Milan Art Institute / In-Person Workshop / Cape Town

Abstract Realism&the Intuitive Animal

Three days in a garden studio outside Cape Town, painting an animal with Elli Milan. Small group, all supplies included.

Join the Waitlist See the Studio

November 16 to 18, 2026 / Cobwebs Cafe & Succulent Garden, Cape Town

DatesNov 16 to 18, 2026
FormatIn Person, 3 Days
Class Size16 Artists
Tuition$995
3Days In Studio
16Artists
AllLevels Welcome
100%Supplies Included
The Experience

Three days of painting with Elli, in a garden studio outside Cape Town.

The studio is at Cobwebs Cafe & Succulent Garden in Raithby, a short drive from Cape Town. It has timber beams, white walls, an arched window and a row of wooden easels. You'll paint there for three days with Elli Milan, her daughter Dafni, and up to fifteen other artists.

You'll paint one animal over three days. First you build a loose abstract layer with marks, texture and colour. Then you paint the animal on top of it in acrylic, with real form and light, and leave parts of the abstract layer showing through. By Wednesday afternoon you'll have a finished painting and a process you can use again at home.

It's open to anyone: Cape Town locals, artists flying in from Johannesburg, Durban or a neighbouring country, and guests staying on after the Milan Art South Africa retreat (November 2 to 14).

How The Painting Comes Together

Create a beautiful painting from start to finish with Elli.

Elli demonstrates each stage. Then you paint it at your own easel, with Elli and Dafni there to help.

Rhino brought up out of warm abstract layers with chalk marks and drips

Build the abstract foundation

You start with marks, texture and colour in acrylic, chosen by instinct. No animal yet, just a lively surface to build on.

Barn owl in a violet and gold night sky

Bring the animal in

You paint the animal on top of the abstract layer, working on form, light and depth. Parts of the abstract layer stay visible. You decide what to sharpen and what to leave loose.

Two polar bears meeting over dark water with gold patterning

Layer, edge and finish

You add mixed media, build depth with more layers, and use colour and contrast to control where the eye goes. Elli shows you how to handle edges and how to work with what's already happening on the canvas.

What You'll Learn
  • Loosen up while keeping control of your subject.
  • Build layers that feel alive, rich and intentional.
  • Integrate mixed media confidently inside an acrylic process.
  • Develop an intuitive way of working that supports spontaneity.
  • Create an animal painting that feels expressive, dynamic and yours.
What You'll Leave With
  • Your own finished abstract realism animal painting.
  • A process you can use again on your own paintings.
  • Three days of demos from Elli, plus one-on-one help at your easel.
  • New painting friends. The group is capped at 16.
The Studio

Create while surrounded by beauty.

The workshop is at Cobwebs Cafe & Succulent Garden, a painting studio inside a succulent garden in Raithby, on the edge of Cape Town. There's a cafe on site.

The garden studio at Cobwebs, easels set up under the timber beams with artists painting
Arched doorway into the studio, easels and a chalkboard reading Studio inside
The main studio room at Cobwebs with rows of wooden easels and an arched window
The succulent garden outside the studio under a blue Cape Town sky
Cobwebs Cafe & Succulent GardenErf 226 Raithby, Bel Aire, Cape Town 7135, South Africa
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Your Instructor
Elli Milan EM Elli Milan
Elli Milan
Working Artist & Co-Founder, Milan Art Institute

Elli Milan is a working artist, a teacher, and the co-founder of Milan Art Institute. She paints animals and figures over layers of colour, texture and marks, which is the approach you'll learn in this workshop. She has taught thousands of artists through the Mastery Program and in person.

Elli will be in the studio all three days. Dafni Milan assists throughout, so there are two people to ask for help.

Elli Milan, assisted by Dafni Milan
Three Days In Studio

Demo in the morning, then paint.

Each day runs 10am to 4pm with a lunch break at 1pm. Demo times may shift a little depending on how the group is doing.

Monday
November 16 / Day One
Foundation & First Layers
10:00 AM
Demo: intuitive abstract realism techniques and an overview of the whole process.
11:00 AM
Begin your own piece in a guided painting session.
1:00 PM
Lunch break
2:00 to 4:00 PM
Afternoon painting session with one-on-one guidance as you develop your abstract realism animal.
Tuesday
November 17 / Day Two
Layering & Mixed Media
10:00 AM
Demo: layering and mixed media integration.
11:00 AM
Continue building your piece: apply the layering concepts and explore intuition in your composition.
1:00 PM
Lunch break
2:00 to 4:00 PM
Afternoon painting session with personalized support.
Wednesday
November 18 / Day Three
Finishing & Expressive Detail
10:00 AM
Final demo: finishing touches, balance, and expressive detail.
11:00 AM
Painting session: bring your painting toward completion.
1:00 PM
Lunch break
2:00 to 4:00 PM
Final painting session with Elli's feedback.
Who This Is For

Who this is for.

  • You like mixed media and want to get better at it.
  • You want to combine abstract painting with a realistic subject.
  • You've painted before and want to learn something new, or you're a beginner who wants to learn from Elli in person.
  • You live in Cape Town, or a few hours' flight away, and you'd like to paint with other artists for a few days.
All Supplies Included

Every art supply is included.

  • All your materials are provided. Canvas, acrylics, mixed media, brushes and tools will be at your easel. There's nothing to buy or pack.
  • Just bring yourself, and a photo of the animal you'd like to paint if you have one in mind.
Join The Waitlist

Seats open to the waitlist first.

Registration opens soon. People on the waitlist get the link by email before it's announced anywhere else. There are 16 seats.

Waitlist Open

Abstract Realism Intuitive Animal Workshop

November 16 to 18, 2026 / 10am to 4pm daily / Cobwebs Cafe & Succulent Garden, Cape Town

$995
  • All art supplies included
  • Three full days in the studio with Elli Milan, assisted by Dafni Milan
  • Daily demonstrations plus guided, one-on-one painting time
  • Your own finished abstract realism animal painting
  • A cohort of 16 artists

We'll email you when seats open.

Staying on after the retreat?

The workshop starts two days after the Milan Art South Africa retreat ends (November 2 to 14). If you're already in the Cape, stay a few more days and paint.

Who can join

Anyone. Cape Town locals, artists flying in from elsewhere in South Africa or a nearby country, and retreat guests staying on. All levels, 16 seats.

Cape Town, November 2026

Come paint with Elli in Cape Town.

Three days in the studio and a finished painting to take home. Join the waitlist and we'll email you when seats open.

Join the Waitlist

$995 / November 16 to 18, 2026 / All supplies included

Good To Know

Common questions.

Do I need to be at a certain level?

No. The workshop is open to all levels. Elli demonstrates every stage and helps you at your easel, so it works whether this is your first painting like this or your fiftieth.

What will we actually paint?

An animal of your choosing, in acrylic and mixed media. You'll start with an expressive abstract foundation (mark-making, texture, intuitive colour), then bring the animal in with realistic technique while leaving parts of the abstraction visible. Three days, one finished painting.

Do I need to bring any art supplies?

No. Every art supply you need is included and waiting for you at the studio. Just bring yourself, and a photo of the animal you'd like to paint if you have one in mind.

Where does the workshop take place?

At Cobwebs Cafe & Succulent Garden, Erf 226 Raithby, Bel Aire, Cape Town 7135, South Africa. It's a studio inside a garden on the edge of Cape Town. Arrival details go out to registered artists ahead of the workshop.

How does the waitlist work?

Leave your email above. When registration opens, the waitlist gets the link first, before the public announcement. The workshop is $995 with 16 seats, all supplies included. Joining the waitlist doesn't commit you to anything.

I'm coming to the South Africa retreat. Can I do both?

Yes. The retreat runs November 2 to 14 and the workshop starts Monday November 16, so retreat guests can stay on in the Cape and join. The workshop is booked separately from the retreat.

What is your refund and cancellation policy?

All sales for in-person events, including workshops, retreats, intensives, and other experiences, are final. We do not offer refunds or credit for cancellations or no-shows. Funds can not be transferred to another event.

By registering for any in-person event, you are agreeing to this policy and helping us maintain a smooth and well-prepared event experience for all.