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Foundation Courses

                           
 

Transmitting excellence and know-how

Michel Nadaï is an internationally renowned, award-winning decorative painting artist, master craftsman and author.  His speciality is in painting ornaments and moldings of style painted trompe-l'oeil, in graining and marbling, in hand-painted landscape and seascape murals.  Michel is also a renowned instructor, invited to teach internationally as well as in his atelier in southwest France.  As a master artisan active in his field, his teachings focuses on techniques and know-how that will best suit the needs of today's decorative painters.  During the past 25 years Michel had the pleasure of teaching and transmitting techniques and know-how in the European techniques of decorative painting to students from over 20 different countries. 

With his wife Kyoko, he runs Atelier Nadaï, a decorative painting business and school located in southwest France.  Atelier Nadaï is a skill-based training school where the main focus is to promote and transmit traditional techniques and know-how.  Courses offered throughout the year will help students acquire a solid foundation that will lead to mastery in the craft.  With Bordeaux and Toulouse at only one hour train ride, the weekends can also be a time to immerse furthermore in the French culture, visit museums, discover the beautiful architecture of nearby towns and villages and make studying in beautiful southwest France a unique experience.


Our courses are open to all levels, from beginners to more experienced decorative artists who come to brush up their skills or learn new techniques from Michel or other of our guest instructors.  Small class sizes allows us to give individual attention and follow each student’s progress.  

 

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 Satisfied students  Logo_OF
    
Students' testimonials!                       Quality label Qualiopi

 

    Brushes       Trompe-loeil_course_at_Atelier_Nadai
  Materials / equipements                      Access to our courses
 


 


A few word about ATELIER NADAÏ...
All our courses are taught in French and in English at our atelier located in the beautiful southwest region of France. Japanese students are also welcome, as we have a full-time in-house translator - Kyoko Nadaï!


All workshops at Atelier Nadaï are designed to create a relaxed, informative,
yet focused working environment for all skill levels.  We limit the number of students
to allow individualized attention and feedback from instructors.


Among its numerous activities, our atelier is registered as a private vocational training center at the Prefecture of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France.   Head instructor, Michel Nadaï, is an award winning decorative painting artist, master artisan and recipient of the Best Craftsman of France lifetime award.  Although teaching takes up a lot of his time, he is also an active decorative painter, taking on commissioned work and also creating fine-art paintings for private/pubic exhibitions.

Kyoko Nadaï is in charge of the administrative side of our business.  She is also here to serve as simultaneous interpreter for students who feel more comfortable in English or in Japanese! And as a side-hobby, she introduced a line of
milk paint and mineral paints to Atelier Nadaï's on-line store.

Atelier Nadaï is located in beautiful southwest France, in the town of Agen, which is situated halfway between the great cities of Bordeaux and Toulouse.  Agen is described as 'Lovely French City Featuring World Famous Prunes, Medieval Alleys and Waterways', it is easily reached from Paris, Bordeaux or Toulouse.


The following fellowships have offered grants to our students.
The Zibby Garnett Travel Fellowship (UK)
The Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (UK)

Screen Training Ireland (Republic of Ireland)
AFDAS (France)
FAFCEA (France)
FAFSEA (France)

Constructys (France)
Région Midi-Pyrénées (France)
Région Aquitaine (France)
Union Européenne (FSE)
Fongecif Midi-Pyrénées (France)
Fongecif Nouvelle Aquitaine (France)
Fongecif PACA
Forco
Fonds Social Européen
Fonds Paritaire (FPSPP)
Agephip
Pôle Emploi (France)
Pôle Emploi Scènes et Images (France)
Formiris (France)
Johnson & Johnson France (France)
Takeda France (France)
AGEFOS PME
FIFPL


Datadock

Logo_Qualiopi_OF

We are delighted to announce that Atelier Nadaï has received the quality label Qualiopi on July 21st, 2021.

⇒ Click here to see our latest newsletter.
 



Decorative Painter's Foundation Course


Decorative Painter's Foundation Course.

Decorative Painter's Foundation Course.

Join us to study the art of graining, marbling, trompe-l'oeil, mural paintings, grotesca, still life, portraits and much more!

Wood graining and imitation marble workshop

Wood graining and imitation marble workshop

Study with a master in the art of wood graining and faux marble. Open to all levels from beginners to advanced levels.

The Art of Trompe-l'oeil workshop

The Art of Trompe-l'oeil workshop

It's through the study of light and shadow that you will be able to understand all sorts of volumes that nature has created.

The Art of painting a Grotesca using egg tempera

The Art of painting a Grotesca using egg tempera

Learn how to use egg tempera, an ancient medium, to paint gorgeous Grotesca ornaments.

The Art of Panoramics and Painted Murals

The Art of Panoramics and Painted Murals

Let us walk you through the entire process of painting a mural using acrylic and oil paints from beginning to end!

The Art of Painting a Seascape

The Art of Painting a Seascape

Join us in beautiful southwest France for this indepth class on painting a seascape, another signature course at Atelier Nadaï.

Private / Customized classes

Private / Customized classes

Master Classes and painting workshops specially tailored to the students' needs, to offer you the best with our short courses. 

Best Craftsman of France Competition

Best Craftsman of France Competition

The title of Best Craftsman of France is a sign of excellence. Recipient of this award, Michel Nadaï can accompany future laureates.

 

Students' testimonials!

Students' testimonials!

At the end of each course, we survey our students. Here are just a few of their responses.

Access to the courses

Access to the courses

To receive the brochure and registration form for a course, please fill the contact form.
 

Training materials and facility

Training materials and facility

Atelier Nadaï will provide students the free use of the following materials and equipments.

Qualiopi Certificate

We are pleased to inform you that, since July 21, 2021, Atelier Nadai is certified Qualiopi.