Learning New Skills

One of the most valuable steps you can take as an artist is to continue learning and growing your creative skillset. By investing in your artistic education, you’ll improve your techniques, learn time-saving shortcuts, keep up with the latest trends, expand your portfolio, widen your artist network, and so much more. And now more than ever, the Internet has made it easier to hone your craft and learn new skills––no matter where you are or how much free time you have. 

Sites like CreativeLive, MasterClass, Domestika, Udemy, and CreativeBug offer thousands of e-courses covering various disciplines, including classes on fine arts, photography, graphic design, ceramic art, and more. Whether you’re an experienced artist or brand new to the art world, there are courses available to fit every skill level, delivered by leading professionals. The best part? These online courses make it possible to dive into a new artistic field at your own pace, whenever and wherever you want. Learn new painting techniques, graphic design skills, or hone your drawing skills with a fun, affordable art class at your leisure. 

Here are our top five recommendations for the best online artist education resources out there. Whether you want to improve your artistic skills, get feedback from other artists, or if you’re simply feeling inspired to try something new, these are the best websites to help you learn and grow as an artist.

CreativeLive

This online platform is dedicated exclusively to courses in the arts, with thousands of classes in art, design, crafts, music, and more. Students can learn at their own pace through videos, practice materials, and class assignments. CreativeLive is great for those who are always on the go, as you can download and watch the course videos from anywhere on your computer or phone. The site even has an option for students to upload their artwork for public review after taking the class. CreativeLive allows you to buy courses individually, sign up for a monthly subscription, or live stream classes for free. 

Cost: Starting at $13/month for a subscription 

MasterClass 

Want to learn from the masters? MasterClass has you covered with over 100 courses taught by world-class experts in their field. So that means indulging in an abstract art seminar with Futura, a filmmaking masterclass with David Lynch, or perhaps a photography workshop by Annie Liebovitz. Each MasterClass course has an average of 20 lessons with about 10 minutes of teaching time per lesson. MasterClass gives you the option to purchase an All-Access Pass, which gives you entry into any course on the site.

Cost: Starting at $15/month for a subscription (billed annually) 

Domestika

Whether you want to improve your artistic skills to advance your career or simply have a desire to learn more about the discipline, Domestika has a class for you. The courses are professionally produced and cover a range of subjects, from illustration and design to character modeling and architectural sketching. Domestika is a fantastic place to network and join a growing community of artists from around the world. The platform offers a “PRO” membership, which includes access to open courses, a discount on additional classes, personalized certificates signed by the teacher, curated content and resources, and unlimited messaging within the Domestika network. 

Cost: $59/year for a membership (individual classes are $44.90/class)

Udemy

Udemy is a popular online learning platform with over 130,000 courses that can help you advance your career or learn a new skill. In addition to hosting a plethora of business and professional development courses, Udemy offers thousands of art, design, and photography courses for students of all skill levels. Udemy’s painting courses, which range from beginner to master, cover a variety of media, including acrylic, watercolor, oil, and digital painting. With Udemy, students have the option to purchase courses à la carte or enroll in a monthly subscription that gives unlimited access to 5,500+ courses. 

Cost: $30/month for a subscription (individual classes start around $20/class)

Creativebug

This site is a learning goldmine for creatives and offers thousands of arts and crafts classes, with new classes added daily. Creativebug is owned by JOANN Fabric and Craft Stores, with premium members receiving in-store discounts. The professionally-produced courses are taught by expert artists and creators and range from visual arts to crafts to baking. Lessons come with downloadable patterns and templates. Creativebug is unique in that it also features galleries and forums so that you can connect with instructors and fellow students. 

Cost: Starting at $7.95/month (with the option for a free trial) 

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