Art Classes

Art classes as therapy for the winter blues!

Some of us get cabin fever during the winter months. If you're normally an active person, when it's cold, rainy or snowing outside, you're automatically deprived of most outdoor activities. No working in the garden. You've got to be a pretty tough customer if you like to walk. If you go to the mall, you'll probably do some impulse shopping, not a good move for the average consumer. You can only watch so much TV. You can cozy up with a good book. How many times can you clean the house? Sooner or later, you're looking for something that gets you out of the house, but doesn't cost too much. Art classes can be a delightful solution.

I can hear plenty of you saying, “But, I don't have an artistic bone in my body!” How do you know? More likely than not, it's just force of habit that makes you say so, or a grade school teacher who made you feel discouraged. Art classes can provide you with more than therapy for the winter blues. Art classes can stimulate your creative juices tremendously and boost your confidence as well. If you take an art class at your local community college, it costs little for a lot of enjoyment. You get to meet a classroom full of new people. What's not to like?

Remember, you don't need to become a famous artist. You're doing it for the fun and creative stimulation. If you feel shy about taking a beginning painting class because you believe everyone else will be a better painter, start with art classes that are less 'threatening'.

For example, take a class in composition and design. This course will teach you about using space, color and design elements to produce projects that don't require that you be able to understand human anatomy. In fact, most of these projects are purely abstract. You'll be amazed at how involved you can become working on each project, designed to teach you how to create a balanced, attractive picture that successfully uses the elements which the instructor delivers during class time. Instructors often use slide shows to demonstrate certain effects and how these effects impact the final composition. Most of your work will be done at home.

Other art classes which are good for beginners include stained glass workshops, perspective drawing and graphic design.

If you chose the class in composition and design as your first, what you learned will fit in perfectly with a stained glass class. You'll know what makes a good design and will be better able to make a lovely stained glass picture or box. Now you'll really have some bragging rights.

Art classes such as perspective drawing provide a good background for that beginning painting class we talked about earlier.

If you enjoy working with graphics software, sign up for a class in graphics design. You'll then be able to design your own business cards or stationery.

While taking art classes may not turn into a new career, you'll enjoy yourself, make some new friends, gain some skills for a new hobby and show off those artistic bones of yours!