Are You...

  • New to abstract painting or returning to your creative practice after a long hiatus?
  • Stuck in a rut making the same mistakes over and over again?
  • Wondering what materials you need to have on hand and how you should set up your studio?
  • Wondering how to loosen up your paintings and find your unique, creative voice?
  • Trying to find new ways of starting a painting that will get your creative juices flowing?
  • Wondering how to eliminate color chaos from your work, improve your compositions and build depth in your paintings?
  • Trying to figure out what materials to use to make marks that will enliven your paintings?
  • Wondering how to decide when your painting is finished?

I understand!

I have been where you are and know first hand how difficult and lonely the struggle is. I have been painting non objective paintings for many years and can guide you step by step through these issues and much more so that you will trust your own creative intuition, approach your painting practice with confidence and achieve your painting vision.

Wanting to express yourself and your emotions on the canvas is just one part of the creative equation, especially with abstract painting. You need much more. You can dramatically increase the effectiveness of your abstract paintings if you know how to work with the elements and techniques involved. And that is what we will be doing together in this course.
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What Does The Course Include?

Dive Into Abstract Painting is designed to be completed in 6 weeks. Through a series of written materials and video studio demonstrations and exercises organized into learning modules we will explore     ⟹

The course includes monthly 1 hour scheduled Zoom q and a sessions where you can ask questions and get advice. You have a full year access to the course materials and all scheduled live Zoom sessions. There will also be a quarterly, live 2 hour Zoom painting session where everyone can work on their paintings together.

The course also includes membership in our private Facebook Community Art Smart. There you can share your work, the assignments you work on through the course, your thoughts and ideas and interact with artists just like you, gaining courage and inspiration.

You also have the opportunity to power up your learning!

Add 2 live private 30 minute scheduled Zoom conversations with Julie where you can discuss your concerns, your progress and your work.

  • Getting into the mindset needed to immerse yourself in abstract painting

  • How to find your painting voice

  • What materials you need to start with and how to set up your studio

  • Fundamentals of color and value, including eliminating color chaos

  • Ways of starting a painting so you will always have a place to begin

  • Fundamentals of composition

  • Using marks in your work

  • Building depth through layering

  • How to work through your painting to the finish line and determine when it’s done. You will see Julie work through a painting from start to finish while she provides insightful commentary about what she is doing and thinking along the way

Course Curriculum

  • 1

    Welcome

    • [To Do] Download Adobe Acrobat Reader Software

    • [Read] How To Use The Learning Portal

    • [Watch] Welcome To Dive Into Abstract Painting

    • [To Do] Join Our Private Facebook Group
  • 2

    Live Sessions With Julie Schumer: Group Q & A

    • [Read] How Your Q & A Sessions Work

    • [Read] How To Get The Most Out Of Your Q & A Sessions

    • Group Q & A Schedule

    • [To Do] Your Question
  • 3

    Introduction

    • [Watch] Finding Your Way

    • [Read] Finding Your Way

    • [Watch] Tips To Get And Stay Loose

    • [Read] Tips For Getting And Staying Loose

    • [Bonus Read] An Expert Guide to Strengthening Your Own Creative Voice
  • 4

    Module 1: Basic Materials And Setting Up Your Studio

    • [Read] What Materials To Buy And Where To Buy Them

    • [Watch] What Materials Do I Need?

    • [Watch] Gesso Your Paper

    • [Watch] Making A Stay Wet Palette

    • [Read] Setting Up Your Studio

    • [Challenge] Materials

    • dive into 12-2-zoom_0
  • 5

    Module 2: Create Harmonious Palettes In A Range Of Values

    • [Read] Color And Value Fundamentals

    • [Watch] What We Will Be Doing

    • [Watch] Create A Monochromatic Palette

    • [Watch] Create A Neutral Palette

    • [Watch] Create Endless Harmonious Color With Black, White, Reds And Yellows

    • [Challenge] Color
  • 6

    Module 3: Make your Mark: Working with Line

    • [Watch] Mark Making Introduction

    • [Read] Using Line In Your Work

    • [Watch] Automatic Drawing

    • [Watch] Find Your Signature Marks

    • [Watch] Combining Marks With Paint In 2 Parts

    • [Challenge] Mark Making
  • 7

    Module 4: Exploring Composition

    • [Listen] Composition Tips

    • [Read] Exploring Composition

    • [Watch] Before you Start the Composition Exercises

    • [Watch] Dividing Space and Eye Flow

    • [Watch] Dividing Space and Eye Flow: Expanding the surface

    • [Watch] Creating A Focal Point

    • [Challenge] Composition
  • 8

    Module 5: Starting A Painting And Building Up Depth

    • [Watch] Introduction

    • [Watch] Start Your Painting With Rhythm

    • [Watch] Start Your Painting By Repeating A Motif

    • [Challenge] Starting A Painting
  • 9

    Module 6: Taking Your Painting To The Finish Line

    • [Watch] Demonstration Of Finishing A Painting

    • [Watch] Knowing When A Painting Is Finished

    • [Read] When Is A Painting Finished?

    • [Challenge] Finishing A Painting
  • 10

    Conclusion

    • [Watch] Conclusion

    • Before You Go...
  • 11

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Testimonials

What Others Say About Julie’s workshops

  • Thanks for this amazing course. It allowed me to join from a distance and learn a lot. I was a bit stuck in my comfort zone lately, you definitely threw me out of it. Here in Amsterdam it is kind of tough to find abstract courses and I did not know where to start to push my boundaries and explore new ways. Despite the distance I really feel it was an amazing course. I learnt a lot, in all directions, and it is so helpful to see how you work on your own paintings, it made me embrace the moments where I get stuck in the middle of a process, or push me to find the direction within the painting itself. Since there was no one there next to me it taught me to be self critical but inspired and supported by you and the community of your Facebook group.
    -Anna Tabellini

  • The course is brilliantly organized and very well structured. Julie is an amazing painter and a teacher who’s really pleasant and motivating to listen to and watch. The whole material covers useful key points.

    The course is fantastic. It opens doors to a new area and liberates you from classical and conventional approaches to painting and art.
    -Elvis Monic

  • "I have gained so much from you. My best learning comes from observation. Watching you intuitively respond to your work in the tutorials has shown me what letting go of intention looks like. I had to coax myself to do the early exercises, thinking I could just skip ahead, but they taught me so much." -Ryan Beattie

Watch Intro Video

From One Of Our Students!

Here is everything you get when you sign up:

  • Access to the Dive Into Abstract Painting: Exploring Fundamentals Course with monthly Zoom Group question and answer meetings.
  • A quarterly 2 hour live Zoom painting event where we will paint together in our studios ($697 value)
  • Membership in the private Artsmart Workshops Facebook Group ($497 value)
  • A Bonus handout on Strengthening Your Creative Voice Voice ($100 value) FREE

    • Total Value of the Course plus Bonus is $1294

    Power up your learning experience!

    Add two private 30 minute Q & A Zoom sessions or one 60 minute session with Julie to discuss your work and any additional questions you may have, and get the course plus Facebook community, group q & a sessions, live painting session and bonus handouts for only $647! This is a $1547 value.

    By the end of the course you will have

    • Set up your studio, organized and experimented with your materials and tools, and adopted the right mindset.

      Learned the fundamentals of color and how to mix a monochromatic palette, neutral palette, and harmonious 4 color palette as well as endless color using black, white, red and yellow.

      Discovered your own, unique mark making vocabulary and how to energize your work with marks.

    • Learned various ways to start a painting so you are never at a loss.

      Learned what makes a bold, dynamic composition and how to divide the space on the picture plane to lead your viewer’s eye through your painting.

      Learned how to create a focal point or area of interest in your painting

    • Created depth and layers in your work using flux and obliteration.

      Created a painting from start to finish.

      Learned a set of criteria you can use to evaluate when your painting is finished.

    FAQ

    • How long do I have access to the course?

      You will have access to the course for a full year and to the Facebook community for as long as you want.

    • Do I have access to the full course at once?

      Yes.

    • What is your refund policy?

      Upon your request, you will receive a full no questions asked refund within 7 days of the course starting.

    • What do I do if I have support issues with accessing the course?

      Send Julie an email to [email protected] and we will resolve your issue as quickly as possible.

    Materials You Will Need

    Here is a list of supplies you will want to have on hand.

    materials and supply list.pdf

    Watch Intro Video

    Watch a sample video