While studying abroad in Florence, Italy, I took the Renaissance Painting and Drawing Techniques course offered at Santa Reparata International School of Art. The course explored the methods and techniques that were developed during the Renaissance. As someone deeply passionate about art history, understanding how these materials were used to create the masterpieces of Florentine painting was of great interest to me.

The first section of the course focused on drawing, which played a crucial role in Renaissance artwork. I explored its various applications and techniques (silverpoint, oak gall ink, etc.) and created master copies and independent artworks with materials compatible with the era. The second section of the course was dedicated to egg tempera, a distinct 15th-century painting technique that allowed artists such as Botticelli and Ghirlandaio to produce outstanding artworks. I learned the entire process of tempera painting, including ground preparation, underpainting, gilding, paint making, emulsions, painting methods, and stages.

As a whole, the course offered a comprehensive approach that blended historical research, hands-on experimentation, and a thorough comprehension of Renaissance materials and techniques. Diving into authentic textual and visual sources to establish a historical context for my creative work