Being at home may spur creativity in your teen. Fortunately, these days, even art and music are taught online, allowing students to learn and refine artistic skills anytime and anywhere.
Whether your student is interested in picking up a new instrument, wants to learn the fundamentals of painting, or wants to start a fashion line, we have compiled below some of the best online resources to help them pick up a new hobby or go deeply into one already in progress. Some of these options are best for students that prefer to learn on their own at their own pace. Others are better for students that prefer an extra layer of guidance by being in a class with an instructor. Either way, both are efficient modes of instruction if used consistently.
Classes such as architecture and fashion are conducted in traditional online class formats found in websites such as EdX and Coursera. Many of the visual arts classes, such as painting and drawing are taught with pre-recorded videos, which allow for replay and self-pacing. Of course, performing arts tend to be best learned with a private instructor in a video conferencing format, but many instrumental instructions can still be found in pre-recorded formats. While the resources below should be more than enough to find a great class for students in upper elementary, middle and high school, the online database Class Central can be used to thoroughly search for free online classes available to people of any age.
General Online Platforms
Skillshare
Skillshare is an online learning community with thousands of classes offered daily in design, illustration, photography, film, and more. While many online instructors are not certified, the ratings for each class give good indication of how effective they are. Each class has bite-sized video lessons and hands-on projects. Students then share their projects in the class to get feedback and collaborate with other Skillshare students, making this especially useful for arts students. Courses are offered in animation, filmmaking, fine arts, graphic design and more. You may filter through offered courses here.
Performing arts and music courses, such as this one on how to compose a melody are also offered, allowing students to learn music theory as well as instruments and acting. However, this is not recommended for students with advanced skills, as most courses on Skillshare are introductory.
Skillshare is free, although most upgrade to premium ($15/month) to access full content. Annual membership is $99/year ($8.25/month). A free two month trial can be found here.
Cost: Free, Premium is $8.25 - $15 per month
Pros: Feedback from other Skillshare students, relatively cheap annual membership
Cons: Requires self-motivation, not many advanced courses
Udemy
Udemy is an online learning platform that has over 2,000 user-created courses. Like skillshare, many online instructors do not have qualifications or degrees, but the ratings for each class are good indicators of how effective the class is. In music, in addition to music theory, Udemy also offers courses that teach students how to play popular instruments such as the violin, drums, and piano. When it comes to art, Udemy excels in offering courses that teach practical skills, such as this highly ranked course on digital art, or this introductory photography masterclass. Another popular course is drawing and sketching for beginners. The teaching style of these courses is self-paced with downloadable videos, resources and practice exercises. While prices range from $9 - $300 per month, about 90% of Udemy’s users find discounts that will lower the price. Be sure to check their website or search for discount codes prior to signing up. All downloadable materials are available for a lifetime after purchase.
Cost: $9 - $300, discounts are usually available
Pros: Flexible schedule, useful to learn practical skills in art and music, good resource for fashion and architecture
Cons: Usually taught using downloadable videos, no feedback
Masterclass
According to their website, Masterclass is an “immersive online experience, which gives everyone the opportunity to learn from the world's best practitioners.” Essentially, over 80 well-respected professionals in different fields provide pre-recorded video content, class workbooks, interactive assignments, and community activities in various topics. Music and Art courses include Singing by Christina Aguilera, Fashion Design by Marc Jacobs, Photography by Annie Leibovitz and Filmmaking by Spike Lee. These types of classes are great for students that are inspired by famous professionals and have the interest and motivation to continue on their own.
Cost: $180/year, 2 passes (with access to all classes)
Pros: Flexible schedule, 2 passes (meaning you can share one), trusted professionals, good resource for fashion, architecture, and performing arts
Cons: No feedback, require self-motivation
EdX
EdX is an incredibly popular website with free or close to free online courses in nearly every subject, including the arts. Although this is not the best resource for learning an instrument, EdX offers some courses on Music Theory, such as this one from Berklee College of Music and Music History, such as the 18th-Century Opera course from Harvard. When it comes to the arts, EdX offers courses in drawing, digital art, and architecture. The University of Newcastle, for example, has one on drawing nature, science and culture. UC San Diego teaches introductory computer graphics, and this course from Tsinghua University even covers the History of Chinese Architecture. With new courses constantly being added, EdX is a platform that can teach the theory and history of art. The syllabus and teaching style of each course is listed in the descriptions, and most are taught with self-paced lecture videos, exercises, and homework assignments. Some have quizzes or final assessments.
Cost: Free (some courses offer official certificates of completion for $50-$300)
Pros: Cost-friendly, flexible schedule, good resource for fashion, architecture, and performing arts
Cons: Not very useful for those looking to learn a specific instrument or practical skills
Coursera
Coursera is a learning platform with free or close to free online courses in nearly every subject, including the arts. It is very similar to EdX, but offers a slightly different course catalog. Coursera’s most notable partner is the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA). They offer courses from Modern Art and Fashion Design to Photography. Although these courses tend to be either historical or theoretical, they provide students with solid art knowledge that may later be used as inspiration. The best way to find courses of interest, from MOMA or otherwise, is to search for topics and look at course descriptions. In music, Coursera does offer courses such as Guitar for Beginners, but for the most part, Coursera is best for students looking to build a foundation in theory, rather than practical skills, whether it is in music, art, design or architecture. The most courses are conducted via self-paced lecture videos, exercises, and homework assignments. Some have quizzes or final assessments.
Cost: Free (some courses offer official certificates of completion for around $50)
Pros: Cost-Friendly, flexible schedule, theory-based, good resource for fashion, architecture, and theoretical aspects of performing arts
Cons: Not for those looking to learn a specific instrument or practical skill
Live Music Lessons
For those seeking to learn an instrument or learn other performing arts specializations such as voice and composition require feedback and private instructions. Especially if they are already skilled in the instrument and want to improve in certain areas, a private teacher is a professional that will take them to the next level. Below are websites that offer private and group classes via online video conferencing platforms. One benefit of online private instructions is that oftentimes, the rates are lower than in person instructions.
Live Music Tutor
Live Music Tutor offers music lessons in nearly all major instruments and for all levels. Students can simply look through instructors’ biographies that list courses they teach, the levels of difficulties, and even the languages they are able to teach in. For example, courses could include Violin (at difficulties 1, 2, 3), Vocals (1, 2, 3), or Songwriting (1, 2, 3). A detailed overview of fees can be found here. Group Lessons are available at $25/hour, and private lessons range from $35 - $60 per hour.
Musika
Musika is a music lesson website that connects you to private music teachers within your area that you may pursue in person or online. A complete list of instruments taught is here. Musika also offers a risk-free trial lesson, making it a strong option for those that want to test out online lessons. Rates depend on location, but a typical 60 minute online lesson in New York, NY, is $48 - $60.
Cost: $35 - $60/hour
Pros: Best choice for more advanced music students, offers personalized feedback, lower cost than in person private lessons
Cons: Higher cost than self-learning through videos, requires consistency within schedule to be worth the money, may not be as effective as in person private lessons
Theatre and Drama Lessons
Dramaversity
Dramaversity is an online platform that allows students to take live drama classes using video conferencing tools. Students sign up for a free account to browse through and purchases courses they are interested in. Masterclasses taught by Broadway actors and actresses are sometimes available for purchase. Certain courses last weeks and focus on topics such as vocal techniques and beginning acting skills. Some are targeted specifically towards highschoolers, such as this one on teenagers improving singing skills. Dramaversity may also be a useful resource to learn about the industry; some courses, for example, teach students how to find an agent or create an acting resume. This is a great online option for students looking to pursue acting seriously, but are only just starting out.
Cost: Each class usually costs $40-$50 for about an hour
Pros: Masterclasses by professionals, diverse range of topics
Cons: May not have enough content for experienced students
Michelle Danner
Certain acting studios also offer online classes. LA-based Michelle Danner is a reputable example. Online lessons are offered in five different European languages, including Spanish, and last between 4 to 8 weeks. The structures and topics of each course are available here. Beyond acting techniques, courses teach students how to manage their anxiety, reduce accents, and develop creative writing skills. Private coaching is also available; Michelle Danner herself teaches classes with a maximum of 12 students. Keep in mind that you may also research your local acting studios and inquire about online coaching.
Cost: Varies, 8 week course is usually $500+
Pros: Structured courses, classes taught in multiple languages
Cons: Cost, especially in the long run
Take Lessons
Take Lessons connects students to online instructors in music, languages and academics, including acting teachers. You can scroll through this list of currently available online acting instructors, and adjust the search filters by ratings, languages, and specialities. The best part about private teachers is the flexibility, and they will plan out coursework that matches their students’ strengths and weaknesses.
Cost: Private lessons usually cost at least $25/half an hour. Group lessons cost less.
Pros: Lessons can be personalized to skill levels, time commitments, and languages
Cons: Cost, especially in the long run
An additional list of recommended online courses in theatre and drama can be found here and here. Sifting through these courses is recommended if you are trying to find specific lessons or something within your price range.
Additional Art Resources for learning techniques and practical skills
Art Tutor is a website with online courses, classes and blog posts teaching various paper-based art techniques, from sketching to watercolors. It offers several free guides that describe basic art tools and techniques. Prices range from $0 - $50, and an annual subscription can be purchased for $197. They offer a 30-day guarantee.
Ctrl+Paint offers a library of free pre-recorded digital painting videos that are organized as a school curriculum. Most are free, but Ctrl+Paint also offers premium video lessons from $10 that teach foundational art skills.
Sparketh teaches art, dance, music, singing, and acting to kids and teens through high quality video courses. Mentors, or experienced creative professionals, create these video lessons that have unlimited access for a subscription of $25/month.
Several reputable art schools also offer free courses. Examples include Rhode Island School of Design and The New School. More schools can be found through Class Central, which is an online database of free courses. If you are still unable to find the specific school you’d like to take a class from, it is likely that they only offer paid courses through their official website.
Additional recommended lists of online classes for various categories of art can be found here and here.
For additional information and insights, check out our blog:
Best of Online Learning - University Classes
Best of Online Learning - Coding
Best of Online Learning - Languages
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