Discover Classes. Earn Rewards.

Painting Classes Online

Unleash your inner artist with a wide range of online painting classes. Master various painting techniques, express your creativity, and discover the joy of painting from the comfort of your own home.

25 classes have spots left

Online Painting with Acrylics 301

Pastimes for a Lifetime @ Live Online via Zoom

Unleash your creativity and learn the techniques of 20th-century masters with the Online Painting with Acrylics 301 course. Discover how to mix colors, prepare the canvas, and execute styles such as impressionism, contemporary realism, color block, and abstract. Take your painting skills to the next level with this flexible and vibrant medium.

Tuesday Dec 5th, 3–4pm Pacific Time

 (4 sessions)

$160

4 sessions

Painting in Watercolor - Level 2

Santa Monica College

Join a class designed for those who wish to improve and guide their watercolor techniques toward a more personal and creative direction. In a supportive, constructive, and stress-free environment, learn how to achieve desired effects that will enhance previous painting attempts, and find out about effective methods for attaining more satisfying results with new projects. For class supplies please click here

Sunday Jan 7th, 2–5pm Pacific Time

 (6 sessions)

$128

6 sessions

Virtual Interactive Japanese Ink Painting (Sumi-e)

RESOBOX

Learn the ancient art of Japanese ink painting from the comfort of your own home with RESOBOX's Virtual Interactive class. Discover the therapeutic and contemplative nature of Sumi-e as you create beautiful and minimalist artwork using just a few essential materials. Join the class and unlock your creativity today!

Saturday Jan 13th, 1–2:15pm Eastern Time

Discover Classes. Earn Rewards.

Painting Classes Gift Card

Thousands of classes & experiences. No expiration. Gift an experience this holiday season and make it a memorable one.

Buy a Gift Card

Explore Art Private Group Events

Explore private group events and team building activities ranging from cooking to art, escape rooms, trivia, and more

Explore Art Private Group Events
Animated gif slider: slide 1: a person in a meditative pose with paint on their apron; slide 2: person making a pizza; slide 3: 3 people drinking wine and smiling; slide 4: two people competing in a sack race while others look on

Creating Compositions for Multiple Figure Paintings

New York School of the Arts @ Online Classroom

Discover the art of creating captivating multiple-figure paintings in this immersive virtual course. Dive into the world of art history, explore narrative storytelling, and learn how to use formal elements of design to convey content and context. Under the guidance of an experienced instructor, unleash your creative potential and bring your own self-authored paintings to life.

Tuesday Apr 2nd, 9:30am–12:30pm Eastern Time

 (9 sessions)

$430

9 sessions

Painting the Natural World

Chicago Botanic Garden @ Online via Zoom

Discover the captivating world of watercolor as you learn to create expressive marks and mix colors to depict the beauty of nature in this online course offered by the Chicago Botanic Garden. Explore the art of painting the natural world from the comfort of your own home, and unlock the secrets to achieving sparkling and sensitive effects with watercolor. Previous experience in watercolor or a similar medium is recommended.

Wednesday Jan 10th, 1–3:30pm Central Time

 (6 sessions)

$349

6 sessions

Online Water - Soluble Oils 401

Pastimes for a Lifetime @ Live Online via Zoom

Discover the eco-friendly joy of oil painting with water-soluble oils. Learn the techniques of mixing colors and brushwork while creating stunning traditional and contemporary pieces. Say yes to this delicious and non-toxic medium at Pastimes for a Lifetime.

Tuesday Dec 5th, 3–4pm Pacific Time

 (4 sessions)

$160

4 sessions

Exploring Abstract Art For New Artists

Living Your Wild Creativity @ Virtual Classroom

Discover the secrets of creating captivating abstract art with Exploring Abstract Art For New Artists. This immersive course from Living Your Wild Creativity provides you with the skills and knowledge needed to create stunning abstract masterpieces. Dive into a world of creativity and unleash your artistic potential.

Thursday Dec 7th, 3–4:15pm Pacific Time

 (3 sessions)

$105

3 sessions

Online Oil Pastel 101

Pastimes for a Lifetime @ Live Online via Zoom

Discover the world of oil pastels with this online art course. Unleash your creativity as you learn color theory, blending techniques, and how to create stunning works of art that resemble oil paintings. Perfect for beginners looking for a mess-free and vibrant medium.

Tuesday Dec 5th, 3–4pm Pacific Time

 (4 sessions)

$160

4 sessions

Beginning Watercolor: Online

Chicago Botanic Garden @ Online via Zoom

Unlock your creativity and learn to paint sparkling, luminous watercolors with the Chicago Botanic Garden's virtual botanical art class. Explore brush techniques, color-mixing, and control of washes from the comfort of your own home. No prior experience is needed.

Wednesday Jan 10th, 9:30am–12pm Central Time

 (6 sessions)

$349

6 sessions

Watercolor 101

Art School of SF Bay @ Virtual Classroom

This workshop covers everything you need to know about watercolor to use it fluently in your projects: how to mix colors, use washes, work from light to dark, use reserve and additives, and even such advanced technique as watercolor underpainting. You will learn the science behind the watercolor fluorescent colors, learn how to lead your work, what to do to prevent and fix watercolor accidents. We will try our hands in both Classical European and...

Thursday Jan 25th, 6–8pm Pacific Time

 (10 sessions)

$400

10 sessions

Exploratory Watercolor

New York School of the Arts @ Online Classroom

Unleash your creativity with watercolor as you delve into still life and abstraction in this dynamic course at the New York School of the Arts. Discover diverse techniques, master composition, and color, and receive personalized instruction and group critiques. Join us and create unique, individual paintings that truly reflect your artistic vision.

Thursday Feb 1st, 9:30am–12:30pm Eastern Time

 (10 sessions)

$430

10 sessions

Color Mixing

Chicago Botanic Garden @ Online via Zoom

Learn to mix accurate, exciting color including the vivid, specific hues of flowers, the bright and subdued greens of leaves, and the deep, subtle colors in shadows. You will make charts for permanent reference and then apply this knowledge as you paint flowers and leaves from live specimens.  You will work in watercolor, but exercises apply to all media. A supply list will be sent.

Saturday Mar 23rd, 9am–12pm Central Time

 (6 sessions)

$449

6 sessions

Online Watercolor 202 - Intermediate

Pastimes for a Lifetime @ Live Online via Zoom

Take your watercolor skills to the next level with this intermediate class at Pastimes for a Lifetime. Learn advanced techniques for texture, tone, and color layering, and discover how to create deeper, richer colors in your paintings. Perfect for artists interested in fine art or illustration.

Tuesday Dec 5th, 3–4pm Pacific Time

 (4 sessions)

$160

4 sessions

Watercolor Still Life

New York School of the Arts @ Online Classroom

Learn to bring everyday objects to life in vibrant watercolor compositions at the New York School of the Arts. Sharpen your observation skills while exploring pigments, layering techniques, and more. All levels of experience are welcome in this experimental and boundary-pushing class.

Friday Feb 2nd, 10am–1pm Eastern Time

 (9 sessions)

$430

9 sessions

Reset all filters.

No results found

Try removing some filters.

Discover the Best Painting Classes Online

Have you ever wanted to learn painting, but you did not know where to begin? Any person of any age or ability level can learn to paint. The term “painting” is used to describe the action that creates the end product–both are referred to as “painting”. It dates back to prehistoric times, when nomadic people created paintings on rocky walls using charcoal. The oldest paintings discovered to date were recently unearthed in Spain, and are thought to be over 42,000 years old. Today, we define painting as a method of artistic expression in which paint, pigment, color, or another medium is applied to a solid surface. A brush is most commonly used to apply paint, but other tools, such as knives, spatulas, sponges, and airbrushes can be used alone or in combination with brushes.

Why You Should Learn Painting Online

Painting is an excellent hobby if you are looking for a way to relieve stress or want something to do during your free time. You may enjoy the part of painting that allows you to create something for another person as well. A special gift in the form of a painting that a loved one can hang in their home, for example, is the perfect way to show you care. It could be a painting of another loved one, or simply something that is meaningful to the person who will receive it.

You may not realize it now, but there is a large community of people who enjoy painting both casually and professionally. Once you have a basic understanding of how to paint, you may want to research local clubs, groups, events, or organizations where you can meet other people who like painting. Groups like this can be in-person as well as online and offer you the opportunity to create a new social circle.

Looking for your new side hustle? Painting is a marketable skill that you can turn into a part-time job, or even a new job entirely. Selling your paintings through an online marketplace, or in-person at a craft fair near where you live, are both options for spreading your creative joy around. You could even begin taking commissions, where you create custom paintings based upon the requests of your customers. 

Virtual Painting Classes 

The idea of taking an online painting class might be intimidating, but much like in-person painting classes, they have their pros and cons. One good thing about taking a virtual painting class is that you can attend the class from anywhere. This means you can work on your painting project at home, in your backyard, or even in a public space like a park. There is also no commute, so you save some time and money. The biggest con about taking an online painting class is that you generally have to supply your own materials and equipment.

Interested in online painting classes? CourseHorse has many options to choose from, so it should be easy to find something that will work for you. For example, Beginner’s Intro to Watercolor Painting: Single Session is a class that explores the colorful world of watercolor painting. You will experience learning and fun in this relaxed group atmosphere while you discover your unique form of self-expression. 

Beginner Watercolor Online is a six-session course focused on botanicals, and you will learn to paint with luminous, sparkling watercolors. Enjoy acquiring new techniques and learning through fun activities that transition into studies and landscapes. 

Online Painting With Acrylics 301 is a virtual class for all levels in which you will learn the techniques of 20th-century painting masters. These include mixing colors and preparing your canvas for your work.

Painting the Natural World is another watercolors class that is perfect for all skill levels. In this class, you will learn to make expressive marks, mix colors, and apply water mindfully. It is recommended that you have at least basic knowledge of painting and watercolors to take this class.

Online Oil Pastel 101 is a virtual class that teaches you about the creamy, easy-to-mix medium that is oil pastels. You will learn the basics of color theory and create unique projects using smooth blends and subtle applications of color.

Color Mixing is a six-session class in which you will discover how to mix colors that accurately represent the world around you. You will make charts for permanent reference and then apply this knowledge as you paint flowers and leaves from live specimens.

Private Online Group Painting Classes

Thinking about scheduling a painting class as a fun team-building event for your business, or maybe as an outing for friends? CourseHorse offers painting classes for private groups online that they can deliver to you in a live online format. Virtual Watercolor Workshop (Materials Included) will take up to 225 participants and all materials are included in the cost of the class. Your group will learn techniques to create an abstract painting in a relaxing and creative atmosphere. Virtual Acrylic Painting (Materials Included) is designed for up to 500 participants per course and all materials are included. This class instructs your group on how to create a painting on canvas. While you will all be working on the same painting, the end products will be unique to each artist. And Virtual Watercolor Georgia O’Keeffe (Materials Included) takes up to 225 people at one time and includes all the materials you need to learn. This class will teach your group about legendary watercolor artist Georgia O’Keeffe, and in the process of painting you will learn her techniques.

If you do not see a group class that interests you listed publicly on their website, CourseHorse can provide a different class for your group. Reach out through the contact form on their website to learn about all available options. When you book with CourseHorse, it is important to remember that you get a multitude of benefits, including the ability to change your group size after booking if necessary. You will also receive a confirmation within 24 hours of your booking, and there are no extra booking fees. Finally, CourseHorse private group classes are supported on multiple platforms, so everyone can join in on the fun no matter where they are.

Online vs. In-Person Painting Classes

Learning painting online is a great way to get started with painting, especially if there are not any in-person painting classes in your area. You should gain the same knowledge of painting in an online class as you would at an in-person class, and if you take a live online class, you will still get the real-time feedback from your instructor that you would at an in-person class. This type of feedback is critical to learning painting in an easy and relaxing way. Just remember that if you choose to take an online painting class, you will most likely need to purchase your own materials, but your instructor should give you a list of what to buy.

Can I Learn Painting for Free Online?

While formal training from an expert will help most people learn painting more efficiently, the short answer is yes, you can get started on your painting journey with online tutorials and videos, such as those found on YouTube. At the end of the day, though, if you want real-time feedback and a creative atmosphere in which to learn, you should enroll in a formal class.

CourseHorse Gift Cards

  • Creative & unique gift for any occasion
  • Choose from thousands of classes & experiences
  • No expiration date
  • Instant e-delivery (or choose a date)
  • Add a personalized message
Buy a Gift Card
gift card with the CourseHorse logo gift card with the CourseHorse logo
Loading...