This guided abstract painting workshop combines a one-hour step-by-step demonstration with five progressive painting exercises designed to help you move beyond realism and paint more expressively.
$47
You know the drill. You sit down to paint an abstract, but somehow the trees still look like trees.
No matter how hard you try to loosen up, you keep
slipping back into painting recognizable forms.
You know how to paint what you see.
So why do your abstracts still look realistic?
You may not know where to begin, how abstract a painting should be, or how to move beyond painting exactly what you see.
If you've tried painting abstractly, you may find yourself right back where you started—carefully rendering objects instead of expressing ideas. Your paintings feel tight. Controlled. Predictable.
You can see the freedom in other artists' work, but no one has shown you how to get there. Abstract painting can feel mysterious when you're standing on the outside looking in.
Whether you're a representational painter looking to loosen up or someone who has always been curious about abstraction, getting started can feel overwhelming.
Watch Me Transform a Landscape Into an Abstract Painting
How to simplify realistic subjects into abstract shapes and forms
How to choose expressive color instead of copying local color
How to decide what details to keep—and what to leave out
How to loosen up your brushwork
How to create texture using brushes, sponges, palette knives, and other tools
How to use vibrant color in shadows
How to make confident abstract painting decisions
How your realism skills can strengthen your abstract paintings
Plus:
Five progressive painting exercises in which you'll learn to see color differently, simplify forms, trust your instincts, and move beyond literal representation.
Examples and visual references for every exercise
A repeatable process for creating more expressive paintings
In This One-Hour Demonstration You'll Learn:
By the end of this workshop, you'll have completed five original abstract paintings and gained a practical process for transforming reference images into more expressive, personal artwork.
You'll approach abstraction with greater confidence and a clearer understanding of how to move beyond painting exactly what you see.
Inside this workshop, you'll watch me transform a landscape reference into an expressive abstract painting while explaining my artistic decisions every step of the way.
You'll then apply those concepts through five guided exercises designed to help you loosen up, simplify forms, and paint more expressively.
Painting from the one-hour demonstration on expressive color and abstract decision-making
This workshop is for you if:
You keep trying to loosen up, but your paintings always drift back toward realism
You paint realistically but want your work to feel more expressive
You admire abstract art but aren't sure how to make the transition yourself
You want to stop copying what you see and start creating work that feels more personal
You're ready to take creative risks without abandoning the skills you've already developed
I'm Andrea Cermanski, a gallery-represented abstract painter with nearly 30 years of studio experience and more than 20 years of teaching experience. I've helped hundreds of painters understand that abstract painting isn't mysterious—it's misunderstood.
My approach combines clear instruction with practical exercises so you can build confidence, trust your artistic decisions, and create work that feels authentically yours.
About your instructor
