Skillshare’s Monthly Class Picks: June 2025

This month’s picks are all about exploring new perspectives—whether through the lens of nature, the brushstrokes of a renowned artist, or the screen of your iPad. From mindful sketching to golden-age inspiration, these classes offer fresh ways to fuel your creativity and reconnect with what you love to make.

1. Natural Explorer: Build a Mindful Art Practice Inspired by the Natural World

Two hands hold open a notebook sitting on a wooden table. The notebook is filled with a colored pencil drawing of a large tree with a thick trunk. Three colored pencils sit on the table next to the notebook. — Nature can be some artists’ biggest source of inspiration.

About This Class

If you’re looking to rediscover a feeling of excitement and adventure in your art practice, you’ll enjoy this class on connecting with the natural world through art. In just seven lessons that come in under forty minutes total, you’ll learn how to explore the natural world around you, reflect on your findings and listen to your inner creativity through multiple artistic exercises.

Plus, the class includes a downloadable handbook complete with reflection prompts, templates, and mini-guides that you can use as you create and engage with nature.

Taught By

Mimi Chao is the founder of Mimochai, an independent studio based in Los Angeles, where Mimi creates art, books, and classes for curious minds. As a former lawyer turned self-taught artist and full-time creative, Mimi enjoys helping others engage with nature, creativity and mindfulness and step out of a career that isn’t the right fit anymore.

What Students Say

“It was an inspiring class, with helpful tips. Loved it and I will come back to it every time when my motivation is down. The most helpful part for me was the reflection. I feel pressured and always in a hurry. Hearing Mimi's questions, the invitation to breathe in and out, and to reflect upon those questions is a practice that I will include in my art and nature adventures. Thank you for this class and your art Mimi!” - Vali P.

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2. Paint with Me: Digital Portrait Painting in Procreate

Two images of the same woman sit next to each other. The woman has orange hair and red lips and wears a white polka dot head scarf. The image on the left looks like a photograph while the image on the right looks like a soft and more muted painting of the woman. — With Procreate’s lifelike brushes, you can create realistic paintings that rival true paint and canvas.

About This Class

In this real-time portrait painting demonstration, you’ll learn how to create painterly portraits in Procreate. Each lesson will show you how to use Procreate to paint a life-like digital painting. You’ll discover how to paint a face with accurate proportions, which Procreate brushes to use and techniques for different styles of brushwork.

Teacher and artist Gabrielle Brickey also shares the exact brushes she’s using, plus the Procreate and Photoshop files of her reference image.

Taught By

Gabrielle Brickey is a portrait artist and content creator who has taught over 100,000 students the techniques, tips and art fundamentals that can help bring any creative vision to life.

What Students Say

“Excellent course! The instructor explains things very clearly and offers loads of helpful tips and tricks for creating this type of portrait which I'll definitely find useful when working on future projects. Highly recommend checking this one out.” - Mel Olson

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3. Golden Insights: Exploring Klimt's Patterns for Your Artistry (A Master Study)

A white piece of paper sits next to multiple images of Gustav Klimt’s work, a few tubes of paint, a marker and a paintbrush. The white piece of paper features multiple paint swatches with each color’s name listed beneath it including gold, silver, rose madder and more. A replica of one of Klimt’s patterns is visible on the bottom of the paper. — Get lost in Klimt’s mesmerizing colors and patterns.

About This Class

Iconic artist Gustav Klimt is known for his use of gold, intricate patterns and symbolism. His geometric shapes and metallic color schemes are instantly recognizable in pieces like The Kiss and Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I.

In this class, you’ll demystify Klimt’s most well-known painting techniques and dive into his patterns, color palettes and brushwork techniques. Diving into another artist’s techniques can even help you find inspiration and spark creativity.

Taught By

Artist and photographer, Denise Love created this class for art enthusiasts, creatives seeking inspiration and Klimt aficionados alike. As a creative herself, Denise’s life’s work revolves around a deep passion for art and the creative process. Through her digital courses and resources, Denise helps others unlock their artistic potential, embrace their unique vision and find joy in the process of creating.

What Students Say

“To say I was blown away by this class is an understatement. Denise's ability to impart her knowledge on Klimt and his patterns, organise the lessons, create examples etc. in such an approachable manner is beyond fantastic. Any level can definitely learn and have fun producing and creating some wonderful work. Thank you so much for a fabulous thorough course on Klimt !!!” - Michael R.

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4. Always Drawing: 7 Creative Exercises to Jumpstart Your Sketchbook

A hand holding a paint brush adds grey watercolor paint to a black and white drawing in a notebook. The drawing features multiple flying objects including a rocket, a flying saucer, astronauts, a comet and more. — Artist Mike Lowery drew this piece after being inspired by the prompt “Something Flying.”

About This Class

If you’ve been feeling that dreaded creative block, you’ll enjoy this class with illustrator and avid sketchbook-keeper, Mike Lowery, where he walks you through one full week of creative drawing exercises for your sketchbook. From personal tattoos to a bug party, each prompt will help you jump right into drawing in your sketchbook for thirty minutes a day.

This class is for anyone who wants to maintain a daily sketchbook or experiment with new drawing ideas.

Taught By

Mike Lowery is an author, New York Times bestselling illustrator, public speaker and an avid sketchbook keeper. He’s been keeping a sketchbook every day for more than twenty years and his hope is to help as many people as possible discover the benefits of daily sketching.

What Students Say

“Mike has an easy, approachable style and such a conversational tone that I think this is the perfect class for those starting out or coming back to keeping a sketchbook. For those who draw more regularly the prompts are nice little deviations from our likely norm that they can spark something new on the page. Enjoyable.” - Nicci C.

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5. Beginner's Affinity Designer for iPad: Introduction to Vector Illustration

An iPad sits on a table open to Affinity Designer. The canvas is filled with a floral pattern with a maroon background and touches of light yellows and pinks. Two greeting cards that feature the same pattern sit on the table in front of the iPad. — Seamless pattern design can be applied to greeting cards, fabric and more.

About This Class

Affinity Designer is a popular design software renowned for its intuitive interface and powerful vector and raster art tools. Built to create high-quality mock-ups, concept art, icons, print projects, UI designs and logos, Affinity Designer can be used by a wide variety of creatives. In this class, you’ll learn how to navigate Affinity Designer’s interface, create new objects, transform vector objects and more.

Taught By

Weronika Salach is a Polish children's book illustrator, surface pattern designer and online educator from Germany. She creates pattern designs for greeting cards, fabric and more.

What Students Say

“Brilliant class, easy to follow along and really helpful in getting to know the AD interface. The hand gestures were very helpful. Love the way Weronika teaches.” - Louise B.

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Dive into Your Own Creative Journey

Every creative endeavor starts with one step in the right direction. Your next hobby, career or side hustle could be right around the corner. By exploring the power of a daily sketchbook habit, software like Affinity Designer or Gustav Klimt’s hypnotic patterns, you’ll add new creative skills to your toolbelt all while challenging what you think is possible for yourself as an artist or designer.

Written By

Calli Zarpas

Producer & Writer by occupation. Ceramicist & Newsletter Editor by avocation.