Online Course: Figuring Abstractly

$125 · lifetime access

Unlock the art of abstraction by learning how to bring the human figure into your creative process with clarity and confidence. Figuring Abstractly is designed for artists who want to move fluidly between realism and abstraction, using practical methods and digital tools to transform inspiration into finished work.

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What You'll Learn

  • Foundations of Figure Drawing

    • Grid method for accuracy
    • Winging it method for expressive freedom
    • Transfer paper method for efficiency

  • Digital Tools for Abstraction

    • How to use Notan for value studies
    • Exploring Oil Shine for painterly effects
    • Leveraging Print to Size to print reference images at the exact scale of your canvas or paper (e.g., if you’re working on a 12×12, you can print a 6×6 reference to cut and use directly for proportion and placement)

  • Supplies & Resources

    • An exclusive walkthrough of the materials Donna uses in her own practice
    • Personal guidance on where to find figure references, including Posespace and Unsplash

  • Color & Compostion

    • How to select and refine color palettes
    • Techniques for moving from an abstracted painting to the figure
    • Approaches for starting with a figure and abstracting it into a dynamic
      composition

Glenda G.

"On the top of my list!"

I have studied with quite a few artists that I admire, but your class is on the top of my list. learned so much about painting figures, working with acrylics, choosing a subject and a palette, and learning to trust your instincts, etc.

Susan S.

"I had a blast!"

I had a blast making the coolest pieces by excavating under the paint!

Allison F.

"I created work that I am very proud of."

I enjoyed my time with Donna and am thankful to have had the opportunity to learn with her and paint with her. I’ve never had much success painting figures but with her help, I created work that I am very proud of.

2.5 Hours of Video

This online course features innovative instruction and engaging demos designed exclusively for:

  • artists seeking to bridge realism and abstraction
  • creatives who want practical, repeatable methods for figure work
  • painters and digital artists looking to expand their toolkit with apps and references