I'M JULIA
An Artist, Urban Sketcher, and Art Teacher dedicated to guiding you on your creative path.
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Can you remember as a child how easy and carefree it was to make stuff, enjoy doing it, and be happy about what you've made? How a simple sheet of paper and a few pencils were all you needed for hours of fun. You didn't care if the lines in your drawing were perfectly straight or if you used the best matching colors. There were no expectations, no perfectionism, and no (self-) judgment.
Sadly, when we grow up, insecurity and judgment come into play. The easiness of creating something just for fun disappears.
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Focusing on the process of making art instead of the result, having realistic expectations, stopping to compare yourself to other artists, and doing things at your own pace will bring that easiness, playfulness, and freedom back.
Whether you're a beginning or advanced artist, I'm here to help you. Through my free content, workshops, Skillshare classes, and anything else I might offer. I'm in this to make a difference, inspire and support you, and help you explore your creative talent, develop your drawing skill and enjoy your artistic journey.
Living your creative dream!
I grew up in Saint Petersburg (Russia), one of the most beautiful and inspiring cities in the world where I took my first steps into the world of art - attended an art school for children, followed drawing and painting classes, and graduated from the Academy of Art. Soon after graduation, I moved to The Netherlands, where I studied at the Royal Academy of Art and continued my creative career.
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I have multiple years of experience as an illustrator and lettering artist, but last few years, I have been doing fewer commissions and turned my focus to teaching. I think it's important to share our knowledge with others, inspire them and pay it forward.
MY STORY
Teaching
Drawing has always been a cornerstone of my life, but also my story started with my art teacher at the primary school who didn't like the drawing I made, got angry because I didn't follow her instructions and literally said: "You are terrible at drawing and you will never learn it." I don't need to tell you how confused and upset I was. I didn't understand why it was so bad. I just saw it that way. I liked drawing too much, so I didn't stop doing that, and a few months later, I passed the exam and was accepted to my first art study - an art school for children. I was on cloud nine - there were people who saw it in a different way than my primary school art teacher. I attended a few other art studies, but I'm still the most thankful to my first real art teachers who believed in me, who let me explore myself as an artist, and who taught me to love colors, to see the beauty of lines and textures, and to enjoy drawing and painting. And this is what I want to pass on to my own students.
Since 2016, I've been teaching art on Skillshare as one of the Top Teachers, ranking "among the top 1% of teachers on the platform." I have taught over 50,000 students and enjoyed it very much, but I missed a personal touch. I dreamt of my own community where I could teach and support amateur artists, where I could give them personal feedback and see their happy faces. My dream came true when I met Anna. Together, we founded the Brave Brushes studio. We call it "the best membership for amateur artists" because we truly believe it is the best place where both beginning or advanced amateur artists can find all they need to grow and thrive.
In my classes and workshops, I teach my students how to see the world with artist's eyes, understand colors, proportions, and perspective, and simplify complex scenes and objects. In every class, you get clear and informative instructions, demonstrations of the entire drawing process in easy-to-follow steps, and plenty of tips & tricks. There is no pressure to create a perfect artwork. Instead, I always encourage my students to explore their creativity, experiment and dare to make mistakes. I truly believe in the wise words of Thomas A. Edison,
"I have not failed. I've just found 10.000 ways that won't work."
For me, they mean that even when we are not satisfied with our artwork, it's not a failure. It's just another step forward.
So, I want to invite you to join me and explore 10.000 ways that won't work and find the ways that do work together!
Julia is all about teaching amateur artists to create art, helping them improve their drawing skills, explore new materials and techniques, enjoy the process, and have fun. She doesn't believe in teaching without learning, so she definitely understands how challenging it can be to learn something new, with all the struggles and moments of disappointment, which is why she can help you the most.
Anna is a beginning artist and Julia's guinea pig. She makes sure Julia's classes are well-planned and easy to follow. If Anna can do them, then you can do them too! :) Anna takes care of the tech side of Julia's projects.
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