Enroll Now! New Classes starting March 30, 2026. Sign up for email updates
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Enroll Now! New Classes starting March 30, 2026. Sign up for email updates
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Watercolor painting of a desert landscape with cacti and mountains.
2026 Palm Springs California Sketching on Location Workshop
2026 Palm Springs California Sketching on Location Workshop
2026 Palm Springs California Sketching on Location Workshop
2026 Palm Springs California Sketching on Location Workshop
Vilppu Academy

2026 Palm Springs California Sketching on Location Workshop

$600.00 $0.00

 

Palm Springs, California • March 20–22, 2026

Join master draftsman Glenn Vilppu for an immersive three-day sketching on location workshop set in the striking landscape of Palm Springs, California.

The Coachella Valley offers a rare and inspiring blend of desert vistas, iconic Mid-Century Modern architecture, vibrant downtown scenes, and endlessly compelling people to draw. March is the perfect time to be here—warm, sun-filled days paired with cool desert evenings create ideal conditions for working outdoors.

Throughout the workshop, Glenn will guide participants in developing strong observational drawing skills, emphasizing gesture, structure, rhythm, and personal expression while working directly from life. Locations may include desert environments, downtown areas, and residential neighborhoods, providing a wide range of subjects and visual challenges.

Whether you are new to sketching on location or looking to deepen your practice, this workshop offers a rare opportunity to learn from one of the most respected educators in figurative art—drawing on site, in real time, from the world around you.

Customer Reviews

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D
Daniel Woodhams
Chance of a Lifetime

I had the privilege of studying with Glenn in Belgium in 2024. This was a life changing experience for many reasons, and one that I will always treasure in my heart.

If you go on a trip with Glenn, you will learn a lot about drawing, but you will also have the opportunity to meet many incredible people who are at different stages of their artistic education. Glenn’s classes attract very special people who are worth getting to know and I would place the caliber of these relationships on a similar level of significance to me as great friendships from college. These trips are in part special because many adults at different stages of their life have set aside time to make a serious effort to improve with a wonderful teacher. The experience of drawing with this small community and getting to know each other is precious.

Glenn is very good at working with each student individually and quickly realizing a clear, concrete step the student can take to improve. When Glenn observes your work, he will quickly discern a path and show you the way with a demo. There have been times when I didn’t understand what he meant to teach me, and months and years later I figured it out. One useful thing about working in person with a class is you get to see how he works with other students. If you pay attention to those interactions and observe carefully, you will find that those lessons can be applied equally to your own work.

The students in my trip were at varying skill levels. This is very positive because you are exposed to a wide range of critique and instruction. Seeing how Glenn worked with more advanced students was as helpful as seeing Glenn approach fundamental problems. Whenever you see Glenn work with a student, you should always assume that this lesson can benefit you.

One things that never ceases to amaze me about studying with Glenn is how his lessons tend to imprint on the mind. I think that Glenn teaches as much with passion and joy as he does with word and demos. Sometimes I am surprised by how vividly I remember an image he drew and how his hand moved on the page.

If you are at all hesitant, don’t be. You will have a great time with wonderful people, make wonderful memories, and learn how to draw!