If you’re searching for an art course to learn digital art, you may have come across the Ctrl + Paint course.
Ctrl + Paint has free and paid courses for artists of all levels and goals. It teaches basic skills like shading and brush control. But is it worth your time and money?
If you want to know
- If the course is still practical nowadays
- How Ctrl + Paint course compares to drawing courses
- Who are the guys behind Ctrl+Paint?
- My review for Ctrl+Paint course
Then keep reading
Table of Contents
What is the Ctrl+Paint Course?
Ctrl+Paint is a course aimed at artists who want to learn digital art.
On their website, they state that Ctrl+Paint is a free learning resource dedicated to the basics of digital painting.
Ctrl+Paint has both free and paid courses available. You can access the free Ctrl+Paint course without registering an account.
Navigating the Free Library
The free library on Ctrl+Paint can be accessed at: https://www.ctrlpaint.com/library/
This is the list of courses available for free:
- Digital Painting 101
- Traditional Drawing
- Drawing 2
- Composition Basics
- Using Reference Materials
- Making the Switch to Digital Tools
- Getting Started with Photoshop
- The Brush Tool
- Basic Painting Techniques
- Adding Surface Details
- Painting With Color
- Masking & Selections
- Vector Tools
- The User Interface
- Uniquely Digital Techniques
- Efficiency Through Repetition
- Theory & Mindset
- Study Habits
It’s a treasure trove for those looking to solidify their foundation studies in drawing and painting.
I’ve personally navigated through videos explaining the basics of digital art, such as brush control, painting technique, blending modes and layer management.
They’re seamlessly organized, making progressing from basic concepts to more complex subjects easy.
Exploring the Ctrl+Paint Store
The Ctrl+Paint Store offers advanced video tutorials at a cost for those wishing to invest further in their learning.
The price for one course is $10. You can buy multiple courses as a bundle to get a discount
This is the list of bundles available in the Ctrl+Paint store:
- Digital Painting Starter Kit
- Digital Sketching Starter Kit
- Color Starter Kit
- Digital Realism Starter Kit
- Concept Art Starter Kit
- 3D Paintover Starter Kit
Teaching Methodology
Kohr makes learning digital painting clear and easy to follow, especially for beginners and intermediate artists. His lessons are like a step-by-step guide, making it simple to progress.
He also focuses on teaching the essential skills and ideas in digital painting, which gives you a solid foundation to build on.
What Ctrl+Paint Offers
Fundamentals of Digital Art
You will learn the digital art fundamentals in Ctrl+Paint, starting from:
- How to use and adjust brush
- How to sketch correctly
- How to use grayscale
- How to paint digitally
- How to use a mask
- How to Blend
- And many more
Mastering Photoshop
Ctrl+Paint uses Photoshop as the leading software in their course. Photoshop is the gold standard in the art industry. Most artists use Photoshop to create digital art.
By learning how to use Photoshop, you don’t need to waste time relearning other software if you want to become a professional artist.
Most drawing software mimics Photoshop UI, so they are usually similar. Only a few apps like Sketchbook and Procreate have unique UI that differs from other software.
The disadvantage of the Ctrl+Paint Course
The Free course library is not enough
Even though the Ctrl Paint free library is a good course to learn digital art, it’s too basic in my experience.
You need to pay for the premium course to get additional tips on digital painting.
The Target Audience of Ctrl+Paint course
Certain groups stand to benefit most from the Ctrl+Paint digital painting course. F
Beginners and Transitioning Artists
For beginners, the wealth of foundational knowledge is invaluable; you learn digital art skills from the ground up.
The course materials support traditional artists moving into the digital space, offering step-by-step guidance on foundation studies.
Emphasizing the basic principles of art and illustration, Ctrl+Paint makes learning digital art easier.
Aspiring Professionals
Those aspiring to become professional illustrators or artists in games, comics, or animation will find the Ctrl+Paint courses highly beneficial.
It walks you through industry-standard practices and helps build a solid portfolio. It is crucial for gaining commissions and understanding the business aspects of being a pro in the digital art world.
If you aim to turn your passion into a career, the course provides a comprehensive look at the profession’s creative and commercial sides.
How does Ctrl+Paint compare to other digital art learning platforms like Drawabox?
Ctrl+Paint focuses extensively on digital painting techniques, providing practical video tutorials for artists who want to use software like Photoshop for their artwork.
In contrast, Drawabox emphasizes fundamental drawing skills and pen control, which are foundational but less software-centric.
Want to learn more about DrawABox? We’ve got you covered! Check out our review here: https://artworkpath.com/drawabox-review-for-beginner-artists/
Wrapping Up
Ctrl+Paint is an all-in-one resource for learning digital art, from the basics to pro-level skills. It covers essential artistic principles, specific digital painting techniques, and even how to use Photoshop.
While it focuses more on practical digital painting than just drawing in general, you’ll learn relevant skills for professional art jobs. It’s a great way to build a strong foundation and gain valuable industry insights.
