Drawing & Painting

Making Connections from Home > Drawing & Painting

This is a list of online courses, mentorship platforms and events which centre around drawing and painting. We’ve divided the page into free and paid options and highlighted what topics you can learn through each resource.

If you know of any service that should be on here, please let us know by filling out this form.

Free options

Online Group

Guideposts “Art and Start”

• Guideposts’ group for anyone interested in art
• The group meets on zoom on Wednesdays at 11am
• Contact Lin, 07803 175416 or email [email protected] to join.

Activity ideas 

Create to Connect 

http://dothinkshare.com/creative-inspiration/create-to-connect/

• Daily creative challenges that were created during Lockdown in March-May 2020, and now available to download

FirstSite – Artist Packs 

https://firstsite.uk/art-is-where-the-home-is-programme/

• Sign up to receive regular artist activity packs 
• Packs are open to all abilities and require no special equipment 

Rural Arts North Yorkshire 

https://www.facebook.com/pg/ruralartsnorthyorkshire/posts/

• Daily inspiring activities to do at home 
• A calendar of creative workshops over video chat to take part in 

Art Branches Creative Challenges 

https://www.facebook.com/Art-Branches-Creative-Challenge-109960313983976/

• Another Facebook group anyone can join 
• 30 days of nature related creative challenges to do at home 

The Holborn Museum – Pathways to Wellbeing 

https://www.holburne.org/learning/community-engagement/pathways-to-wellbeing/

• Weekly creative activities to take part in with a focus on wellbeing 
• Complete yours by the deadline and it will be shared on their instagram page! 

Courses

Bob Ross – The Joy of Painting

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxcnsr1R5Ge_fbTu5ajt8DQ

• This is the most popular art course in the world, presented by celebrated artist Bobb Ross.
• Suitable for all levels from beginner to advanced.

CTRL+ C

https://www.ctrlpaint.com/

• A free digital painting course that can turn you into a pro at photoshop.
• Hundreds of videos sorted in order in clear sections

Photography Basics and Beyond

https://www.coursera.org/specializations/photography-basics?action=enroll

• A free 5-course programme hosted on Coursera
• Go from the absolute basics in photography to going pro

Toad Hollow Studio

http://www.toadhollowstudio.com/wp_blog/online-drawing-lessons-videos-exercises/

• A huge set of drawing tutorials in blog form, with videos and exercises to complete

How To Draw It

https://www.howtodrawit.com/

• Simple and short lessons on how to draw a wide range of animals and people
• Animals are sorted alphabetically

Free Online Art Classes

https://www.free-online-art-classes.com/

• A huge range of free art classes  – from pencils, acrylics, watercolour, to oil painting, fabric printing, and collage 

Love Life Drawing

https://www.lovelifedrawing.com/tutorials/

• Lots of free video courses on life drawing

The Virtual Instructor

https://thevirtualinstructor.com/

• Over 1300 art lessons for free
• Live lessons streamed each week – but they start very late, at 1 in the morning!

The Creative Live

https://www.creativelive.com/onair?via=site-header_0

• Free live-streamed art classes – great for if you want a set time that you’ll be learning
• You can also ask the teacher questions during the class

ArtyFactory

https://www.artyfactory.com/art-lessons.html

• Wide range of niche courses including Aboriginal art, African masks, and Ancient Egyptian art alongside portrait drawing, still life and animal drawing.
• Lots of lessons too on art history, art time periods and famous artists

Paid-for options

Art Tutor

www.arttutor.com

• High-quality courses and individual lessons delivered by curated artists
• Beginner courses as well as in-depth courses for more advanced drawers
• Purchase courses individually or get access to all courses through the “All access” package
• Dedicated platform for sharing your artwork with others and getting their feedback
• Courses include: Drawing, Acrylics, Watercolours, Pastels

Udemy

https://www.udemy.com/courses/lifestyle/arts-and-crafts/

• Affordable courses for all levels that start from about £10
• Courses include: Drawing. Acrylics, Watercolours

SkillShare

https://www.skillshare.com/browse/art

• A wide range of courses available if you sign up to Skillshare premium for a monthly cost
• Not just art courses – other courses too
• Courses include: Drawing, Acrylics, Watercolours

London Art College

https://www.londonartcollege.co.uk/

• Courses include: Drawing, Painting, Graphic design, Illustration, History of art, Photography 
• Structured art courses with a diploma at the end
• High-quality teachers
• Discount on Derwent art products

New Masters Academy

https://www.nma.art/

• An online art academy featuring over 1,200 hours of videos from beginner to advanced
• Subscription-based.
• Subscribing gives you access to the tutorials, as well as thousands of reference images, and the ability to join a community of other art learners via social media.

Open College of the Arts

https://www.oca.ac.uk/

• A non-profit institution in the UK offering foundation-level and degree-level courses at a small cost compared to other universities
• Courses include: Drawing, Painting Photography, Textiles, Interior Design, Creative Writing and Music