Francisco Copello moved to Italy to study at the Academy of Fine Arts in Florence, after working for several years at the family noodle business, "Bandera," in Santiago. There he specialized in painting and printmaking, and met Inés Osella, originally from Argentina, who became his friend and classmate at the Academy. According to Copello's own account, he and Inés received private lessons from the painter and printmaker Augusto Zoboli (Modena, 1894 - Formigine, 1991) for a year. Copello was particularly fascinated by Florentine Renaissance architecture and art. In 1967, he received his Bachelor's degree with a specialization in Painting.