Why Skillshare Art Classes Saved Me

Rigby Co.'s painting from Peggy Dean's Skillshare course.

Skillshare art classes have been an invaluable outlet for me to hone in my skills and alleviate the pressure of producing original content day-to-day. Sharpening your skills as a creative individual carries a weight of expectations on oneself. I recommend using Skillshare art classes to improve, relieve the pressure on yourself, and grow – here’s why. 

It isn’t easy balancing life and creativity. Burnout, lack of motivation, and creative ruts are all too real – these obstacles not only hinder creation but also lead to frustration. Skillshare rekindled my artistic hunger because it is easy to tap into whenever I need help learning a new skill or freshening up an old one. 

As artists, we need things to be accessible and inspiring. I've found that Skillshare excels in both respects and more.


Quality Virtual Courses Taught By Great Teachers

A screen capture of Skillshare's home screen when logged in.

Engaging in a one-on-one virtual classroom has its perks. Skillshare finds instructors with proven expertise across various mediums. These artists teach with genuine dedication to nurture your growth; you may even recognize some familiar faces along the way! One of the most exciting aspects of exploring through the diverse classes is encountering individuals who truly inspire, leaving a lasting impact on you. People like Lisa Glanz, Sara Boccaccini Meadows, Jazza, or Andy J. Pizza.

The variety of courses available on Skillshare is vast. Even within a niche, like gouache, you find someone who specializes in portraits, another who specializes in landscapes, and instructors specializing in portraits, landscapes, and classes delving into highly specific skill sets within the medium.

As an artist, you might also be looking for business skills or marketing know-how. The possibilities are endless and remarkably helpful.

Community of Students Who Also Want to Grow

These courses don’t have to be solitary from other students, you’ll find opportunities to showcase your work in the art courses. Once you’ve gone through all of the videos, you’ll be able to publish your piece for other people to see as well as view other students' submissions. Upon completing the videos, you can share your creations for others to admire and peruse fellow students' submissions. Scrolling through these feeds of submitted artworks is remarkably gratifying and reveals some of the potential that others have unearthed within the course. It serves as inspiration for you to explore more of what you learned from the instructor.

Skillshare simplifies the process of finding the right class. You can filter through classes by topic, duration, skills, and more. For artists balancing skill development alongside a full-time job, having the flexibility to discover a course that fits within your schedule can be incredibly empowering. The option to find longer courses that take you more in-depth is also important when developing skill sets.

Overcoming Art-Block

Rekindling creative motivation has its roadblocks. One of the most fulfilling parts of finishing a Skillshare art class is that you have a tangible creation you can take pride in. There are even times when you might finish a course and be inspired to begin your own project using your newfound skills.

After completing Peggy Dean’s Wildflower Wonderland: A Gouache Painting Adventure, I felt compelled to recreate a scene from one of my favorite shows. While painting scenes from cartoons isn’t my typical forte, the course from Skillshare was so inspiring that I felt confident in applying those skill sets to a familiar scene close to my heart, further solidifying all that I had learned. If you love, “Over the Garden Wall,” you can see the painting here.

If you’re an artist, I wholeheartedly endorse tapping into the wellspring that is Skillshare. There are numerous education subscriptions out there, and many of them have a lot to offer. For me, Skillshare stands out as one of the best, consistently delivering courses that captivate and satisfy. The instructors Skillshare selects to lead their courses are not only motivating and supportive but genuinely vested in seeing others hone their skills and shine.

Gouache painting of Wirt and Gregory from Over the Garden Wall entering Pottsfield.

My Personal Experience with Skillshare

I genuinely believe in the power of this platform. As a creator juggling full-time employment with artistic pursuits on the side, I feel inspired and grateful to have a reliable resource to sharpen my talents.

For anyone looking to expand their knowledge, share their works alongside other talented art students, or overcome artistic stagnation, Skillshare is a great place to start.

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Developing Your Art Side Hustle

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What is Cozy Art? Embracing the Whimsical Movement