3 Online Courses for Creatives That are on My Wishlist
Though it's been a few years since I actually found myself heading back to school in September, there's something about this time of year that still has that excitement attached to it. The crispness in the air, the promise of a new season (and with it a new fall wardrobe, of course!), and the opportunity to break open those new textbooks and embrace your inner nerd.
Except these days, my learning tends to take pace online or more in a workshop format, and it's much more customizable — something that I really love about this new wave of education and all the opportunities it presents.
After launching my visual strategy course for the first time last year, I've found myself becoming quite the online student, putting together my own curriculum that covers topics and subjects of my own choosing. And since my wishlist continues to grow and I've come across some gems recently that I can't wait to sign up for, I thought I would share the courses that have recently caught my eye — and that I'm planning to enrol in myself — just in case you're feeling a little of that back to school nostalgia as well.
1. Colour for Creatives (from The Brand Stylist)
Ever since I first came across Fiona Humberstone (aka The Brand Stylist) and her work, I've considered her to be one of my favourite branding resources. She just released her second book as well (which I would also highly recommend), and they've become staples on my book shelf that not only introduce you to her refreshing, personal take on branding for creatives, but are also such visual treats.
Though I've had my eye on her in-person retreat for awhile now, Colour for Creatives is her first online course offering, and as a topic that I've written on myself by touching on colour psychology on the blog, and as one of the most important important building blocks of building a brand, I'm excited to dive into this one. Promising to help you gain a deeper understanding of your brand, communicate more effectively and produce more powerful work, I think this is going to be an essential for anyone who is in the branding process or creates branded content in any capacity.
2. Process Driven Design (from If I Made)
From the founder of OnceWed, If I Made is an alternative learning resource for creatives and entrepreneurs that focuses specifically on the wedding industry but has a lot of cross over no matter what you do. Tapping into experts in the industry and having them lead online courses on their specific area of expertise, each course not only offers a deep dive into the subject matter, but also the unique perspective and years of experience of your instructor and their specific process.
Though I haven't invested in one of their courses yet, I currently have my eye on Process Driven Design, taught by Ginny Au, who is someone I've admired for awhile. The course explores brand identity, client relations, the design process and execution, minimal design, and styling for photoshoots and weddings, and I love the specific focus it takes on the process itself.
Take a peek at their other courses as well, which range from photography to floral design to pricing to styling (the Wedding Styling 101 is another I have my eye on...).
3. Reflect. Create. Grow (From The Wedding Stylist)
A newer discovery for me, I was immediately intrigued when I came across this course from The Wedding Stylist (who, coincidentally, I think I found in Brand Brilliance, Fiona's latest book). All about styling your brand, cultivating your brand voice and growing your visual brand, it's no surprise that the subject hits close to home for me since it's so aligned with what I do, and I always love learning from others who have their own unique perspective and are in a slightly different industry than I am.
I'm guessing there's a slight lean toward the wedding industry once again in this one, but the topics seem so relevant and well organized into the three different sections (reflect, create and grow — you guessed it!), that I feel like it would be a great exercise for any creative looking to hone in on their voice and visuals. This will definitely be another course I sign up for as I start to refocus on my own business this fall after a particularly busy summer season.