On a recent hot summer day, the French artist greets his visitor with a warm smile, handshake and a mug of coffee. It doesn't take more than a minute or two of conversation to ascertain that he's a) outspoken and b) likes to kid around, punctuating his many one-liners with a "Ha!"

Franquelin says he's 62. Looking at him, that's hard to believe. After a moment, he admits his real age - 52 - and says he likes telling people he's older so they'll be even more impressed with his youthful good looks.

The native of Saint-Omer in northern France is quite the jokester. When asked at what age he began smoking, the nonsmoker (he quit a year ago) quips, "About three years before I was born." He watches a student suspiciously as she enters the studio with a potted plant, asking her if she's sneaking in an illegal substance. The funny thing is, she's a nun.

He refers to his students - the vast majority of whom are women ranging in age from 13 to 87 - as a "weird, eclectic group." But it's obvious, as they trickle in over the course of the morning, that he is as fond of them as they are of him.

"It's very fattening here," Franquelin warns. "There are lots of cookies."

His students, among them East Brunswick residents Lisa Kelleman and Lydia Kircher, agree that spending time at the studio may not always be great for their waistlines. But they don't hesitate to throw the banter right back at their teacher. On this day, Kelleman teases Franquelin about his pronunciation of "pencil," which she says sounds more like "pain-cil."

"I don't have an accent," Franquelin retorts, with mock indignation, in a distinct but easily understandable French accent.

It's clear the Frenchman loves talking about art and the artistic process, which he insists is a lot less daunting - and technical - than many people might think.

"A lot of classes in art make you more confused than when you went in," he says. "Everything needs 50 pages of explanation. Good art doesn't need that."

Speaking of good art, Franquelin says he knows an admirer when he sees one.

"I live by two or three good reactions," he explains. "If their eyeball moves one-eighth of an inch, it's good. What's important is 'the look' - if people stop, it's very good. If they stop, move closer or say 'wow'" it's great.

Franquelin says those interested in taking his classes "are very intimidated" when they walk through the door. "Some come with absolute zero experience."

He teaches them the basics, such as the proper way to hold a pencil (or pain-cil), which he stresses is critical before students move on to painting.

"I'm not teaching them how to be an artist," Franquelin insists. "I'm teaching them how to draw. I'm teaching them how to paint.

"I don't teach the what (of art)," he adds. "I teach the how."

Artwork can take anywhere from three weeks to three months to complete, and Franquelin has a deep appreciation for the journey the artist goes on for each and every piece. When a student completes a piece, he says they have a "signing" party, where everyone gathers around to watch as the artist signs their masterpiece, often to the accompaniment of random music, such as the Russian national anthem.

"It's a total circus," he says with a laugh.

Franquelin's first introduction to the United States came in 1985, when he visited his American girlfriend in New Jersey. He says he quickly became enamored of the country, and was sad when it came time for him to return to France.

"When I got back home, I will never forget getting out of the train station, (I thought) 'What am I doing here?' I was homesick in reverse."

While living in France, Franquelin used his master's degrees in art history and fine arts to obtain a teaching position. He also worked on copies of masterpieces for art collectors, which involved executing them in the exact same manner, right down to replicating the fabric of the canvas and type of paint.

But it was the United States, not his girlfriend, that lured him back.

"I didn't last very long (back home)," he says. "I really loved this country."

He got a job, teaching French and art to youngsters in The Bronx, N.Y.

"I learned so much English over there," he says of that time. But as much as he enjoyed working with children, the bureaucracy drove him crazy and he left after three years.

"I was fed up with the education system," he says.

So, he quit his job, turned his one-car garage into a studio and began painting. He also took up teaching art classes in Brooklyn, where he acquired students who "followed me to my house." After moving to Kendall Park, he accumulated a bigger following by teaching at a studio in South Brunswick.

"The studio went bankrupt," he explains, "and I picked up students from there. I had 30 people coming to my house. My wife (Pat) was totally delighted with that."

Another move to Monmouth Junction followed, and by then it was high time he found a studio apart from his home. He moved into the modest, attractive white building on Van Liew four years ago.

His students visit the studio at their leisure. With the exception of Sunday, he's almost always there.

"It's a studio, not a school," Franquelin says. "Some (students) come three or four times a day."

As on this day, Kircher, 47, excuses herself after about an hour to run home and take her daughters to the pool. She'll be back later, though, to continue working on her latest creation.

Franquelin explains that students are typically first shown how to use supplies. Then they are shown exercises and drills, such as learning how to effectively control their pencils. Depending upon how much they practice, he says, they can then move on to a personal project.

"Some people don't know what they want" to do, says Franquelin, but that's OK. His studio offers a variety of membership packages, ranging from one month to a year. "Usually people stay quite a bit here - most a year, some 10 years ... You can sign your life over to me, if you want," he jokingly adds.

Franquelin's students are effusive about the experience and their mentor.

Kircher received a six-month membership at the studio. "It was the greatest gift my husband could have given me," she says.

Kelleman, 49, explains that she's recently gotten her mojo back after putting her passion for painting aside for 25 years to raise a family.

"It's unique how Marcel can see where you are in your skill level and take you to the next step," she says. Marcel's Art Studio is "a place to have my work supported. Not only does (Franquelin) help us, but we help each other."

More information on Marcel Franquelin, his art studio and a complete list of membership prices is available by visiting www.marcelfineart.com.