A new kind of painting program — Opening July 2026

Build the process
that is uniquely
yours.

An academic approach to figurative painting — reimagined for the individual artist. Not a formula. Not a template. A method built around you.

Secure Early Bird Spot — $100Learn More

The painters who truly develop are not the ones who follow instructions most faithfully. They are the ones who internalize principles deeply enough to build something of their own.

— Daniel Bilmes, Los Angeles

~100K
Instagram Followers
10+
Years Teaching
Solo Shows
NYC & Los Angeles
4
Continents Taught On
July 2026
Program Launch

The Program

Academic rigor.
Individual voice.

The online art world is flooded with shallow instruction — quick techniques, trendy styles, and paint-by-number thinking. Meanwhile, the deep academic tradition of figurative painting remains locked behind expensive ateliers and geography.

Methods is built to change that. This is a program that takes academic figurative painting seriously, while recognizing that every serious painter needs to develop their own system, their own process, their own voice.

You will not leave with my method. You will leave with yours — grounded in rigorous study, thoughtful analysis, and the kind of deep practice that transforms how you see and work.

01
Academic Foundation

Rigorous training in figurative painting rooted in classical methods — drawing, form, light, anatomy, and color — taught with depth and clarity.

02
Systems Thinking

You'll learn to design a painting process — not copy one. How to build a system that serves your vision, your pace, your individual way of seeing.

03
Individual Voice

Technique without identity is hollow. Every element of this program is designed to help you find what makes your work distinctly, unmistakably yours.

About the Instructor

Daniel Bilmes

Daniel
Bilmes

I began painting at eight years old, trained by my father — the respected artist and educator Semyon Bilmes. Art was not something I came to. It was the world I grew up inside.

Over the years my work has been shown at Arcadia Contemporary in New York and Los Angeles, Gallery 1261 in Denver, Modern Eden in San Francisco, and at major art fairs from Art Miami to Art Palm Springs. I have built a following of nearly 100,000 artists who connect with my approach to figurative painting.

But something always bothered me about how painting is taught online — shallow techniques, trendy tricks, paint-alongs that produce nothing transferable. And something bothered me about rigid academic instruction too: technically accomplished students with no individual voice.

Methods is my answer to both. Everything I have developed through years of studio practice, teaching at Scottsdale Artists School, running immersive workshops, and working with painters at every level — distilled into a program designed to help you build a process that is genuinely, completely your own.

Solo Shows
Arcadia Contemporary NYC & LA
Teaching
Scottsdale Artists' School + worldwide
Following
~100,000 artists on Instagram
Daniel Bilmes

What You Will Build

A complete painting
education.

$150 value
Figure & Form

Academic construction of the human figure — proportion, structure, mass. The foundation everything else builds on.

$150 value
Light & Shadow

A rigorous system for understanding and rendering light. Chiaroscuro, value relationships, and edge control.

$100 value
Color Systems

How to build your own color palette and mixing system. Not mine — one that works for how you think and see.

$150 value
Process Design

The centrepiece of Methods. How to design a painting process specific to your vision, your workflow, your pace.

$150 value
Anatomy for Painters

Surface anatomy taught the way old masters used it — as a tool for convincing form, not a biology lesson.

$150 value
Finding Your Voice

The most important and most overlooked part. How to develop work that is distinctly, unmistakably yours.

$100 value
Critique & Feedback

Live critique sessions where your work is seen, discussed, and developed in your individual context.

$100 value
Lifetime Access

All course materials, recordings, and future updates — yours to return to whenever you need them.

$50 value
Community Access

Connect with a serious community of painters at the same level of commitment. Study partners, not cheerleaders.

Total program value

Everything above, plus ongoing updates.

$1,100
$100early bird

The Work

Oil on panel.
Each one a study in process.

Raven's Shadow
Raven's Shadow
Augur
Augur
Vortex
Vortex
Burnt Amber
Burnt Amber
Ophelia
Ophelia
Woven
Woven
Veiled II
Veiled II
Perennial
Perennial
Between Worlds
Between Worlds
Anonymous XII
Anonymous XII
Pirouette
Pirouette
Oracle
Oracle
Raven's Shadow
Raven's Shadow
Augur
Augur
Vortex
Vortex
Burnt Amber
Burnt Amber
Ophelia
Ophelia
Woven
Woven
Veiled II
Veiled II
Perennial
Perennial
Between Worlds
Between Worlds
Anonymous XII
Anonymous XII
Pirouette
Pirouette
Oracle
Oracle

All works oil on panel — hover to pause

View full gallery @bilmesart

Follow The Work

Nearly 100,000 artists
follow the process.

Behind-the-scenes process, painting breakdowns, studies, and the thinking behind the work. Everything that goes into building a practice — documented in real time.

@bilmesart on Instagram

~98,000 followers — Updated regularly

Early Bird Offer

Launch pricing.
Limited spots.

00Days
:
00Hours
:
00Minutes
:
00Seconds
Early Bird — Opens July 2026
$100

Regular price $400 after launch

  • Full academic figurative painting curriculum
  • Process design system — build your own method
  • Live critique sessions with Daniel Bilmes
  • Color systems module + personal palette framework
  • Anatomy for painters — old master approach
  • Lifetime access + all future updates
  • Private community of serious painters
Secure Your Spot — $100 Early Bird

Secure checkout via Stripe. Full access delivered at launch in July 2026.

Not Ready to Commit?

No spam. Unsubscribe at any time.

Questions

Frequently asked

Who is this program for?

Serious painters — from advanced beginners to working artists — who want to develop a genuine academic foundation and a painting process that is truly their own. This is not a beginner paint-along course.

What does "building your own process" actually mean?

Most instruction teaches you one way to paint. Methods teaches you how to design a system around how you think, see, and work. You'll analyze your own tendencies, study multiple approaches, and develop a personal workflow that produces consistent, authentic results.

When does the program start?

The full program launches in July 2026. Early bird students receive lifetime access and will be the first cohort through the complete curriculum.

Is this live or self-paced?

Both. The core curriculum is self-paced with lifetime access. Live critique sessions and community components are scheduled and recorded for those who can't attend live.

What if I'm not satisfied?

If you complete the first module and don't feel this program is right for you, reach out within 14 days of launch for a full refund — no questions asked.