The best art classes in Chicago

Whether you’re an aspiring artist or simply looking for a way to relax and get in touch with your creativity, Chicago is an excellent place to find a high-quality art class to help you achieve your goals. With world-class museums like the Art Institute of Chicago and the Museum of Contemporary Art, any student can find inspiration and study renowned masterpieces up close. Chicago is also home to numerous cultural centers and festivals that further contribute to a city that celebrates art and diversity, making it an ideal location for anyone who wants to enhance their creativity. Because there are so many different art classes available in Chicago, choosing the one that will best meet your needs can be difficult. Examining different artistic styles and techniques is essential to find the one that resonates with you. You’ll also want to be mindful of your budget and read reviews from former students to see if other people’s experiences match what you’re looking for. Focusing on these simple factors will allow you to feel confident in your choice and make a wise investment.

When deciding on an art class to attend, the most straightforward place to start is to determine which style of art interests you the most. This can be tricky to decide if you’re new to art, but reflecting on your interests and goals can help you narrow things down. If you’re someone who enjoys working with your hands, a pottery class or jewelry making class would likely be an excellent fit. If you prefer more meditative and detail-oriented tasks, you might enjoy a drawing class or a painting class instead. You can also consider more practical aspects of the hobby before making your final decision. A sketchbook or an easel is a smaller investment than clay and a potter’s wheel, so if you’re just starting out, you may want to take a class in something that requires fewer materials so you can continue practicing at home. 

Once you’ve narrowed that down, you can focus on classes in your desired artistic medium that cater to your current skill level. If you’re a total beginner, you’ll want to focus on classes that don’t require prior experience. If drawing is your passion, the Drawing for Beginners workshop at Discovery Center is a wonderful introduction to artwork. In this class, students will learn numerous tips on how to improve the accuracy of their drawings and learn how to draw a variety of different objects. Discovery Center also offers a Mixed Media Art class for those who want to explore a variety of mediums, including watercolors, acrylic paint, pastels, and found objects. 

More advanced students may prefer a class like Beginner/Intermediate Wheel Throwing at Evanston Art Center. In this workshop, participants receive plenty of specialized attention as they create functional ceramic pieces like pitchers, mugs, and vases. Although beginners can attend, more experienced students can also receive additional support and learn more challenging techniques under the guidance of their instructor. 

Budget is another essential factor before you enroll in an art class. The price of an art class can vary widely depending on the specific medium you’re studying and how long the class lasts; understandably, shorter classes are typically cheaper than longer classes. For example, a single-day workshop like Introduction to Weaving at Chicago Botanic Garden costs $93, while the Painting with Acrylics class at Evanston Art Center consists of 12 sessions and costs $520. When considering your budget, you’ll need to pay attention to whether an art class supplies students with materials or you’re expected to bring your own. A class that doesn’t supply materials will likely be cheaper upfront, but a beginner will have to spend more money on items to bring to class. 

Before finalizing your decision, it’s a good idea to take some time to read reviews from former students. This will help you learn more details about a particular class that you may not be able to find anywhere else. When looking through them, you’ll probably learn more about important details like the instructor’s teaching style, the average size of the class, and whether people felt satisfied with their overall experience. All of this information will help ensure that the class you choose will be a good fit for your interests and goals.

After deciding which art class you want to take, you’ll want to take a few additional steps to make sure you’re well-prepared and that your experience is as seamless as possible. It’s important that you’re clear on whether supplies will be provided or if students are expected to bring their own. If you need to bring your own materials, the instructor will provide you with a list ahead of time. You can do your research about which supplies are required to ensure you’re purchasing quality materials that align with your budget. 

Before the class starts, you’ll also want to double-check how long it lasts so you can pack the appropriate snacks or plan for meals throughout the day. Suppose your art class lasts for several days. In that case, you’ll also want to take this time to ensure other commitments are well managed so you can focus on your artistic education without worrying about other parts of your life being taken care of. On the day of the class, you’ll also want to ensure you’re appropriately dressed for the specific activity. For most art classes, keeping your hair tied back and dressing in clothes you feel comfortable getting stained or messy is a good idea. If your class involves sharp or heavy materials, you can also protect yourself by wearing closed-toed shoes.

There are plenty of people who would enjoy taking an art class:

Coworkers

If you and your colleagues want a fun and unique team building activity, an art class is worth exploring. Working on something creative is a wonderful way to reduce stress, so an art class could help a team relax after completing a challenging project or meeting a stressful deadline. These activities can also boost morale by helping employees feel valued and offering them a way to nurture their creativity and improve their mental health. Creating a tangible, finished art project can also lead to increased confidence, which can also translate positively to the workplace. Some of the more unique art classes that might work well for teammates include a Private Digital Photography class at Digital Photo Academy or the Stained Glass Workshop at Discovery Center.

Children

If there’s a young person in your life who enjoys being creative, an art class is a wonderful way for them to meet new friends and boost their confidence. Allowing children to express themselves artistically can help them get more in touch with their emotions, and encouraging them to persevere through learning a new skill is an incredibly valuable skill that will help them throughout their lives. An art class also allows children to meet kids with similar interests and potentially make lifelong friends. There are plenty of children’s art classes in Chicago, like Watercolor Explorations at Evanston Art Center, where children from ages 7-11 will learn various artistic concepts, including color gradations and composition. They might even discover a new talent they never knew they had.

Couples

Letting an art class double as a date night provides couples with the opportunity to destress in a relaxing environment and enjoy each other’s company. Couples who regularly participate in novel activities together are also more likely to stay together, so an art class is a great way to keep the spark alive in your relationship no matter how long you and your partner have been together. Working together to create art inspires supportive communication and is likely to produce some laughs as you make a mess and get creative together. One of the art classes in Chicago that would make a great date night is the BYOB Sip & Paint Open Class at Museica’s Art Studio, where each participant can relax, enjoy a beverage, and recreate a painting of their choice.

Another critical thing to keep in mind about art classes is that they are an excellent activity for anyone with limited mobility. Plenty of artistic disciplines can help someone improve fine motor skills, and completing an art project from start to finish is also bound to reduce stress and boost confidence. Many art classes can also be done from a sitting position, so those with a disability can still participate and engage in some much-needed socialization, as many spaces are not accessible to those who use a wheelchair or require other support with mobility.

If you're looking for other creative classes outside of things like painting, drawing, and ceramics, a photography class in Chicago could be worth exploring. All of these disciplines require a keen understanding of fundamental artistic principles like composition, color balance, and contrast. Photography also allows an artist to experiment with new techniques to express their unique artistic style, and a photography class may provide an artist with additional creative inspiration regardless of their chosen medium. For example, someone who typically prefers to draw might use photos as a reference for drawing more realistic objects, people, and architecture. A photography class could also help an aspiring artist learn more about how to properly frame an image to maximize emotional impact and make a drawing or a painting more dynamic. 

If you’re curious about other creative adult education opportunities, there are plenty of cooking classes available, which also have several similarities to art classes. In both settings, participants are encouraged to experiment with different techniques to either combine colors or combine new ingredients. Both activities also require students to be incredibly detail-oriented. In cooking, you often need to measure ingredients carefully to ensure your final dish turns out right, and artists must pay close attention to the overall composition of their work. Whether you’re cooking a meal or sketching the portrait of a loved one, the process of making something from scratch is deeply satisfying and rewarding.

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