See what it really takes to finish paintings with clarity, confidence, and intention in Painting the Last 10%.

This series of videos brings you inside the studio and right to the easel, where I talk through the thinking, decision-making, and problem-solving that goes into finishing a painting.

Scott Christensen Painting the Last 10%

Finishing a painting isn’t about one final step - it’s a way of thinking, decision-making, and problem-solving.

What does it actually take to bring a painting to completion (and working through that “I want to throw this across the room” stage)?

In AOP: Painting the Last 10%, I finish a series of paintings in real time, talking through each decision, obstacle, and adjustment along the way.

Scott Christensen Painting the Last 10% Wave Scene

I filmed these 15 videos to give you insight into that elusive final stage of painting, helping you see that there is no one best way. (And that yes, sometimes we have to go back to the drawing board and re-work sections to get it to go where we want it to.)

This isn’t a formula for finishing. It’s a way of thinking through the relationships between shapes, edges, values, and ideas. It’s about assessing what’s working (and what’s not working), and asking: What if I pushed this further?

Whether you’re refining your work or trying to figure out how to know when a piece is done, this series of videos will walk you through how I approach orchestration, painterly problem-solving, and decision-making at the easel.

Scott Christensen painting autumn aspens for Painting the Last 10% | Online art course | Adventure of Painting

Here’s what’s included:

  • Over 4 1/2 hours of content across 15 videos, focused entirely on the finishing process

  • Real-time footage of me working at the easel

  • Honest breakdowns of how I assess, adjust, and complete a piece

  • Practical insights into orchestration, massing, edges, and cohesion

  • Can be taken independently, though Signature Course alumni will recognize recurring concepts

  • Lifetime access to all content (“Lifetime” refers to the lifetime of the course, or as long as the course is available.)

The course is perfect for artists ready to explore how to finish their work with more clarity and purpose.

Scott Christensen painting the last 10% of a gouache creek scene | Adventure of Painting

Finish strong. Solve real-time problems.

$350 one-time payment, lifetime* access

*”Lifetime” in our case refers to the lifetime of the course, or as long as the course is available.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • No. These videos aren’t tutorials that walk you through a single painting or a complete “how-to” for one painting. Instead, I show you how I finish multiple paintings, sharing the thinking behind each move, adjustment, and rework in real time. There are multiple ways to finish a painting and I wanted to show you a variety of those ways!

  • The videos range from 5 minutes to just over an hour, with over 4 1/2 hours of content total. Each video shows a particular part of the finishing process, offering a close-up look at my decision-making process. 

  • No, but it helps to know the "language" and concepts I use in AOP so my decision-making process makes sense. If you’ve completed the Signature Course, you’ll have a stronger grasp of the foundational concepts I refer to. 

    If you’re newer to the AOP framework, you might want to start with the Signature Course and come back to Painting the Last 10% when you're ready to dive into finishing work more deeply.

  • It’s a phrase we use to describe the often subtle but always essential stage of painting where everything starts to come together... or fall apart. It’s about orchestration, edge management, adjusting relationships between masses, and making sure your idea carries through to the finish.

  • Yes, and no. There’s no one formula for “done.” But what this course does offer is a window into how to see your work more clearly, ask yourself better questions, and recognize that tipping point between refining and overworking.

    I've also included a "Questions to Finish a Painting" checklist in the course to help you more deeply understand where your painting is in the process!

  • Not at all. While the content is thoughtful and nuanced, and I go in-depth into AOP concepts, the real requirement is curiosity. If you're wondering how to finish a painting with more intention and less second-guessing, this course is for you.

  • No, the videos are hosted online in your course portal so you can watch them whenever, wherever you have internet access.