2026 AUTUMN INTENSIVE in PARIS

“Only nature well-seen, well-studied can give you the original brilliance and genuine knowledge that distinguishes the superior man from the common one. I say ‘well-seen’ because if you do not look unceasingly with a comparing eye as I’ve asked you to, you’ll get nowhere.”

“La nature bien vue, bien étudiée vous peut seule donner ces lumières originales qui distinguent l’homme supérieur d’avec l’homme commun. Je dis bien vue, car si vous ne la voyez sans cesse avec ces yeux de comparaison que je vous demande, il n’y a rien de fait.”

– Jean Baptiste Oudry, Réflexions sur la manière d’étudier la couleur (1749)

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

LOCATION:	The Autumn Intensive in Paris – Painting Program will offer short and long-pose figure painting from life in our Paris Program Studio in Montmartre. Please see our Facilities page for details on the location.
CLASS DATES:	The program will meet as follows: Monday, 5 OCTOBER – Friday, 6 NOVEMBER 2026 (5 weeks)
CLASS SCHEDULE:	Studying color and painting the human form from life 25 hrs/week, Monday – Friday, as follows: Weeks 1 – 5: 930 – 1230; 1400- 1600 The course will offer lecture-demonstrations 1-2x weekly and in-studio critique, 3-4 days per week. Figure poses will vary in length between 3 hrs. and 25+ hrs. Studio instruction only. No museum component is offered in this class.
CLASS SIZE:	9 maximum + instructors
WHO is ELIGIBLE?	Anyone may apply – There are no academic or other pre-requisites. All students must enroll full-time for the course, held in our Paris Program Studio in Montmartre.
TUITION PRICE:	4200 EUR Cost of housing in Paris not included. Students required to find and contract their own housing in Paris.
APPLICATION DEADLINE:	27 FEBRUARY 2026
ADMISSIONS DECISIONS SENT:	1st MARCH 2026
TUITION PAYMENT DUE:	7 MARCH 2025
HOW to APPLY:	Admissions for the 2026 AUTUMN INTENSIVE will open soon. Please review the ADMISSIONS page for general information about the application process.

 

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

COURSE DESCRIPTION:  “Painting and the Principles of Living Form”

The Autumn Intensive course is a full-time, structured curriculum with an emphasis on long-pose figure painting.

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

Figure sessions meet for 6 weeks painting the human figure from life, 25 hrs. per week.

Figure poses will vary in length between 3 and 25 hours total, primarily painting the human figure, using a limited palette underpainting technique, as well as a contemporary prismatic palette for various “wet-into-wet” techniques (e.g. “au premier coup”, “alla prima”, “in-painting” or “form painting”).

The 2026 Autumn Intensive in Paris will feature demonstrations and critique by founding faculty Nicole Michelle TULLY and Timothy STOTZ .