"I have been recieving my subscription to Skill-Based Art for almost a year now, and it is excellent. I highly recommend it to all artists!! The articles are really informative."
Michael John Angel
"Thanks Emilio for taking an interest in my work, but more importantly, for taking the time to create a detailed record of the thoughts and processes of so many talented realist artists. Emilio's work, through his Skill-Based Art platform, is an important resource now, and will be into the future. Five stars for the level of research alone."
Tim Murphy
"Mr. Longo has done art history a great service by interviewing some of the world's greatest realist painters. Emilio has asked them to discuss at length their early training, their struggles and triumphs, their careers, and their goals and objectives. Instead of just reading about these artists, we can hear their voices. Their words come alive and will inspire future generations of artists and art lovers. I am honored to be part of such a distinguished group! Thank you Emilio!"
Richard Whitney
"I have really enjoyed the SBA content. As a practicing artist myself, Emilio's interaction with traditional realist artists from around the world is most helpful and inspiring. Similar to the better podcasts, which can be 2-3 hours in length, his long form format is also a huge preference to the 5-10 minute, sped-up demos one can find all over the internet. Its refreshing to know someone is out there doing thoughtful examinations of what it means to be an artist who practices a patient, slow approach to making remarkable work. I support his platform and encourage anyone seeing this to check it out as well!"
lambert mathieu
"I had a great experience with Emilio from Skill-Based Art when I shared my lesson about painting a still life painting of flowers. It’s a great free resource for budding artists to learn new skills."
Vicki Sullivan
"Emilio Longo, Melbourne Founder of Skill-Based Art: A Learning Resource for Art Students and Artist-Teachers, has done the contemporary realist movement a great service in setting up this art resource site. Having listened to all of his extensive, in-depth interviews with key figures in the Renaissance of contemporary realism, its teaching, and the atelier tradition it stems from and continues, I recommend them to you together with Emilio’s written resources.
I consider the interviews as required listening for anyone interested in the fascinating resurgence in skill-based art. Emilio has safeguarded the words, ideas, and personal histories of pivotal figures in the atelier skill-based art movement by interviewing these interesting characters, producing an immensely informative series of podcasts. When I listened to his interviews, I really felt that Emilio was doing for the contemporary realist movement, what Vasari did for the Renaissance when he wrote 'Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects.' Well done Emilio. We thank you. Long may your work prosper."
Rob Gutteridge
"Over the last several years, Emilio Longo has been building up a website with interviews and demonstrations by many of the most important artists who are leading the return of skill-based art making. Anyone that is interested in an introduction and overview of this movement will find his site very useful. Take some time to check it out."
Martinho Correia
"Skill-Based Art is a treasurable resource for art students and teachers, and a true documentation of art appreciation. Having been one of Mr Longo's students, I am absolutely certain that the present and future of art is in very good hands. His dedication to keeping the legacy of true traditional skill-based art alive is honourable and a gift for all contemporary and future traditional artists."
Mari Maskin
"Emilio Longo established Skill-Based Art to provide students, teachers, artists, and the public with a resource for information on the history of fine artistic training and the practical knowledge and skills necessary to create excellent works of representational art. He does this through essays, interviews, and videos. I have had the privilege of working with him for several years on the legacy of Minnesota artist Richard Lack, with whom I studied. I admire Emilio’s integrity and the sound professional way he represents the artists whose legacy and work reflect the fundamental principles underlying truly fine art. Skill-Based Art is a valuable source of information for anyone interested in the great tradition of academic and impressionist art."
Stephen Gjertson
"Emilio's devotion to Traditional painting, and those who paint in this manner combined with those who teach, "Skill-Based Art," is inspiring. His website demonstrates his knowledge of the Australian artists who have devoted their lives to this manner of painting and to teach it. Through his posted videos he successfully introduces these artists to a broad audience, his questions are insightful and revealing; I have supported him with these efforts and continue to do so. His website is equally engaging and informative. I live in the United States and have been involved with professional artists who are also dedicated to Traditional or "Academic" painting that has been handed down from Master Painters to their students dating back to the Renaissance. My attendance at evening drawing classes at Richard Lack's Atelier, a painter who studied in Boston with R. H. Ives Gammell during the early 1950's, led me to meet him with the idea to create an organization to promote his work, that of his students and other artists he knew, resulted with our co-found founding The American Society of Classical Realism (ASCR) in 1988, which had significant an impact on American painting, and today is recognized in Europe as well. I bring this up as a comparison to Emilio's dedication and efforts, that I believe, has made and will continue to make, an impact on painting and the teaching of art throughout Australia. I see in him the same passion I had, and continue to have, along the same vein. He's determined to succeed, taking it one step at a time. Consequently, Skill-Based Art is a growing influence in Australia; Spread the word!"
Gary Christensen
"I am so impressed with Emilio's integrity and good work as he educates all of us on the fine art of Skill-Based Art. It is very important to keep this approach alive for the future, so many students and artists have the opportunity to realize their potential and the importance of learning the craft and skill of being a painter. It is also wonderful to have resources all in one place. I want to thank Emilio for his kindness and support of my father's life's work. Richard Lack kept the tradition of academic art alive and moved it forward in America during his many years of teaching in the atelier method. I hope many will benefit from the work that Emilio is doing!"
Susanna Lack
"A great resource for artists and art students. Many in-depths interviews with artists as well as in-studio artist demonstrations, and even a bit of history on the Classical Realism movement."
Steven Levin
"Emilio's website, and indeed the entire operation, is an important asset for any aspiring painter! It is a virtual encyclopedia of artistic information."
Elizabeth Ives Hunter
"Thank you Emilio for giving me the opportunity to demonstrate my skills on your platform. I hope upcoming artists will find it informative and inspiring."
Gwendoline Krumins
"Emilio is passionate about representational art and its promotion, he is to be commended for pursuing this. I have supported his endeavours by providing an interview and demonstration on my approach to art. I can recommend artists starting out to view this resource."
Ray Wilson
"SBA is serving a great purpose in continuing the mission of supporting beautiful, well-crafted art by promoting fine contemporary traditional artists. In addition, Emilio Longo is actively sustaining and promoting the memories of those important artists who have gone before, such as Richard Lack. Mr. Lack was a pivotal figure in the 20th century, both for his painting and teaching. SBA is doing a great service to his and others‘ legacies by keeping them in the public eye and exhibiting their work and philosophies. I was blessed to have a fine interview done by Emilio Longo a few years ago and I have followed SBA since. Thank you for doing an important job well."
Kirk Richards
"SBA is a great resource for art students and art teachers. Thanks for all your hard work Emilio!"
Dony MacManus
"Emilio Longo was really efficient and attentive with his set up and filming of my Marine demonstration in watercolour. After the first initial awareness I became totally comfortable and almost oblivious to his presence in the room. After the demonstration filming, we sat and talked for the interview, Emilio had done really deep research on me and I found out things about my career that were long forgotten. It took a full day but the time was well spent and I look forward to the final cut and edit of our demo and interview."
Julian Bruere
"I feel obliged to say at the outset that I am neither draftsman nor painter; I am a photographer with a broader commitment to a renaissance of Classical artistic principles, something I see as an essential part of a universal development of aesthetical education, the decline of which in Western countries has been inextricably bound with the profound and growing troubles in the West, markedly since the early 1960s.There has been a profusion of painting "ateliers" over the past few decades, but all too many of them seem to feed just the basic skills desired by those who then turn downward to Hollywood, comic books, or similar directions. Skill-Based Art stands apart from these with its more holistic appreciation of what is best in humanity, and surely, this is what is truly needed most in these turbulent times, as well as in more peaceful ones. In this respect, it is an oasis."
Philip Ulanowsky
"Skill-Based Art is an outstanding online resource for artists of all levels. The platform offers clear, skill-focused instruction that’s both practical and inspiring. Emilio and the team bring real-world experience to the table, and their passion for art and teaching really shines through. Highly recommended for anyone looking to grow as an artist in a supportive and professional environment."
Marketa Kemp
"The Skill-Based Art website is a valuable learning resource at a time when many of the skills of traditional representational art have been slowly diminished, if not completely neglected from tertiary Visual art Education. Emilio Longo, founder, director and artist, has created this learning resource providing quality videos of demonstrations in various mediums and of various genres, interviews, as well as information and reviews of artists' materials. The care taken in providing this information is phenomenal. I highly recommend it to students of visual art as well as teachers and artists at all levels."
Irene Crusca
