Virtual Art Academy

Best Online Painting Classes: Reviews Of The Virtual Art Academy® Apprentice Program

Average Rating: 5.0 stars (based on 22 ratings)

Meet our students

Looking for the best online painting classes in oils, acrylics, or watercolor? Meet our students. This is what they have to say about their experience of learning how to paint with the Virtual Art Academy.
Barry

P.S. You can click on each student’s FaceBook pages and websites so you know our online art school reviews are all genuine!

Reviews of the Virtual Art Academy® Online Painting Classes

Fantastic lesson plans, and a vibrant community

  The Virtual Art Academy is the perfect art course I’ve been searching for. Barry’s decades of knowledge are condensed into fantastic lesson plans, creating a vibrant community. The apprentice course delves deep into drawing, painting planning, and color theory. It’s like obtaining an art degree at my own pace and more affordably. The structured… Read more “Fantastic lesson plans, and a vibrant community”

Louise Dixon
Canada

Only online learning program I have ever discovered using a training industry best practice

Before repurposing my vocation into avocation, I spent 20 years in the corporate world as an instructional designer and performance consultant creating training curricula for diverse clientele from NASA to General Motors. I know curriculum development and how to guide a learner from beginning to certification. VAA is the only online learning program I have… Read more “Only online learning program I have ever discovered using a training industry best practice”

Jay Holobach
Oklahoma
USA

First quality education, materials, layered learning systems, feedback loop and social support and lifelong learning – amazing

In the last couple of years, I took online painting courses and in-studio classes adding to my university courses from many years ago. After researching Anders Ericsson learning systems and Ultralearning, I was struggling to design my own painting learning plan. Then I discovered the VAA and with the endorsement from Richard Robinson, I jumped… Read more “First quality education, materials, layered learning systems, feedback loop and social support and lifelong learning – amazing”

Marilena Schmidt
Richmond
Canada

The most comprehensive art instruction I could find anywhere online, and trust me, I had been looking for a long time.

I joined 2 years ago with my daughter. We have both learnt so much and have enjoyed our VAA time together. My daughter is now 13 and already produces amazing paintings. The Virtual Art Academy is simply the most comprehensive art instruction I could find anywhere online, and trust me, I had been looking for… Read more “The most comprehensive art instruction I could find anywhere online, and trust me, I had been looking for a long time.”

Marlene Lento
United States

I started learning oil painting with VAA from scratch. Just one year later my paintings started to sell

The Virtual Art Academy program is really comprehensive and gave me all the information and directives to learn painting in one package. The material is very well organized, just beautiful to look at and motivating to carry through. The online campus is a wonderful place to meet other artists and receive critical feedback on my… Read more “I started learning oil painting with VAA from scratch. Just one year later my paintings started to sell”

Thomas Ruckstuhl
Mannheim
Germany

The improvement in my own work reaffirms that I’ve found the right program to develop as an artist

I have been a student of VAA since 2011. I had been searching for an online art program that could assist in helping me develop as an artist. VAA is a complete program for beginners as well as advanced students of art. The course is well structured and takes you step by step so you… Read more “The improvement in my own work reaffirms that I’ve found the right program to develop as an artist”

Manushalini Nandwani
Mumbai
India

The small steps are easy to do

I am extremely impressed with the process that Barry has developed for VAA.  Learning to paint can be intimidating, but when broken into many small projects it is very do-able.  I just did my first live model painting session- a 5 hour, one day session.  Thanks to VAA, I was able to break the painting… Read more “The small steps are easy to do”

Kim Stepney
Langley
Canada

An excellent  foundation on so many aspects of painting

I never had formal training in painting and my style has always been very realistic, slow and not at all artistic, just a copy of a photograph. When I got word of the course available through Virtual Art Academy, I was very excited for the opportunity to learn what I never knew about painting.  VAA… Read more “An excellent  foundation on so many aspects of painting”

Jeanne Strohmann

The most comprehensive, in depth and well-organized painting course available online

After a thorough research, my personal conclusion is that the Virtual Art Academy (VAA) is, by wide margin, the most comprehensive, in depth and well-organized painting course available in the internet. Unlike most tutorials and color mixing recipes commonly found online, VAA’s philosophy is rather to provide the students with detailed information about all aspects… Read more “The most comprehensive, in depth and well-organized painting course available online”

Bruno Villela
Canada
Toronto

I’m Richard Robinson …. best online art training available on the internet today

Hi I’m Richard Robinson. I’ve been a professional painter since 2001. My claim to fame is only that I’m making a living as an artist and doing pretty well – something which I hear is not so easy to do, and I guess it does take a lot of work, but it’s work that I… Read more “I’m Richard Robinson …. best online art training available on the internet today”

Richard Robinson
Ruaraka
New Zealand

It is a real course that trains you in a structured way

The questions you ask yourself are,”Will it be worth the cost?” and “Will it be truly useful?”. After a couple of weeks working on/in Virtual Art Academy®, I can say that the amount of work it represents – by Barry – is incredible! The information presented alone is more than worth the price and, yes,… Read more “It is a real course that trains you in a structured way”

Jon Main
St Victor La Coste
France

Barry gave me a fishing rod so I can catch my own fish

After weeks and even months of searching YouTube, “googling” and spending a fortune on art instructional books I finally came across the Virtual Art Academy®. When it comes to purchasing online I am always very careful how I spend my money. Especially when I already spent a small fortune on art books. They always seemed… Read more “Barry gave me a fishing rod so I can catch my own fish”

Dagmara Zaręba
Ireland

The course has a steady learning curve that keeps revealing itself as you advance

The course is working great, the lessons are set out so well that every week I can see growth. In following the program it’s given me direction, and the information in the lesson plans are of a professional level. There is no way I would have tracked down the information by myself, and being in… Read more “The course has a steady learning curve that keeps revealing itself as you advance”

Dirk Rampling
Australia

This is a far more superior school than anything I have seen being taught at colleges across the country

This is a far more superior school than anything I have seen being taught at colleges across the country and have learned much more from the Virtual Art Academy® than from any art course I have ever taken! I cannot begin to tell how the Virtual Art Academy has improved my observation of potential compositions… Read more “This is a far more superior school than anything I have seen being taught at colleges across the country”

Steve Jorde
United States

No need to buy expensive art books…. Just do the VAA 4 year course. I still refer to it

I finished the VAA course a few years ago, but always refer to the notes, rereading the course many times. This is not a course the day you are finished, you are done. No, you keep practising the assignments getting better and better over time. When I look back at my work when I had just… Read more “No need to buy expensive art books…. Just do the VAA 4 year course. I still refer to it”

Aurelia Sieberhagen
Oranjemund
Namibia

Since I started the programme I can see improvements in my composition and use of colour

My painting “Primitive Pots” recently won the award given by the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolour at the recent selected exhibition of the Society of East Anglian watercolourists. I have been working through the VAA course for over five years and would highly recommend it to anyone wanting to improve their painting. There is… Read more “Since I started the programme I can see improvements in my composition and use of colour”

Sue Downie
Norfolk
England

‘Ladder of Learning’ adds to overall positive experience of this awesome course

The VAA course is built on four main building blocks including PROCESS, REALISM, MUSIC AND POETRY. These are further divided into topics that are continuously developed throughout the curriculum. Drawing, Form, Observation, Colour, Brushwork, Notan, Composition and Poetry are all thoroughly taught. Working on-line we meet students from all around the world, interacting with them… Read more “‘Ladder of Learning’ adds to overall positive experience of this awesome course”

Marlene Gardner
Wangaratta
Australia

Building blocks of learning is the best I have seen

I joined 5 years ago when I didn’t know anything about oils, painting, composition, or drawing. Barry’s way of teaching is extremely well versed in many aspects of painting. His building blocks of learning is the best I have seen. The academy is designed well and the community of fellow students is engaging and friendly.… Read more “Building blocks of learning is the best I have seen”

Cindy Nelson

It is impossible to fail or gain little through extensive 4 year study at VAA!

I would recommend taking VAA study to everyone who seriously strive of becoming exceptionally skilled professional artist. It gives more than you can ever imagine! The lessons structured in the best possible way that lead to understanding and skills you never acquired before which are so important in art. It is impossible to fail or… Read more “It is impossible to fail or gain little through extensive 4 year study at VAA!”

Oksana Melenevska
Harlow
United Kingdom

The course is for beginners, intermediate and advanced artists

I joined VAA in 2014, it seemed a perfect fit in content, ease of access and cost. It turned out to be all of this and much more. The wealth of information on all practical aspects of painting is invaluable and I think incomparable to anything else out there. The course structure is such that… Read more “The course is for beginners, intermediate and advanced artists”

Karin Combrink
George
South Africa

The sky’s the limit

This course was exactly what I’d been looking for as a recent “empty-nester.” The Virtual Art Academy coursework taught me not only HOW to paint well, but also how to SEE to observe a scene more closely to interpret it effectively in paint, and what to look for to create an interesting composition. It helped… Read more “The sky’s the limit”

Charlotte Mertz
United States

The equivalent of a 4 year art education at a fraction of the cost

This is a great course for anyone who is serious about improving their painting. I have been a student here for several years. When I am finished, I will have the equivalent of a 4 year art education at a fraction of the cost. I can do the lessons anywhere and at my own pace.… Read more “The equivalent of a 4 year art education at a fraction of the cost”

Susan Hood
Bend, Oregon
United States

I lead a fairly busy life and find this can be worked into it with ease

I have been very pleased with the Virtual Art Academy program. I feel I am both learning things about making a better painting and also reviewing things I was taught YEARS AND YEARS ago! I have looked at some of my paintings and realized that they are not the great paintings I thought they were.… Read more “I lead a fairly busy life and find this can be worked into it with ease”

Barbara Wood
United States

My only regret is that I didn’t join earlier

I felt the need for a structured program to further my love of painting. I liked the Virtual Art Academy® examples of lessons that were in International Artist Magazine. On perusing the Virtual Art Academy website, I found that it was most informative. I spent a fair amount of time looking at the different modules… Read more “My only regret is that I didn’t join earlier”

Ricky Liebenberg
South Africa

Thank you for the gift of this incredible learning tool

Dear Barry and Jacqui, I write this as a thank you for the gift of this incredible learning tool. Here is my little story of how you impacted me… My mother and a sister are/ were… artists… i kept well clear.. feeling as though it just wasn’t my thing. I became a musician. and didn’t… Read more “Thank you for the gift of this incredible learning tool”

Alison Nixon
BC
Canada

A path to expressing visual music and poetry in your painting

After completing my first year of studies, VAA has exceeded my expectations. Barry Raybould’s model of visual music and poetry is a beautifully descriptive and innovative way to study painting and art as a whole. VAA is all-encompassing, from color theory and composition to studying the masters, old and new. Each lesson connects to form… Read more “A path to expressing visual music and poetry in your painting”

Lisa Sims
Colorado
United States

First quality education, materials, layered learning systems, feedback loop and social support and lifelong learning – amazing

In the last couple of years, I took online painting courses and in-studio classes adding to my university courses from many years ago. After researching Anders Ericsson learning systems and Ultralearning, I was struggling to design my own painting learning plan. Then I discovered the VAA and with the endorsement from Richard Robinson, I jumped… Read more “First quality education, materials, layered learning systems, feedback loop and social support and lifelong learning – amazing”

Marilena Schmidt
Richmond
Canada

Thanks for the great start to my painting career

10 years ago I decided to take up painting as an activity to keep me busy in my upcoming retirement. I had trouble finding quality instruction that fit my busy schedule while still working. Fortunately I found the Virtual Art Academy. The ability to work my way through the lessons whenever I had the time… Read more “Thanks for the great start to my painting career”

Robert G Green
Alaska
USA

A Great Learning Experience for Aspiring Artists

I have painted for many years as a hobby without any art education. I always felt that there was a lot of potential for me to improve my art but never had the time or resources to do anything about it till I discovered Virtual Art Academy. I am over joyed to realize that there… Read more “A Great Learning Experience for Aspiring Artists”

Shahina Baig
Houston, Texas
US

I am a retired professional

I am a retired professional ceramicist. I decided to branch out and began dabbling in oil painting about 5 years ago, but have had no formal training. This year I decided that it was time to put that right. I have taken some short online art courses in the past, and they improved my understanding,… Read more “I am a retired professional”

Andi Gallagher
United Kingdom

VAA is truly invaluable!

I have learned so many important foundational concepts through Virtual Art Academy that I never got through other resources. I find that the books and online videos I used previously taught specific and isolated techniques, and they lacked applicability of important concepts necessary for understanding and growth. The “building blocks” approach with numerous assignments throughout… Read more “VAA is truly invaluable!”

Kathryn Wheeler
New Orleans
United States

I have painted for many

I have painted for many years as a hobby without any art education. I always felt that there was a lot of potential for me to improve my art but never had the time or resources to do anything about it till I discovered Virtual Art Academy. I am over joyed to realize that there… Read more “I have painted for many”

Shahina Baig

Fantastic lesson plans, and a vibrant community

  The Virtual Art Academy is the perfect art course I’ve been searching for. Barry’s decades of knowledge are condensed into fantastic lesson plans, creating a vibrant community. The apprentice course delves deep into drawing, painting planning, and color theory. It’s like obtaining an art degree at my own pace and more affordably. The structured… Read more “Fantastic lesson plans, and a vibrant community”

Louise Dixon
Canada

The content covered in the course is pure gold

The content covered in the course is pure gold – it will be hard to find such high quality material elsewhere gathered in one place. It is succinctly written to speed up your learning, yet is comprehensive. The VAA Reference Library is suited for both absolute beginners and those who have been practicing art (even professionally) for a number of years.

I have been a member of the Virtual Art Academy for a several months now, dedicatedly following each of the lessons. Even after such a short time my work has improved, a lot of it down to the extremely high-quality content that Barry teaches.

I highly recommend exploring this vast library as you will definitely learn something new and see the benefits in your work.

Kat Skinner

It is a real course that trains you in a structured way

The questions you ask yourself are,”Will it be worth the cost?” and “Will it be truly useful?”. After a couple of weeks working on/in Virtual Art Academy®, I can say that the amount of work it represents – by Barry – is incredible! The information presented alone is more than worth the price and, yes, it is a real course that trains you in a structured way. It’s very well done!

Jon Main
France
St Victor La Coste

A University Experience

Learn about my structured and comprehensive online painting classes.

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