Coloring, doodling, and painting are all great ways for kids to pass the time, and as yours gets older, you may find that they are sketching on every paper surface they can find. If you notice that your child’s school notebooks are filled with little drawings in the margins, it may be time to think about art classes that go beyond a school elective.
But art lessons don’t need to be pricey, and there are several free options that your family can explore right from the comfort of your own home. With that, these virtual drawing classes aren’t just for experts or “serious” artists either—anyone, regardless of skill-level, can try their hand at creating a masterpiece with colored pencils or oil pastels.
We’ve rounded up a handful of free virtual drawing classes for your kid to try, from Disney to the Museum of Modern Art. Happy creating!
1. Disney & Pixar
Disney and Pixar are releasing free online tutorials to teach kids how to sketch out their favorite characters, from Frozen‘s Anna to a vintage 1920s Mickey. Check out an ongoing list of options on the Disney Parks Blog.
2. Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)’s Free Course Lineup
Older kids will want to take advantage of the free online courses MoMA in New York City is currently offering, aimed at bolstering everyone’s appreciation for art. Nine classes—including one on modern art and ideas—are freely available via Coursera, an online learning platform that hosts more than 3,900 massive open online courses (MOOC) and specializations.
3. SkillShare
Tweens and teens will enjoy this free 59-minute lesson on character illustration, figures, faces, and clothing from Gabriel Picolo, a comic artist on online learning community platform SkillShare.
Another SkillShare artist: art lover, teacher, and mom Gabrielle Brickey, says on her Instagram that she’s devoted to “helping artists learn how to draw and paint.” In one of her several classes on the site, Brickey teaches students how to sketch a female character portrait.
4. Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Metropolitan Museum of Art is offering up web-only features, like virtual tours and an online drawing class recently launched in honor of The Met’s 150th anniversary in April. It’s a virtual extension of The Met’s Drop-In Drawing program, the session includes a step-by-step instructional video that guides you through the finer points of rendering an image of The Met’s facade using perspective.
5. DrawingCoach.com
If kids are eager to dive right into drawing, they’ll do well to check out this straightforward blog that offers step-by-step instructions on drawing a wide variety of objects (like flowers, people, trees, etc.) and examples. Some lessons also include video tutorials.
6. Udemy
Udemy hosts a wide variety of art and drawing classes for free. For instance, in one, step-by-step, two-hour course, teacher, art instructor, and artist Em Winn shows children over 5 how to draw cartoons.
7. The Art of Aaron Blaise
Aaron Blaise spent 21 years as an animator on Disney animated classics like Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Lion King, Pocahontas, Mulan, and more. Now, kids can learn his masterful techniques on his YouTube channel “The Art of Aaron Blaise” and in Blaise’s online courses, many of which are now free in response to the pandemic.
8. The Art Institute of Chicago
The Art Institute of Chicago (yes, the same of Ferris Bueller fame) is featuring family and educator resources, art-making activities, interactive stories, video and audio tours, collection highlights, and more on their website. Check out their hub for art-making and creative writing activities, many that are targeted to kids 7 and older.
