Established in 1997 in Los Angeles by fresco artist iLia Anossov (fresco) also known as "Nationwide Fresco Painting Workshop Program" since 1992. Hundreds of students have attended our workshops enrolling from US, Canada, Europe. Fresco School is the only Art School that offers ongoing fresco curriculum throughout the calendar year. Our buon fresco programs have traveled to many US cities.

Our curriculum is focused on the traditional buon (true) fresco technique (What is Fresco? - Fresco Painting Introduction article). Fresco School offers a full spectrum of boun fresco workshops and classes from introductory level lessons to advanced fresco programs and private fresco tutoring as well as DVD Video Fresco Painting Tutorials. Our curriculum also includes supplemental fresco restoration and mural painting seminars.

The True Green & Organic Method of Painting. As modern society and paint, Applied and Fine art industries move more toward the use of green products, fresco stands as the original and truly pure "organic" method of painting. Fresco painting uses no petroleum-based solvents, glues or man-made materials, therefore, none of the toxic fumes associated with volatile organic compounds (VOC's) are created. True frescoes are made of slaked lime (calcium hydrate) and paints prepared from natural pigments of oxides, ochres, umbers and made of minerals and various clays. Calcium hydrate, or lime patty, is not only a crucial element for proper functioning of the human body, but also has been used in agriculture as fertilizer since the beginning of written record. Any plaster and paint debris from fresco painting can be dispersed safely and harmlessly into the ground since it contains a natural chemical composition that directly benefits the earth and came from the earth.

All Fresco School programs and seminars taught by highly accredited working professional artists and craftsmen. Fresco programs lead by iLia Anossov (fresco painting) and Ian Hardwick (fresco plaster). Supplemental seminars conducted by Nathan Zakheim (fresco restoration) and Kent Twitchell (large scale murals) of Mural & Fresco Painting Academy. Student Relations handled by Sylvia Hunt.

With 20’ tall ceilings and over 8000 square feet of floor space, the Fresco School location near Broadway and Washington in the art hub of downtown Los Angeles features a full scale "Fresco Practice Wall" and is perfect for learning how to construct full-sized frescoes. Originally built in 1925, the facility is constructed of open-air classrooms punctuated by columns, giving the student a space to properly examine fresco art as the logical link between architecture and decoration. The expansive fresco showroom and fresco wall gives a chance to view frescoes as they are meant to be viewed – with space and at a distance. Walking distance or "quick jump" on the metro from major downtown hotels and museums makes it very convenient for on-the-budget student.

Enrollment is open year around for everyone, class limits, schedule, descriptions, fees and availability are listed on corresponding pages of this site (see menu on the left). You can choose from:

• Private Programs - predefined sets of private (one-on-one) classes and assisted studio sessions spread over time with customizable schedule.

• Workshops - grouped together sets of consecutive classes offered periodically with fixed schedule.

• Classes - segments of programs and workshops that can be attended individually.

• Supplemental Seminars - conference style lectures on fresco painting related topics conducted by expert professionals.

Paintings as well as drawings created in oil or other non-fresco mediums have a relatively short life time and examples can be traced back only several hundred years, reproductions and photographs even less. Historically frescoes were the only remaining "records", references to the techniques, methods and styles used by the artists of the past becoming the ultimate "test books" serving artists through tenth of thousands of years. Since the Renaissance Fresco is referred to as "The Mother of All Arts".

Even a brief experience in fresco will dramatically improve your work in other visual arts mediums. The fresco experience an artist receives using our "Buon Fresco Foundations" video tutorial and/or attending a fresco workshop is invaluable for a better understanding of the classic principles of visual arts as it applies to painting and drawing. During just a few days of fresco study, the intricate and refined technical details of any medium become evident to the student, while it can take years to understand the same principles when using other mediums.

The most efficient drafting and painting methods and systems ever known were ultimately discovered through fresco techniques because of the precision necessary and the time constraints dictated by the chemical reactions that occur during fresco painting. Known as the Classic Painting system/technique, these are the most efficient and refined painting methods in visual art.

To contact Fresco School use Contact Form or call:
(310) 779-5079 10 AM - 6 PM PST

Our studios located in Downtown Los Angeles, please call (310) 591-8028 for directions.