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I have wanted to start adding coloring pages to my digital shop, but I didn’t know where to start. As a creative, I suffer with creative block much the same way as a writer suffers from writer’s block. Sometimes I just need to create things to get my mind working again, but I also have been wanting to improve my drawing skills. Recently I discovered a website called SkillShare that has been a blessing because it has allowed me to express myself creatively while improving my skills.
What is Skillshare?
Last week I signed up for a year’s worth of online classes through SkillShare. Skillshare is an online learning community filled with educational videos and classes. While the classes aren’t accredited, you pay for a subscription to learn new skills and complete fun projects. The website is filled with a wide variety of classes.
When you log into SkillShare’s website, you are greeted with the current lessons you have watched along with staff picks. It’s easy to find a class that you’re looking for by just typing in a keyword in the search bar or clicking the Browse button on the top of the homepage. I spent a long time exploring, and I kept finding classes I wanted to take. After doing some browsing around, I was drawn to a really fun class by Jane Snedden Peever called “Owl Doodle – Drawing Fun Using Simple Shapes” that I just had to take right away.
How To Take a SkillShare Class
Once you find a class that interests you, then you can go through each lesson at your own pace. Many classes will have an introduction video so you can preview the lessons first. The class page will tell you how long the class will take from start to finish, the project is broken down into a series of videos. When you are ready to take a class, you can start watching the videos right away or save the class to take it another time.
Each class has an about section, class discussion, reviews page and class resources. This particular class comes with a free resource file of a basic owl shape to help guide you with the creation of your own doodle. There is a also a place for students to upload their artwork. You can even set the art to be private if you are shy about sharing your work with everyone.
What I Liked About This Class
This instructor really took her time to break the process down into small steps so that I could work along with her in drawing my own owl mandala. I loved that she also included instructions for drawing on the iPad as this is how I do the majority of my art these days.
Since the class is broken down into a series of videos, I was able to stop drawing the owl when I needed a break and then pick back up on drawing where I left off. The instructor is passionate about what she teaches, and I felt like she really cared about her students. At the end of the class, she even provides ideas of what you can do with the drawing when you are finished with it like turn it into a coloring page, put it on a mug and more. I can’t wait to take more classes so I clicked the Follow button next to her name!
How Did My Owl Turn Out
I was very impressed with how my owl turned out in the end. At the start of the class, I wasn’t feeling so confident because it felt very intricate. Since the instructor broke everything down into small segments, it didn’t feel so overwhelming. I can’t wait to make more mandala owls in the future thanks to all the tips and tricks I learned from this class.
I’m giving away my owl drawing as a FREE coloring page for you. I hope that you’ll check SkillShare out, and maybe even draw your own owl. I am including a link for you to get a whole month of Skillshare for FREE as well by starting a trial.
Start your FREE trial with this special banner link below:
Download the owl coloring page FREEBIE below: