Nicole Michelle TULLY /    NG2 - oil on wood - 2014   (detail) 
Nicole Michelle TULLY /    NG2 - oil on wood - 2014 
Our light source / Argenton-Chateau, France   
Drawing and Painting in Argenton-Chateau / April to October    
Timothy STOTZ / Study of Lucy 1 (Rimlight) - oil - 2010      Study of Lucy 3 (Blue sky) - oil - 2010 
Founding Faculty – Nicole Michelle Tully /   "Class Demo - 2012" | oil on linen   
Founder and Director – Timothy STOTZ /   Lilly   - charcoal, chalk and pastel - 2015 
Timothy STOTZ /    Atalanta - charcoal and chalk - 2012 
Drawing Programs in Paris / October to April
Paris Drawing Programs / Drawing and Lectures at the Musee du Louvre
Faculty – Toby HALL /    Chiara (detail) - pencil - 2016 
HOME– Introduction and Upcoming Courses

STUDIO ESCALIER is a private studio art school and international art colony in France, founded in 2001. Designed and directed by artists for artists, it is dedicated to the contemporary classical study of drawing and painting from life.

Offering courses in English in the heart of Paris as well as in Argenton-Chateau (Poitou-Charentes), we are an international point of contact for professionals, emerging artists and beginning art students too, attracting artists from more than 45 countries and 40 different US states.

Anyone may apply, there are no academic or artistic pre-requisites to apply as a student. It is an open admissions process, based mainly on portfolio submission – a review of artwork drawn or painted from life.

Admission to our Intensive Courses and Special Programs in drawing and painting in Argenton-Chateau — and to our various Paris Programs including our Winter at the Louvre 8-week program — is by online application only. Entry can be competitive.

Online application is required for every course, 4 to 6 months before the first day of class.

See our COURSE SCHEDULE page for the most current information on upcoming courses in all locations, and how to apply.

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Our student body includes: career painters, portraitists, illustrators, concept artists, animators, muralists, college art teachers, architects, sculptors, printmakers, graduate students, undergraduate students, serious beginners, and people who simply love to draw and paint the human figure.

To see our complete schedule of upcoming courses and application deadlines, visit the COURSE SCHEDULE page.

Every program that is currently accepting applications can also be found here on the HOME page.

Please pay close attention to the application deadlines below, and follow the links below.

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Visiting Artist-in-Residence – Tobias HALL | “After Bouguereau” – pencil on paper – 2021

2025 SUMMER in PARIS | FIGURE DRAWING | with Tobias HALL

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LOCATION: 2025 SUMMER in PARIS – FIGURE DRAWING will convene at our Paris Program Studio in Montmartre.

Please see our Facilities page for complete details on our studio facilities.
CLASS DATES: 17 AUGUST – 29 AUGUST 2025
CLASS SCHEDULE: Drawing from life 25 hrs/week (daily schedule to be announced) for 2 weeks total. 

Instruction will includes lecture-demonstration at the easel, daily one-on-one critique.
CLASS SIZE: 10 maximum + instructor(s)
WHO is ELIGIBLE? Entry by application only. Anyone may apply – There are no academic or other pre-requisites.

All students must enroll full-time, for the entire 3 weeks.

TUITION PRICE: 1750 EUR, for one 2-week program. (Cost of Paris housing is not included.)

APPLICATION
DEADLINE:
31 JANUARY 2025
PAYMENT
DEADLINE:
8 FEBRUARY 2025
HOW to APPLY: Admissions for 2025 SUMMER in PARIS – FIGURE DRAWING are OPEN.

Before you apply, please review the ADMISSIONS page for general information about the application process.

Desktop and laptop users can apply ONLINE.

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Smartphone and tablet users can apply OFFLINE.
Request the course application using the link below:

request-form

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Visiting Artist-in-Residence – Tobias HALL – Tempest (detail), oil on linen, 2020

2025 AUTUMN INTENSIVE – PAINTING PROGRAM | ARGENTON CHATEAU

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LOCATION: The 2025 AUTUMN INTENSIVE will be held in the Intensive Course Studio, on our campus in Argenton-Chateau (79), a medieval town north of Bordeaux, south of the Loire Valley, in the Poitou-Charentes region of southwest France.

Argenton-Chateau is situated 2.5 hours from Paris-Montparnasse (total travel time: TGV train + program shuttlebus).

Please see our FACILITIES page for complete details on the Intensive Course Studio.
CLASS DATES: Thursday, 4 SEPTEMBER – Saturday, 18 OCTOBER 2025

Group arrival: 5:00PM Thursday, 4 September 2025, Gare SNCF de Angers/ St Laud, France
CLASS SCHEDULE: The daily schedule is 6 hours of life-model, 5 days a week (Sunday – Thursday, 9am – 6pm).

Figure poses will vary in length between 3 hrs. and 30+ hrs.

The course will offer lecture-demonstrations 1-2x weekly and in-studio critique, 3-4 days per week.
CLASS SIZE: 12 + instructor

WHO is ELIGIBLE? Anyone may apply. New students and alumni of all levels are encouraged.

All students must enroll full-time for this course.

There is no option for part-time enrollment, or late arrival.

TUITION PRICE: 4200 EUR, shared 2BR housing included

HOUSING: 6 weeks of shared 2-bedroom housing in Argenton-Chateau included.
Private lodging costs +500 EUR extra (minimum), depending on size and availability .

Students live in program housing, assigned starting July 15, in the order applications were received.

Please see our LODGING page for complete details on housing in Argenton-Chateau.

APPLICATION
DEADLINE:
31 JANUARY 2025

ADMISSIONS DECISIONS
SENT:

2 FEBRUARY 2025

TUITION
PAYMENT DUE:

8 FEBRUARY 2025


HOW to APPLY:
Admissions for the 2025 AUTUMN INTENSIVE are OPEN.

Please review the ADMISSIONS page for general information about the application process.

Desktop and laptop users can apply ONLINE.

apply.button

Smartphone and tablet users can apply OFFLINE.
Request the course application using the link below:

request-form