I took a virtual drawing class taught by professors for $75 — and now I understand why college students don't want to spend another semester online

Joey HaddenJul 9, 2020, 03:33 IST

Business Insider

I took a $75 virtual drawing class taught by college professors.
The class made me long for my college years, but some elements of the undergraduate experience were missing, which made me thankful I finished school before the pandemic.
I missed meeting my classmates and professors in the same space, and I think I would have learned the concepts quicker if my professors were watching over my shoulder.
Learning to draw with other people, even virtually, made me feel less alone during the coronavirus pandemic, which has been socially isolating, and gave me one more activity to do at home.

I always thought of drawing as something other people do. Sure, I've doodled through classes in college, but I never thought of drawing as a way to spend my free time.

When I was stuck at home waiting out the coronavirus pandemic, a flyer for a virtual drawing class made me think otherwise. I've been turning to music, video games, and journaling to fill up my free time while staying in, so why not try something new?

The Art Local is a drawing school run by two college art professors, Renee Lai and Sarah Fagan, in Austin, Texas.

Lai and Fagan teach both art majors and non-majors at the University of Texas, Austin, and St. Edward's University.

Fagan and Lai came up with the idea while teaching art for non-major students. These classes typically fill up quickly with students who are excited by art and eager to learn, Lai said.

So the duo decided to create shortened versions of their classes with optional homework. While the original plan was to hold these classes in-person, Lai and Fagan launched the courses online in light of the coronavirus pandemic.

Here's what it's like to take a drawing class over Zoom.

I saw a flyer for the art class in my Austin neighborhood while walking my dog. Intrigued, I went to the website listed and signed up for "Intro to Drawing."

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

The class took place on Thursday evenings at 8 p.m. through the month of June. The supply list included basic art supplies, like pencils, erasers, and a sketchbook.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

I also had to get some line charcoal for the class, which was easy to find at my local art supply store.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Each class began with a warm-up activity, like drawing for five minutes without looking at your paper.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

After warming up, we moved into a lecture. Each class taught us a different element or two to consider while drawing, like line, scale, and light.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

The slideshows illustrated concepts and shared examples of related works of art.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

After each lecture, we spent the rest of the class drawing with a focus on the concept we learned about that day.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

This helped me work out any initial issues I was having with the professors, like where to start and how to troubleshoot common mistakes.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Each week, Fagan and Lai gave us drawing assignments to complete by the next class meeting.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

These assignments kept me thinking about drawing throughout the week.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

By the end of the class, I had made drawing a part of my personal life, which is exactly what I hoped to get out of it.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Although I would have preferred to take this class in-person, Lai and Fagan said there are some upsides to hosting the Art Local classes over Zoom, like reaching a wider audience and having a more intimate environment.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Although I would have preferred to take this class in-person, Lai and Fagan said there are some upsides to hosting the Art Local classes over Zoom, like reaching a wider audience and having a more intimate environment.

Regardless, this class made me certain I wouldn't want to attend college online, even though I'd take it again.

My final homework assignment for the drawing class. Joey Hadden/Business Insider

10 of the most beautiful valleys in the US

Cookies on the Business Insider India website

I took a virtual drawing class taught by professors for $75 — and now I understand why college students don't want to spend another semester online

I saw a flyer for the art class in my Austin neighborhood while walking my dog. Intrigued, I went to the website listed and signed up for "Intro to Drawing."

The class took place on Thursday evenings at 8 p.m. through the month of June. The supply list included basic art supplies, like pencils, erasers, and a sketchbook.

I also had to get some line charcoal for the class, which was easy to find at my local art supply store.

Each class began with a warm-up activity, like drawing for five minutes without looking at your paper.

After warming up, we moved into a lecture. Each class taught us a different element or two to consider while drawing, like line, scale, and light.

The slideshows illustrated concepts and shared examples of related works of art.

After each lecture, we spent the rest of the class drawing with a focus on the concept we learned about that day.

This helped me work out any initial issues I was having with the professors, like where to start and how to troubleshoot common mistakes.

Each week, Fagan and Lai gave us drawing assignments to complete by the next class meeting.

These assignments kept me thinking about drawing throughout the week.

By the end of the class, I had made drawing a part of my personal life, which is exactly what I hoped to get out of it.

Although I would have preferred to take this class in-person, Lai and Fagan said there are some upsides to hosting the Art Local classes over Zoom, like reaching a wider audience and having a more intimate environment.

Regardless, this class made me certain I wouldn't want to attend college online, even though I'd take it again.