The Painting & Drawing

I took private drawing lessons from Tim Allen (4 sessions, 2 hours per session). I have never had formal drawing instruction. I taught myself watercolor over the past 3 years and discovered my weakness: depicting tonal values. That’s why I took drawing lessons, in this case, still life.Tim is an excellent and patient teacher. He could see immediately where I was struggling and provide advice on how to tackle these difficulties. After only 2 days I felt much more confident in approaching the complexity of a still life portrait. By the end of the four days (8 hours of instruction and drawing), I was very satisfied not just with my final drawing but with the valuable lessons I learned.I definitely recommend the private lessons if you have no time to take the classes.

Spazio, organizzazione, energia, passione per l'arte nel cuore di Roma

Just finished a week of private lessons with Tim in Rome. I learned more from him in one week than I have in all the classes I’ve taken before. I came to strengthen my portrait skills and to learn how to glaze skin tone like the old renaissance masters. I will be coming back. Tim is a great instructor. And funny!

Grazie a questa scuola ho potuto assistere alla trasformazione del mio modo di vedere la realtà. Luci e ombre che, fondendosi e alternandosi, danno vita alla figura, la scolpiscono e la animano fino a creare raffinate suggestioni. La grande energia, competenza e professionalità di Tim non è venuta meno neanche durante la pandemia, durante la quale ha organizzato sessioni on line di pittura a olio, ben strutturate e in grado di mantenere viva la fiamma del mio spirito artistico. Grazie Tim!

Tim has an outstanding wealth of knowledge when it comes to supporting art students in drawing and painting. Both new to experienced painters, and covering not just portraits and the human figure, but also still life and landscape. I learnt a lot about colour mixing and matching, reflected light, and shadows when I attended his classes, and along with other students we engaged in critiques and his enthusiasm for classical art. I totally recommend joining a class if you have the opportunity.

I really wanted to take an art class in Rome and I was so grateful to find Tim and arrange for 3 2-hour private drawing lessons. The communication was super smooth, the studio (in the basement of an art supply store) was an easy walk from the center of Rome, the cost was totally fair. Most importantly, I learned a lot from our conversations and my drawing practice really benefitted from the project that Tim suggested based on my description of my goals. I’m an advanced beginner and I think Tim would be a great instructor for real beginners but also very advanced painters. Highly recommended!

La scuola mi piace molto, è ben organizzata e non mancano mai i tools necessari per qualunque esperienza di disegno o pittura. Si viene accolti con simpatia, calore e molta attenzione ai nostri bisogni. Tim è un insegnante strepitoso, ci fa conoscere altri professionisti tutti disponibili al dialogo e all’approfondimento.

I got to know Tim at one of his first Renaissance Retreats in the fall of 2019. I spent the week painting my heart out. We created a portrait of a young woman in period garb in the studio, then surrounded her with an en plein air Tuscan background. In between, we enjoyed great food, wine and conversation. It was wonderful! Later, when the pandemic hit and we were all stuck at home, Tim seized the moment to create live-via-Zoom courses that united students from across the globe. We did portraits, a still life, then this summer I finally finished that first portrait in a class on finishing. I have learned so much, and improved so much as a painter, with Tim’s guidance. He is a born teacher, a real teacher who continues to learn and share his ever evolving perspective. And he is funny, which helps when you are ready to shred your canvas! If I lived in Rome, I would relish the opportunity to take his classes in person.

English below. Lo studio, situato al di sotto del noto negozio di articoli per belle arti nel cuore di Trastevere, è spazioso e professionalmente organizzato in ogni dettaglio per sessioni di disegno e pittura dal vero, con un’accuratezza che non è comune sulla scena romana. Ogni cavalletto è fornito di illuminazione individuale, così come il podio per i modelli, ed ogni sorta di strumento utile all’esperienza creativa e di studio è disponibile per tutti i presenti. Conosco Tim dal 2013 ed ho avuto il piacere di essere testimone del suo inesauribile impegno nell’insegnamento, guidato da una sincera passione per l’arte e da una solidissima preparazione, proveniente dalla migliore tradizione. Il suo insegnamento è, come non spesso ho visto in Italia, caratterizzato da sani e concreti criteri di metodo, presentati in modo estremamente consistente e convincente, oltre che da un entusiasmo davvero trascinante, di modo che a davvero chiunque si lasci guidare è garantita soddisfazione ed un risultato duraturo. Oltre a ciò nello studio si respira un’atmosfera internazionale davvero stimolante, con la presenza continua di validissimi studenti ed artisti da ogni parte del mondo.The studio, located below the well-known art shop in Trastevere, is quite roomy and very carefully equipped for drawing and painting sessions from life, more so than most other studios I know. Every easel has its own light spot and all sorts of tools towards a rewarding experience. I know the instructor Tim personally since 2013 and I had the pleasure to witness his never ending energy and dedication to teaching. He has the most sincere passion for art and for painting in particular, and very sound knowledge and experience in the field. His teaching is grounded on healthy and concrete principles that he’s able to convey with clarity and simplicity to anyone who is willing to learn, together with lots of enthusiasm and a compelling attitude. Furthermore there is an international atmosphere, due to the presence of excellent students and artists from all around the world.