This workshop immerses participants in the captivating world of decorative painting. Brushes in hand, they will explore the techniques, tools, and skills needed to transform materials. They will recreate the elegance of Carrara white marble, the depth of French limestone, the intensity of Italian cherry wood, and the vibrant blue of lapis lazuli. They will experiment with the delicate veins of elm burl, master the subtleties of trompe-l'œil to create lifelike faux moldings, and conclude their journey with a luminous introduction to gilding. An immersive experience where technique meets the magic of the craft.
Upon completion of the training, the trainee will be able to:
For one week, participants will delve into the heart of decorative painting, discovering through hands-on practice the gestures, tools, and techniques that bring materials to life. Each imitation begins with a demonstration, a truly privileged moment of observation where Pierre-Yves Morel reveals his techniques and secrets. Then, it's time for experimentation: students will reproduce the effects using a demonstration panel or a chosen photograph.
Over the course of the sessions, they will learn to recreate the finesse of Carrara white marble, the density of a French limestone, the intense depth of an Italian cherry, or the mineral brilliance of lapis lazuli. They will also tackle the imitation of wood, particularly elm burl, and be introduced to the art of trompe-l'œil by creating realistic moldings. An initial introduction to gilding with gold leaf will complement this enriching learning experience.
By creating these decorative finishes, students will enter the demanding and fascinating world of traditional 19th-century techniques: oil painting, beer glazes, and powdered pigments. An exploration of contemporary acrylic techniques will further enhance this overview and open up new creative perspectives.
They will also learn to use effect brushes, emblematic tools of the decorative painter: natural sponge, quill, badger brush, marbled brush, veining brush, cod's tail brush, and ruler. Their mastery will soon give them the freedom to create textures, patterns, and illusions in their own projects.
This training is a true immersion in exceptional craftsmanship, where every gesture paves the way for a new way of seeing, creating, and enhancing materials.
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After earning a master's degree in painting from the École des Arts Décoratifs in Strasbourg, Pierre-Yves Morel decided to further develop his expertise. He joined the prestigious Van der Kelen School in Brussels, where he trained in the most rigorous and virtuosic forms of decorative painting. He quickly put this expertise into practice: restoring civil and religious monuments, creating sets for theater and film… He gained a wealth of experience, refined his technique, and expanded his vocabulary of materials.
In late 2018, his marble imitations began to circulate and caught the eye of designer Nel Verbeke. The ensuing collaboration for Schloss Hollenegg for Design, four alcoves painted in faux marble for the project Architecture of a Tea Ceremony, marked a turning point. A few months later, thanks to interior designer Christophe Gollut, he joined a London company where he intensively developed his skills in imitating marble and wood. In London, he worked on a series of interior design projects with major figures in the field, such as Ben Pentreath, Rose Uniacke, Tomasz Starzewsky, Steven Rodel, and Guy Goodfellow. During the pandemic, he pushed his experimentation further by transposing his marble designs onto verre églomisé, reviving and modernizing an ancient technique.
In 2020, Emilieu Studio and the École Camondo commissioned him to create a collection of cabinets inspired by the marbles of southern France for their new campus in Toulon. Two pieces subsequently joined the collections of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. That same year, the Mobilier National selected him for the first edition of Les Aliénés.
Building on this growing momentum, Pierre-Yves founded his own studio in Brussels in 2021. There, he developed a clear philosophy: revisiting ancient techniques to reveal their modernity, and creating a dialogue between them and contemporary concerns. His work was quickly noticed by Alberto Cavalli, who included him in the Homo Faber guide.
In 2022, he collaborated with the designers BISKT on an experimental project for Wallonie Design, resulting in a ceramic I-beam painted to imitate marble, a piece exhibited in 2023 at the Boghossian Foundation. Simultaneously, he continued his research with designer Ben Storms on contemporary variations of gilding.
The artist Abdelkader Benchamma commissioned him to create painted marble for the new Vitry-sur-Seine metro station, and then for his Marcel Duchamp Prize project at the Centre Pompidou. In May 2024, Pierre-Yves received the "Imprint of the Year" award from Talents du Luxe.
Collaborations followed one after another: with interior designer Romain Baty, he developed innovative finishes for a Parisian apartment, including sponge tempera, crackle lacquer, cold metallization, eggshell marquetry, and silver nitrate mirror. Cartier then commissioned him to create five monumental marquetry panels imitating precious stones for a collection presented in Stockholm. This was followed by a residency at the Villa Albertine in New York, while two new pieces were unveiled at the Révélation exhibition at the Grand Palais.
In October 2025, his work Arlecchino 2 was selected by Homo Faber for the Interwoven exhibition in Seville. That same month, he presented a new series combining "wild" gilding, verre églomisé flowers, and a sound system imitating marble in Paul Emilieu Marchesseau's pavilion for the "Les Nouveaux Ensembliers" exhibition at the Mobilier National.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pierreyvesmorel
Price(s) including the cost of training, accommodation and full board, materials and personal protective equipment.
89350 Champignelles
T: +33 (0)3 86 45 23 42
contact@campusmana.com
