Skillshare, as a multi-passionate creative, this app is like a candy store! I am always dipping into something new and picking up new skills which is why I love it so.
I want to share with you 5 of my favorite classes and why I love the app so much.
But first…
A quick disclaimer, the links in the post are referral links which means that you get your first month free and so do if you sign up. Win-win!
What is Skillshare?
Skillshare is an online community of creatives teaching all kinds of classes. The majority of the classes are taught by professionals in their field. One of the reasons that I love it is that often these professionals give insider tips and tricks that you wouldn’t pick up through endless YouTube videos.
They often share their personal workflows, product development systems and their own shortcuts and hacks.
Can kids use it too?
I think it depends on the age and ability of the child and the kind of class. For older kids tweens/teens definitely, it might not be the best suited for younger kids. Maybe try classes on Outschool instead. (You can get a $20 with this link). If you want to know what we used for homeschooling, check out this post…
What type of classes do Skillshare have?
A lot of in the creative fields, design, photography, crafts, art etc. They also have tech subjects, using WordPress, and coding in various languages. There is also a collection of mindset, lifestyle and business classes. They have recently added classes with famous people too from cooking to animation.
How does it work?
I have an annual subscription, there is a monthly version too. Plus with this link, you get the first month free so you can try it out first. Then you just log in and do a search for the subject you are interested in.
I tend to do a search and bookmark the classes that look interesting. Then watch their intro video. Like everything, you won’t love all of the teachers! Sometimes I will remove a class because the teacher doesn’t do it for me but for the most part, I stick to the class.
Most of the courses are split into short lessons, which is great if you’re a mom because there is always something or someone ready to interrupt you! It also means you can sneak in a 10-minute session here and 5 minutes there.
Then when you next log in, the system tracks where you were up to so it’s really easy to pick up where you left off.
There are literally thousands of classes on Skillshare which might be a bit daunting. I usually decide what I want to learn before logging in which helps me decide on a class.
Some of my favourite Skillshare classes to date…
Most of these are in the creative field and I’m usually looking to upgrade a skill and/or learn how to use a piece of software. If you have Procreate on your iPad there are some amazing classes which are project-based and I learned so much through working on the class projects.
Beginner’s Course on Adobe Illustrator on the iPad with New Adobe 2022 Features with Tim Wilson
I am trying to get my very rusty Illustrator skills back in form and found Tims’s way of teaching very clear. He takes his time to show you how the different functions work and has created projects so that you get to practice the different functions and methods that he shows you.
I’m currently halfway through the second course in this set.
The Perfect 100 Day Project: Your Guide to Explosive Creative Growth with Rich Armstrong
This class is great if you are feeling creatively blocked or just a bit stuck on what to do next. Rich shares his ideas and view on how to do a 100 Day Project without getting hung up on perfectionism. I did this class when I first go my iPad and wanted to get into the habit of using Procreate every day. Me and my son also did a project together which was also fun.
We also both enjoyed Rich’s Make Fun GIFs & Videos class.
Procreate for Beginners: Learn the Basics & Sell Your Artwork with Cat Coquillette
Cat Coquillette is a surface pattern designer and she shares some great insights into the world of pattern design. I have done more than just this class with her but this is the one I recommend to get started with. She gives good practical advice on what size to make your artwork if you plan to sell it as a printed product and I love how she shares her process.
She also teams up with other creators and many of her classes have a freebie, I now have several great procreate brushes thanks to Cat’s classes!
Joyful Abstracts with Acrylic Painting with Jessi Raulet AKA EttaVee
I have my friend Jordanna to thank for this class as she introduced me to EttaVee’s a few years back. It’s bright and colourful and right up my street! So I was super excited when I saw that Jessi was doing a class on Skillshare!
This one does mean getting on the paints so time-wise, it’s not as easy to pick up and put down as the digital art classes. Abstract art isn’t my usual style so this was as much an exercise of pushing myself out of my comfort zone as it was learning more about acrylics.
Sketchbook Illustration: Draw a Personal, Colorful Travel Map with Mike Lowery
This guy is really funny, we definitely share a similar sense of humour. I actually didn’t pick this class because I was looking to improve a skill, it was more of an ‘Oh, that looks like it could be interesting’ choice. And it was.
I also recommend his other classes if you are looking for a fun way just to get started! Mike also shares some insights into his workflow. I find this all fascinating because often it is quite different from my own!
Find more about Mike’s class here…
You can choose to follow your favourite teachers so you will get a notification when they have a new class out.
In case you missed it, sign up for your free 30-day trial here.
Also… if you have skills, why not set up your own classes on there. Don’t be worried if there are already classes in your field of expertise. as you can see from above, I have taken several surface pattern design classes from different people because they all bring something new to the table.
Students want a variety of classes and teachers to learn from!
And if you are already using Skillshare, DM me on Insta with your favourite classes or we can compare notes if we have taken the same classes!