving school, don’t worry, your desire to come on a Flavours painting holiday and join our painting classes is the essential starting point. I will support you, as will others in the painting classes, and I will make every effort to ensure you enjoy both your holiday and the painting experience. My hope is you will gain the confidence to continue painting when you return home.

Experience painters can also be confident that they will benefit from their Flavours visit. Inspiration from your subject matter is a given.  I will not attempt to change your style of painting nor will I require you to paint like me.  

I aim to introduce you to techniques and processes in watercolour that may be unfamiliar or new.  I also offer advice and guidance to your established methods and ways of seeing that I trust will enhance your response to the Italian environment.  

Hugh Tuckerman has over 30 years of teaching experience and welcomes students of all abilities to join a Flavours painting holiday . 

Take a painting holiday to Italy!

Italy is the fifth most populated country in Europe and enjoys a warm climate throughout the year. The country is known for its beauty, culture, fashion and art. Artists choose the country as a place to work because of its beautiful views and creative climates. Italy is also known for its high standard of living and is ranked as being the 25th most developed country in the world. For these reasons it is a popular destination and will suit those that are travelling and want to experience an artistic getaway. In this article we will take a look at several locations that are perfect for those that wish to experience a creative painting holiday.

Venice

Venice is another area in Italy that is known for its rich influence on the artistic world. The city is based in North East Italy and is made up of 118 small islands. These are all connected and are accessed via boats that run through canals. The art of Venice also helped to develop the renaissance of painting. Several famous artists emerged from this region, including Giovanni Bellini, a painter who developed the Venetian style and introduced more color and depth into his work. He was inspired by the wonderful landscapes that Venice has to offer and inspired many followers at the Venetian painting school, where he taught other famous painters such as titian. 

  
Tuscany

Tuscany is a region in Italy that is known for its influence on art throughout the world. This is thanks to the renaissance art period that evolved there. The area is also known for its wonderful natural spaces and landscapes that will appeal to artists who enjoy painting in natural environments. Tuscany is also home to a large selection of famous architecture, one such being the famous cathedral of Pisa. A beautiful set of buildings that were constructed in 1064. This is also the home of the well-known leaning tower of Pisa, which is well recognized throughout historical culture and sits at a constant slant. Artists that enjoy painting complex architecture will love the cathedral and the beautiful complexities that surround the walls of the buildings. 

Sicily

Sicily is a region of Italy but sits as a separate island in the Mediterranean Sea, which it is also the largest. People have been living on the island since 8000 BC. Greeks began to inhabit the Island from around 700 BC. Sicily is an area that boasts a wide amount of color and beauty in its rich landscapes and old villages that flow with culture and artistic possibilities. Bars are a great place to people watch and the Sicilian lifestyle is to eat and drink well trough out the day. Artists may want to capture some interesting scenes of street life in their pictures and would do so perfectly here. 

Umbria

Umbria is a region of central Italy covered with a peninsular region. It was formed during ancient times. This region is covered with rich in beauty with landscapes. Artists feel and experience the beauty of Umbria. They capture many scenes from the beauty. This is just a selection of places that are based in Italy and will be great for artists who wish to travel somewhere creative and beautiful. The food is also wonderful and the locals are generous and kind.

Written by Leo Josh. He is an expert traveler. He provides many suggestions to travellers who plan their trips. In his free time, He writes articles related to travel. Presently, he is focusing on ESTA which defines Visa Waiver Scheme (ESTA) which is now mandatory for all travellers to the USA who plan to enter the country by air or sea.

Interview with Michael Gahagan- painting tutor in Tuscany and Umbria

Hi Michael,

Many thanks for taking the time to chat with us.

Could you start by telling us a bit about yourself?
Having studied both Textile Design and Business Studies in Glasgow, I worked as a Personnel Manager in the Health Service and in Higher Education at the Glasgow School of Art, before focusing on Art Coaching. I have my own studio and exhibit in various galleries. My artistic subjects are mainly landscapes and wildlife and I run my own art courses in Arran, and teach Art in Italy and Greece. I am also trying to learn Spanish!

What do you enjoy most about being a painting tutor?

I love interacting with students and supporting their personal development as well as encouraging them to enjoy art and have fun in the learning process.

And why painting holidays in Italy?

I was running my own art course in the Island of Arran and one of the participants liked my approach and style, and recommended me to Flavours Holidays. I had never been to Italy before and was delighted to be teaching in such a wonderful country that has been an inspiration to artists for centuries -painting in Italy is everything one could hope for as an artist!

What do you enjoy most about working in Tuscany and Umbria?

Everything! The magnificent landscapes, the buildings, the people, the food...the overall character, art and unique culture of these places… I could go on!

Do you find much time for your own work?

I think it is important as a Tutor not to become stagnant - doing my own art keeps me on my toes and encourages me to explore new ideas. I am currently working on paintings of Islay, a series entitled ‘the Italian connection’, as well as a Skyros series, and a compilation of dog sketches.

Where would you say most of your inspiration comes from?

There’s a quote from a book that I refer to in my classes called ”You Can Draw” by Kenneth Jamieson, which says: “as soon as your eyes are opened, your environment becomes a richer place”. My main inspiration comes from constantly opening my eyes and enjoying what I see.

Are there any painters or artists that really inspire you?

Lots, such as Monet and Cezanne – their style and approach inspire me. However coming from Glasgow I am perhaps biased and no one is more inspiring than the Glasgow Boys!

Have you ever been on a painting holiday yourself?

Lots of times! I have always built a bit of free time into my working life, where I can escape and paint to my heart’s content! It was on a painting holiday in Skyros in Greece that led to the company seeing my art and appointing me the following year as a facilitator.

Is there anywhere we can see some your work?

Come on a Flavours Holiday and I’ll show you some! Or you can also see my work and find out more about me on the Gallery page of my website: http://www.ionaart.com/

And finally, what advice would you give someone who’s considering coming on a Painting holiday in Tuscany?

A lot of people would like to go on a painting holiday but don’t, through worry or self-doubt. My advice is to just “go for it” and you will be able to develop your art at a pace that suits you. In addition to the friendly company and excellent Tutors, the Tuscan scenery and food is to “die for”!!

   

Learning Holidays

My first ‘learning’ holiday was a Spanish language course in Valencia. I was sixteen and homesick. Then I met Enrique, a tall, blonde train driver. We drank sangria and stayed out until 7am. I didn’t learn much Spanish, but I was still at school – learning and holidays were mutually incompatible.

It was another fifteen years before I tried putting them together again. I enrolled on a salsa weekend, this time in Barcelona. We practised the steps in a studio in the morning and whirled around the dance floor, fuelled by tapas and rich red Rioja, at night.

My first cookery course was in Cornwall. An editor at The Independent sent me to Rick Stein’s school - as a joke. I had set fire to my kitchen making teriyaki salmon for my book club friends. I dragged my heels thinking I would hate it, but was immediately hooked. It was the perfect pint-size package: the setting, a little Cornish fishing village, the group gregarious, the food gourmet – and the wine flowing. I skipped home with a folder full of recipes and a passion for Padstow.

Since then I’ve learnt how to make organic cosmetics in France, bread in Cumbria and pizza and pasta in Italy. I’ve done tai chi in Umbria and learnt how to be a mahout in Thailand.

And I’m not alone. A Mintel report published in August 2009 highlights the growing trend for learning holidays and our changing tastes as far as overseas travel goes. We no longer want to just flop on the beach - we crave new experiences and want to come home with a new skill. It might be a niche market, but it’s one that’s expanding rapidly.

But why do we feel the need to learn something on holiday? By definition a holiday (or holy day) is a time of rest. Do we really need our free time timetabled? Have we lost the ability to amuse ourselves? Or even to relax. Check out the growth in yoga and spa breaks too.

In the Guardian last month, Dea Birkett railed against this ‘new wave of foreign travel anxiety’ – the fact that you’re made to feel guilty if you’re not combining your holiday with saving turtles or embarking on a programme of self-improvement.

However, if you enjoy painting or you’ve always wanted to pick up a brush, what could be lovelier than setting up your easel on a Tuscan hillside surrounded by rippling fields of wildflowers? You love Italian food but never seem to have time to learn new recipes or techniques. You can’ t cram in that Pilates class at home…

We’re all so used to multi-tasking that it makes sense to combine a couple of interests on holiday, or use the time to experiment with something new. After all it’s not like being at school – the classes are fun and relaxed and there’s plenty of free time. A learning holiday just gives a bit of structure to your days and allows you to go home feeling that you’ve spent your time well.

It’s also about immersing yourself in a different culture, of course, rather than just skimming the surface. And how much more fulfilling is it to tuck into a plate of pasta that you’ve created with an Italian chef in an old Tuscan villa than sitting down to that same dish in a local restaurant - knowing that you’ll be able to recreate it back home for your friends?

10 minutes with Vito Marinuzzi of 7Numbers Toronto!

7Numbers Toronto is one of those rare neighbourhood Italian restaurants with a family feel, unpretentous, easy going and simple in the best possible way. The restaurant has been in the family for generations and this shows with the quirky interior, filled with authentic Italian kitsch and family photos. Vito is in charge here (along with his Mamma Rosa), his recipes are closely guarded family secrets, luckily we managed to squeeze a few gems out of him in our brief meeting!

1)If you could chose a cooking holiday from Flavours in either Tuscany, Sicily, Puglia or Bologna which one would you choose and why?Definitely Puglia. It is straightforward, and simple, I have always loved food with modest origins. Never complicating flavours or ingredients is what makes it my capital of comfort food.

2)Who would be your ideal cooking companion on a cooking holiday in Italy?
My Grandmother, she cooked for real, made everything, lived off the land, cooked on wood fires. Meals with her were Epic, and all being created in a glorified shoebox of a kitchen, and then there would usually be a food fight. Traveling with her searching for fresh fun food would be amazing!
3)What are your essential Italian cooking ingredients?Garlic
Olive oil
Prosciutto
Veal, (all cuts)
And probably the most perfect of perfect vegetables, Rapini
4)I couldn’t cook without my…?My Chef’s knife, and my big misshapen wooden spoon, what Italian kitchen is complete without a spoon and knife?!

5)What do you do when you’re not in the kitchen?
Yoga, and spending time with the family, eating what I’ve made in the kitchen! But yoga makes the chaos of the kitchen peaceful, clears the mind and allows me to focus on the food.
6)What is the best thing about Italy?
The best thing about Italy is the people; they have it right, food, family, nap, fun, repeat. What’s not to like? That and their famous stubbornness, part of the reason the classic foods stay so pure.

7)Have you had any cooking disasters?
Yes. Making a meal for my then girlfriend, (now wife), and my brother. I made a fish in gravy with pesto and some bad cheese and tried to convince them it was great. I am not a very good actor, since then I have let the food speak for itself!

8)Please tell us what your favourite Italian Recipe is?
Veal Stracotto. Stracotto literally means overcooked, it is one of those dishes that you would slow cook all night or day and eat it the next day. The longer the better, it is typically, braised in fava beans, white onions, mushrooms garlic and lots of red wine, bigger the better, so Primitivo di Manduria is my choice.1 btl red wine
2 cup whole fava beans
2 cup button mushrooms halved
4 whole white onions chopped
1 whole veal leg, diced
1 whole garlic bulb, cleaned and quartered
Salt and pepper to taste
½ cup olive oil

Brown diced veal with onions and fava beans and garlic in olive oil, add mushrooms and red wine, slow cook at 250 degrees Celsius until wine is reduced by half, put on simmer and enjoy, oh and you have to drink a little wine while making it as well.

9)What’s your top tip for the perfect Italian meal?Wine, family, fresh ingredients, and simplicity, but most importantly KISS, (keep it simple stupid)

10)Where can we find out more?

www.sevennumbers.com


Flavours offer cooking holidays to Puglia, with direct flights from London. We are now offering painting and Pilates holidays in Italy. If you would like more information, then please get in touch! T:+44(0)1313432500 W: http://www.flavoursholidays.co.uk E: info@flavoursholidays.com