New Year, New Painting Classes!

Happy New Year, my friends! I don’t make resolutions because I regularly set goals nearly every day of each year. But I’ve been working on some projects for quite a while, waiting for the perfect opportunity to announce them. The first day of the new year seems perfect to me!

I’m going to go beyond blog tutorials this year. Oh, there’ll still be plenty of step-by-step painting tutorials here but, really, wouldn’t it be easier to learn by actually watching me paint? I don’t know why it’s taken me this long to realize this, actually. No matter, because I’ve come up with a few ways to teach painting – even if you’ve never picked up a paintbrush before!

• Live Online Painting Classes
• Video Painting Classes
• Video Painting Workshops

Does this sound crazy? It might be, but I don’t think so. I’ve given it a lot of thought.

I’ve taught painting to novices for years and years so that part doesn’t bother me. I’ve learned how to “compose” paintings so new students are set up to be successful. I’ve been dabbling with videos now for over a year, so I’m okay with that part too. Honestly? I think this will work, and be loads of fun. Let’s go thru each type of class and I’ll share my thinking.

Live Online Painting Classes

These will be live via Google+ Hangouts. If you’re not on G+, don’t worry. I can walk you thru signing up, and it’s free.

In each class we’ll paint something in two hours or less. Since it’ll be a live class, you’ll be painting along with me, I’ll be able to see your painting and you mine, and you can ask any questions you want. Just like a class in person!

There is limited space for the live classes – only 9 students – so it’ll be on a first-come, first-served basis. If for some reason you can’t make it on Thursday nights, let me know and maybe we can get a group together for a different day and/or time.

I’m calling these live classes “BYOB and Paint!” BYOB stands for bring-your-own-brush, btw. Of course, we’ll all be in the comfort of our own homes so if sipping a little wine helps you to relax and paint better, it’ll be our little secret.

Video Painting Classes & Video Workshops

I hesitate to call these “mural” classes, although I’ll certainly be teaching some murals like trees, clouds, and the most common things my clientele requested. The word “mural” can also seem intimidating too, and I understand that. Hopefully, I can take a lot of the fear factor out of it though. We’ll see.

Unlike the live classes, these videos will be available for students to watch as often as they want or need to. Students can email me questions. I’m also thinking about allowing students to do a private G+ hangout with me it they’re having specific problems. But hopefully the videos will be really easy to follow.

Painting Class Schedule

I’m still working on this, natch. My goal is to teach one BYOB class a week and one video workshop at least once a month, if not more. I have a list of ideas longer than my arm, but that’s nothing new.

The good thing about the video classes is once they’re shot, they’ll be available, like, forever. (I’m telling myself that so I don’t totally freak out with all of this, mkay?)

I’ll be posting about each class on the blog, of course, and then put a photo of what we’ll be painting in my sidebar >>>>> over there.

Right now I have three BYOB classes ready to go for January. And, I’ll do a little preview of each painting the week before. That way, you can see that there’s no hocus-pocus or outrageously hard painting techniques involved.

Birds on a Branch BYOB & Paint

This is the first class. Easy-peasy stuff. This will be a live BYOB & Paint class on Thursday, January 17 at 6 pm PST.

The preview Hangout for this will be on Tuesday, January 8 at 6 pm PST.

Next will be this coffee cup on January 24 at 6 pm PST. Or hot cocoa. Whichever.

And then we’ll paint a pink cupcake on January 31 at 6 pm PST, in plenty of time for Valentine’s Day!

That takes care of January classes! Of course, I’ll be working on some video workshops too this month. Plus, starting in February, I’ll offer a “Santa’s Workshop” BYOB once a month so we’ll all be a little ahead of the game when next Christmas rolls around. Cool?

So, the next question is how much do these classes cost? Good question. I’ve gone ‘round and ‘round in my head because I want to make them available for everyone. That’s why there aren’t a ton of colors in each BYOB, so there isn’t a huge supply investment.

The live BYOB & Paint classes are $20 for a two hour class. For more information and/or to register, click here. The video workshops will vary in cost, depending on length and detail of the painting. But again, I’m trying to keep the cost down.

The Just Paint It Community

As we move forward in 2013 I’m going to set up avenues where we can all share and network with each other – just for people who are taking my classes. I’ve seen other artists do this and I think it’s always awesome to ‘talk’ to other students, see how they paint, and just make new friends.

I realize not everyone is on all the different social media, but we can have a Facebook group, Google+ Community, and Flickr group. Possibly our own forum, though? Maybe. We’ll see how it goes.

 

So what d’ya think? Doesn’t this sound like fun? I hope you think so. I’m excited.

Remember, if classes aren’t your thing, I’ll still be posting different tutorials here on the blog too, as always.

That’s just a slice of my goals for 2013. How ‘bout you? Are you trying something new? Or maybe finishing up some old projects? Let me know!

Colleen

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