# Travel Like an Artist - Painting and Procreate Retreat with Artist Lisa Bardot in Italy Join artist Lisa Bardot for an inspiring art retreat set amidst the verdant hills of Tuscany, Italy. Create gorgeous landscapes inspired by the stunning Italian countryside, record your travels through sketches and illustrations, study traditional and digital painting, and level up your skills in Procreate. Benefit from daily classes with your favorite artist, tailored advice, one-on-one feedback sessions, insightful discussions, and on-location sketching. Explore Tuscany through two unforgettable art trips: to the medieval villages of Chianti Classico and the "Manhattan of the Middle Ages," San Gimignano.Your home for the week will be a stunning historical estate, surrounded by rolling Tuscan hills and sunny fields. Delight in delicious Italian cuisine, prepared by a private chef and paired with fine local wines. Craft expressive landscapes and scenes, learn how traditional painterly styles can be achieved with Procreate, discover your artistic voice, and bond with a community of 15 other fellow artists. ## Details - **Dates:** April 7 - 14, 2025 - **Location:** Certaldo, Florence, Italy - **Starting Price:** $4,850 - **Category:** Painting ## Program ### Travel Like an Artist Retreat Join artist Lisa Bardot for a life-changing art retreat in the picturesque countryside of Tuscany, Italy. Learn to view the world through an artistic lens and craft expressive scenes inspired by stunning landscapes. With a focus on physical watercolor painting and digital watercolor in Procreate, immortalize your travels through sketches and illustrations with Lisa’s help. You'll benefit from daily classes, plenty of individual feedback and one-on-one sessions with your favorite artist, insightful demonstrations, engaging discussions, painting on location or in the studio, and much more. The art retreat is best suited to participants already familiar with Procreate.Lisa's comprehensive program will teach you to capture the essence of your travels through art. You'll create impressionistic landscapes inspired by your gorgeous surroundings, learning how to focus less on the fine details and get over creative roadblocks. You'll learn to capture your experiences in your sketchbook and transform them into expressive digital illustrations. The two halves of your art courses (traditional and digital painting) complement one another harmoniously; you'll go through several techniques of analog painting and learn how to apply them to the digital medium.By the end of the retreat, you'll have completed two digital art projects, along with several smaller pieces using traditional media. The first project will focus on the Italian countryside, inspired by the stunning landscape of Tuscany with its rolling hills and sprawling vineyards. The second project, a Destination Collection, will help you create a cohesive composition of mini illustrations featuring iconic landmarks, local scenes, food, objects, and personal mementos from your journey.Topics covered in your classes include:Drawing inspiration from your environment to craft expressive illustrationsPainting landscapes and travel vignettes in an impressionistic styleDeveloping watercolor techniques in both traditional and digital formatsRecording your travels through sketches and transforming them into digital illustrationsExploring color theory and creating harmonious palettesBuilding the components of a scene with confidenceCapturing on-the-fly observations and developing on-location sketching skillsApplying analog art techniques to digital mediaExploring and developing your personal style...and many more.In addition to your daily classes with Lisa, you'll also have plenty of time to relax, enjoy the stunning Tuscan landscape, and share your experiences with fellow artists over a glass of wine. You'll stay at a beautiful historical venue in the heart of Tuscany and explore this region's secrets through two art trips: to multiple towns across the famed Chianti Classico trail and the charming village of San Gimignano. ### Day 1: Arrival Catch your 3:00 PM transfer from Florence Airport and arrive at the retreat venue, a historical estate surrounded by the rolling hills of Tuscany. Unpack, settle in your comfortable room, and join a pleasant orientation tour of the property. Explore the premium estate, the impressive landscapes, the expansive gardens, and the well-appointed common spaces. Celebrate your arrival in the evening with a premium wine-tasting experience in the Holmo Garden with Lisa and your art group, followed by a welcome three-course dinner carefully crafted by the private chef. Get excited about the upcoming week over some delicious Italian wine. ### Day 2: Trip to San Gimignano and class Start the day with a delightful breakfast, then learn more about today's classes during the morning check-in, as well as the first art trip of the retreat: to the town of San Gimignano, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the heart of Tuscany.Your first class of the retreat takes place in the studio. Lisa will introduce you to the art of sketch booking, and then you'll dive right in with a series of warm-up exercises. Learn how to capture your experiences through sketching, study the basics of color, and follow along with Lisa's demonstrations while filling the first few pages of your sketchbook. This insightful class will fully prepare you for the upcoming trip.Next up, embark on an excursion to San Gimignano. Considered one of Italy's most impressive destinations, the town has retained its medieval architecture almost perfectly throughout history. The fourteen imposing towers piercing the skyline earned it the title of "The Manhattan of the Middle Ages." Once you arrive, make your way towards the trattorias in the center and enjoy a delightful lunch (don't forget to try the delicious gelato at the Sergio Dondoli Gelateria). You'll spend the rest of the afternoon exploring this charming town, making quick sketches of inspiring scenes: the tranquil piazzas, the locals going about their day, or the cute cafes.Return to the venue in time for a filling dinner paired with a glass of delicious wine. ### Day 3: Art at the venue Start the day with a delightful breakfast, then learn more about today's classes during the morning check-in.Regroup in the studio for the next exciting class. You'll pour over your reference materials from San Gimignano (sketches and reference photos) and select your favorites. For your next creative challenge, you'll create watercolor mini-landscapes inspired by the views of the medieval town. Get more familiar with watercolor basics as you craft your landscapes with Lisa's help.You'll enjoy traditional oven-baked pizza for lunch. After the pizza party, reconvene in the workshop space for the afternoon session. Moving on from traditional watercolor, you'll experiment with digital watercolor landscapes. Follow along with Lisa's demonstrations and observe how analog painting techniques can be applied to the digital medium. Lisa will provide you with some of her famous Procreate brushes to get you started. She will also introduce one of the retreat's main projects: a digital Italian countryside scene. Spend the rest of the afternoon planning this larger piece, drawing inspiration from the venue's surroundings.Return to the venue in time for a delectable chef-prepared dinner paired with fragrant Italian wine, shared with Lisa and the group. ### Day 4: Art at the venue Enjoy a refreshing breakfast, catch up with your art group during a brief check-in, and get ready for the next class.Lisa will propose an exciting warm-up exercise that will help you better understand the relationship between analog and digital art. Get into the creative groove and follow along as Lisa demonstrates novel digital watercolor techniques. With these new tools in your kit, keep working on your Italian countryside piece, incorporating the photos and sketches you made during the San Gimignano trip. Take a break with some tasty lunch, then rejoin your peers for a relaxed discussion dedicated to your artistic development. You'll be encouraged to bring some art pieces to discuss with the group in a supportive environment. Together, Lisa will help you define your artistic style by making observations about common color palettes, visual styles, and other distinctive elements. This round-table talk will be invaluable in helping you discover and refine your unique creative style. After this insightful chat, Lisa will present the second digital project, focusing on a destination-inspired composition. You'll sketch your surroundings and experiences to create a cohesive collection of iconic landmarks, local scenes, and personal mementos from your travels.Relax as you wish during the afternoon, or meet up with Lisa for a one-on-one chat to discuss your progress so far (just make sure to let her know in advance). As dusk settles, relish another mouthwatering dinner paired with local wine. ### Day 5: Trip to Chianti Classico Begin your day with a delicious breakfast before embarking on a journey along the Chianti Classico Trail, a picturesque route through the famous Chianti region. Your main goal for this excursion is to immerse yourself in the vibrant surroundings and capture your experiences through sketches. You'll brainstorm ideas for your Destination Collection project, providing inspiration and material for your final composition.Your first stop will be the quaint town of Castellina, which boasts a rich history along with numerous charming shops and cafes. Here, you will walk through the historic center and closely observe your surroundings. As you explore, take the opportunity to sketch buildings, food, objects, landscapes, or anything else that resonates with you.Next on your itinerary is the ancient town of Radda in Chianti, another location replete with medieval charm. Explore the beautiful piazza and side streets. Whenever you get a bit peckish, stop for a bite at one of the restaurants in town.Your final destination is the peaceful village of Panzano, located along the road that connects Firenze and Siena. Here, you'll take in the tranquility of the area and get inspired by the breathtaking views of the Chianti hills, adorned with endless rows of vines. Create a snapshot of the tranquil Italian countryside as you explore.You'll return to the venue in time for a well-deserved dinner paired with delicious wine. Discuss your adventures with your fellow artists, swap stories, and showcase your amazing photos and sketches. ### Day 6: Art at the venue Your next day starts with another nourishing breakfast, energizing you for the day ahead. After the usual morning check-in with Lisa over a delicious cup of coffee, it's time for another art class.Today's lessons are all about color! We'll start by exploring color theory basics and creating harmonious palettes for your illustrations. You'll learn techniques for manipulating color in digital watercolor and achieving vibrant results. Once you grasp the basics, you'll begin working on the Destination Collection project, inspired by your travels. Plan your layout and select a fitting color palette with Lisa's guidance.Take a break with some tasty lunch, then continue your classes in the afternoon. Lisa will walk you through the entire process of crafting mini-illustrations in digital watercolor. You'll later assemble these scenes into a larger collection piece. As you work, Lisa will offer more digital watercolor tips and tricks and give you one-on-one assistance if you need an extra hand.After the class, you may join Lisa for a one-on-one feedback session or relax as you wish. The day ends with a chef-made dinner, thoughtfully paired with a glass of fine wine. Reflect on your creative achievements of the day and enjoy the company of your fellow artists. ### Day 7: Art at the venue Start the last day of the retreat with a hearty breakfast, then join Lisa for another check-in over coffee.The morning class begins with a fun interactive creative challenge. In this session, you'll collaborate with your fellow attendees in a unique way that will leave you with memorable pieces reflecting the creativity of the entire group. Enjoy the process, and see how your sketchbook transforms with the contributions of your fellow artists. After that, you'll spend the rest of the class developing your Destination Collection project, bringing all of your mini-illustrations together into a single cohesive composition.Following a delightful lunch, finish up your artwork, then prepare for the day's main event: a relaxed group exhibition. This little gallery showing is a fantastic chance to give and receive constructive feedback, but most importantly, to share in the group's joy and achievements. Swap the stories of your pieces and celebrate your progress!The retreat concludes with a special farewell dinner. This chef-made meal, paired with a glass of wine, marks the end of your artistic journey in Tuscany. Toast to the memories made, the friendships forged, and your amazing creative growth. ### Day 8: Departure Enjoy breakfast with your art group, exchange any last contact details, and get ready for your transfer to Florence Airport. Check-out is at 10:00 AM. ## Instructors - **Lisa Bardot** - Illustrator and educator ## Accommodation ### Historical Tuscan Estate ### Shared standard ensuite room ### Shared superior ensuite room ### Shared bathroom - single room ### Single superior ensuite room ## Book This Retreat Visit [https://uptrek.com/retreat/travel-like-an-artist-painting-procreate-retreat-artist-lisa-bardot-italy](https://uptrek.com/retreat/travel-like-an-artist-painting-procreate-retreat-artist-lisa-bardot-italy) to make a reservation. *Provided by [UpTrek](https://uptrek.com)*