A University Experience℠
Structured & Comprehensive Online Painting Classes For Adults
…brought to you by an award winning artist
What Do We Offer You?
Our goal is to give you the same top quality art education in how to paint that you would get at a prestigious Art Academy or University: an art education that would cost you in the range of $80,000-$120,000 for a full 4-year degree program.
Our 4 Key Differences
The Virtual Art Academy program of Online Painting Classes has four key differences from any anything else you will find on the internet.
- CREATED BY AN AWARD WINNING PROFESSIONAL ARTIST
If you want to learn how to paint well, it is important to learn from a professional painter. The complete Virtual Art Academy online painting course was designed and built by professional artist Barry John Raybould. Check out his fine art website here. - STRUCTURE
To paint well, you need to systematically fill in the gaps in your current art education that are holding you back. Frustration in learning to paint is often due to a lack of one or more essential foundational skills. Barry’s online painting classes are organized into a highly-structured four-year program of 16 workshops that cover all the painting foundation skills you would learn at a top Art Academy. - COMPREHENSIVE CURRICULUM
Barry is one of the few professional artists that has systematically documented everything he learned on how to paint, over a career spanning 40+ years, on his way to becoming a top professional painter. Over the course of your membership, you will receive his complete Art Reference Library, containing over 1500 information-packed pages in 48 eBooks. You can download these eBooks and keep them forever. Check out his full curriculum here. - ACTIVITY-BASED LEARNING AND COMMUNITY LEARNING
You cannot learn painting by just reading books and watching videos. The secret to learning how to paint well, is to actually do a series of structured learning assignments that will build your skills one-by-one, in a highly systematic way.
When you join the Virtual Art Academy, you become part of a vibrant and friendly community of learners from all over the world. Our unique community software includes a dedicated discussion forum for each of the 350 learning assignments in the painting course. Each assignment links to all the learning resources you need to complete that assignment: reading materials, streaming videos, and detailed assignment instructions.
How It Works
With its flexible self-study structure, you can systematically follow the program of workshops in your own time, and at your own pace. There are no fixed schedules to follow.
Instead of committing to US$80,000-US$120,000 to go to a traditional art school or art academy for four years, you just pay a simple monthly fee to become part of our community. There are no commitments. You can cancel your membership at any time, and owe nothing more. You have absolutely nothing to lose by trying it for a month to see if you like it.
If you are a Beginner Painter, you can take advantage of the highly structured Apprentice Program of Online Painting Classes to master one simple step at a time.
If you are a more Experienced Painter, by following our program you can fill in the gaps in your art education that are holding you back from improving your painting.
Make Art, Not Just Paintings
This online art school is not just about learning how to paint— it is about learning how to create art, using Barry’s unique Visual Music & Poetry® approach. Unlike most other online painting courses that mostly focus on techniques, the Virtual Art Academy online art school focuses on the fundamental principles that underly master paintings.
Testimonials
A great learning platform
I have been working my way through the Virtual Art Academy for almost a year now, and cannot recommend it highly enough. The Workshops are thorough, structured and substantive. There is a logical and step by step progression that makes the learning process so much easier, with new concepts being introduced and then practiced along… Read more “A great learning platform”
It is wild to see how much I am learning in this course!
Five star rating from me for Virtual Art Academy (VAA)! I retired last year, and decided I wanted to spend my time in retirement learning how to oil paint. But having never painted before, I wasn’t even sure what to look for in an online painting course. However, I did some searches for “Best Online… Read more “It is wild to see how much I am learning in this course!”
comprehensive art education
I wanted to get a comprehensive art education with the freedom to work at my own pace. I’m several years into the curriculum and I feel like my work has drastically improved. I’ve found holes in my knowledge that I didn’t know I had. Critiquing other students posts and reading their feedback to mine has… Read more “comprehensive art education”
Only online learning program I have ever discovered using a training industry best practice
Before repurposing my vocation into avocation, I spent 20 years in the corporate world as an instructional designer and performance consultant creating training curricula for diverse clientele from NASA to General Motors. I know curriculum development and how to guide a learner from beginning to certification. VAA is the only online learning program I have… Read more “Only online learning program I have ever discovered using a training industry best practice”
The small steps are easy to do
I am extremely impressed with the process that Barry has developed for VAA. Learning to paint can be intimidating, but when broken into many small projects it is very do-able. I just did my first live model painting session- a 5 hour, one day session. Thanks to VAA, I was able to break the painting… Read more “The small steps are easy to do”
An excellent foundation on so many aspects of painting
I never had formal training in painting and my style has always been very realistic, slow and not at all artistic, just a copy of a photograph. When I got word of the course available through Virtual Art Academy, I was very excited for the opportunity to learn what I never knew about painting. VAA… Read more “An excellent foundation on so many aspects of painting”
Barry gave me a fishing rod so I can catch my own fish
After weeks and even months of searching YouTube, “googling” and spending a fortune on art instructional books I finally came across the Virtual Art Academy®. When it comes to purchasing online I am always very careful how I spend my money. Especially when I already spent a small fortune on art books. They always seemed… Read more “Barry gave me a fishing rod so I can catch my own fish”
No need to buy expensive art books…. Just do the VAA 4 year course. I still refer to it
I finished the VAA course a few years ago, but always refer to the notes, rereading the course many times. This is not a course the day you are finished, you are done. No, you keep practising the assignments getting better and better over time. When I look back at my work when I had just… Read more “No need to buy expensive art books…. Just do the VAA 4 year course. I still refer to it”
The equivalent of a 4 year art education at a fraction of the cost
This is a great course for anyone who is serious about improving their painting. I have been a student here for several years. When I am finished, I will have the equivalent of a 4 year art education at a fraction of the cost. I can do the lessons anywhere and at my own pace.… Read more “The equivalent of a 4 year art education at a fraction of the cost”
Professional Online Painting Classes For Adults
- By learning from a professional full-time artist, you get a higher quality education, that ensures you will not get into bad painting habits that will hamper your progress in the future.
Here are just some examples of Barry's own artwork.
Alumni Work
These online painting courses are principle-based, with the result that the Virtual Art Academy lets you to express your own style and creativity—as you can see from the wide variety of styles painted by our alumni.
Many of Barry's students have won awards, found galleries to represent their work, been elected as members of art societies, and become full time professional artists.
Choose Your Own Painting Style
You need to study the key principles of art, and not follow a step-by-step procedures that, at best, can only turn you into a clone of your teacher. If you only learn by watching demos, you will only ever be able to make a copy of a particular instructor's painting, and will never acquire the skills to tackle any subject you want.
At the Virtual Art Academy you will learn the important underlying principles of painting that are the foundation of all great artworks.
This means that you will be able to find your own artistic voice and paint any subject matter that moves you, and in any style, realistic, impressionistic, expressionistic, or abstract.
Motivation And Support From A Vibrant Worldwide Community
A key part of the virtual painting classes are the assignment discussion areas where you can share your work and interact with students from all over the world, providing both motivation and feedback.
Suitable For Absolute Beginners
The program includes online painting classes for absolute beginner painters. These painting lessons will give you all the basic painting and drawing skills you need to get you started. With your membership you will get a special optional Foundation Workshop that is designed specifically to help absolute beginners get started.
After completing the lessons and assignments in these online painting classes, you will have the skills to create exciting compositions, incredibly beautiful color harmonies, and expressive brushwork that will bring your painting alive. In addition you will be able to give your painting a meaning, as well as a strong design, that will take it to professional and museum-level quality.
For Advanced Painters: Take Your Work As Far As You Want To Go
Many members have now been working with the Virtual Art Academy for over a decade. Over this time they have continually improved their work, and many have become professional painters.
After finishing the basic curriculum of online painting lessons, they can then take advantage of the Spiral of Learning℠ approach — a unique way of helping you continually strengthen your foundational skills, and improve the quality of your paintings.
As part of this unique Spiral of Learning℠ approach, the online painting course includes a series of monthly Master Class Lectures to take you all the way to professional level. In these lectures you will get to hear Barry's personal analysis of master paintings from exhibitions he has personally visited, get insights into how he constructs his own paintings, and even learn about the neuroscience behind art that will give you a deeper understanding of art you will not get anywhere else.
Choose The Painting Medium You Prefer
Since you are learning the important underlying principles of painting that are the foundation of all great artworks, these online painting classes work for all painting mediums. The Virtual Art Academy online art school includes oil painting, acrylic painting, watercolor painting classes, and pastels, all in a single teaching system. You can also use any painting media such as gouache, water soluble oils, mixed media, colored crayons, as well as digital painting tools. Artistic quality depends far more on having a deeper understanding of how art affects us, and relatively little on which medium you use. It is how you use it that counts, and your understanding of what turns a painting into art. That is what you will find in these painting classes.
It includes:
- Online Watercolor Painting Classes
- Online Oil Painting Classes
- Online Acrylic Painting Classes
- Online Pastel Painting Classes
Setting Expectations
This program is not for students looking for quick fixes. Barry's approach is to break learning down into small manageable chunks, that will let you build up your skill level slowly but surely. That is the true path to success. You will need to commit yourself to regular learning in order to improve. This does not mean that you need to spend a lot of time on the lessons. Just an hour a week will let you make progress if you are organized in how you spend that time.
Many artists who have participated in this online paintings course have said that they have seen significant improvements after just a few months. However, to get to a really high level, it takes at least a year or two, and to reach a professional level you will need at least four years. The beauty of this program is that (a) it is structured, so the longer you work on the curriculum, the better you will get, and (b) it is probably the most comprehensive you will find anywhere, so you can go all the way from absolute beginner to top professional level in just one program.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are These Online Painting Classes Suitable For Beginners?
The Apprentice Program includes a special set of self-study virtual art classes that are designed just for absolute beginners who have never painted before. You will get all the basics here of learning to paint, and perhaps more importantly, a friendly community of other artists to give you support and encouragement whenever you need it.
Are These Online Painting Classes Suitable For Someone Who Wants To Pursue Painting As Just A Hobby?
The Virtual Art Academy online painting classes are designed for adults who want to build a solid foundation for their art in a structured way. Even if art is just a hobby for you, by taking a structured approach to your learning you will get much more out of your hobby.
Are These Online Painting Classes Suitable For Experienced And Professional Painters?
These online painting classes contain comprehensive information for all levels. Experienced painters will be able to take their work to a higher or a professional level using the more advanced information in each Building Block.
Will I Have To Commit For The Entire Program?
Absolutely not. You can just join for a month and see how you like our online painting lessons. If it doesn’t work out for you you simply cancel your subscription and your monthly payments will stop.
How Much Time Commitment Is Required?
There is no required time commitment. You can do the course at times that are suitable for you. Some students work on it just on the weekends, some work on it full time. The program is very flexible, and you can go as fast or as slow as you like.
What if I Don't Have Much Time?
The Virtual Art Academy has an app for your phone or tablet that you can use on-the-go for those of you who are busy, and who do not have much time. Using this app, you can browse through the latest postings in the various online painting classes, and learn how students have solved a particular painting problem in that area.
This will build up your knowledge of painting and enhance your ability to understand master paintings on a daily basis. This means that when you finally have more time available to paint, you will be much better prepared. Think of it as your daily 10-minute virtual painting class.
How Long Does It Take To Complete The Apprentice Program?
The amount of information in the whole program is equivalent to a four-year university program. Normally you will complete approximately one lesson per week, for a total of 192 weeks. Some students who have a lot of time available however may want to complete the program much faster. The fastest you can complete the program is 15 months. After you have graduated in the program, there are additional Spiral of Learning℠ lectures that will help you keep improving your paintings and understanding of art all the way to professional level.
Will I Get Feedback On My Assignments?
Art programs that include high quality feedback from a professional instructor will cost you US$80,000-US$120,000 for a four-year program of instruction at a traditional art university. The Virtual Art Academy online art school is designed so that everyone can afford a high quality art education. To do this, it is designed as a self-study community program in order to keep the monthly cost affordable for everyone.
Do I Have To Post My Assignments To The Online Campus?
No, it is not necessary to post your assignments to the Online Campus. You can choose to work on your own if you wish. The system is completely flexible in this regard.
Are Drawing Classes Included In This Program?
Yes they are. With the drawing classes included in this online art classes, you can learn how to draw quite well, in just about one week.
Drawing is important to learn because you can only paint as well as you can draw. In the Apprentice Program you will learn the two most important drawing techniques, angular transfer and triangulation. You will learn techniques of line and mass gesture drawing, contour drawing, measurement techniques, as well as, many lessons on perspective and vanishing points.
Are These Online Painting Classes Suitable For Plein Air Painting?
All the online painting classes are perfect for plein air painters. In fact, much of Barry's own work is done plein air. Important topics in plein air painting are covered, including the Alla Prima painting process, how to match colors in nature, and how to give your paintings depth using atmospheric perspective.
What is the value of the information in the Virtual Art Academy online painting classes?
Over his career Barry personally invested tens of thousands of dollars on his own art education, and studies with many of today's top artists. All of that information is included in the Virtual Art Academy curriculum. A good traditional art academy will cost upwards of $80,000 - $120,000 for a four year program. With the Virtual Art Academy you get the same high quality art education, but at a fraction of the cost, and as a bonus, in a much more structured form.
How does the Virtual Art Academy online painting course compare with attending a one-week workshop with a professional artist?
The Virtual Art Academy four year Apprentice Program has been divided into 16 workshops. Each workshop was designed to contain about the same amount of information that you would get if you attended an intensive 7-14 day workshop with a top professional artist. A single workshop with a top professional artist would cost you $3000 for just one week, including the cost of airfare, lodging, and tuition.
For the same price, with the Virtual Art Academy, you will get far more information for your money. The Apprentice Program is a highly cost-effective way of acquiring a lot of information that can take you all the way from an absolute beginner to a professional level. Plus you get the added benefit that you can fit your workshops into your own schedule. You have complete control over when you do the lessons and how long you take to do them.
How do the Virtual Art Academy® online painting classes compare with attending a four-year program at prestigious art school?
The Virtual Art Academy provides a much broader curriculum than you would get at a traditional art school or classical realism atelier. You will learn not only the skills of the traditional classical realism curriculum that were taught in the classical academies, but also modern impressionist color techniques and the principles of modern art and design. This means you are not forced into painting in just one style. You will get the skills to follow your own creativity and path and paint in any style you prefer. (See: tips on choosing oil painting classes)
If you still have questions then feel free to Contact Me.