Our Six Favorite Art Classes in 2025

Susan Wight - Author

Each year brings a new palette of possibility. From sketchbooks that celebrate imperfection to classes that turn color into emotion, these six courses capture the creative pulse of 2025 — expressive, experimental, and deeply human.

Whimsical Abstract Portraits

With Yvette St. Amant
Color-rich • Expressive • Beginner-friendly

This course captures a timely creative shift: in an age when many artists crave expressive freedom rather than textbook realism, Whimsical Abstract Portraits  delivers exactly that. It invites painters of all levels to adopt bold colour, geometric shapes, and playful character-building, transforming the familiar human face into something fresh and dynamic. The class doesn’t just teach you how to paint a portrait; it teaches you how to play with it, to experiment, to embrace imperfection, and to infuse personality and whimsy into every brushstroke. With the expansion of accessible online art education and a growing desire for visual voices that reflect individuality, this class sits perfectly at the intersection of technique and attitude.

What makes it particularly noteworthy among 2025’s top picks is the way it successfully blends structure with spontaneity. The seven-module course (thirty-four lessons, six portraits) offers clear, guided instruction on fundamentals such as colour schemes, blending, and composition, while simultaneously encouraging each student to personalise the process. Even those who have felt daunted by portraiture are reassured that this experience is approachable and joyful. That sense of accessibility, combined with the promise of bold, modern results, gives the class a distinctive appeal. It speaks to both new painters beginning a meaningful journey and experienced creators eager to break free from convention. In essence, it represents the kind of art-learning experience many sought in 2025; skilled yet playful, disciplined yet free.

31 Bright and Fun Sketchbook Paintings

With Suzanne
Daily • Playful • High-volume

Among the growing wave of art courses that celebrate creativity over perfection, 31 Bright and Fun Sketchbook Paintings  has become a defining favourite of 2025. This class reimagines what it means to practice art daily by focusing not on polished, gallery-ready works but on exploration, play, and steady growth within the pages of a sketchbook. Each session encourages artists to fill spreads with colour, experiment with mark-making, and embrace mistakes as moments of discovery. By turning the sketchbook into a living archive of ideas and progress, the class nurtures authenticity and expressive freedom; two qualities increasingly valued by modern creators seeking a more personal and sustainable art practice.

What makes this course stand out is its thoughtful balance between structure and self-direction. Clear, encouraging guidance is provided on materials, colour mixing, and composition, but students are also reminded to follow their instincts and find their own rhythm. This harmony between instruction and independence resonates deeply with learners in 2025, many of whom crave both mentorship and creative autonomy. The result is more than a set of lessons—it is a transformative experience that builds confidence, deepens curiosity, and fills the sketchbook with tangible evidence of growth. It is this blend of skill-building and self-expression that firmly secures 31 Bright and Fun Sketchbook Paintings  as one of the year’s most beloved art classes.

Learn to Paint “Glow”

With Ronei
Luminous • Layered • Versatile

In a year when art learners are seeking not just technique but meaningful immersion, this class offers a rare combination of structure and creative freedom. Over ten modules, participants are guided from understanding materials and underpainting to creating luminous skies, layered mountains, and reflective water. It’s a clear, progressive journey that builds both competence and confidence. What distinguishes the course is its focus on glow and atmospheric depth rather than hyper-realism. That aesthetic resonates strongly in 2025, as artists increasingly look to create paintings that breathe, evoke emotion, and mirror a more introspective approach to creativity. The class becomes a bridge between skill and self-expression, encouraging painters to see the world through light, tone, and feeling.

Beyond the striking visual results, the course represents what many learners now expect from online art education: self-paced flexibility, a warm entry point for beginners, and the reassurance that imperfection is part of the process. The lessons emphasize ideas such as “you don’t need prior experience” and “learn to experiment with colour and develop your unique artistic voice.” In a crowded landscape of digital workshops, this class stands apart because it doesn’t demand perfection; it invites participation. It encourages students to paint, feel, and grow, which is why, for many hobbyists and aspiring artists in 2025, it has become one of the six most cherished art classes of the year.

Introduction to Acrylic Mountainscapes

With Veronica Vale
Scenic • Textured • Beginner-friendly

Amid a landscape of online art-courses that often emphasise technique over expression, this class finds the sweet spot between skill and soul. Introduction to Acrylic Mountainscapes with Veronica Vale  has emerged as a favourite for its meditative approach to landscape painting. Rather than focusing solely on technical precision, the class invites students to explore atmosphere, light, and depth through the gentle rhythm of acrylic brushwork. Veronica Vale’s guidance turns the process of painting into a journey; each layer, gradient, and ridge a step toward understanding how emotion and environment intertwine on the canvas. The result is not only a finished landscape but a renewed appreciation for stillness, patience, and the quiet poetry of nature.

What distinguishes this class from others is its graceful balance between clear instruction and creative freedom. Each lesson provides a structured foundation for composition and technique, yet encourages painters to interpret and adapt what they learn to their own vision. Students leave the course not simply with a mountain scene, but with a deeper confidence in their artistic intuition. It is this combination of accessibility, artistry, and introspective discovery that has made Introduction to Acrylic Mountainscapes  one of the six most cherished art classes of 2025: a space where creativity feels both grounded and expansive.

Quirky Pet Portraits

With Yvette St. Amant
Playful • Characterful • Gift-ready

Among the art classes that captured the hearts of creators in 2025, Quirky Pet Portraits with Yvette St. Amant  stands out for its playful spirit and expressive approach. Instead of striving for perfect realism, the course celebrates individuality; both of the artist and their subject. Each lesson encourages painters to see pets not simply as figures to be copied, but as muses brimming with personality and charm. Through vivid colour, bold shapes, and confident brushwork, Yvette St. Amant guides students to translate emotion into form, creating portraits that feel alive and joyfully unique. The result is work that blends whimsy with heart, perfectly suited to a generation of artists eager to move beyond perfectionism and toward personal storytelling.

What makes this class even more compelling is the harmony it strikes between structure and creative freedom. Step-by-step instruction grounds beginners with approachable techniques in colour, composition, and layering, while still leaving space for experimentation and self-expression. Each painter is invited to discover their own rhythm: to interpret fur, gesture, and character in a way that feels authentic to them. By the time the final brushstroke is laid, the canvas tells a story that feels personal and alive. Each portrait becomes a little window into the bond between artist and subject, rich with quirks and colour. That emotional honesty, paired with a spirit of experimentation, is what keeps Quirky Pet Portraits  so beloved among painters in 2025.

Beginner Painting Bundle

With Laurie Anne
Complete Path • Great Value • Find Your Style

When new painters crave both clarity and creativity, this bundle earns its place by offering a seamless gateway from “never touched a brush” to “I made this.” It brings together three foundational courses: Acrylic Painting for Beginners, How to Find Your Own Style, and Abstract Landscape Class, so that instead of learning in isolated fragments, students follow a cohesive and thoughtfully structured path. What stands out is how it treats beginner status not as a weakness but as fertile ground. You aren’t simply copying steps; you’re invited to gradually shape your own painterly voice, guided by clear fundamentals. The bundle respects the beginner’s timeline while still ensuring visible and rewarding growth.

Beyond its structure, the program reflects what 2025 learners truly value: flexibility, accessibility, and personal momentum. The course is entirely online, self-paced, and available immediately after purchase, so creativity can begin the moment inspiration strikes. It also offers strong value by combining three classes into one comprehensive package, lowering barriers for aspiring artists. By pairing solid instruction with the freedom to work at your own pace and in your own space, the bundle fulfills the modern creative’s need for both guidance and independence. That balance between discipline and openness is precisely why it stands among the six favourite art classes of the year.