Bonnie Christine’s Skillshare classes versus her Immersion Surface Pattern Design Course

For an entire year now, I have been looking over Bonnie Christine’s Skillshare classes. Though they are amazing, there were a few aspects that were different. I’m going to go ahead and give you the low down.

1. Bonnie Christine’s Skillshare classes are only for getting your toes wet.

First of all, there are only a few courses available on Skillshare, whereas the Immersion course is the equivalent of a college course. It is jam packed with the technicalities of Adobe Illustrator. Immersion surface design course is set up to learn Adobe inside out. She goes through all the buttons and the ways to use them within surface pattern design. For someone simply coming from a wood burning art background, I appreciate the step by step teaching she offers.

Second of all, Skillshare classes give you just a glimpse into design, but it leaves a lot of room for trial and error. Spending an entire year using the Skillshare classes has made me feel just more behind that ahead. Learning the hard way makes a huge delay in becoming a surface pattern designer. If you are truly wanting to take this direction of becoming a surface pattern designer, I would say not to wait to take Bonnie Christine’s Immersion course.

2. The Skillshare classes are without community.

Although you can submit questions and student work, there isn’t a community backing you in Skillshare. Not only does Immersion have a community on the website itself, but also within a Facebook group. I am already a part of the Flourish Facebook group hosted by Bonnie Christine, so I didn’t know if this extra group would be over the top.

If you look at the two different groups, you will find 2 main differences. One difference being in that there are a lot more questions pertaining Adobe Illustrator. The second difference you will find is the overall work seems more refined within the Immersion course. Going back and reviewing my own work within these two groups, you’ll find my Flourish submissions are simple compared to the Immersion course submissions.

What I love about both groups is the fact that everyone is there to build each other up. They are there to give critique if you ask or just a pat on the back. We are all in this together.

3. Bonnie Christine is actively and wholeheartedly a part of the Immersion group.

With this in mind, you feel ready to embrace every part of the course. You are not on an island by yourself. At least twice a week, Bonnie Christine hops onto the Facebook group to answer questions submitted ahead of time. She shows you how to work through those questions on her own screen, step by step.

I also love that you find “Team Bonnie” as a part of her workflow. If Bonnie cannot answer questions because of the volume of questions being asked, Team Bonnie Christine comes in and answers them with accuracy. They are simply a backup and they are a well spent backup if Bonnie isn’t available.

4. Her Skillshare classes do not offer the behind the scenes of art licensing.

Though I haven’t gotten to this module yet, I am excited to see how Bonnie works from an organization and business standpoint. As a former teacher, I can appreciate the need to folder organization. The things I look forward to learning include:

a. How to license my surface pattern designs.

b. Organizing my digital files in size and structure.

c. Becoming a creative entrepreneur.

Conclusion:

Take Bonnie Christine’s Skillshare courses if you are:

1. An artist trying to explore other options with their artwork, but not wanting to invest yet.
2. Want to learn the basics of surface pattern design.
3. If you want to hear Bonnie Christine’s story of persistence and creativity.

Otherwise, take Bonnie Christine’s Immersion Surface Design Course if you are:

1. Done with trying to learn Adobe Illustrator from Youtube.
2. Willing to invest in exchange for a career of surface pattern design.
3. Wanting to learn how to make a business out of your creativity.
4. Seeking a way to make art one time and then have it on autopilot.

You will love this course and take with you life skills that you cannot find anywhere else. Hop into the course and I’m cheering for you!

Find out how the first module went for the Immersion course here.