The competition among creative professionals is fiercer than ever. Plus, the economy, market demands, and trends are in constant change. So, how does a creative professional stay inspired, well-paid, and creatively challenged?
In my opinion – one of the best answers to this question is Skillshare. Skillshare offers a wide range of online classes from all walks of life. With Skillshare, creative professionals can learn new skills with ease, all the while pursuing exciting new projects.
When it comes to expanding your creative skills, Skillshare really is arguably the best online learning platform out there. From Skillshare, you will find high-quality classes on subjects such as photography, digital painting, and graphic design. I have covered the learning platform in greater detail in my in-depth review of Skillshare, so feel free to check that out for more information on the platform.
However, if you are new to this platform, getting started might be difficult.
This leads us to today’s topic, “10 Best Skillshare Classes for Designers and Creatives”. Whether you have been a creative for your whole life or are looking to pick up your very first creative hobby, you will find a fitting course from this list.
But, before we proceed, allow me to answer some commonly asked questions about Skillshare.
Now that we have given you a quick introduction to Skillshare, let’s move forward with our list.
These are the 10 best Skillshare courses for designers & creatives.
Best Skillshare Courses for Designers & Creatives
Best for Personal Development: Discovering Success: 7 Exercises to Uncover Your Purpose, Passion & Path
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Are you feeling as if your life situation is currently not aligned with your long-term goals? Perhaps you feel lost and in dire need of a motivational burst. If that is the case,
“Discovering Success” is an ideal online class to zap your brain with some inspiration. This Skillshare class will help you re-examine your life and create a whole new personal roadmap to success.
This supremely engaging Skillshare online course is delivered by Emma Gannon. Emma is a bestselling author, successful podcaster, and a skilled motivational speaker. She is simply an ideal host for this class. Why?
Well, because her personal story is very relatable. She had a steady full-time job at an acclaimed magazine, yet she found herself dissatisfied with the 9-to-5 grind. After carefully reflecting on her life, Emma launched a side project that blossomed into a successful full-time business.
And, in this one-hour Skillshare class, Emma shows you her battle-proven tactics and strategy. Quite simply, this course will help you find your purpose in life. Sounds like a new-age hocus pocus? Well, it isn’t. All the exercises and lessons of this highly motivating online class are rooted in reality.
It is not about finding your spirit animal and going through a thousand affirmations a day. It is about learning to set realistic goals for your creative purpose, finance, and personal life. And, as you will soon find out, the act of guided self-reflection is enough to give your life an entirely new direction.
Best for Graphic Design: Graphic Design Basics: Core Principles for Visual Design
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“Graphic Design Basics” from Skillshare is a highly engaging online course on the principles of visual art. This is not the first time E-Student has praised this class, as it was also listed in our article “7 Best Graphic Design Courses”. Back then, we chose “Graphic Design Basics” as the best free course on graphic design. But, what exactly makes this Skillshare course such a great resource for people interested in graphic design?
Well, it is quite simply one of the best introductory graphic design classes available. Here, you will get your first lessons on the basic principles of visual art. And, to make things even more interesting, you will also get an in-depth look into how graphic artists think and operate. So, for those of you thinking of becoming a self-taught graphic designer, this class is an ideal starting point.
Yes, “Graphic Design Basics” is almost entirely theoretical. But, as with most skills, getting the theoretical foundation right is the key to long-term success. Especially if you are starting from scratch.
In a nutshell, it is hard to find a fault in this 36-minute crash-course from Skillshare. It is concise, expert-taught, and highly captivating. A supreme first resource for aspiring graphic designers out there.
Best for Logo Design: Logo Design with Draplin: Secrets of Shape, Type, and Color
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Let’s continue on the topic of visual design. “Logo Design with Draplin” is the best logo design class on Skillshare. The class is presented by the legendary designer Aaron Draplin.
Aaron is a Portland-native famed for his work with the likes of Nike and Ride Snowboards. And, in this fascinating Skillshare class, Aaron will give you a first-person view of his creative process.
The students will get started by learning how a professional designer formulates projects in his mind. After this, you learn all about how to get into an efficient workflow. And, from there, things get a bit more practical.
Typography, shape architecture, and color theory. These are only some examples of the fascinating lessons you will be having in this online class.
And, as a cherry on top of the cake, the class also comes with several Adobe Illustrator tutorials. This means that you can try out the practices Aaron Draplin teaches for yourself.
All in all, for such a short class (1h and 7min), this online course packs quite the punch. It gives the students a supremely detailed look into the logo design process. And, it also gives you all the mental and practical tools to copy the process for your personal projects. What more could you really ask from an online course?
Best for Photography: Street Photography: Capture the Life of Your City
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“Street Photography” is our choice for the best Skillshare class on photography. It is a very unique 1h and 24min photography course that will make you look at the job of a photographer in a new light. This photography class is presented by trashhand, one of Skillshare’s most popular photography teachers.
Right off the bat, you will see that this is not your average online photography course. In this class, trashhand takes the students straight to the battlefield, to the very streets of his beloved city Chicago. Trashand uses Chi-town to show students exactly how he works. From how he finds inspiration to how he uses various photo editing techniques to make the photographs convey a certain emotion. The whole nine yards.
While the class is officially listed for intermediate levels, I also find it to be a good fit for novice photographers. This is due to the uniqueness of this class.
Most online photography classes focus on the technical side of things. Here, you will also get insights into the mindset and creative process of a professional photographer. Very useful for people planning to make the move into pro-level photography.
And, it is a thrilling ride from the start to the end. While trashhand is a professional tutor and a photographer, he is not an average instructor by any means. His raw love for art and streets always shines through, which makes this online class a super unique learning experience. Highly recommended learning for all students looking to take their photography skills to the next level.
Best for Adobe Photoshop: Adobe Photoshop CC – Essentials Training Course
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“Adobe Photoshop CC – Essentials Training Course” is not only the best Skillshare class on Adobe Photoshop. It is one of the best beginner-friendly Photoshop classes currently online, period. It is no wonder, then, that E-Student listed it as the best free course in “8 Best Photoshop Courses For 2020”.
Let’s examine the many strengths of this medium length (8h 36min) online class. For one, it is led by Dan Scott. Dan is an Adobe Certified Instructor with years of teaching experience. Throughout the years, he has developed a teaching system that works. It is engaging, highly practical, and most importantly, very beginner-friendly.
So, even first-time users of Photoshop CC will end up with considerable editing skills after enrolling in this class. Another major strong point of this class is the chronological structure of the lessons. That is, you start by learning the very basics of the layout and you will finish with semi-professional graphic skills in your arsenal.
Sounds good? Thought so!
All in all, it is easy to see what makes this Photoshop class so popular.
As you know, learning to use new software is usually a daunting endeavor at first. But here, Dan Scott has shown that it does not need to be.
Who knew that learning to use Photoshop could be an enjoyable, even humorous experience!
Best for Drawing: Learn to Draw: Daily Practices to Improve Your Drawing Skills
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Can one really massively improve their drawing skills in only one and a half hours? Well, this top Skillshare drawing class proves that this is indeed possible.
The class is delivered by Gabrielle Brickey, a professional portrait artist, and a certified Skillshare Top Teacher. She has put together a quality drawing class suitable for pen-and-paper doodlers, watercolor painters, and even digital artists.
So, whether you wish to be a hobbyist or are planning on becoming a selling artist, this online class is a great place to start.
In this highly practical class, you will learn how to break visuals down into shapes, lines, and forms. Learning to draw can seem like a skill only limited to artistic people. This is not true. Drawing is a skill like any other. Just get the foundation right and put in the hours. You will see just how quickly you will improve, even if you regularly failed all your high school art classes.
In a nutshell, “Learn to Draw” from Skillshare is a straightforward yet super practical drawing class. It proves that nearly anyone can improve their inner artist by learning the basics and using the correct techniques. And, since drawing is one of the most meditative art forms out there, why not give it a go.
Best for Illustration: Digital Illustration: Learn to Use Procreate
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While we are on the subject of drawing, let’s also take a look at the top Skillshare course on digital illustration. “Digital Illustration: Learn to Use Procreate” is a laser-focused tutorial on Procreate.
Procreate is one of the most popular iOS digital painting applications. And, for good reason. It has arguably recreated the most realistic experience of physical drawing. Combine this with all the capabilities of a modern digital platform and you have all the makings of the leading digital art software.
“Digital Illustration” from Skillshare is a fantastic choice for getting started at Procreate. This 1h7min class is presented by Jarom Vogel, a freelance digital illustrator par excellence. Jarom has masterfully put together a course useful both for total beginners and intermediate-level learners.
Beginners can get a solid feel of how all the common features of Procreate work. People already somewhat familiar with Procreate can get a detailed view of how a professional illustrator uses Procreate in his daily work.
Despite the short length of the course, I was very impressed with the curriculum. It contains a myriad of practical tips and tricks hard to find anywhere else. Plus, it is organized meticulously, which makes the learning experience very enjoyable. So, what are you waiting for, grab an iPad, and get sketching!
Best for Animation: Animation for Illustration: Adding Movement with Procreate and Photoshop
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Now that you are familiar with the basics of Procreate, let’s get things moving! Literally. “Animation for Illustration” is the next Skillshare course we will be looking at. It is a one-hour crash course that teaches animation using only Procreate and Photoshop.
The course is presented by Libby VanderPloeg, a professional illustrator and designer. Right from the get-go, you will see that Libby wastes no time getting practical. This class follows a traditional step-by-step format as Libby shows you how she finishes an animated project from start to end.
Of course, she also includes in-detail explanations of all the tricks, shortcuts, and features she uses in both Procreate and Photoshop. And, that leads us to the main strong point of this animation class. It has hit the sweet spot between being well condensed and still providing loads of practical information. So, for the time you put in the class, the values you gain are immense. And, these kinds of online classes are always rated highly in my book.
So, if you have at least basic knowledge of Photoshop and Procreate, give this animation class a go. It is short, informative, and highly practical. Learning animation has never been this easy!
Best for Adobe Illustrator: Adobe Illustrator CC – Essentials Training
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If you have been paying attention, Daniel Scott should already be a familiar name. That’s right, he was also the instructor of our pick for the best Photoshop class of Skillshare. In “Adobe Illustrator CC – Essentials Training“, Scott, an Adobe Certified Expert, gives you a beginner-friendly introduction to Adobe Illustrator CC.
The class takes 6 hours to finish and is aimed at first-time users of Adobe Illustrator CC. It is constructed to first familiarize students with the basic features and the layout of Adobe Illustrator CC.
As you get more familiar with the software, Scott shows you all the commonly used techniques in Illustrator. Both by hobby artists and professional designers.
By the end of the class, you will have some considerable Illustrator skills in your bag. You will be able to develop and complete simpler Illustrator projects with ease. And, since graphic designers are always in high demand, these skills can prove to be very lucrative in the long run.
As I mentioned, the course does not have a strict prerequisite of having a design background. However, to get the most out of this Illustrator class, I would suggest taking a beginner-level design course as well. Having an understanding of basic design principles will massively help you with creating your personal Illustrator projects. For example, “Graphic Design Basics” from Skillshare would supplement this Illustrator CC course very well. Combine these two, and who knows, a lucrative career-turn might be just around the corner!
Best for UX: Intro to UX: Fundamentals of Usability
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Yes, using high-quality software and expert-taught techniques is extremely important for creative professionals. But, in the end, the success of your finished project still boils down to one simple thing. The customer experience.
Why do you think companies like Tesla, Google, and Apple are so dominant in their fields? Because they prioritize user experience above all. But, for some strange reason, creative professionals often tend to underestimate the importance of user experience in their work. This is why I decided to finish this list with “Intro to UX”, an illuminating class on the basics of usability.
This 90-minute class is a quick, concise, and informative class on UX design.
It is presented by Marieke McCloskey, the Director of Research at UserTesting. Marieke is dedicated to researching and teaching the fine art of usability. And, in “Intro to UX” she presents you with 10 highly engaging lessons that you can immediately use to improve the usability of your projects.
After enrolling, expect to understand, evaluate, and improve the UX design aspect of your product or service.
All in all, “Intro to UX” is mandatory learning for all creatives of the digital age. Competition is more fierce than ever. And, as history has shown numerous times, products/services with the best user experience come out on top. Why not give your products or services an edge with knowledge from this Skillshare class!
