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Did you ever wish you had taken that drawing class? Or learned how to photograph beautiful blooms? It’s never too late to follow your whims and enjoy a new creative endeavor. In fact, it’s easier than ever with online art and photography classes. Thanks to sites like CreativeLive and Creativebug, you can take a variety of courses that will show you how to do everything from mixing paint colors to creating fantasy worlds in Photoshop.
There are thousands of e-courses to try, and it can be daunting to try and choose just one. Luckily, you don’t have to. For a flat monthly fee, you can try as many classes as you'd like. This gives you the freedom to experiment with different fields of creativity and to build on your skills. Who knows, it could even lead you down a whole new path you wouldn’t have tried otherwise. And with helpful business classes, you can turn your exploration into a viable side hustle (or more).
Ready to get learning? Check out a selection of online creative classes to try, below.
Spark your creative spirit with online art and photography classes. Scroll down to see our course picks.
Photography
Photographing Challenging Features, CreativeLive — As a photographer, you want to flatter everyone that steps in front of your lens. Instructor Lindsay Adler shares how to understand the face and body as well as the photographic tools that will make your subjects look their best.
Retouching & Adobe Photoshop Techniques, CreativeLive — Portrait photographers often retouch photos, and in this class you’ll learn the essential techniques for how to do so. This includes changing colors, incorporating textures, and even doing things like adding makeup.
Using Lightroom to Fix Bad Lighting, CreativeLive — Lighting can be fickle. Luckily, there is Adobe Lightroom to help you transform your less-than-optimal lighting into the sun-drenched images you want. Matt Kloskowski shows his favorite techniques in this class.
The Art of Seeing: Macro Techniques for Flowers and Plants, CreativeLive — Macro photography brings out the often-overlooked details in nature. With the help of photographer Frans Lanting, you’ll learn approaches that allow you to bring these elements forward.
Creating Impact in a Dull Space, CreativeLive — In 90 minutes, Brooke Shaden will show you how to create compelling portraits with a simple black backdrop and a window of natural light.
Using Composite Photography to Create a Fantasy World, CreativeLive — Compositing techniques in Photoshop are a way to craft surreal, fantastical worlds. This course emphasizes creativity and imagination while showing you practical approaches that will help make your vision a reality.
Art & Crafts
Drawing Essentials: Composition and Perspective, Creativebug — Whether you’re an absolute beginner or just want a refresher, illustrator Molly Hatch shares the fundamentals for adding depth to your drawings and how to create a great composition.
Playing with Watercolor: Mixing Colors and Creating Charts, Creativebug — This is an essential class if you’re interested in watercolor painting. Lindsay Stripling shows how to craft a color chart with your own tints and shades to prepare you for your next work of art. As a bonus, she also demonstrates ways to clean up your workspace and how to care for your tools.
Creative Doodling: Get Your Doodle On, Creativebug — Do you find doodling daunting? In this course, you’ll learn an approach to doodling using basic marks and techniques while understanding how to gain creative inspiration if you're feeling stuck.
Painting Watercolor Pet Portraits, Creativebug — Immortalize your furry friends through watercolor pet portraits. Artist Christine Aria demonstrates her “fail-proof technique” for painting animals, from choosing the right photograph to adding realistic details.
Daily Lettering Challenge: 30 Days of Lettering with Sakura, Creativebug — Improve your lettering in this challenging course taught by Michaela Yee of Sakura. She shares techniques of how to use a variety of Sakura pens, as well as styles of lettering to try.
Playing with Acrylic Mediums, Creativebug — Maybe you’ve tried acrylic painting, but what about acrylic mediums? In this series, Lisa Solomon will walk you through how to try a variety of mediums from textured impasto surfaces to smooth finishes.
Creative Entrepreneurship
Product Line Strategy: Expand Your Offerings, CreativeLive — To sustain a handmade business, you’ll need a range of product offerings. Learn how to develop a line of goods that make sense for your brand—and do so in a smart, business-savvy way.
Social Media Assets with Adobe InDesign, CreativeLive — If you’re running a business, you know how important social media is. Make sure that your social platforms are in line with your brand by taking this class.
Bookkeeping for Crafters, Creative Live — Managing your company’s finances doesn’t have to be overwhelming! In Bookkeeping for Crafters, you’ll gain the skills to maintain your own ledger.
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