The Best Art Courses Offer All 5 of These Things
What Will Leave You Satisfied in Your Art Courses
There are tons of art courses out there and, to add a bit of confusion, there are tons of types of art courses. Courses can meet only once, every week, or require a year-long commitment. Art courses can be tailored to beginners, professionals, and all the artists in between. They can be affiliated with a degree program or be workshops that a professional artist is simply offering at a specific place and time.
So it is a smorgasbord of choice for you and that is great! But no matter what type of class you are leaning toward, before you make a commitment, be sure to find out if you’ll get access to the things we discuss below. Each of these goes into making an art course fulfilling for the student and proof that the techniques and instruction you get will be top notch!
1. Explanation of Tools and Materials
Getting an orientation in the art tools and supplies you are working with is crucial when you are starting out. It is equally important if you are learning how to use a new tool. Any art courses you take should start with guidance around the tools you will be using, what they are capable of, and how to get the most out of them.
If you don’t see that in the course you are considering, it may be too advanced for you or part of a series where such foundational info was provided in an earlier class.
2. Multiple Approaches
Not everyone learns the same way. That goes for math, sewing, or art. When you are reading through descriptions of art courses, look for language that indicates multiple ways of working. If you are able to make contact with the instructor, great. Ask if they will show you how to come at a technique in different ways. This will help make things click for you. If not through the first way then through subsequent approaches.
3. Several Ways to Access Instruction
You can take art classes online or in person, but either way you should have access to multiple forms of instruction. If it is an online class, you should be able to communicate with the instructor and other students directly via text or email. If you are attending a workshop in person, there should be handouts or notes for the instructor sent to you beforehand or provided in the class. The best class, no matter where it is held, gives you all of these. Then you can have notes, conversation, live demos, and even recorded sessions at your disposal.
4. Showing You What’s Next
All throughout a class, the instructor should be offering you ways forward. That way you can use what you are learning as a building block. If you are really thriving, do you go to an advanced class in the same medium? If you want to sell your work, how do you put it online? Information on what could come next is the other half of what you want from an instructor. Their experience and knowledge is vast and can help guide you toward what comes next.
5. Access to Feedback
Getting feedback is sometimes an intimidating prospect for an artist, whether a beginner or more advanced. But feedback and guidance — from tips along the way to final assessments at the close of a class — will really keep you on the right track. They also make your experience in an art course more enriching. Look at the structure of the class and see if feedback is a part of the course package. If it isn’t, ask the instructor if they offer feedback along the way.
Feedback allows for constructive moments between a mentor or teacher and their student. You learn more about yourself and your skills, and are put on a path forward with those insights. That’s the kind of attitude you want to see in any art course you take.
Join the Conversation!