Hello there, my friend. How are you holding up? It’s a very difficult time for all of us, I know. Here in the Philippines, especially here in Davao City, it’s already been quiet for the past few days now. I’ve already lost count what day it is now since the community quarantine. It’s all good though, as long as everyone is safe.

I also know, it’s quite hard to be stuck in our houses for this long. On the positive note (yes, my friend, there is always a positive side in everything), I am here to share some creative resources that you can do and learn while we’re waiting for this to be over.

This makes me really excited because creative people are helping others by being generous in offering what they know for free.

First… let’s start with our very own artists.

• Robert Alejandro | If you love to draw or always wanted to draw but don’t know how, kuya Robert will surely make it easy for you. And you’ll definitely love his style. Be sure to check his previous videos too.

• DE’s Artroom | Now, if you like to try watercolor or maybe you want to level it up, Dino Pajao is teaching through a virtual watercolor artambay. They also had previous videos too , make sure you’ll check it. I talked about Dino and Ethel during the Daniel Smith launch here in Davao before.

Next… few online courses that I follow and offers free access and tutorials.

• Make Arts That Sell (MATS) | If you’re into illustration, you might be interested in this. Since last year, I’ve been eyeing their courses already but I wasn’t sure if I’ll have the time to focus on it. Then few weeks ago, they were so generous to offer their MATS MBA course for free. And this is one of those courses I wanted to try. Can you imagine how happy I was when I saw this? And I want to share it with you too.

• Sketchbook Revival | It’s time to try different ways to fill in your sketchbook. If you’re not sure what medium to use yet, how about you just start playing with anything. And Karen Abend hosted this wonderful online event where she invited few artists to join her. I already know this last year, but I procrastinated and didn’t even try. So, I’m hoping this year, I’ll be able to join them.

• Flora Bowley | She’s one of my fave artists when it comes to intuitive painting. She has this calm yet inspiring vibe that you just want to paint and express yourself freely. Now, she has created a virtual gathering called Together Apart specifically to help others in times like this.

• Design Cuts | If you got yourself an iPad with Procreate and want to get the hang of it, this is your chance to try it out with top designers in different styles.

• Skillshare | Not sure whether you want to try traditional or digital art? Or maybe you want something else like photography, photoshop or illustrator, maybe creative writing or marketing? Don’t worry because they have so many classes to choose from. They’ll give you 2months access to their archive of classes.

• I am Artisan DIY Projects | In case your mood is into crafting, I might be able to help you with that. I have an archive of crafting ideas you can try on. You may also check my Pinterest boards in case you want a visual inspiration. I also have a YouTube Channel: April San Pedro for studio vlogs and other painting and journaling videos.

Creativity is best paired with music, don’t you agree?

My husband, Wacky has various mixes that might help you set the mood. I also have few mixtapes here or you can follow me on Spotify: iam_artisan.

I hope these free resources will cheer you up and bring sunshine in this gloomy situation we have right now.

Let’s take this opportunity to do everything we’ve always wanted to do before. Be it reading a book that has been sitting on our desk for a long time; A dream of learning how to paint; Bake or cook that recipe you’ve always wanted to try… this is the best time. So, let’s make the most out of it while our heroes are busy saving our world.

Let’s also give a prayer for our world right now. Especially, to the front liners. From the doctors and nurses, admin, staff and janitors in the hospitals, salesmen and cashiers in the groceries and drugstores, government officials, people who are affected and their families.

Because while we are learning and making our skills better, these people are the ones helping the world become a better place again for all of us. So let’s do our share. Aside from washing our hands frequently, let’s stay home and most especially be kind to one another. Let’s not spend our energy on hating and wasting time on nothing. Let’s be grateful for everyday that we get to spend with our family.

Enjoy this creative resources I compiled for you. If you want to recommend more resources, feel free to leave a comment or email me at [email protected] so I can make another list and others can enjoy it too.