Paint outdoors in the heart of the Renaissance.
A guided plein air session in the streets and gardens of Florence — the same light and landscape that shaped the old masters.
Small groups · All levels welcome · Materials guidance included
There's a light in Florence you can't get from a photograph — you have to stand in it, brush in hand, and paint fast before it changes.
Juano Frías · Figurative oil painter · Florence, ItalyPainting from life is a different skill than painting from photos.
The light won't wait for you
Shadows move, clouds shift, the scene you started is gone in twenty minutes. Working from photos never taught you how to race the light.
Too much information, no time to sort it
A real street, a real garden — it's overwhelming. You don't know what to simplify or leave out, so the painting stalls.
You paint alone, with no feedback
No one to tell you why a passage isn't working, or show you the fix in real time, in front of the actual subject.
You've never had a guided outdoor session
Painting outdoors well is a specific, learnable process — most self-taught painters never get shown it directly.
A guided process, from first look to finished study.
Choosing & simplifying the scene
We pick a subject and I show you how to read it — what to keep, what to leave out, before a single brushstroke.
Blocking in value and light
Fast, confident blocking to lock in the light before it changes — the single most important habit in plein air work.
Working with — not against — the light
Real-time guidance as the light shifts: what to commit to, what to leave for memory, when to stop.
A finished outdoor study
You leave with a completed piece and a repeatable process you can take to any subject, anywhere.
Juano Frías
Figurative oil painter, based in Florence, Italy.
I paint portraits and figures in oil with a focus on emotion, atmosphere and cinematic light. I live in Florence, surrounded by the greatest collection of Renaissance painting in the world — and that shapes how I see and teach.
Every day I walk past the Uffizi, the Accademia, the Pitti Palace. What the old masters solved outdoors, centuries ago, is what I show you directly, on location.
This session is for specific people.
This IS for you if…
- You want hands-on guidance while painting from life
- You're visiting or living in Florence and want to make the most of it
- You enjoy learning in a small group setting
- You want real-time feedback, not just recorded video
- You already have basic materials, or want guidance choosing them
This is NOT for you if…
- You're looking for a fully remote, self-paced format — see the online course instead
- You can't commit to the session date once it's confirmed
- You're not comfortable painting outdoors, in changing conditions
- You expect one-on-one private tuition
Dates and pricing, confirmed on request.
- A full guided outdoor painting session
- Small group — real feedback, not a crowd
- Materials guidance before the session
- Held around Florence, weather permitting
No payment now — I'll follow up by message once dates are confirmed.
Things people usually ask
Do I need prior painting experience?
No — the session works for beginners and experienced painters alike. I adjust the guidance to where you're at.
What should I bring?
A materials guide goes out once your spot is confirmed, with recommendations for different budgets — no need to overspend.
What if the weather doesn't cooperate?
Sessions are scheduled around Florence's light and weather — if conditions turn, we reschedule rather than push through.
How many people per session?
Kept deliberately small, so everyone gets real feedback — exact group size confirmed with your session dates.
Where exactly do we meet?
The meeting point is confirmed with your session details once dates are set — always somewhere central in Florence.