Courses

Watercolour Tuscany with Julia Barminova

With Julia Barminova

At Lucca, Tuscany

25 September - 03 October, 2025

I invite you to join my masterclass in Tuscany. As a watercolour artist, I have spent many years en plein air, traveling and painting in over 200 cities. Traveling and watercolour sketching go hand in hand. Stepping outside the studio onto the plein air, I immerse myself in the world of new places, finding inspiration for my creativity. I strive to capture not only the details and colours but also the unique atmosphere of every corner, which I embody on the pages of my sketchbooks. Watercolour is perfect for such adventures. With the right approach, it creates real magic on paper, conveying the sunlight, textures, and atmosphere of Italian cities. Join me in Tuscany to discover the world of watercolour adventures together. Here, you will learn to see the surrounding world as a source of inspiration and create picturesque works of art, preserving the spirit and atmosphere of every place we visit.

Course Highlights

  1. Instructions and lesson by Julia
  2. Day trips to : Lucca, Viareggio and Portovenere
  3. Visit a local vineyard and wine tasting
  4. Cooking lesson by your personal Chef
  5. Glamorous Tuscan farewell dinner and best Italian Food and Wine during entire stay
  6. Pizza festival-learn how to do Italian pizza!

Day by Day Workshop Schedule

  1. Day 1: Arrival day . Group will be picked up from Pisa/Florence airport or Lucca Station 3-5pm . Unpack, settle in Villa , time to rest. Around 6.00pm Welcome gathering with Julia and Karolina on day-to-day schedule and workshop plan, goals, and challenges. Dinner – best of Italian cuisine made by our private Chef.
  2. Day 2: 9.00 am-Breakfast 10:00am-12:30pm- Art session 1:00pm-Lunch under Pergola prepared by our chef. 3:00pm-5:30pm -Art session 7:00pm-Dinner home.
  3. Day 3: 8.30am-Breakfast 8.30-9:30am Lucca time!We will depart at 10:00am , day will start with Session on one of the squares with instructions by Julia , later You have time on your own to have lunch , explore and shop.Returning home around 4pm , time to finish Lucca painting in the studio.Dinner 7pm served by our chef-Pizza evening:)
  4. Day 4: 9.00am-Breakfast Time to explore Liguria! A day trip to Portovenere called as Golf of poets – one of most charming coast town with spectacular views. Time for a session with Julia .Free time after session to explore, shop and relax on your own (with a map in hand).Return home at 5.30pm, time to rest .7:00pm- Dinner home .
  5. Day 5: 8.30am-Breakfast 9:30am-12:30pm-Art session 1:00pm-lunch After lunch, relax .4.30pm-the group will enjoy cooking lesson and prepare dinner for everyone or massage by our specialized masseuse Charlotte. 7:00pm- Dinner home.
  6. Day 6: 8.30am-Breakfast 9:30am , later on we depart to Viareggio - a wonderful town by the Ligurian sea .Session with Julia , picknic lunch afterwards (Seafood).I’m the afternoon You will visit Pietrasanta- a jewel of Versilia and town of art:)Time to walk around , gelato , shop.Back home for Dinner
  7. Day 7: 8:30am-Breakfast 9:30am-12:00pm-Art session 1:00pm-Lunch 3:00pm-5:30pm- Visit a local vineyard and Wine Testing 7:00pm Dinner home.
  8. Day 8: 8.30am-Breakfast 10:00am-12:00pm- Art session : Finishing up work. 1:00pm-Lunch . 3:00pm-5:00pm- Art session nine: Clean up, display work, group and individual critique. 7:00pm-there’ll be a glamorous gala dinner offering the best Tuscan cuisine. You’ll have a meal prepared by our Chef along with our homemade limoncello.
  9. Day 9: Departure day. 8:30am-Breakfast After breakfast, the group will be taken to Lucca train station Pisa or Florence airport.

Course Cost: 3799€

Materials:

Paints: The masterclass is sponsored by Royal Talens and we are happy to provide all the colours of Rembrandt and Van Gogh that are used by instructor. Please bring your regular watercolour set and a plastic palette.

Paper: Your favourite sketchbook preferably with cotton paper. For Julia's watercolour technique the best paper is Arches Grain Fin 300gr. It’s possible to use single sheets of paper or block. If you use single sheets don’t forget about boards. Size is around 2838, 3856cm, quarter and half of standard sheet.

Brushes:

Big round squirrel brush – size 6-8; Smaller round synthetic brushes with sharp point – size 4-6; Soft flat brush (pony, goat, or synthetic for watercolour) – size 30-40.

Others: Masking type, eraser, pencil 2B. Portable easel and chair.

Biography:

Julia Barminova Watercolour artist Since 2012 Julia works in watercolour technique, combining the classical school with her own exclusive methods. She is inspired by trips to the fishing villages and the largest port cities of the world. Julia has begun her most famous series of watercolours "Islands in the Stream", dedicated to the play of light and colour on the water surface and to the structure and configuration of the ships, boats and yachts. She paints evocative images of hundreds port cities where she has been to. Since 2020 Julia has started sailing and went on expeditions to the high latitudes of the Arctic and Antarctic. Her Instagram blog @juliabarminova is always full of different artistic and useful information. Her audience are artists, beginners, creative people all around the world. She has used to share her tips and tricks, recent projects, announces of events, Q&A about her palette, materials and tools, techniques and styles etc. Since 2016 Julia is an ambassador of Royal Talens brands. She is constantly holding different workshops, demo classes and presentations in Italy, Switzerland, France, Holland, Cyprus, Russia, Ukraine, Germany, Spain, Portugal and many more. By doing that she is trying to rise awareness of watercolour technique, styles and methods of painting, importance of right tools and selfstyle.

Links on social media:

https://www.facebook.com/juliabarminova https://instagram.com/juliabarminova?utm_medium=copy_link Best regards, Julia Barminova

Juliabarminova.com

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Included in the cost of your workshop in Italy:

• Accommodation

• All tuition fees

• All excursions

• All activities

• Airport transfers and local transportation including day trips.

• All breakfasts, lunches and dinners with wine (excluding 2 lunches out)

Excludes:
  • Flights to and from Pisa/Florence
  • 2 lunches

This workshop is being arranged through followtuscany.com
Karolina will follow up on all questions about the workshop, accommodations, activities, coordinate arrivals and departures, food issues and all other details. Karolina will handle all booking arrangements, all enquiries, and receive the payments of deposit and balance from the students directly.

Contact: Karolina Lenart

Email:followyoursensesintuscany@gmail.com

Web: followtuscany.com

Telephone: +39 3455809974 or +48 880876413