15 Creative Online Classes to Spark Your Imagination This Month

Stock Photos from WAYHOME studio/Shutterstock
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With the holidays just around the corner and 2020 not far away, you’re probably thinking about two things. The first is what to get your favorite people for this gift-giving season. The other is finalizing your New Year’s resolution (or resolutions). We’ve got a simple answer for both your conundrums: creative online classes. Online art, photography, and business classes are an easy way to learn something new from the convenience of your own home.

So, if you’re still trying to find the perfect present, why not give the gift of education? Bluprint and CreativeLive both offer subscription services that can be given as gifts which provides someone access to literally thousands of classes. It will be exciting to see what they learn over the course of a month or even a year.

Make 2020 your year by taking online classes to support you in your creative resolutions. There are plenty of courses for beginners in every field as well as nuanced subjects that will help you expand your knowledge of painting, drawing, and beyond. CreativeLive also offers practical business courses that cover topics including pricing your work and marketing.

Scroll down for our pick of classes and relish in all of the incredible possibilities that await you and your loved ones.

Give someone the gift of education or get yourself prepared for your New Year’s resolutions with creative online classes. Scroll down to see our picks for this month.

Stock Photos from Golubovy/Shutterstock

Photography

Getting Started in Music Photography, CreativeLive — Photographer Todd Owyoung will introduce you to the business of music photography when you work with bands, albums, and venues. He’ll also share his wisdom on pricing your time and licensing your images as well as how to make your photographs look “mainstream”—no matter how small or grungy a venue might be.

Beginner’s Guide to Bird Photography, CreativeLive — Learn to photograph birds in your backyard and beyond. In this course, instructor Ben Knoot will impart the importance of researching your subject and how to interact with a variety of birds.

Lightroom and Photoshop for Landscape Photography, CreativeLive — So you’ve shot your fantastic landscape images, now what you do? See how Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop can take your images to the next level via post-processing.

Posing for Curvy Women, CreativeLive — Highlight the best features of your full-figured and curvier clients by knowing how to accent their lines and create beautiful silhouettes. Fashion photographer Lindsay Adler will give you the foundation you need to make your clients feel their best in front of your lens.

Tabletop Product Photography, CreativeLive — If you run an online shop, you know the importance of great photography. Don Giannatti will introduce you to tabletop lighting and some of the tools you’ll need to make your products look visually appealing.

Flat Lay Your Life, Bluprint — Flat lay-style photos are all over Instagram. Learn how to craft these beautiful scenes to tell your story. Best of all— you only need a smartphone.

Photo: Ryan McGuire

Arts & Crafts

Map Embroidery Sampler, Bluprint — Learn embroidery stitches when you sew on pre-printed map fabric. It’s a great way to practice the basics and have a display piece when you’re done.

Abstract Painting in Oil & Wax, Bluprint — Incorporate wax into your oil painting with guidance from Kristen Abbott. She’ll show you the process step-by-step and introduce you to techniques that can be used in future projects. And if you’re thinking this is for advanced painters, think again—beginners are welcome.

The Art of Creative Watercolor: Color Schemes, Bluprint — Look at color in a whole new way when you create your own “ideal color palette.” Then, use these hues to produce your own charming illustrations.

Sketching Essentials in Graphite, Bluprint — If you’ve always wanted to sketch buildings on location but feel intimidated, have no fear. This class will help you figure out what you want to draw, how to crop an image, and how big your final drawing should be. In addition, you’ll learn tips and tricks that will make it easier to draw with accuracy.

Paint With Paper: Impressionist Collage, Bluprint — It’s possible to make Impressionist-inspired work without the use of paint. Just look at magazine pages! Artist Shara Oliman uses pieces of paper as brushstrokes and will demonstrate how to layer colors and textures into your own masterpiece.

Hand-Lettering for Beginners, Bluprint — You don’t have to be a graphic designer to produce gorgeous hand lettering. In this class taught by Adam Vicarel, he shares a step-by-step approach to creating beautiful letterforms.

Stock Photos from Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock

Creative Careers

Etsy 101: Launch Your Handmade Shop, CreativeLive — Is one of your goals for 2020 to finally open your own Etsy shop? Before you do that, take this class to make sure you’re making the most of this e-commerce site.

Simple Email Marketing for Makers, CreativeLive — Email marketing is one of the most powerful tools that a small business can have. Learn how to build an effective email campaign that will drive people to your store and result in sales.

Raise Your Perceived Value: Increase Your Prices, CreativeLive — Pricing can be a struggle. Learn how to raise the perceived value of your product so that any price increase justifies itself.

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