Every budding artist has gone through it— we all know the struggle of trying to self-learn using the internet. You watch the videos, pause, rewind, try to mimic the instructor's strokes, only to realize that your painting looks more like a blobfish than a beautiful landscape. It might be frustrating but rest assured that every artist- and I do mean every one— has faced similar struggles. Learning art online may have its challenges, but with just a little bit of patience, lots and lots of practice, and some good old-fashioned trial and error, you'll be painting like a master in no time! And who knows, maybe one day you'll even laugh at those blobfish paintings as a cute reminder of how far you've come.
There are countless number of resources online— so many that sometimes it does get overwhelming. This is where courses come to the rescue with tailored lessons, carefully constructed curriculum, and most important, all at an affordable price point. Most of these courses are advertised very well and have become extremely popular throughout the years. A very good example would be the course platform, Skillshare. With its wide variety of courses, the question then would be, is Skillshare really worth the hype? Let’s go over the advantages and disadvantages of using cheap course platforms to learn digital art!
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Skillshare is a very popular option for beginners who wants to learn art online. It's where you can learn new skills, sharpen your talents, and unleash your inner artist, all while staying at a relatively cheap price point of $32 per month (compared to existing art courses out there). From painting to calligraphy to animation, Skillshare has a wide range of classes taught by real experts in their fields, so you can deep dive into any topic that you might want to learn next. And the best part? You can learn art at your own pace regardless of any prior plans and fit the classes to your own specific schedule.
On the one hand, Skillshare offers a wide variety of classes taught by experts already making name in the industry, allowing beginner to intermediate artists to learn new techniques and skills in a convenient online setting. As an addition, the community aspect of Skillshare provides opportunities for students to connect with other artists and receive feedback on their work.On the other hand, some disadvantages of using Skillshare for learning digital art include the potential for information overload and the lack of personalized instruction that caters to an individual student.
If you browse Skillshare, you’ll find you have so many classes and instructors available and that can sometimes result to it being difficult to know where to start or which classes are best suited for your specific goals, did you know there’s over 1834 classes on the topic of Procreate alone? If you search “Illustration”, you’d get a whopping 124,384 classes!
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Theres a heavy support for procreate users in Skillshare due to its accessibility, light learning curve and adaptability.  That’s more than enough to make anyone’s head roll in confusion! With multiple classes and students enrolling in those, Skillshare also makes it hard to get personalized feedback and mentoring specific to your needs as a budding artist.
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With that being said, it’s important to know your learning style before you willy nilly embark on a random course platform online. The way you learn and your preferred teaching style from your would-be mentor is key to learning art the best way possible. Let’s compare Skillshare courses to our very own Procreate Masterclass for example.
Our Procreate class offers fulltime access to easy to follow and in-depth lessons as well as freebies and bonuses for a one-time purchase. You can also be a part of a private group that supports each artist enrolling in the class.
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Now, some Skillshare courses might also offer a private group but while I can’t speak for those courses, it’s not uncommon for class groups to eventually be drowned in noise when unmoderated properly. If you’re a fan of co-working and/or sharing your progress with a responsive group of people, then our Procreate Masterclass might just be the thing for you! However, if you’re more of a lone wolf and prefer to learn on your own then Skillshare courses could work just as well.
To sum it all up, when it comes to learning Procreate on Skillshare, there are some potential drawbacks to consider. One of the main challenges you’ll face is the overwhelming volume of content available on the website. With so many classes and tutorials to choose from, it can be frustrating and difficult to know where to start. Additionally, some instructors may not have the same level of expertise as others, which can lead to inconsistent quality in the courses.
Another drawback is the lack of personalized instruction. While Skillshare does offer a community aspect where students can connect with each other and receive feedback, it's not the same as having a dedicated instructor who can provide individualized guidance and support. This can be particularly challenging for beginners who may need more one-on-one attention to master the basics.
Finally, you should note that Skillshare is a subscription-based service, which means that you would need to pay a monthly fee to access the courses you need. While this can be a cost-effective way to learn Procreate, it may not be the best fit for everyone, especially those who are trying to manage learning on a budget.
Despite these potential drawbacks, Skillshare can still be a valuable resource for those looking to learn Procreate. By approaching the platform with realistic expectations and a willingness to put in the time and effort, users can improve their skills and create stunning digital art.
There you have it! With all these pros and cons laid out, of course the final decision is ultimately up to you so make sure to consider all the factors so you can become a pro in no time!
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Courses and brushes by Freya Kotchakorn helped mored than 10.000 students excel in Procreate drawings.
