Come dot with me in person.
An afternoon away from the noise, a table full of paint, and a finished piece you made with your own hands. No experience needed - just show up and I'll guide you through every dot.
Online courses are wonderful. But there's something different about sitting at a table with paint under your nails, a lit candle glowing inside the thing you just made, and a room full of people who slowed down for an afternoon too. That's what these classes are.
Upcoming classes near you.
The Giant Mushroom Project (5.5")
Our most-loved project is back, and this time it's bigger. We dot a beautiful 5.5-inch wooden mushroom, cap and stem, into a little sculpture that looks like it wandered out of a storybook. There's more room than ever to play with color and pattern, whether you go bright and whimsical or soft and earthy.
Dotting 102: Brushstroke Mandalas
You've mastered the dots. Now let's make them dance. Picking up where the practice class leaves off, we build on rigger and liner brush techniques to create layered petals, sweeping curves, and the delicate details that make a piece look advanced. Best if you've done a little dotting or brushwork before and are ready for the next step.
Dot Art Notebook
A journal worth writing in. In this cozy morning session we dot a beautiful design across a notebook cover, turning a plain book into something you'll love carrying with you. Inside it's dotted paper, so it works for anything: journaling, bullet lists, sketching, or planning. It's the perfect way to put your dotting skills to use on a piece you'll actually reach for every day. All skill levels welcome, with step-by-step guidance to a polished finish.
The Mandala Mirror Retreat.
One full day that belongs entirely to you. One stunning mirror to carry home. A deep dive into the meditative art of dotting.
Imagine a whole day with nothing pulling at you. No rushing, no screens, no list waiting in the other room. Just a light-filled studio, a table set with color, and the slow, steady rhythm of dot after dot forming something beautiful beneath your hands. This is the kind of day you find yourself thinking back on for weeks.
Together we build an intricate mandala around a mirror, one patient layer at a time. A full day gives us room to go so much deeper than an evening class ever could: color flow, symmetry, and the quiet focus that softens everything else in your mind. We pause for a shared lunch, we laugh a little, and by the golden hour you'll be holding a finished heirloom mirror you made entirely yourself, along with a calm you'll want to bottle and take home.
And if a piece this big feels intimidating, know that at our last retreat almost no one had painted anything this large before, and every single person went home with a mirror they were proud of. You do not need any experience. You only need to give yourself the day.
Spots are limited and tend to go quickly. A dedicated retreat page is on its way, for now you can reserve directly through the studio.
Fourteen dotters, one quiet studio, and a whole day of making something beautiful together. Here is a glimpse of the last one.
What to expect.
Every tool, brush, and paint is provided. Just bring yourself - and maybe a friend.
Total beginners are my favorite. I guide every step, and we go at your pace.
Most classes are project-based, so you walk out holding something finished and yours.
The rhythm of dotting quiets the mind. People arrive tense and leave lighter.
"I've made dot art every day for over ten years. Teaching it in person is my favorite part."
I'm Lina West. I'm a Ukrainian-born artist living in Northern California, a Certified Art Therapy Practitioner, and I've taught over 1,000 students online in 30+ countries. But nothing compares to being in the room with you - watching the moment a beginner realizes they can actually do this.
My classes are calm, unhurried, and warm. Come on your own for some quiet, or bring a friend and make an afternoon of it. Either way, you'll leave with something beautiful and the surprising feeling that a few hours of dots changed your whole day.
Before you come.
Give yourself one calm afternoon.
You'll leave with more than art.
Sacramento & Fair Oaks · All tools provided · hello@dotsbylina.com