During lockdown I have tried my absolute hardest to not spiral into a pit of depression. For many of us this is the stark truth when having to be confined to the house and I have really had to change up my mindset and re-programme the way I view the situation. One thing that has really kept me going is taking on small projects and many of them have stemmed from SkillShare.
What is Skillshare & how does it work?
Skillshare is an online plate form which is essentially a learning community with thousands of classes. Topics include, illustration, design, photography, video, freelancing and many, many more. I initally discovered them a few years ago when I wanted to improve my photography skills, for my blog and my own teaching practice (I’m a secondary school art teacher) and I signed up for their free trial. The classes have been of very high quality in my opinion and the feedback from teachers is fab and is well worth the monthly fee.What classes have I been loving?
Honestly? There are so many, it really does have something for everyone. Here are just a snap shot of the ones I have watched/completed during the last few weeks;
How to make a raised garden bed - We’ve been busy doing the garden and this is something I have been planning on making. This particular class has helped me source materials and shown me how I can build my own at the fraction of the price of shop bought ones. It was really informative about growing different vegetables too.
How to propagate plants - This is something I have been meaning to do with my house plants for a while now and this gave me the push I needed. My Monstera is starting to grow a tiny little root after four days - I’m super happy I will be able to grow my own collection of plants without having to spend more money!
Intermediate Hand Embroider - This is fast becoming a love of mine. This class was fantastic for brushing up my knowledge of stitches and giving useful hints and tricks also.
Natural Dyeing - This is my most recent class I have watched but I haven’t put it into practice yet. I have started to store up items to start and I’m really excited to upcycle some clothing and linen. This class was highly informative and goes into so much detail! I felt really immersed in this class and the teacher is clearly very knowledgable.
Folk Illustration for Procreate - I have used tons of classes (too many to list) to learn how to use procreate (a drawing application for the iPad) and I have enjoyed every single one. This particular class was really lovely and even came with free brushes & paper that I could download and use.
What’s next on my class list?
I have quite a few saved classes which I will be taking over the next few weeks these include;
Everyday Minimalism - This class if about leading a calm and minimal lifestyle and whilst I don’t think I could become completely minimalistic I would like to implement more of these principles and this looked like the perfect class to get started with.
Ink Drawing Techniques - This class is a going to be a little bit like my own CPD for my role as an art teacher - just to brush up on my own techniques/knowledge. This is taught by an artist I admire so I’m looking forward to this one.
Organic Instagram Growth - This is something I would like to work on, is my Instagram. It’s a platform I love but I really find it hard to get myself out there so I’m hoping this will point me in the right direction.
Have you tried SkillShare? Do you have any favorite classes you think I should check out?
If you’re interested in learning more about what SkillShare has to offer, head over now and use my link to get two months for free.
K Elizabeth xoxox
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