Here is a handful of my most favorite online classes. I promised I'd share them with you in one of my last posts, where I shared a bit about my story.

I am a huge fan of online classes and workshops because they can fit so easily to anyone's lifestyle and schedule needs. Plus it's hard to beat the value! You can not sign up for a 1 term 3 credit college class, for the price of all these  resources added together.

There are many great platforms out there, but Skillshare, is one of my favorites. I've been introduced to both surface pattern design and modern calligraphy through teachers on this platform, so that might be why I have a soft spot for it. That, and the fact that the quality of the classes I've been still taking since then, makes it worth spending the time watching.

Modern Calligraphy and Lettering favorite classes

• Melissa Esplin's Modern Calligraphy online workshop - is a self paced, one month membership to the online class, well structured and organized, with homework and assignments, that you get personal feedback on. I will be going back and taking this probably every couple of years - it's that great and it was that eye opening for me!
  It starts with a more traditional alphabet based on Copperplate calligraphy (which to be honest I wasn't excited about in the beginning), and it works through the assignments to get the students exploring their own personal style by the end of the class.
  After going through this class and others as well, I think this (or another great traditional calligraphy class) should be the first one any student takes. There is something to be said about learning the rules first, so you can beautifully break them later, in the pursue of modern calligraphy.
   
• Maybelle Imasa-Stukuls' Beginning Calligraphy class on CreativeBug.com is another one of my favorite beginner calligraphy classes. The shape of her letters is slender, delicate, emanates strength, and they are just all-around beautiful.
  If you love her style and enjoy the class, I am sure you'll lover her calligraphy kit Belle Calligraphy Kit: Materials and Instruction for Modern Script, published by Chronicle Books.
   
• Molly Jacques is the independent lettering artist that opened my eyes for the very first time to modern calligraphy and lettering!
  She used to have a class available through Skillshare - that's how I was first introduced to her.
  While she doesn't teach on the Skillshare platform anymore, she does have calligraphy, lettering and business classes available on her website.

Watercolor & Gouache favorite classes

Skillshare has tons of watercolor classes available, and I watched a number of them. However my most favorite teachers are over on CreativeBug.com. The monthly membership allows you to watch any of the available classes, and is super affordable at $4.99 /a month. You might even be able to find a free 2-weeks trial by searching Google first.

• Yao Cheng is a wonderful watercolorist and artist, but also an amazing teacher. You can't go wrong by watching any and all of her Creativebug classes!
   
• I loved Jennifer Orkin Lewis (also known as August Wren) class Illustrative Painting with Guache.
  In many aspects, a completely different style from Yao Cheng, but she is a great teacher also. Best color mixing demonstration ever!
   
• Not a watercolor/gouache, but a favorite drawing and illustration basics class is also taught on this platform by Heather Ross, a surface patterns and fabric designer that I have a lot of admiration for.
  
  Have fun exploring, and please do come back and share your favorite classes and resources in the comments, if you fall in love with any! :)