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For many artisans one of the joys is learning new techniques. Sometimes you learn by experimenting, and other times you feel the need for a more structured approach. There are lots of different ways to learn new techniques, and it really depends on how you learn best and whether you are prepared to pay out money or not.

Classes – For some people they need face to face guidance when learning new techniques. Many craft shops and local colleges will have craft based classes in a multitude of different techniques and art related areas. Obviously, these will involve the outlay of some money, but are ideal for those who prefer the personal touch.

Purchased Tutorials – For some techniques you can purchase tutorials, sometimes with kits, which will guide you step by step through the technique. These are usually pictorial based, although sometimes they are videos. One of the benefits of these are that generally the creator of the tutorial is happy to answer questions about issues you have with the tutorial.

Free Tutorials – The internet, in particular, contains a plethora of free tutorials on just about every technique imaginable. These vary in completeness and quality quite a bit. There are some absolutely brilliant free tutorials. You can find both written and video tutorials.

Magazines/Books – These could be considered to be purchased tutorials, although some could find them more of an inspiration source than educational materials.

There are usually many different ways of achieving the same end result, as because of this you can come across lots of different ways of doing the same technique. The benefit of this for those wanting to learn is that you can usually find a tutorial that explains things in a way that you understand. One thing to remember with tutorials is that there are usually copyright issues involved. If you are planning to sell creations based on tutorials it is worthwhile checking the copyright information.
 
Image: Simon Howden / FreeDigitalPhotos.net



Learning New Techniques
26 March 2010, 7:08 am
Source: Jennifer Mercer, Handmade News Columnist
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