Back around December, 2020, I stopped doing card-making challenges, enrolling instead in a series of online classes. Since these were paid classes, sharing the how-I-got-there isn't legit (one of the classes can still be enrolled in if you wish; the other is closed). But the teacher did give me permission to post pictures of my products from these classes. Both classes were taught by Marjie Kemper.
The first class was to make an art journal in five days. we were given prompts for each page but the design was our own. My final journal looks like this:
There were monthly "challenge" where prompts were given which wee were free to follow as we wanted. My challenge results were fifteen tags, one art journal cover one ATC and a small acrylic journal. Photos of these items can be seenunder the title "Challenges" on the page linked in the tab at the top of this page entitled Marjie Kemper classes.
There were also monthly "projects" where detailed tutorials on various techniques and approaches were given. Again, we were given free reign in how we interpret them, but he techniques and process is owned my Ms. Kemper. My products of this segment of the class were seven art journal two-page spreads, an accordion-style art journal, a junk journal, a journal cover for a blank board book, three "canvases", an altered frame, and three Altered book page spreads. Afai, the photos of these items can be seen under the title "Projects" on the page linked in the tab at the top of this page entitled Marjie Kemper classes.
If you wish to learn the techniques used in Mixed Media Art or refine your skill in that area, I cannot think of a better way than to take a class or two to more from Marjie Kemper.
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These were not my only online classes in the past year. I spent a lot of time watching virtual classes (2 weekend card-making sessions each from three different companies, a technique series from a fourth, and a pair of card-making classes from the Online-Card Class website) from various craft companies. However, I have not made any of the cards taught in those classes - YET! I plan on spending a lot of 2022 catching up with those as well as attending spring sessions from two additional companies. I will post any results on this blog.
Having attended several of the Simon Says Stamp Create in-person crafting class weekends, I can honestly say that virtual classes do not (for me) have the same feeling of personal interaction, BUT... There have been many of these classes offered in person, pre-Covid, across the country, that I would not/could not attend given the cost of travel, housing, etc. Virtual online classes allow me to taste the techniques of instructors otherwise inaccessible to me and/or way outside my budget. While many of these classes may be going back to in-person, some have said that the virtual crafting classes were so popular that they will continue to carry some in parallel with their in-person schedule. If you are tempted, I recommend you keep an eye on your favorite brands to see if they are offering similar sessions during 2022.