When I think about my craft business satisfaction, running a close second to having customers buy my craft products is going to school to learn new techniques or improve old ones. I really enjoy the whole pre-production aspect of getting a new line of arts / crafts products going. I’m talking about picking out the materials, creating the design, practicing the fabrication techniques and bringing my idea to life with a prototype.
Even if you don’t enjoy going to school, it’s usually an inevitable part of starting and growing your arts / crafts business. It is entirely possible to be completely self-taught. But like most things in life, if you have someone who knows what they are doing show you the skill first, you’ll probably learn and master the concepts much faster. If getting a four year degree at an art school or taking two weeks off to attend an art camp isn’t possible, here are some alternatives:
Attending Classes at Local Technical Schools
These schools can be privately owned or operated by your local school district. If paid for through tax dollars, their mission is to provide hands-on training enabling the student to secure employment. The classes are normally quite good and pretty inexpensive.
Many technical schools also offer adult continuing education classes and personal enrichment classes that don’t require any formal registration process. I’ve seen a complete array of arts / crafts classes offered at technical schools, from interior design fabrication to pottery, calligraphy and jewelry making. Most cities, large or small, will have at least one technical school.
Signing up for Community College Arts / Crafts Classes
I used to teach the basic accounting class to non-business majors at my local community college. The mailboxes for the adjunct instructors were across campus so I had to walk past the arts department to get my mail. I was always very envious of the students taking the classes. The instructors were dedicated and the equipment was stellar.
There is a bit more hoopla about taking classes at community colleges, as you’ll have to go through a formal registration process. Also, the classes will be more expensive than those taken at a technical school run by your local school district. However, some community college arts / crafts classes are offered independent study, which is a good way to hone particular skills with expert supervision. Then you’re not constantly waiting for the beginners in the class to catch up – no offense to beginners, everyone is a beginner at first!
Also, check out the continuing education classes at your local community college. One community college I reviewed has what they call a ‘Boomer Institute’ within their continuing education program. It appears to be tailored to artists and crafters of a certain age. In this program, the woodcrafting class costs $55 for 18 hours of instruction. That’s very reasonable.
I was checking out community college information written by other About.com Guides and was really impressed by the number and different types of arts / crafts classes being offered at many community colleges. For more information, check out the Guide’s info for your city or request a course catalog from your local community college.
Taking Classes at Teaching Museums
Your local art museum may offer classes as well. Sometimes the classes are taught by visiting or local artists. The instructors may trade free studio space at the museum for teaching the class. I’ve taken technical classes at teaching museums and have mixed reviews.
It was clear that some instructors found it a necessary inconvenience and did as little as possible. I actually had an instructor who sat in the back of the workroom eating Doritos barking out instructions instead of providing hands-on assistance. Half of our first class involved reviewing his portfolio. These classes aren’t exactly cheap and there is usually lab fees involved so it was vexing.
My best advice is to check the refund policy of the teaching museum and see if you can get some feedback about the instructor prior to signing up for the class. The same holds true for technical colleges. Community colleges will normally have a drop period in which you can receive a full refund of your class but not lab fees.
