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1. Begin by logging into your account or creating a new account insert your User Name and Password. If you are new to DAA then choose “Create new account”.
You can access Digital Art Academy using this link: Digital Art Academy

2. Once you are logged in Select “Find Courses” from the main menu bar.

3. Search for your class by name , software or instructor note that you can also select Webinar events and Open Studio.

Once you have found your class, click on “Enroll Now” to register for the class. Notice that the information about the class is located below the course information, the Session, block and when the class starts and ends.

Once you have completed registration you can then click on “Dashboard” which is located on the Main Menu bar to access your classroom. Notice just below “Enroll Now” the Course Information including what session and when a class starts and ends. Self Study Courses start when registration opens and end the last day of class so they tend to run longer than other courses.

Susi Lawson will demonstrate the dynamics of Photoshop brushes and how to change the brushes you have and how to create the brushes you don’t. This is a one hour webinar. Those who register for this webinar will receive $15 off on Susi’s new DVD. For the amateur as well as the professional this is a must attend webinar.
Date: Thursday March 4th
Time:
* 5 pm Pacific Standard Time
* 6 pm Mountain
* 7 pm Central
* 8 pm Eastern

This course is an exploration of Photoshop’s Pen Toolset and Paths. The course will cover the creation, manipulation, and many uses of vector paths within Photoshop. Students will become familiar with using Photoshop’s Paths for a variety of real world tasks such as vector drawings, logo creation, clipping paths, cutouts and other effects that can be accomplished with Paths. Detailed step by step instructions as well as video examples provide the means for students to take control of this powerful but intimidating tool. Classes begin February 27th.
Your Instructor Kirk Nelson will cover the following topics and more.
Before Class
The Pen tool in Photoshop is one of the most avoided tools by the most Photoshop users. It may be explored or played with while using the program, but many users find in unintuitive and cumbersome to make a part of their normal workflow. There tends to be a strange level of intimidation regarding the Pen. This course is meant to change that. At the culmination of this class students should be as comfortable with the Pen as with any other tool in Photoshop.
Week One
The Pen is mightier than the sword, or the brush, or the clone stamp tool, or even the filter menu.
This week we’ll delve into what exactly the Pen does that is different than anything else in Photoshop, and why you’d want to use it. We’ll explore the interface and get some hands on time in Path wrangling.
Week Two
Now cut that out! Remove an object from a background without the Magic Wand tool!
Remove an object from a background without the Magic Wand tool!
This week we’ll see why the Pen is the “Anti-Magic Wand” tool. We’ll use it to cut an object out of the background of an image. We’ll explore the techniques the pros use and develop an efficient work flow for quickly creating precise clipping paths, and discuss why that’s a good thing.
Week Three
Illustrating in Photoshop, learning to draw a logo that can be scaled to any size without smudging .Learn to create tight vector illustrations in our favorite image editor. In a program where pixels reign supreme, the vectors tools are often forgotten. This week we’ll dust them off and see that Photoshop can draw!
Week Four
Keeping it real, practical path projects and Professional Pen practices
This week we’ll cover some real life applications of the Pen techniques and explore some of the secret tricks of the pros.
Recently I read a post from a student that I felt was very important to answer basically they said once I sign up, pay the fee, what is next? At Digital Art Academy we try to make the experience very personal to the new student giving them the opportunity to work independently or as a group. Once logged in the student is taken to their “Dashboard” which is customizable to contain the tools that are most important to them. The Dashboard includes direct links to all the current classes they are enrolled in as well as messages and other customizable widgets.
Your classroom is available to you twenty four hours a day. No need to be in class at any specific time, you simply work at your own pace. Your lesson PDF and video can be downloaded and saved to your computer. Your instructor is there to support you and answer any questions you may have. Each classroom week has a forum area where you can communicate to your instructor.
Some of our instructors offer live sessions via Go To Meeting. These sessions give the teacher and students the opportunity to work together on a specific subjects or lessons to further enhance the learning experience.
So don’t be shy, enroll and enjoy an online class, great for seniors, young adults and kids! Have some fun and enroll in an online class today at Digital Art Academy.
Get Ready For Open Studio

Open Studio Winter Session will begin on January 30th! Nocturne painting is a visual language that is often used within realistic treatments (such as Realism and Impressionism) to depict scenes evocative of night or subjects as they appear in a veil of light, in twilight, or in the absence of direct light. Many artists develop their own methods to create nocturnes unique to their styles. The particular method or style that an artist chooses to paint a nocturne may not be limited to realism. Nocturnal depictions have also been shown within impressionist and abstract works. Nocturnes are usually, but not always, inclusive of landscapes and cover the gamut of artistic periods, generally stretching from the southern and northern Baroque period of the early 17th century to the present. Artists often use various methods to depict nocturnes: washes of color, impasto methods, and linear treatments.
This class will experiment with the concept of nocturne painting which will include landscape, portrait and abstract. You will work with several brush categories such as Oils, Acrylics and Chalk to name a few. This class is perfect for the student whom wishes to paint from reference images or from scratch.
Join the fun in this creative and nurturing online class Open Studio and tradition for more than four years! Enroll Now
February is Webinar month at Digital Art Academy and we pleased to bring you a great line-up of events from digital watercolor to creating beautiful portrait backgrounds.
Purchasing the digital watercolor bundle entitles you to attend all four webinars for the month of February. For more information and to register for the bundle package please click on the link below.
Digital Watercolor Bundle

Digital Watercolor Basics
Your Instructor: Karen Bonaker
* Explore the default watercolor brushes in ®Corel Painter
* What is the Watercolor layer? How does it differ from other layers in Painter
* Lifting a watercolor layer
* Wetting and drying the watercolor layer
* Explore the water palette and why it is key to emulating natural media watercolor

Fundamentals of Watercolor Brushes and Palettes
Your Instructor: Skip Allen
Session 2 will explore the fundamentals of your watercolor brushes. Students will learn the basics of creating a custom watercolor brush library, custom brushes and learn how to significantly speed up your watercolor brushes.
* Fundamentals of Watercolor Brushes and Palettes
* Creating a Custom Watercolor Brush Library
* Getting started creating a custom watercolor brush
* Explore the Brush Creator
* The key to speeding up your brushes
* Saving your brushes so they are secure from “Shift-Restart”.

Inventive Experimentation
Your Instructor: Karen Bonaker
This class is designed to teach the student the value of using inventive experimentation while learning how to control the water in digital watercolors. The instructor will demonstrate various techniques while creating a simple floral painting. Students will be encouraged to paint along with your instructor and share your final image at the end of the demonstration.
* Learn to paint watercolor illusions using inventive experimentation.
* Learn to control the water in digital watercolor, color transition, edge control and the use of textures and overlays to create beautiful digital watercolor paintings.
* Learn to prepare your palette and the practice of warm-up exercises before you begin.
Karen will show you how to create a simple floral watercolor using the techniques described above.

4-Watercolor Studio
Your Instructor: Skip Allen
In this studio session your instructor Skip Allen will show you the value of preparing your photos for watercolor and creating a sketch from an original image. You will learn how to isolate areas using channel selections and use multiple layers to achieve a desirable wet look. Students are encouraged to work along with the Instructor.
* Preparing photo for watercolor.
* Creating channel based on image luminance
* Creating channel in the clone based on selection from source image
* Creating sketch from original image
* Clone painting using channel selections to isolate areas
* Using multiple layers to achieve a wet look
* Finalize with details.
“Pears in Blue” Created with Skip Allen’s custom Watercolor brushes, by Karen Bonaker
Join us for some fun as Digital Art Academy presents a free one hour webinar showing you the practical uses for Skip Allen’s wonderful custom watercolor brushes.
Please use the link below to register for this event it is filling up fast!

Classes are now underway at Digital Art Academy. You still have time to register but don’t wait too long. Registration will officially close on January 9th, 2010 for Session One. If you have never taken an online class make it your New Year’s resolution and get started today.
Technology is on the move, and unfortunately it does not wait for anyone. Our job is to keep up with it the best we can. Much of today’s online technology provides the student with the flexibility they need in today’s busy world. If they can’t take a class in the morning, you can take it at night or anytime that suits their schedule and all in the privacy of their own home. Many of our classes offer live sessions where you can interact with your instructor and your fellow students. Video is used to enhance your learning experience.
Ideal for Seniors, young adults and children whom are eager to learn! Digital Art Academy offers some wonderful classes that will keep you engaged. Welcome to Digital Art Academy!
What are students saying about Classes at Digital Art Academy?
Classes begin on January 2nd at Digital Art Academy, don’t miss the fun! Learn what students all over the world all ready know that Digital Art Academy is a wonderful place to learn how to paint digitally!
Classes in Painter, Photoshop and more are waiting for you to discover! Join the fun at Digital Art Academy!