Disegno in the Tradition of the Titans of the High Renaissance
Workshop Information:
Instructor: Michael Mentler
Date: August 31 – September 3, 2026
Time: 9:30am to 4:30pm
Location: Texas Hill Country Atelier
Address: 741 Water Street, #104, Kerrville, Texas, USA
Phone: (650) 281-9400
E-mail: Holly@hollcountryatelier.org, Admin@texashillcountryatelier.org
Fee: $780
As the apprendista crossed the threshold of the bottega (workshop), they embarked upon a swift and sacred pilgrimage toward mastery. Here commenced the alchemical inquiry into methodes and materials, the ceremonial transcription of masterworks, and the conjuring of form from plaster casts and ancient relics—each action a tessera in the sprawling kaleidoscope of ascension.
Within these sanctified chambers, apprendisti were ushered into the sacred trinity of draughtsmanship: charcoal, sanguine chalk, and pen and ink—each an elemental tongue in the visual lexicon of the Maestri Grandi.
In this conclave, the Maester shall unspool a profound discourse on these venerable media and the very surfaces that bore the imprimatur of immortal hands within the Renaissance botteghe.
Prepare for a tour de force—a visual odyssey into the annals of these media and the titans who wielded them. The Maestro will illuminate Leonardo, demystify Michelangelo, and divulge Dürer.
Foremost among these alchemical instruments stands Sanguine Red Chalk—a medium whose very hue murmurs of lifeblood and legacy. Leonardo, ever the progenitor, first invoked its potential in studies for The Last Supper. Michelangelo summoned visions upon parchment in preparation for the Sistine Ceiling, while Raphael, Del Sarto, Pontormo, Parmigianino, and a procession of Renaissance and Baroque Maestri coaxed forth their genius with this sanguine iron oxide. Its sovereignty endured, unchallenged, into the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.
Long before the living muse graced the sanctum of ritual, the hand of the apprendisti—initiated in the transcription of the disegni of Maestri Grandi, attuned to the sacred geometry of ancient relics, and conversant in the silent architecture of the cosmos—became a vessel, bearing the current of ancestral wisdom.
Those who step into the sanctum of the Mentler Méthode Observatory shall confront the twin pillars that recalibrated the Renaissance: Perspective—the weaver of illusion—and Proportion—the silent arbiter of the canon. Perspective will unfurl the enigmas of spatial poetry, while Proportion shall expose the hidden harmonies orchestrating the CSI Canon (cranial sternal index), peerless in its order and grace.
Upon this consecrated foundation, initiates ascend through six strata of artistic intent: Imitation, Information, Interpretation, Intuition, Innovation, and at the zenith, Invitation—each a vital rung on the ladder to mastery, each a rite of passage in the apprenticeship of vision.
Threaded through the heart of this symposium is the revelation of the human form’s secret scaffolding—its écorché, sinew, and bone unveiled as sacred architecture. The venerable discipline of codex journals, kept in the spirit of Leonardo, shall be both illuminated and enacted before the enclave. To the uninitiated who cross the threshold of my bottega, know this: the path is not a straight line but a labyrinth—each lesson entwined with the next by the subtle alchemy of osmosis. Demonstrations unfurl in sweeping gestures, yet the guidance bestowed remains unwavering and precise—a lodestar for those who seek mastery.
Conclave Synopsis:
Attendees will embark upon the most efficacious Méthode of rendering the human form—a journey echoing the sacred rituals of the Italian Renaissance botteghe, where apprendisti absorbed wisdom at the feet of the Maestri Grande.
Pillars of the Mentler Méthode:
- The Triumvirate of the Proscenium: Placement, Proportion, and Perspective—these cardinal virtues frame the stage upon which the figure performs.
- Mass Conception: Envision the corporeal structure as elemental geometric masses—the scaffolding of all figurative invention.
- Planes and Values: Through mastery of foreshortening and illumination, the draughtsman breathes veracity into form, orchestrating light and shadow with deliberate intent.
- Function and Form: Discern the anatomical symphony—where major muscle groups harmonize to give purpose and poetry to the figure.
- Bony Landmarks: Harness the 26 skeletal beacons as compass points, guiding the hand to truth in anatomical draftsmanship.
By entwining theoretical revelations with tactile exploration, the Méthode unveils the path from knowledge to mastery.
Schedule
We will start at 9:30 am. This Mentler Méthode Conclave will follow a general schedule of pontifications and demonstrations in the mornings, and then drawing from live models and master studies in the afternoons. There will be a lunch break in between morning demo and afternoon practice. At the end of the day, there will be a summary.
What to bring
All drawing materials and equipment will be provided for in-studio use. Please bring a notebook and a writing instrument to take notes during the demonstrations.
Attendee Discount
Attendees will receive discounts on Michael’s DVD, Blu-ray, Books, and Drawings.
About Instructor
Michael Mentler
Artist and TSOFA Studio Owner
As a master painter, sculptor, draughtsman, designer, photographer, and author Michael Mentler’s creative journey has covered a polymathic array of artistic endeavors.
Born in the small mid-western town of Jacksonville, Illinois Michael’s visual sensibilities were observed and nurtured at an early age. Later, he was mentored by Howard Sidman, which led to his first solo show at the age of fourteen. Michael continued his formal education at Layton School of Art in Milwaukee and Washington University in Saint Louis, where he became a protégé of Barry Schactman and Werner Drewes.
Along with winning over a hundred awards, including ‘Best of Show’ and ‘Gold Medals’ from some of the most distinguished juried venues, Michael’s works are included in many private collections, including the Pulitzer, the Mead Library, and the Dallas Museum of Art.
He is Founder and Director of The Society of Figurative Arts, where he mentors select Apprentices. His work has appeared in publications such as; American Artist, American Artist Drawing, American Artist Workshop, Graphis, Communication Arts, and numerous others. He is also featured in Juliette Aristides books on drawing. The Book of Bones, which he authored, is in art school libraries throughout the world.
“Michael’s sketchbooks are masterpieces, he is a modern-day Leonardo.”
– Richard Schmid –
“Richard’s Right.”
– Dan McCaw –
“Michael’s intense study of the teachings and works of Bridgman and Robert Beverly Hale make him a natural progression of that linage with the added twist of his own dynamic personal style.”
– David Kassan –
“Michael wields a pen like a Renaissance Virtuoso.”
– Sherrie McGraw –
“Michael Mentler’s wildly magical line reaches into the shadows of history, generating astonishing insights for our own century.”
– Dan Thompson –
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