Visual Arts Journal

Choosing the Best Art Program to Meet Your Needs
This is the first installment in a series of reviews on self-study art training courses. I’ll be reviewing programs designed for a wide range of skill levels and pursuits, from beginner to advanced and recreational to professional. All of the programs I will be reviewing are offered via PDF, or DVD and some offer online member-only communities to supplement the original content and learning experience.

At a Glance
Program: Virtual Art Academy by Barry John Raybould, M.A.
Media: Self-study, self-paced, painting (primarily oils and watercolors) and drawing (such as graphite, and charcoal) course.
Products and Services: The full program has 56 units (PDF publications) arranged in 9 skill areas, 20 workshop video lectures, 250 assignments, an online “campus”. For students wanting additional guidance he offers limited private tutoring at an hourly rate.
Free Products: A very informative guest newsletter and blog. In the past he had a free sample lesson (but I didn’t see any mention of it when I last visited the site — I’ll check this and update the post).

What You Can Expect
I purchased a few units some years back, when you were able to individually pick-and-choose units (a feature I miss). You have the immediate gratification of being able to download them and print them from your home computer. He does offer content revisions through the membership program and the loose-leaf format allows for easy updates. Each unit ranges from 15-25 pages, with the page count tending to be on the higher end of the range. While you may feel that is rather limited, it is not.

His writing style and delivery are not verbose, you don’t have to wade through reams of content to get to the point. He knows exactly what to convey. There are ample photographs to illustrate the technique and he also includes “what to submit” photos for each assignment. As a teaching tool that is wonderful – beginning students won’t fret about whether their work is ‘appropriate’.

VAA: Art Training for the Serious Amateur or Professional Painter
You may already own a shelf full of books but they most likely won’t contain the range of techniques and the systematic thoroughness that this course offers. Many of the assignments are exactly what I did in art school, albeit with live models. I don’t feel that individual authors, publications or many popular 6-hour DVD products are offering what Mr. Raybould is offering.

In Many Ways, It’s an Improvement Over Art School
Surprising, but true. Point 1: My art instructors were very talented and professional. They had lesson plans and speaking points and gave their lectures many, many, times; but no two quarters or lectures were ever the same. You didn’t always receive the same instructions or demonstrations as those before you. Perhaps the student missed something. By relying on written and video content (as opposed to lectures), Mr. Raybould can easily spot areas that need refinement and issue an update, he’s not presenting material off-the-cuff. Point 2: There is a wider range of topics than some school programs. Point 3: It’s self-paced. You don’t have the crush of finals week, assignments, or credit overload. Point 4: You won’t be spending nearly as much money!

My Rating: Highly Recommended for individuals looking for a structured comprehensive self-study course with “art school” caliber content. Art students and professionals may find that it rounds out their education and skill set.

Just a reminder: I did not receive any compensation for this review. Mr. Raybould and I are not related, not friends, nor, have we met. I just get excited about a good thing when I see it.

Related Links:

• Virtual Art Academy Home to the VAA Lesson Program and the Academy Online Campus (a members only online community).
• Barry John Raybould About the Artist and Program Author, Galleries, Blog, and Portfolio.

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