As a Skillshare teacher and lifelong student, I’m always exploring new classes to stay inspired and sharpen my skills. In this post, I’m sharing 10 Skillshare classes I’ve loved recently that are worth checking out, plus a bonus recommendation.
The list includes a mix of quick, bite-sized classes you can take in under an hour, as well as longer, in-depth ones worth settling in for. Whether you’re an illustrator, working in Procreate or Procreate Dreams, or just looking to boost your creativity, there’s something here for you.
1. quick & fun patterns
⏲ 10 min
Esther Nariyoshi is one of my favourite teachers, both on Skillshare and on YouTube. This Pattern class collection is a fun & easy to learn the ins and outs of pattern making in Procreate. There are 11 mini classes in this series to create different type of patterns, which you can find on her Skillshare page. Beginner-friendly and concise, a quick way to learn!
Quick iPad Patterns: Create A Simple Seamless Repeat Patterns with Procreate
Don’t have Skillshare yet? The links in this post will take you to a 1-month trial.
Related article: 10 Skillshare Classes To Help You Improve Your Illustration Skills (my recommendations last year)
2. Pet portraits
⏲ 20 min
I love Sarah Beth Morgan’s artistic style and creative process. This mini class is SO good. Dapper pet portraits are so fun to create, and make for great gifts for loved ones too. Check out Sarah’s other courses on illustration and animation, because she’s a great teacher.
Mini Class: Draw a Quirky Pet Portrait
3. Brush secrets for procreate
⏲ 47 min
Another Esther Nariyoshi recommendation, because she is an expert in all things Procreate brushes, and this brush course had to make the list. This class doesn’t include everything there is to know about the Brush Studio, but rather, an overview of the fun & creative possibilities of brushes. A must for those who want to learn the ins and outs of making brushes themselves. Highly recommended!
Optimize Your Procreate Brushes: 10 Tips for Illustrators and Designers
4. Animating loops
⏲ 14 min
Giulia Martinelli is a fantastic illustrator & animator, I have chatted with many times before. There are tons of different aspects to animation, and it can be quite complicated. This class however, just touches on one topic, the walk cycle, and makes it really easy to understand. She provides easy Procreate Dreams templates so you can get started right away. This mini class is the perfect combo of learning & doing.
Walk Cycle: Animate a Loop, Step by Step
5. Fun paper art in Procreate
⏲ 2h 25min
Another great, in-depth class by Lisa Bardot. This might seem like a long course, but after the tutorial, you can pick and choose your lessons as you wish. This class comes with great Procreate textures you can use, and has plenty of different projects you can choose from. This class has an easy pace, so you can easily follow along as a beginner.
Realistic Paper Cut Illustrations in Procreate
5. Create stunning animated backgrounds
⏲ 7 min
This is the shortest course in this 10 Skillshare classes list! Motion designer Isaiah Cardona offers some great bite-sized classes on animation, specifically in Procreate Dreams. This one was my favourite: Super short & easy to follow. This simple technique is so fun to create & instantly levels up your animations.
Bite Size Animation: Animate A Parallax Effect in Procreate Dreams
6. sketchbook fillers’ Club
⏲ 1h 42min
Another great course by illustrator Dylan Mierzwinski. If you’re struggling with sketchbooks, are in a creative rut or are simply looking for a fun, easygoing class, this is IT. She makes it easy to get started and explains very clearly what steps to follow. This course includes lots of helpful motivational tips, templates, and lots of demos.
The Sketchbook Fillers’ Club: Four Powerful Guidelines for Stunning Spreads
7. Find your style with colors
⏲ 3h 12min
Bit by bit, I’m making my way through Tom Froese’s list of in-depth illustration courses on Skillshare. The One-Palette Illustrator did not disappoint! The first half of the class makes you understand the ins and outs of using color, and includes lessons to build your own palette through research. Next, you make your own project using the colors. Very extensive, with fantastic resources for Procreate and Photoshop.
The One-Palette Illustrator: Discover How Color Works in Your Art
9. Artist-inspired mini classes
⏲ 20min
This collection of mini classes inspired by artists, created by Elisabeth Wellfare, is such a fun way to get to know art & creating your own. She covers artists like Picasso, Yayoi Kusama, Andy Warhol, Henri Matisse, Keith Haring and many more. All classes are concise and easy to follow. Highly recommended!
Latest in the series: Artist Inspired: Let’s Create Meditative Dot Art Inspired by Yayoi Kusama
10. patchwork patterns
⏲ 2h 39min
Surface pattern designer Kristina Hultkrantz covers a variety of topics in the world of illustration & surface design on Skillshare. Her latest class on patchwork patterns was a joy to follow along with, and includes 3 fun pattern projects. Even though this is a longer class, it includes an extensive project & lots of tips for pattern making.
3 Patchwork Patterns in Procreate and Adobe Photoshop
Bonus: free Skillshare live streams
Lastly, if you’re not on Skillshare; no worries! There’s loads happening on the Skillshare Youtube channel, including daily watercolor challenges, intros to materials and software, and lettering tutorials. Check all the recording streams and upcoming live streams on YouTube.
Draw Tiny Treasures in Gouache & Colored Pencil with Marie-Noëlle Wurm
Paint Quick & Loose Gouache Animals Live with Dylan Mierzwinski
And that’s it, my 10 Skillshare classes for illustrators, that I loved recently. I hope this list was helpful and that you’ve found something here that you can use!
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