How many of you have thought about learning a new art skill but have zero patience (or time) to sit through a 4 hour class? Maybe there are no in-person classes near you, or maybe they’re too expensive. Whatever the case may be, I know the feeling.

In my case, it’s patience. I don’t have the attention span of going through a long class where the artist just rambles for 40 minutes about how they got started. It feels like a sales page. Except there’s no “click here” button to move on to the start of the actual class. Don’t get me wrong, I want to know your story, but I want that story to be 3 minutes or less. This is why I keep my introductions for my workshops super short. They’re here to learn about art, not my life story. 

Because of this, I have listed my ultimate favorite classes on Skillshare that are around or less than 60 minutes for you to try out. I have a long list of favorite classes and some are around 2 hours. In order to keep you engaged in class, I chose the shortest ones. Some are just 30  minutes long! There’s also a link with a special promotion for you to snag by 10/01/2023. I know it’s a short time, but hey, we work with what we got! So here are my faves. Enjoy!

Watercolor: Loose Florals for Beginners

Instructor: Lisa Lam

Description: Learn the basics of watercolor painting and create beautiful loose floral painting.  She uses basic tools you can buy online, which means that you don’t need to spend hundreds on fancy and expensive watercolor paint. If you look at the project section, her students posted beautiful work, which convinced me to take her class because it meant it was easy enough for me at the time.  This class is perfect for beginners looking to explore watercolor in a short time. The length of the class was also a big plus, as I cannot sit through any class for more than 90 min!

Duration: 30 min

Hand Lettering Techniques – 5 Ways to create better work

Instructor: Mary Kate McDevitt

If you don’t know Mary Kate, you better get acquainted. Her work is beautiful and you will be inspired throughout her classes to do beautiful work too. She’s very talented and I have been following her on IG for years. My career in lettering wasn’t as fortunate (I lack some serious discipline here), but I’m always mesmerized by the stuff she creates. Discover the fundamentals of hand lettering, including creating alphabets and adding style to your letters. Ideal for those interested in adding a personal touch to their artwork or projects.

Duration: 55 min

Digital Illustration: Drawing With shapes and layers

Instructor: Roman Muradov

He makes the drawing process much simpler and less chaotic. You can use your iPad (Procreate) or you can follow along with just paper and pencil, as his techniques can be used in either medium. One more class I added to my list that helped speed up my own design process even if I was doing work that was just for myself  and for any clients. 

Duration: 40 minutes

Modern Watercolor Wreaths Florals: 3 Ways

Instructor: Amarilys Henderson

If you have not seen her work, please do yourself a favor and type “Watercolor Devo” online. Well, at least it used to be her handle but now her account is just her beautiful name to match her beautiful work. She has the brightest and most colorful painting and it’s hard not wanting to be like her (in the best way possible, because she’s so talented). AAAND she creates things out of nothing. Paint splatter? Here’s a flower. No kidding, it’s maddening. She has a happy style, and I’m all about that. 

Duration: About 50 minutes

How to draw a Gingerbread house in Procreate

Instructor: Jennifer Nichols

Jennifer has a TON of classes and there’s a good chance I took all of them. Some are longer, but most of them run for about an hour. She is thorough to the max, meaning even the most absolute beginner can follow along and make awesome work. She works in Procreate and she’s one of the few artists I know that uses less layers. She likes to make a work look less digital even though it’s all done on the iPad. She has an ornament class too, so if you’re already in the holiday mood, take that one as well! 

Duration: Around 55 minutes

Anyone can Watercolor

Instructor: Yasmina Creates

Another artist that I took all the classes. I started watching her classes way before i got an iPad and could not wait until she released the next class. She has the best cute animals, and she teaches how to paint them by drawing simple shapes. Everything is based on simple shapes, which is a genius concept if you ask me. Her work is definitely more relaxed but using vibrant colors, so anyone can do it. However, the end result looks anything but simple, so definitely check her out!

Duration: Approximately 25 minutes

Design and Prepare digital Art for Print on Demand

Instructor: Cat Coq

If you don’t know Cat (can I call you that Cat? LOL), i have only one question for you: Where have you all been? Jokes aside, she’s probably the most popular digital nomad in the art community. She travels full time. No one is jealous here and if you want to follow her, she will show you a glimpse of her life on the road, sometimes in Mexico, sometimes in Asia. She just had an art retreat and I don’t want to talk about the fact I didn’t go. This class teaches about how to design a seamless pattern in Procreate that you can then apply to a lot of products. She also teaches business things for those of you who want to dabble into selling your work. You’ll fall in love with her art style and her blue nails. 

Duration: About 59 minutes

Design a Hand lettered font on your iPad

Instructor: Liz Kohler Brown

If you read one of my previous blogs I talk about a lazy way to make money as a calligrapher and it was by making fonts. I learned to make fonts in this class. She has soothing voice so you will never get tired of her classes. It’s like a double therapeutic whammy, a calming sound with a relaxing activity. You will need your iPad and an app (free) called iFont. Proceed with caution however: making fonts is kind of addictive and so are her classes. 

Duration: 69 min (just a tad over, so I couldn’t skip it)

Modern Acrylic Painting: Create an Abstract Spring Floral with Tons of Texture

Instructor: Amie Murray

If you like art with texture and even with a hint of a 3D feel, this class is perfect for you. It’s easy to follow, and the end product is often stunning, ready to be hung somewhere in your home. Looking to create something for your office? This class will guide you through an amazing pierce of work that you will definitely be proud to display. The best is that it is all about abstract painting while you still paint flowers. This means, no expert skills necessary! 

Duration: Approximately 50 minutes

Drawing & Digital Illustration: Create Cute Animal Characters In Procreate 

Instructor: Alexandra Finta, AKA The Artmother

I love all of her classes, but my absolute favorite are the character design ones. She works on Procreate, and luckily she has this cute character design class that goes for about 67 min. All of her other classes are longer but oh so well worth the watching time!  I love her color choices and makes everything so happy and lively! Make sure to look through her student’s projects and see what everyone is creating, you’ll definitely get inspired! 

Duration: About 67 minutes

Skillshare boasts a vast and diverse catalog of courses covering categories like design, art, photography, writing, marketing, technology, entrepreneurship, and more. This extensive range enables learners to explore their interests and professional growth, making it suitable for creatives, hobbyists, and professionals alike.

What really sets these classes apart is its hands-on, action-packed learning style. No snoozefest lectures here; it’s all about rolling up your sleeves and getting stuff done. You’ll be throwing down on projects, which means you’ll be learning by doing. And let’s be real, that’s the best way to level up.

And of course I can’t finish this up without leaving the link to all these classes. This link is good until Oct 1, 2023 for 40% off their annual membership. That’s right, almost half off. 

So if you’re ready to try all of these (and many other) classes, just click below to get started. If you post any projects online, let me know! I’d love to see what you create!

Get ONE MONTH FREE plus 40% OFF of your first year for the month of October (2023)