Did you skip art school? This comprehensive program for self-taught artists reveals the tips and techniques you can use to improve your skill and more importantly, empowers you to create the art you’ve only dreamed of making.
If you have gaps in your learning let’s fill them with the kind of practice that not only improves your drawing skills but has you proudly proclaim, “I’m the artist!”
Self-Taught to Self-Confident is right for you if you struggle to get your marks where you want them to go. You admire people who produce something that’s taken a lot of skill and you are curious to see how good you can become.
You’re right for Self-Taught to Self-Confident if you want to build your skill and ultimately develop your unique artist voice. You’re tired of taking “paint-like-me” courses and seek foundational learning that develops in you the confidence to begin asking, “what do I want to say?”
If you:
⇒ Want to confidently create your art,
⇒ Struggle to climb out of your creative plateau,
⇒ Taught yourself at a young age but stopped,
⇒ Feel lost in a sea of Youtube and Pinterest tutorials,
⇒ Feel like you don’t have natural talent,
⇒ Always wanted to pursue art but never fully committed,
…you’re in the right place!
Self-Taught to Self-Confident will give you the tools, inspiration and unparalleled support to create art that makes you proudly proclaim, “I’m the artist.”
By the end of this program you will:
1
Improve all of the art you create, and finally feel permission to spend money and time on your art
2
Use the exact techniques to be more realistic so that you’re ready to explore different styles and develop your unique artist voice
3
Be completely capable of drawing anything you want so that you’re eager to take creative risks with your art
4
Confidently offer and receive valuable feedback to and from your peers as you build creative community
5
Become the artist you are meant to be as you follow through on your art goals
6
Create the art you dream of making and proudly share it with the people you love
I have gone through feeling like I WANT to be an artist to knowing that I AM an artist.
I have started developing the skills that help me realize my vision and create unique artwork.
I understand better how to listen to feedback and stay on the course while setting aside criticism that isn’t helpful to me as an individual.
Carrie is a valuable asset to my art practice, and I am glad she provides so many opportunities to learn from her.
“She Rises” by Tia Sunshine
Become the artist you are meant to be:
Self-Taught to Self-Confident is open for enrollment
6 MONTHLY PAYMENTS of
$237
A ONE-TIME PAYMENT of
$1297
Carrie does a wonderful job of asking questions and helping me to “see” things that I had previously missed.
I attribute a significant amount of my drawing abilities to Carrie and the feedback I received from her.
Carrie is my favorite “go to” teacher when I get stuck on a painting or it just seems off. Her critique always is spot on.
I have been able to finish several paintings I might have given up on thanks to her critique.
What’s Inside Self-Taught to Self-Confident
Managing your Mindset
Learning techniques are only one part of becoming a skillful artist. This module will help you unpack the beliefs you have around talent and prepare you for the discomfort that naturally comes with learning something new. You will learn the formula experts use to build skill and develop expertise so you can apply it to your artist practice.
By the end of Module 1 you will begin the mental mind work you need to truly up level your skill and confidently create the art you dream of making.
Highlights:
- A Confidence Tracker to help you assess your growth and develop a strategy of practice
- How to measure your growth with baseline assessments
- Research that debunks the myth of the talented artist, and
- 3 criteria for high-quality feedback on your art
Filling in your foundations
In order to build your skill you need to know which techniques to practice. Module 2 is an introduction to all of the foundational skills that will help you draw what you imagine. By the end of this module you will be familiar with foundational drawing techniques that you can use to practice building skill.
Highlights:
- What exactly ARE foundational drawing practices?
- The one thing most artists miss when working from photo reference
- 3 Common mistakes made by newer artists
- Special tricks to help you better train your artist eyes
Success with still life
In Module 3 you will learn how to set up your own composition and apply foundational techniques either from photo reference or from life observation. You will apply the techniques and skills introduced in Module 2 specifically looking at the history and meaning behind still lifes.
By the end of this module, you will confidently arrange your own still life and draw one with symbolic meaning.
Highlights:
- Why still lifes are a great stepping stone for building skill
- How lighting can help or hurt your art
- 3 ingredients for a quality composition
- How timing can help you up-level your skill
Learning with landscapes
In Learning with Landscapes you will practice applying foundational art skills to landscape art. You’ll learn about the different kinds of perspective and apply them to create an encompassing atmosphere in your landscape drawings.
By the end of Module 4, you will confidently create a landscape artwork from your own photo reference or from life observation.
Highlights:
- The one kind of perspective artists often forget
- Why the background is just as important as the foreground in your drawing
- How value can transform your work from an observable drawing to an image jumping off the page
Practice with people
Module 5 covers foundational drawing techniques when drawing people. It addresses both portraits and figural work to help you address drawing both head portraits and full body arrangements.
By the end of this module, you will understand why so many artists find drawing people the most difficult and have a strategy of practice to build towards more likeness in the people you draw.
Highlights:
- The ONE misconception most artists have that hold them back from creating their best work
- The 5 most common errors people make when drawing people
- Additional resources for students specifically interested in portraiture and the figure
Compare your confidence
In Compare your confidence you will use your tracker and the several finished drawings from the program to help you evaluate your growth during the time of the program as well as create personalized action steps moving forward with your art.
By the end of this module, you will have successfully measured your growth and have an action plan for continuing beyond this course.
Highlights:
- Key takeaways you can use to inform future art
- A fillable PDF Assessment guide
- How to create your next steps for practice
Inside Self-Taught to Self-Confident you get…
⊕ 6 Implementation Modules
that show you everything you need to do to reach new levels of skill to confidently draw and paint whatever you want.
⊕ The Finish and Follow Through Guide
to help you show up, make the most of this program, and most importantly: make more art.
⊕ Extensive Mindset Training
Embrace your inner critic as a tool for good and stop procrastination and creative block before it starts.
⊕ Step-By-Step Demonstrations
so that you can get your practice in AND still have time for your “regular” art.
These Bonuses to Help You Master Your Skill and Maintain your Momentum
Private Self-Taught to Self-Confident Community Space
Art can feel lonely. Community provides support AND accountability to get you where you want to be with your art. This is where you’ll meet and connect with like-minded artists, trade valuable feedback and enjoy virtual high-fives and encouragement every step of the way.
Weekly digests sent to your inbox keep you updated about ongoings inside the group while also limiting the notifications inside your inbox.
Our community space is hosted by Circle.so and integrates directly with Teachable so no extra passwords needed, either.
You’ll be able to use this space to:
- quickly troubleshoot drawing exercises
- have someone else’s fresh eyes to look at your work
- hold yourself accountable on different activities
- get extra support from kind, supportive creatives doing the same work as you
Monthly Question and Answer Sessions
I will host monthly Q&As where you can ask questions and get feedback tailored to your art.
Feedback is one of the key ingredients listed by Anders Ericsson in his research on developing skill and expertise. You grow faster with feedback.
As noted earlier, we believe in consent, being in service of the artist and the work, and honoring the need for affirmation and validation as part of the process.
Use these Q&A sessions to:
- get specific feedback for a work in progress
- get actionable next steps tailored to where YOUR skill is
- practice giving and receiving feedback to inform artistic decisions
- get questions answered about any of the program content
Common mistakes artists make
In this bonus module, you learn to avoid common mistakes made by artists, including how to render hair and fur as well as how artists can unintentionally flatten their art.
Yearly Community Studio Sprint
Once a year we will run a community sprint for you to choose to focus on one module, revisit a module, or work towards finishing the program
When you sign up, you receive myriad ways to help you follow through; this isn’t a course that you sign up for and then never hear from the creator again.
Within the sprints there will be opportunity for individual, personalized feedback from me.
Use these Studio Sprints to:
- Complete an unfinished module
- Revisit an impactful lesson
- Apply practice strategies and lessons to a new medium
- Connect and work alongside others seeking accountability
Become the artist you are meant to be:
Self-Taught to Self-Confident is open for enrollment
6 MONTHLY PAYMENTS of
$237
A ONE-TIME PAYMENT of
$1297
Backed by a 7-day Risk Free Guarantee
Self-Taught to Self-Confident is the most comprehensive, step-by-step skill-building program for artists excited and committed to building their skill and developing their unique artist voice.
Our community is filled with kind, helpful, motivated, and supportive members who are practicing art foundations to create stronger art. When you join you will be part of this group.
By the end of these 7 days, you’ll have received access to the first module. Meaning, you’ll have had the opportunity to address your mindset and create a way to measure your growth BEFORE making a final commitment.
If you don’t feel totally confident and motivated by your drawing skill (and your ability to grow), simply reach out and we’ll refund your investment. FULL details here.
Become the artist you are meant to be:
Self-Taught to Self-Confident is open for enrollment
6 MONTHLY PAYMENTS of
$237
A ONE-TIME PAYMENT of
$1297
If you’re thinking this sounds amazing but
I’m still not 100% sure keep reading…
You should give Self-Taught to Self-Confident a 20-day risk free try if
you’re motivated by any of the following:
1
Are you new or returning to art and want to make the most of when you do show up to make art?
2
You have a strong knowing that you can be better, that you deserve to draw confidently and create the art you’ve always felt called to create.
3
Wouldn’t it be empowering, exciting and even a little scary to know you have all the skill you need, and then truly focus on what you want to say?!
Commonly Asked Questions
How much time do I need for the course?
You have lifetime access to the program. That way, you can devise your own weekly or daily time commitment that suits the life you lead, not the one you hope to live someday. I’ve seen students make huge strides with a daily drawing commitment of 15 minutes. Other people have made weekly commitments for chunks of time.
What materials will I need?
You will need a pencil (any type, I’m not picky), A4 or letter sized paper, a printer to print out image references and a camera to take photos of your art to share and get feedback from me and your peers.
If you want, you can have an HB or 2B pencil and one 4B, 5B or 6B pencil. This is optional, but will help with your values in your drawings.
My personal practice is that the quality of material comes later. Let’s work with what we have!
What tech skills do I need?
The course is entirely hosted on platform called Teachable. You will need to log into Teachable to access your course videos, which you can download or stream.
Our community space is hosted through Circle.so but it’s integrated into Teachable so you don’t have to leave Teachable or make a separate password to sign in.
Our monthly Q&As will be hosted using Zoom and you can join with video, audio or only with chat.
In order for me (and your peers) to offer you quality feedback I will need quality photographs for you to post in our community. This means taking photos in decent light and square to the camera lens (which can be your tablet or phone). I teach how to do this inside the first modules of the program.
If you get frustrated enough to throw your art supplies through your screen after one tech bump in the road, an online course may not be a good fit for you.
If you are willing to be persistent and patient in the face of tech difficulties (while still thinking about breaking the silly computer) I’m here to help.
What if I’m completely new to drawing?
Here’s the thing: EVERYONE can benefit from this program. Self Taught to Self-Confident is designed to help anyone at any level, be better at drawing. It will help you grow, no matter what your current skill level is, and it is designed to help you continue to grow and improve in your skill for as long as you create.
Sometimes complete beginners feel intimidated by the different skill levels they observe in our Q&As and on our posts. EVERYONE has started where you are, but if that is too vulnerable for you it may be better to wait and join after you have some practice under your belt.
There is research out there that suggests surrounding yourself with people you admire (their skill or their achievements) and I assure you, there is no better group of humans to show up and share your art with than the lovely people who sign up for Self-Taught to Self-Confident.
How will this help me as an abstract artist?
The abstract artists I’ve worked with in the past have shared a similar interest and concern: they worry their limited drawing skill holds them back from making their best art.
I firmly assert that drawing foundations inform ALL art.
If you feel like learning gaps are limiting your work, let’s fill those gaps and get you back to your canvas, where you can confidently express yourself as an abstract artist.
Why not invest in another online program?
Most online art programs take the approach of “paint or draw like me.” The teachers introduce techniques they use in their specific medium and style and show you how they paint or draw.
This is a great way to learn new skills and if you feel called to take other classes go for it. Find the teachers and lessons that speak to you. But if you want a system of learning you can use and apply to all of your art, for the rest of your life, this is the course for you. You can apply these same ideas to any medium.
What if I change my mind?
Self-Taught to Self-Confident is the most comprehensive, step-by-step skill-building program for artists excited and committed to building their skill and developing their unique artist voice.
By the end of these 7-days, you’ll have received access to the first module.
Meaning, you’ll have had the opportunity to address your mindset and create a way to measure your growth (and a plan of attack) BEFORE making a final commitment.
If you don’t feel totally confident and motivated by your drawing skill (and your ability to grow), simply reach out, show us you’ve put in the work, and we’ll refund your investment.
I’m still not sure if I’m a good fit?
If you’ve read this far, something about the program resonates with you. Email me Carrie@ArtistStrong.com to talk about it.
Let’s help you get the results in your art you’ve always dreamed of!
You might be surprised to hear this:
I don’t really care if you are good at drawing.
What actually concerns me is you,
confidently making the art you were put on this planet to make.
A lot of people say to me, “I don’t want to be an artist Carrie, and I have no plans to sell my art.
I just want to be able to draw a family member for a gift, or draw something in front of people and not feel embarrassed.”
Self-Taught to Self-Confident will definitely help you realize these goals. It has for others. But something else happens, too.
You realize you’ve always been an artist.
This is a transformation that moves you from a creative who “dabbles” in art or feels “all over the place” with their style to
confidently making decisions about your art and creative life as a practicing artist (whether your goal is to draw family members or make abstract art to sell).
Most online art programs take the approach of “paint or draw like me.” The teachers introduce techniques they use in their specific medium and style and show you how they paint or draw. This is a great way to learn new skills and if you feel called to take classes like this go for it.
But if you want a system of learning you can use and apply to all of your art, for the rest of your life, this is the course for you. You can apply these same ideas to any medium, to any style of art.
When it comes to your art, few things move the needle faster than developing your art foundations.
It’s the master key that unlocks time and motivation to keep going, to ultimately make the art YOU want to create.
And while I totally feel the short term pain involved in developing art foundations while also navigating that mile long life to-do list…
I want to offer you this super important reframe:
If you had limited time left on this planet, would you find the time then?
I built this program with you in mind:
▶️ The person not quite ready to call themselves an artist, who imagines what it would be like to realize a greater level of skill.
▶️ The person who can’t afford or doesn’t want to attend art school, but feels like s/he is missing out.
▶️ The creatively blocked person, tired of depending on image references.
▶️ The time-starved person who wants to make every minute of art-making count.
You don’t have to painfully scroll through your Instagram watching fellow artists share inspiring, beautiful art while you wonder if you have something worth sharing.
I promise: you do.
When you’re equipped with the foundational skills to draw or paint WHATEVER you want to create,
your big dreams for your art no longer need to wait for a magical “someday.”
Create art with confidence, knowing that every action brings you closer to owning the powerful, impactful voice that shines through in your art.
You are an artist.
So that’s the opportunity I want to invite you to seize right now.
To FINALLY build the foundational art skills…
… and actively apply them, generating improved skill (and new ideas) for your art starting today.
Here’s the project plan to make it happen.
Cheering you on,
Carrie
Become the artist you are meant to be:
Self-Taught to Self-Confident is open for enrollment
6 MONTHLY PAYMENTS of
$237
A ONE-TIME PAYMENT of
$1297