The Atelier is a structured program where the students are taken through exercises each day that train their eye and challenge them to work on their strengths and weaknesses, to become more fully conversant with the language of painting. This form of teaching is rare, setting up a foundation for learning mind, eye, and hand coordination skills.
Draftsmanship is of paramount importance in the training of a painter. Through a historical method called the "sight size" method, the eye is made to see proportions accurately. The student makes a series of measurements both vertically and horizontally, resulting in a drawing that is the same proportionate size as the image seen in nature. Emphasis is placed on developing the student's ability to observe and render proportion and value relationships. By the time the student reaches his or her fourth year, she or he can put together a complex painting.