I took a virtual drawing class taught by professors for $75 — and now I understand why college students don't want to spend another semester online

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

• I took a $75 virtual drawing class taught by college professors.
• The class made me long for my college years, but some elements of the undergraduate experience were missing, which made me thankful I finished school before the pandemic.
• I missed meeting my classmates and professors in the same space, and I think I would have learned the concepts quicker if my professors were watching over my shoulder.
• Learning to draw with other people, even virtually, made me feel less alone during the coronavirus pandemic, which has been socially isolating, and gave me one more activity to do at home.
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I always thought of drawing as something other people do. Sure, I've doodled through classes in college, but I never thought of drawing as a way to spend my free time. 

When I was stuck at home waiting out the coronavirus pandemic, a flyer for a virtual drawing class made me think otherwise. I've been turning to music, video games, and journaling to fill up my free time while staying in, so why not try something new?

The Art Local is a drawing school run by two college art professors, Renee Lai and Sarah Fagan, in Austin, Texas.

Lai and Fagan teach both art majors and non-majors at the University of Texas, Austin, and St. Edward's University.

Fagan and Lai came up with the idea while teaching art for non-major students. These classes typically fill up quickly with students who are excited by art and eager to learn, Lai said.

So the duo decided to create shortened versions of their classes with optional homework. While the original plan was to hold these classes in-person, Lai and Fagan launched the courses online in light of the coronavirus pandemic.

Here's what it's like to take a drawing class over Zoom.

I saw a flyer for the art class in my Austin neighborhood while walking my dog. Intrigued, I went to the website listed and signed up for "Intro to Drawing."

Sarah Fagan said that this course is made for people who are interested in art but haven't pursued it. "It's just a little taste of what it could have been like" to be an art major, she added.

The class took place on Thursday evenings at 8 p.m. through the month of June. The supply list included basic art supplies, like pencils, erasers, and a sketchbook.

I also had to get some line charcoal for the class, which was easy to find at my local art supply store.

Line charcoal is exactly what it sounds like — it's a cylindrical strip of charcoal can you hold in your hand. It's messy, but mistakes rub away easily with a swipe of your hand.

At first, I was intimidated by line charcoal, but by the end of the course, I was using it for fun.

In total, the class cost about $99 — $75 to attend and the rest on supplies.

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