So you want to get creative with your blog, get better at the Adobe Creative Suite, or maybe even start branding your business a little better? And what about that old website of yours that you’ve been putting on the back-burner to update? As entrepreneurs, bloggers or small business owners, a lot of the overall marketing needs to be done by yourself due to budget, manpower, time, etc. The only problem with all of that is that most of us don’t have a clue where to start!
Insert: creativity. Creativity isn’t always something people are born with; for some of us creativity is a skill or talent achieved through dedication, education and the right resources. This is why I’m here to help you increase your own potential and creativity by showing you three of my favorite resources for developing new skills and talents!
Pugly Pixel
Pugly Pixel is a website and blog about “web design, photography, style, and tips for blog design enthusiasts” by a self-taught designer named Katrina. This site is one of my favorite resources on the Internet for everyone to learn about CSS/HTML, photoshop, layouts and more. Katrina has created lots of free and easy tutorials and resources for users to download, as well as member-only sections (such as STYLE Screencasts) where anyone can subscribe to for a minimal fee ranging from $5-$25 for access! There’s a ton of information on her site for newbies to really hone in on their talent, so I highly recommend learning from Pugly Pixel’s free tutorials first, and then subscribing to her member-only sections and videos. I’ve already taken a few of her tutorials, but I can definitely say that my own blog and graphic design skills have grown exponentially from the information Katrina provides on Pugly Pixel!
Nicole’s Classes
The website for Nicole’s Classes is full of a ton of options for your creativity to really start getting on track. Nicole’s Classes are downloadable, online classes where you can learn anything from Watercolor 101 to Photoshop 101 in a 2-4 week time span. You’re able to work at your own pace and learn from seasoned veterans in each of the subjects. There are also scheduled chat times to talk to your instructors, which is an added bonus for people that really like a helping hand when learning. And for those of us that like being tested, Nicole’s Classes offers optional homework assignments to really push you to practice what you learn.
Classes range in prices starting at about $125, so they’re a little heftier in cost but worth every penny as many of the students have proclaimed. Even taking a look at the student work on their blog can give you a great idea at the caliber of knowledge and experience you’ll soak in. Keep up with this site for a constant influx of new and creative classes, as well as fun giveaways and free tutorials on their blog!
Lynda.com
Lynda.com was founded in 1995 by Lynda Weinman, a self-taught computer expert, and is on the mission to “help you learn the skills you need to achieve your full potential.” With over 1,600 online video courses for all skill levels in more than 140 specialities, Lynda.com is a huge hub of knowledge and education for users around the world. The classes are taught by professionals in a very comprehensive way, and they range in a ton of subjects so that you’ll never be bored and stop at just one class.
Rates aren’t too bad for Lynda.com either, and you can have a free seven-day trial to take a few classes. I’ve also found that a lot of educational institutions and companies offer group subscriptions (so ask your school and work to get Lynda!). For beginner to advanced classes, Lynda.com is one of my favorite resources for boosting creativity and really putting a professional and skilled edge to any of your work. Here’s a little more info about Lynda from their site:
With a lynda.com subscription, members receive unlimited access to a vast library of high quality, current, and engaging video tutorials. New courses and topics are added every week at no extra cost. We carefully select the world’s top experts who are the best in their field, passionate about their subject matter, and know how to teach. Members tell us that a lynda.com subscription instills self-confidence and unlocks a sense of accomplishment that they have not found anywhere else.
I hope you’ve been inspired to start taking some online courses and watching some video tutorials from my post above! What are some of your favorite online resources for learning and staying creative? Let me know in the comments section below or tweet me at @RingTheAlam.
