Posted on June 1, 2018March 10, 2021 by

"Y" is for Yellow Summer

Y is for Yellow (Summer!): A 26-Lesson Class
Instructor: Carla Sonheim
Drawing, Painting, Mixed-Media • $99
Class Dates: June 22 – August 3, 2018
Note: Even though class has started, you are welcome to join in anytime!

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“Y” is For Yellow!
(And no, we won’t paint everything yellow! 😀 )

In this class we will march through the alphabet as a fun way to move through our lessons (“P” is for Picasso! “C” is for Collage!), while tackling the more serious question,

“How do you create a body of work?”

As mixed-media artists we are always trying new media and experimenting with new techniques — which is awesome! But what can happen is we don’t take the time to focus long enough on the things we really love so that we can create a cohesive series that is uniquely ours.
I have found a lot of value working in series over the years; choosing and sticking with one media/subject matter for a period of time really has helped me… and I will share with you what I can about the process.
Are you ready to work hard in a fun environment? Let’s refine, focus, and create a body of work this year!
Summer Session!
In 2016 we ran “Y is for Yellow” as a year-long class. We are re-running the class over six weeks this summer, with the all of the videos for each original session dropped every other Friday… it is a lot of content! But by giving it to you all at once, you will be encouraged to pick and choose the lessons that are particularly interesting to you this summer, and leave the rest for later (you have forever access!).
Lessons A – J
Friday, June 22, 2018
10 Drawing Assignments • 4 Mixed-Media Lessons
Friday, July 6, 2018
Lesson K – R
8 Drawing Assignment – 3 Mixed-Media Lessons
Friday, July 20, 2018
Lessons S – Z
8 Drawing Assignments – 3 Mixed -Media Lessons
If you missed “Y is for Yellow” the first time, please join us now! (And if you have a busy summer, don’t worry! You can always do this as a self-study class.) If you previously signed up for “Y is for Yellow” and would like to join in this summer, email me and I will put you on the list.
As a shorter, summer program, I think participants can decide to approach it two ways:
1.
Focus more on the series aspect of the class. Spend the six weeks going through the stages of researching & playing, resting, focusing & deciding, working (in tandem with a few others for support and accountability), and finishing!
2.
Focus more on just playing in the studio with the drawing and mixed-media assignments. There are 26 drawing assignments and 10 mixed-media assignments… so much content! But you are invited to pick and choose the assignments that speak to you the most and leave the rest for self-study later.
Please consider joining the fun… great lessons for families, too! The cost is $99 and you will have forever access to the lessons. Please join us!
Carla

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In this class:
• You are encouraged to focus on your favorite media. (Don’t know what that is? That’s okay, there will be plenty of techniques to try with both the drawing and mixed-media lessons.)
• There will be 26 short drawing exercises, one for each of the 26 lessons. These are meant to be warm-ups to give you ideas on how to face the blank page. I’ll keep them fun!
• In addition, there will be 7 mixed-media lessons, 3 optional assignments, and 3 surprise lessons. They will include techniques (old and new!) in watercolor, acrylics, charcoal, and other media.
• YOU will choose your three projects! Some ideas are working on an alphabet book, a children’s board book, some paintings for a show, your portfolio, a small line of cards, etc. (Alternatively, you can choose one larger project to work on all year.)
• “Y is for Yellow” will include an online community (via a closed Facebook group) where participants from all over the world share their work, their thoughts, and encourage each other (one of the best things about taking an online class!).

New to online classes? Check out the “Frequently Asked Questions” page, and here are some recent comments from students!
“In my opinion, you are a gifted instructor, who actually makes art fun, and I look forward to learning more from you.” — Jo
“Your style of teaching is warm, genuine and clear.” — Sheri
“Carla and her co-teachers inspire not just making art but also a sense of community among the students, of whom many have been making art for quite some time and others are new to it. This sense of community shows itself in the way everyone shares art — within a closed group on Facebook — and comments in a wonderful, supportive way.” — Corinne

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More:
• All levels welcome and encouraged to join in!
• Registration fee is good for people living in a single household.
• Instructor Feedback: I will be active in the Facebook Forum and available M-F for feedback.
• If you’d like a feel for the supplies you will need for this class, CLICK HERE.
• If you’d like to know more about how our online classes work in general, CLICK HERE.
• You will have access to the “Y is for Yellow” class materials forever.

• If you have any questions, please email me at carla[at]carlasonheim.com.

Thank you again and I hope you can join in!

Carla Sonheim

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SIGN UP TODAY!

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Once you register, you will receive a confirmation email immediately. We will log you in to the class with your Paypal email address unless you indicate otherwise.
P.S. Here eight mixed-media projects (following are screen shots from the lesson PDFs):
B is for Picasso Blue Period Paintings (watercolor and gel medium):

C is for Cut Contour Collages (mixed-media):

D is for Drybrush Dares (acrylic painting):

I is for Improv Paintings (mixed-media):

K is for Klee-Inspired Color Grid Paintings (layering in watercolor):

L is for Loose Landscapes (acrylic painting):

Q is for Quintessentially You (your choice of materials):

S is for Somewhat Surrealist (mixed-media painting):

T is for Taped, Textured Trees (mixed-media paintings):

Y is for Yellow Kitty (photograph and mixed-media):

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Carla Sonheim is a painter, illustrator, and creativity workshop instructor known for her fun and innovative projects and techniques designed to help adult students recover a more spontaneous, playful approach to creating. She is the author of Drawing Lab for Mixed Media Artists: 52 Creative Exercises to Make Drawing Fun, a bestselling book, having sold over 75,000 copies!
Two more books were released Fall 2012: Drawing and Painting Imaginary Animals: A Mixed-Media Workshop (Quarry Books) and The Art of Silliness: A Creativity Book for Everyone (Perigee Books), and in 2012 she co-authored Creative Photography Lab with her husband, Steve Sonheim.
One of her students writes, “Carla just shines and is so gentle and generous that you will work hard all day and come out energised and inspired. Most importantly though, [her] class was a touchstone in my artistic journey, giving me the courage to stop resisting, and open myself to my creative voice.”
Carla lives in Seattle, Washington.

Posted on December 3, 2017March 10, 2021 by

365: Daily Creative Practice

365: Daily Creative Practice
A Creativity Video Each Day
Prompts • Techniques • Assignments • Community

Class begins January 5, 2018… Join Today!

Welcome to 365! This is our second year and we can’t wait
to get started. We have a new platform, new ideas and new artists!

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365 is a daily infusion of “right braininess” via short videos. The creative prompts include artist interviews, techniques, ideas, inspirations, a weekly hands-on project, and more, all meant to supplement the other things you are doing in your art life.

NEW FOR 2018!
• 15% OFF all of our regular classes for 365 members.
• Every Friday will feature a more in-depth painting, drawing, or mixed-media project where I will share new ideas, experiments, and things learned from other artists.
• Weekly Digest Function so you can choose whether you want to get your prompts every day or on a weekly basis.
• Personal login page where you will have access to all previous videos.
The first video goes live Friday, January 5, 2018.
I hope you can join us!!
Carla
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Click HERE to Sign up Today!

Posted on May 31, 2017March 10, 2021 by

Spark Summer! Online Class

Spark Summer!
(Formally 2015: Year of the Spark)
Instructors: Lynn Whipple & Carla Sonheim
12 Lessons
Now available as a self-study class.

Note: This is a repeat (partial) of the 2015 year-long class, “Year of the Spark.” If you were in the original class, you are welcome to join this summer at no additional cost. Email Carla at carla[at]carlasonheim.com and ask to be put on the list! Thanks!

Hello!
In 2015 we (Lynn Whipple & Carla Sonheim) taught a year-long online class together, 2015: Year of the Spark.
In this summer package we picked our favorite 12 lessons… join us!

This online class is about ART, and how we can infuse MORE of it into our lives…. More art, more creativity, more time, more inspiration, more motivation, and more FUN!

Lynn and I share a love of making art, moving our hands, and keeping things FUN. We believe that the more fun you have, the more open your mind is to creative solutions, which produces more authentic and imaginative art!
You will receive 12 video lessons + pdfs which will include a short spark-your-art exercise (how do we make the time for creativity? How do we start?), as well as a longer, technique-based mixed-media project.

How will this work?
We want students to create art that is true to their own style (as opposed to expecting art look like ours). The techniques taught are just starting points and you will incorporate them into your own existing styles, and what will come out will be fresh and new!
Also, we strive to make sure that every online lesson includes both techniques and the opportunity for personal growth and self expression. “Spark Summer!” includes an online community where participants from all over the world share their work, their thoughts, and encourage each other. And of course, we are available to comment on all work uploaded throughout the class.
This class includes:
• 12 VIDEO LESSONS (6 from Lynn, 6 from Carla), each with a warm-up exercise and a main mixed-media lesson
• 12 accompanying PDFs with step-outs, written instructions, references, links, etc.
• Instructor FEEDBACK on uploaded or emailed work
• Private BLOG and closed FACEBOOK group.

* * *

Class Lessons

Carla
Journal Pages & One-liners and Gestures! Exploring Line Quality

Lynn
Sketchbook Patterns and Brain Surprise: Shape Making

Carla
Automatic Writing and Thoughts are Things Mini Books

Lynn
Drawing to Music and Duo des Fleurs “Flower Duet”

Carla
Warmup with Wes and Smartphone Monotype Collages

Lynn
Color Mixing and Color Making: Value Painting

Carla
Journal Diving and Carved Watercolor Paintings

Lynn
Favorite Icons and Threading Thoughts

Carla
Daily Ritual and Draw-Through Face Grids

Lynn
Thumbnail Sketches and Directional Mark Making

Carla
Modern Artists & Kids and Painting Big: Thinking Small

Lynn
Free Patterned Paper and Not so Still Life

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And a few more things:

• All levels welcome and encouraged to join us!
• Registration fee is good for people living in a single household (a great class to do with your kiddos!)
• If you have any QUESTIONS, please email me at carla[at]carlasonheim.com or Lynn at lynniewhip[at]gmail.com.
• If you’d like a feel for the SUPPLIES you will need for this class, CLICK HERE.
• New to online classes? Check out the “Frequently Asked Questions” page.

* * *

SIGN UP TODAY!

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Once you register, you will receive a confirmation email immediately. We will log you in to the class with your Paypal email address unless you indicate otherwise.

Thank you again and we hope you can join in!

Carla Sonheim & Lynn Whipple

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Lynn Whipple writes, “I am deeply grateful to live my life as an artist. Play and discovery are my dearest and most constant companions. There are a zillion tiny challenges in each art making experience, and so often I find, just as many small, sweet victories. Without a doubt, living creatively is the most enjoyable and satisfying game I know.”
Lynn shares a warehouse studio with her husband, John Whipple, in Winter Park, Florida. Lynn’s work includes found-object mixed-media assemblages; found images altered with a combination of drawing, painting, sewing and more; and her well-known Ninny Boxes, collages combined with found objects, and assembled within a box format. Her unique pieces have a playful, quirky, and often absurd, charm.
Lynn explains: “I allow myself to play and let my pieces reveal themselves to me…I have been fascinated by old books, history, and odd bits of memorabilia. I find the things that interest me the most are slightly absurd…My hope is to create something real and somehow poetic but not commonplace. My goal is to keep communicating in my language.”
Lynn’s work has been exhibited extensively throughout the United States and she is the author of the forthcoming book, “Expressive Flower Painting” (Quarry Books). Visit Lynn’s website at www.lynnwhipple.com.
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Carla Sonheim is a painter, illustrator, and creativity workshop instructor known for her fun and innovative projects and techniques designed to help adult students recover a more spontaneous, playful approach to creating. She is the author of Drawing Lab for Mixed Media Artists: 52 Creative Exercises to Make Drawing Fun, a bestselling book, having sold over 75,000 copies!
Two more books were released Fall 2012: Drawing and Painting Imaginary Animals: A Mixed-Media Workshop (Quarry Books) and The Art of Silliness: A Creativity Book for Everyone (Perigee Books), and in 2013 she co-authored Creative Photography Lab with her husband, Steve Sonheim.
One of her students writes, “Carla just shines and is so gentle and generous that you will work hard all day and come out energised and inspired. Most importantly though, [her] class was a touchstone in my artistic journey, giving me the courage to stop resisting, and open myself to my creative voice.”
Carla lives in Seattle, Washington.

* * *

Testimonials:
For Carla:
“You are a gifted instructor, who actually makes art fun, and I look forward to learning more from you.” — Jo
“What a wonderful world you have offered to me in The Year of the Fairy Tale! I am loving this course more than I can say, and I appreciate all the work and planning that you and your husband have put into this course. It’s polished, professional, charming and easy-to-follow. Again, thank you so much for all that you have done — what a year!” — Sandy
For Lynn:
“You’ve done so much for me, you have no idea. Coming across your work, taking your workshop, receiving feedback from you… all of these things have kept me sane, motivated me, inspired me. That’s huge – so I thank you so, so much for all of these things.” — Deborah
“From the bottom of my heart, YOU, dear Lynn, are just the best art teacher I’ve ever had. You challenged my senses and encouraged me to play and have fun; something I’ve forgotten to do. Thank You!” — Tina

Posted on March 7, 2017March 10, 2021 by

Flower Crazy 2

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Flower Crazy 2
with Carla Sonheim
3-Week Class; 8 Video Lessons
Class Dates: March 21 – April 6, 2017
Note: Even though class has started, you are welcome to join anytime!

Hi! It might be cold and rainy in my neck of the woods, but NOT here inside my studio! Here we have imaginary flowers!
In this 8-lesson class we will create 8-10 flower paintings, working with watercolors, chalk markers, Swedish Tracing Paper collage, kneaded rubber eraser stamping, stenciling, white ink, matte media, charcoal, and pencil on watercolor paper.
This follow-up/companion class of one of my first online classes, “Flower Crazy.” (Though each class can be taken independently.)
CLICK HERE for the SUPPLY LIST.

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Sign up Today!

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Class Itinerary
Week 1 (Tues, Wed, Fri)
Lesson 1 – Experimenting with watercolor scraping and pen and ink (line quality).
Lesson 2 – Experimenting with watercolor mark-making; create an all-over flower pattern.
Lesson 3 – Kneaded rubber eraser stamping; work on three paintings combining the four techniques of Week 1.

Week 2 (Tues, Wed, Fri)
Lesson 4 – Creating collage flowers using Swedish Tracing Paper.
Lesson 5 – Stenciling technique (to bring together the tough ones); shading and highlighting tips.
Lesson 6 – Flower building exercise; start two larger paintings with wet-on-wet watercolor technique.

Week 3 (Tues, Thurs)
Lesson 7 – Add layers of collage, matte medium, and watercolor until your paintings “almost” work.
Lesson 8 – Take your two larger paintings to the finish with white ink, charcoal, pencil, and marker.

________________________
Sign up Today!

________________________

Carla Sonheim is a painter, illustrator, and creativity workshop instructor known for her fun and innovative projects and techniques designed to help adult students recover a more spontaneous, playful approach to creating. She is the author of Drawing Lab for Mixed Media Artists: 52 Creative Exercises to Make Drawing Fun, a bestselling book, having sold over 100,000 copies!
Two more books were released Fall 2012: Drawing and Painting Imaginary Animals: A Mixed-Media Workshop (Quarry Books) and The Art of Silliness: A Creativity Book for Everyone (Perigee Books), and in 2013 she co-authored Creative Photography Lab with her husband, Steve Sonheim.
One of her students writes, “Carla just shines and is so gentle and generous that you will work hard all day and come out energised and inspired. Most importantly though, [her] class was a touchstone in my artistic journey, giving me the courage to stop resisting, and open myself to my creative voice.”
Carla lives in Seattle, Washington.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
NUTS & BOLTS
Here’s how this online class works:
• A password-protected blog serves as our clubhouse; there you will find all of the lesson videos and class materials.
• A Facebook group has been created for you to (optionally) share your paintings, and enjoy and learn from the artwork of others. (However, if you are shy about posting your art, Carla is always available to look at your work via email.)
• You have indefinite access to the class materials.
• Upon registration, you will receive an email within 48 hours with the links to the class blog and Facebook group.
• Class fee is good for participants living in a single household.
QUESTIONS? carla[at]carlasonheim.com
FAQs – If you’ve never taken an online class before and would like to know more about our classes, click HERE.

Posted on October 13, 2015March 10, 2021 by

Faces Mini

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Faces Mini
Instructor: Carla Sonheim
A Three-Lesson, “Bite-Sized” Class with Carla Sonheim
Drawing, painting, mixed-media • $25

Now available as a self-study class.

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In this class we will focus on drawing and painting the human face. We will do nine different assignments that allow you to approach your subjects fast, slow, messily, neatly, realistically, abstractly — all to help ferret out your own unique and personal style.
We will draw from live models, from photos, and our imaginations. We’ll use watercolor, pencil, pastels, and colored pencils to create 50 quick faces by the end of the week. End goal: You don’t want to draw faces like me or anyone else — you want to draw like YOU!
Take this class if you want to try your hand at different drawing styles and methods, love the human face, or want to start developing your own unique face “style.”
Note: This is a shortened, re-filming of “Faces 101,” one of my first online classes. The exercises in this new version are the same… the only difference is the presenter is a little more confident on camera. 😉

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Your itinerary:

Lesson 1
Blind contours, wrong-handed drawing, and watercolor faces
Tuesday, October 27th

Lesson 2
Contours, one-liners, and realistic drawings
Wednesday, October 28th

Optional Assignment

10 scribbly faces from life
Thursday, October 29th

Lesson 3
Shading, eraser drawings, pastel faces
Friday, October 30th

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Register today!

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Supplies?
For this class you will need several sheets of smooth card stock or drawing paper, an 8″x10″ sheet of watercolor paper (I use 140# hot press Fabriano paper), watercolors, a #12 round brush (or similar), pencil with eraser, pastels (or PanPastels), kneaded rubber eraser, colored pencils.

Posted on May 25, 2015March 10, 2021 by

Cats! Online Class with Carla Sonheim

Cats!
Three-Lesson Class with Carla Sonheim
Drawing, Watercolor, Mixed Media • $25

Now available as a self-study class.

A 3-Lesson, “bite-sized” Lunch Hour Art class!!

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Cat lovers unite!

In this drawing and painting class you will become the cat lady (or gentleman!) you never-wanted-but-secretly-DO-want to be, with cats, cats, and more cats in your home and sketchbooks.

We will create a menagerie of imaginary cats with watercolors, markers, acrylics, and fabric! Each lesson includes a short drawing assignment and a main mixed-media lesson. Watching cat videos optional.

Join me!

(Of course dog lovers are welcome to join, too! I’m working on a “dog” class for Fall 2015.)

Your itinerary:

Lesson 1: Watercolor & Imagination
layered watercolor cat “blob” paintings & a gaggle of kitties from imagination
Tuesday, June 16th

Lesson 2: Markers & Life
loose, expressive cats and drawing from photos and life
Wednesday, June 17th

Lesson 3: Acrylics & Fabric
the quickest acrylic paintings you’ll ever make, and a “bonus” cat pillow lesson
Friday, June 19th

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Join this fun class today! Now available as a self-study class.

Questions?

I’m happy to answer any questions! Please email me at carla[at]carlasonheim.com and I’ll get right back to you!

Supplies?
For this class you will need watercolors, water soluble markers, watercolor paper, white or cream acrylic paint, white paint pen, watercolor paper and a #12 round brush. Pillow supplies: printer, Fabric Inkjet Sheets, sewing machine, fabric scraps.

Posted on March 17, 2015March 10, 2021 by

Flower Crazy Mini – Online Class

Flower Crazy Mini
Instructor: Carla Sonheim
3 Lessons

Now available as a self-study class.

Hi! It might be cold and rainy in my neck of the woods, but NOT here inside my studio! Here we have imaginary flowers!

Take the cold weather into your own hands with gesso, watercolor, and a healthy dose of flower fun… join me for this “mini” session (re-edited) of my longer painting class “Flower Crazy.”

In this three-lesson mini class we will create a greenhouse of imaginary flowers while working with watercolors, markers, colored pencils, white ink, white gesso and pencil on watercolor paper.

Your itinerary

Lesson 1: Flower Blast
flower vocabulary with markers, colored pencils, transparent watercolor layers

Lesson 2: Imaginary Flowers
mark-making with watercolors, white ink, pencil

Lesson 3: Flower Bursts
Fast and loose with watercolors, gesso, pencil

Plus, there is a bonus optional drawing assignment (blog post, no video).

* * *

Join this fun class today!

Questions?

I’m happy to answer any questions! Please email me at carla[at]carlasonheim.com and I’ll get right back to you!

Supplies?
Click HERE for your full supply list.

Posted on November 3, 2014March 10, 2021 by

Blobimal Artist Books

Blobimal Artist Books
Instructor: Carla Sonheim
5-Lesson Repeat Class (with bonus 6th lesson) • $35
Drawing, Painting, Mixed Media
Now available as a self-study class.

BLOBIMAL ARTIST BOOKS
In this class we will construct three small artist books, with “found” animals as our main subject matter.
The irregularly shaped pages of each of the three books will be constructed so that artwork from the subsequent and following pages will be peeking through… like a puzzle!
In Book #1 Well start with layers of watercolor and then add layers of colored pencil, marker, ink, and more to create unique “blobimals” (“blobs” + “animals”) found only in your imagination.
In Book #2 we’ll combine collage and drawing by collaging your “blob” shapes and then finishing your artist book with ink, white gesso, black paint, and a white paint pen (that’s it).
In Book #3 we’ll combine collage, drawing, and words to create a story…
And for this repeat session, you’ll create a bonus “mini book” in the new 6th lesson.
This is one of my favorite “live” classes to teach, and I’m excited to bring this class to you in online form!
Note: This class originally ran as an intensive one-week class in the summer of 2013. This session we are running it over a two-week period and adding a sixth “bonus” lesson.

* * *
SUPPLIES NEEDED FOR THIS CLASS: For the Supply List, click HERE.
* * *
CLASS OUTLINE
Lesson 1: Watercolor Beginnings
Lesson 2: Bind Three Books
Lesson 3: Book #1: Blobimals Mixed-Media
Lesson 4: Book #2: Collage + Drawing
Lesson 5: Book #3: Story
Lesson 6: Bonus Mini Book

* * *

NUTS & BOLTS
Here’s how this online class works:
• Each M-W-F you will receive an email from me with a reminder to visit the class blog for that day’s lesson.
• A password-protected blog dedicated to each class will serve as our clubhouse and where you will find all the class materials as they are uploaded.
• A facebook group will be created for you to (optionally) share your paintings, and enjoy and learn from the artwork of others. (However, if you are shy about posting your art, I am always available to look at your work via email.)
• The class materials will be up and available for download indefinitely if for some reason you need to miss a day (or a couple of weeks).
• Upon registration, you will receive an email within 48 hours confirming your sign-up. On the Friday before your session begins, you will receive your class codes and a “test” video to make sure you can receive/view everything (if you can view the above video, you should be able to view the class videos).
• Class fee is good for participants living in a single household.
QUESTIONS? [email protected]
FAQs – If you’ve never taken an online class before and would like to know more about our e-workshops, click HERE.

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Register today!
____________________
SIGN UP TODAY!

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Posted on November 3, 2014March 10, 2021 by

Junk Mail Artist's Book

Junk Mail Artist’s Book
Instructor: Carla Sonheim
5-Lesson Repeat Class (with bonus 6th lesson) • $35
Drawing, Painting, Mixed Media
Now available as a self-study class.

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JUNK MAIL ARTIST’S BOOK
This is a mixed-media-junkie’s dream project! Junk mail combined with gesso, watercolor, a little swirly technique here, some packing tape there, creates beautiful and complicated textures that you can use as backgrounds for any mixed media projects you currently have going.
In this class we’ll use our pages to create an irregularly shaped book. Then, we’ll DRAW! You will begin a drawing on one spread, with the goal of having each image connect to and work with the images from other spreads. The drawing exercises throughout the week will build up to you being able to see more creatively and embrace the “puzzle” nature of this beautiful artist’s book.
Take this class if you love textures, layers, and everything mixed media. This one is just FUN!
Note: This class originally ran as an intensive one-week class in the summer of 2011. This session we are running it over a two-week period and adding a sixth “bonus” lesson.

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SUPPLIES
For the Supply List, click HERE.
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CLASS ITINERARY

Lesson 1: One-Liners & Gesso on Junk Mail

Lesson 2: Watercolors & Rub ‘n Buff

Lesson 3: Flow Exercise & Building Your Book

Lesson 4: Drawing! & More Gesso
Lesson 5: Final Details

Lesson 6: Bonus! Postcard Book

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NUTS & BOLTS
Here’s how this online class works:
• Each M-W-F you will receive an email from me with a reminder to visit the class blog for that day’s lesson.
• A password-protected blog dedicated to each class will serve as our clubhouse and where you will find all the class materials as they are uploaded.
• A facebook group will be created for you to (optionally) share your paintings, and enjoy and learn from the artwork of others. (However, if you are shy about posting your art, I am always available to look at your work via email.)
• The class materials will be up and available for download indefinitely if for some reason you need to miss a day (or a couple of weeks).
• Upon registration, you will receive an email within 48 hours confirming your sign-up. On the Friday before your session begins, you will receive your class codes and a “test” video to make sure you can receive/view everything (if you can view the above video, you should be able to view the class videos).
• Class fee is good for participants living in a single household.
QUESTIONS? [email protected]
FAQs – If you’ve never taken an online class before and would like to know more about our e-workshops, click HERE.

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Register today!

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Carla Sonheim is a painter, illustrator, and creativity workshop instructor known for her fun and innovative projects and techniques designed to help adult students recover a more spontaneous, playful approach to creating. She is the author of Drawing Lab for Mixed Media Artists: 52 Creative Exercises to Make Drawing Fun, a bestselling book, having sold over 75,000 copies!
Her two new books were released Fall 2012: Drawing and Painting Imaginary Animals: A Mixed-Media Workshop (Quarry Books) and The Art of Silliness: A Creativity Book for Everyone (Perigee Books).

Posted on August 20, 2014March 10, 2021 by

"Gelli Plate Printmaking" with Carla Sonheim

Gelli® Plate Printmaking
Instructor: Carla Sonheim
3 Lessons
Now available as a self-study class.

* * *
The monotype printing process is something that got me really excited about art over 20 years ago. You never know what you’re going to get, and I love the myriad of textures and patterns!
The new, inexpensive product called “Gelli Plate” allows you to create beautiful monotypes without a press, using materials anyone has in their studio.

When I posted these online recently, artist Christine Phelps asked: “These really take the Gelli Plate from a crafting to fine art level! Do you have a class brewing?”

Yes! “Gelli Plate Printmaking” is a quick, technique-based, $25 class and includes three professionally produced videos demonstrating how to achieve beautiful results with minimal supplies.
What you need is:
— a Gelli Plate (a product by Gelli Arts that looks and feels like gelatin)
— a brayer
— acrylic paint
— scissors
— paper

One student wrote:

“Wow!! I’ve done monotype printing before and even played a bit on the gelli plate, but this was game changing!”

Warning: Gel printing is addictive!
(Note: Gelli® Plate Printmaking has indefinite access, which means the videos and class materials will be up and available to you “forever.”)
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Sign up today!

😉

Posted on August 20, 2014March 10, 2021 by

"Gelli Plate PLUS" with Carla Sonheim

Gelli® Plate Plus
with Carla Sonheim
One-Week, 3-Lesson Class • $25
Monotype Printmaking, Mixed Media

Now available as a self-study class.

I love working with my Gelli Plate to create unique abstracted landscapes, the process of which I teach in the Introductory Class (details here). In “Gelli Plate Plus,” we’ll learn two new monotype printmaking techniques (painting on the plate and “carving” transparent layers).

In addition, we’ll go through some old “almost-there” work one-by-one to determine exactly what they need to become a unique, finished piece of art. (Printmaking has a high “failure” rate, but there are lots of ways to save them!)

We’ll add animals, people, and more with watercolor, gesso, pencil, marker, colored pencil, charcoal, and collage!
Join Today! One-week, 3-video class begins September 8, 2014.

Class Outline
Monday (Video/Assignment)- Monotype Paintings
Wednesday (Video/Assignment) – Carving Transparent Images; Watercolor
Friday (Video/Assignment) – Mixed-Media Mania

Student Supply List:

a Gelli Plate (a product by Gelli Arts that looks and feels like gelatin), any size (I will be using an 8″x10″ size)
Two brayers (I like the 4″ size) (Can also just use one brayer, but I will demo with two)
Red, blue, yellow, black, white OPEN acrylic paint. (Alternatively, you can get a medium that extends the drying time of your regular acrylic paints)
Gel medium
small amount of white gesso (I prefer Golden)
small set of watercolors (cake or tube is fine)
a selection of paint brushes
Scissors, glue stick, collage
mechanical pencil, black ballpoint pen
small set of colored pencils
water soluble and/or permanent markers
Soft Vine Charcoal
spray fixative
small set of pastels (I like PanPastels)
Eight c. 7″x10″ sheets of 140# hot press watercolor paper (or similar)
Leftover prints from previous classes
NOTE: Though it is recommended, you do not need to have taken “Gelli Plate Printmaking” to take this class. However you will need at least four started gelli prints to work into with mixed media, preferably on #140 pound watercolor paper (or similar).

Note: This class has “forever” access; once you sign up, you will have access to the class materials indefinitely. Thanks!

Posted on March 27, 2014March 10, 2021 by

DRAW! Online Class

21 Days • 21 Demonstration Videos • 21 Assignments
NEW! All videos are closed captioned.
This class is now available as a self-study class.

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Click HERE for a sample lesson!

Whether you draw realistically, stylistically, or hardly at all, this 21-day workshop will give you the motivation, direction, and inspiration to get your pencil moving.

Drawing is fundamentally a language of creativity that we speak naturally as children, and often lose touch with as adults. I believe that anyone can benefit from drawing and that simply making marks on paper is in itself freeing and invigorating.

Making that first mark can be the hardest part, so we will start with exercises to help you shed your inhibitions, loosen your hand and eyes, and simply have fun filling the blank page.
From there we will progress to drawing from life, from photos, and imagination using a variety of techniques and materials. Each assignment is designed to help you free your individual creative self through the act of drawing.
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Class Itinerary:
Day 0 – Eyes Closed Drawings
Day 1 – Wrong-Handed Drawings
Day 2 – One-Liners
Day 3 – Haiku Drawings
Day 4 – Blind Contours
Day 5 – Contour Drawings
Day 6 – Cheater Blinds
Day 7 – Scribbly Drawings
Day 8 – Blob Hunting
Day 9 – Picasso Dogs
Day 10 – Blobimals
Day 11 – Pencil Sketches
Day 12 – Eraser Drawings
Day 13 – Vine Charcoal
Day 14 – Side-Only Charcoal
Day 15 – Figure Drawing – Gestures
Day 16 – Figure Drawing – Longer Pose
Day 17 – Figure Drawing – Ink Studies
Day 18 – Abstracted Faces
Day 19 – Abstracted Minutia
Day 20 – Random Pick Drawings
Day 21 – Create an Assignment
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Each day of the class you will receive:
• A detailed assignment via the “Draw!” blog.
• An email with the drawing inspiration of the day.
• A short video demonstrating the techniques used in the assignment.
• A Flickr group to share your work with like-minded individuals from all over the world!
• Instructor feedback.

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“Carla helps her students release their inner critic, and what emerges is a whimsy and freedom
that makes for truly original artwork. Each of us discover in her classes that we really are artists,
and that our visual style is uniquely our own.” — Adrienne

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Sign up today!
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Carla Sonheim is a painter, illustrator, and creativity workshop instructor known for her fun and innovative projects and techniques designed to help adult students recover a more spontaneous, playful approach to creating. She is the author of three books on drawing and creativity.

Posted on March 3, 2014March 10, 2021 by

Watercolor Transfer Paintings

One-Week Intensive Class • $35
Painting, Mixed Media
Now available as a self-study class.

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In this class we’ll experiment with this easy and quick technique that creates some of the loveliest watercolor textures I’ve seen… if you love the intricate patterns found in a single rock, for example, you will love this class.
Using only t-shirt transfer paper and watercolors, we’ll first just play with brush techniques, working in layers and experimenting with fabric. (Watercolor on fabric? Yes!!) Later in the week we will add other media to the mix: charcoal, ballpoint pen, and pastel to add even more texture and depth to these unique paintings.

And use cut and torn bits and pieces of the painted transfers to create fun and unique pieces of art:

We’ll also work with “plates” to create multi-layered paintings:

Here’s the scoop for one-week camp sessions:
• Think “camp” and be ready for a week jam-packed with creativity! (If you do all the assignments each day, I estimate it will take about 1 – 1.5 hours each day.)
• Each day you’ll wake up to a morning peptalk email with links to your daily schedule, warm-up PDF drawing worksheet, daily assignment and demonstration video. (Five camp days; five warm-up worksheets; assignments; five videos.)
• A password-protected blog dedicated to each class will serve as our clubhouse and will be our meeting place for all of the above.
• A flickr group will be created for each session so you can (optionally) share your worksheets, drawings, paintings, and enjoy and learn from the artwork of others. (However, if you are shy about posting your art, I am always available to look at your work via email.)
• A perfect activity to do with your kids.
• The class materials will be up and available for download until “forever,” if for some reason you need to miss a day (or a couple of weeks).
• Upon registration, you will receive an email within 48 hours confirming your sign-up. The week before your camp session begins, you will receive a “test” email to make sure you can receive/view everything. (That way, when the camp starts, any mosquito bugs will be worked out!)
• What you will need: You will be able to read acrobat pdf files and view videos.
• Class fee is good for participants living in a single household.
QUESTIONS? [email protected]
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Register today!

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Supply List:
– Several watercolor brushes – brushes that you have on hand, medium to large, round or flat
– Small set of watercolors (cake or tube is fine)
– One 30” x 40” sheet of hot press, 140# watercolor paper, torn down to eight 7.5” x 10” pieces; save remaining paper for extra paintings.
– One package (6 or 12 sheets) of regular t-shirt transfer paper for white fabric (recommended: Avery T-Shirt Transfers for Inkjet Printers)
– white paper for drawing exercises (can be regular computer paper)
– ballpoint pen
– small set of water soluble markers (can be cheap)
– parchment or tissue paper (to protect your iron)
– iron
Optional items (I will demo these things but are not necessary to participate in the class):
– white cotton fabric or t-shirt
– soft vine charcoal
– chalk pastels
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Check out other online classes here.

Posted on December 12, 2013March 10, 2021 by

2014: The Year of the Fairy Tale

Welcome to my 2014 year-long online class:

Year of the Fairy Tale!

2014: Year of the Fairy Tale from Silly U on Vimeo.

~~Class begins January 20, 2014.~~ The class is now available as a self-study class.
“Grimm’s Fairy Tales” was my favorite childhood book, so I can’t tell you how excited I am to spend a whole year illustrating fairy tales!
If you don’t know me, my name is Carla Sonheim and I am an artist and author of several instructional drawing and mixed-media books. I’m known for my projects and techniques that help adult students recover a more spontaneous, playful approach to creating!
During this year-long online class, we will illustrate 8 fairy tales (the class will run in two, four-month “semesters,” with a 7-week break in between). Each month you will receive both a sketchbook assignment and a technique-based, mixed-media project via professionally produced videos.

How will this work?
First, my goal for all my classes is that students create art that is true to their own style (as opposed to expecting art look like mine). The techniques taught are just starting points and you will incorporate them into your own existing style and what will come out will be fresh and new.
Also, I strive to make sure that every online lesson includes both techniques and the opportunity for personal growth and self expression. “Year of the Fairy Tale” will be an online community where participants from all over the world share their work, their thoughts, and encourage each other. And of course, I am available to comment on all work uploaded throughout the year.
For each of the 8 working months you’ll receive:
• a PDF with that month’s Fairy Tale/Reading Assignment
• a Sketchbook Assignment (each month we’ll pick a focus: the figure, the face, animals, architecture, etc.)
• a Step-by-Step Mixed-Media Project (throughout the year we’ll work with watercolors, acrylics, pastels, charcoal, graphite, collage….)
• Professionally Produced Instructional Video(s)
• Special Blog Posts exploring each fairy tale’s rich visual history, guest artists, and more
• Instructor Feedback on all uploaded or emailed work
Our virtual “classroom” includes a private blog and closed Facebook group.

Each Reading & Sketchbook Assignment will be released 10 days before the Mixed-Media Assignment. Class begins January 20, 2014.

New to online classes? Check out the “Frequently Asked Questions” page, and here are some recent comments from students:
“In my opinion, you are a gifted instructor, who actually makes art fun, and I look forward to learning more from you.” — Jo
“Your style of teaching is warm, genuine and clear.” — Sheri
“Carla and her co-teachers inspire not just making art but also a sense of community among the students, of whom many have been making art for quite some time and others are new to it. This sense of community shows itself in the way everyone shares art — within a closed group on Facebook — and comments in a wonderful, supportive way.” — Corinne
AND specifically about the this class:
“I’m really having a blast in this class. It’s hard, it’s fun, it’s challenging, it’s frustrating, it’s very satisfying… learning so much and loving seeing all of the amazing work being posted and loving learning these new techniques. Thanks, Carla!” — Helen

I’m really looking forward to immersing myself in fairy tales this year, and hope you will join me!
• All levels welcome and encouraged to join in (new artists will have the option of also joining a separate facebook group especially for beginners!)
• Registration fee is good for people living in a single household (a great class to do with your kiddos!)
• If you have any questions at all, please email me at carla[at]carlasonheim.com.
• BONUS! The first 50 people to sign up will receive a set of 8 digital fairy-tale-inspired greeting cards (PDF) suitable for printing and sending.
• If you’d like a feel for the supplies you will need for this class, click here.
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SIGN UP TODAY!

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GIVE A GIFT
Do you know someone who would like this class? Gift a class, and I’ll send you a downloadable gift card to give to the recipient.

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Once you register, you will receive a confirmation email immediately. I will log you in to the class with your Paypal email address unless you indicate otherwise.

Thank you again and I hope you can join in!

Carla Sonheim

girlinforestcrop

SIGN UP TODAY!

Welcome to 365! This is our second year and we can’t wait to get started. We have a new platform, new ideas and new artists!

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Faces Mini Instructor: Carla Sonheim A Three-Lesson, “Bite-Sized” Class with Carla Sonheim Drawing, painting, mixed-media • $25

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Student Supply List:

Click HERE for a sample lesson!

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“Carla helps her students release their inner critic, and what emerges is a whimsy and freedom that makes for truly original artwork. Each of us discover in her classes that we really are artists, and that our visual style is uniquely our own.” — Adrienne

One-Week Intensive Class • $35 Painting, Mixed Media Now available as a self-study class.

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Year of the Fairy Tale!

SIGN UP TODAY!

Welcome to 365! This is our second year and we can’t wait
to get started. We have a new platform, new ideas and new artists!

Faces Mini
Instructor: Carla Sonheim
A Three-Lesson, “Bite-Sized” Class with Carla Sonheim
Drawing, painting, mixed-media • $25

“Carla helps her students release their inner critic, and what emerges is a whimsy and freedom
that makes for truly original artwork. Each of us discover in her classes that we really are artists,
and that our visual style is uniquely our own.” — Adrienne

One-Week Intensive Class • $35
Painting, Mixed Media
Now available as a self-study class.