Santa Monica College Classes, Los Angeles

Come try your hand at a wonderful art form with subtle nuances and spontaneity, as well as brilliance and control. Learn traditional watercolor techniques through invaluable demonstrations that will give you a solid foundation. Watercolor is a medium that’s not as unforgiving as you might think, so come find out about some surprising tricks that...

Sign up for a fun, empowering introductory course that covers the different types of voiceovers and the tools you need to find success. You will be coached and later receive a professional voiceover evaluation.  By the end of the course, you will have the knowledge necessary to help you decide if the voiceover is something you would like to pursue....

Find out what a blog is and where blogs are found, then learn how to create your own blog. Explore how to use blogs to share information, ideas, pictures, and videos with family, friends, organizations, and customers. Discover how to use your blog to make money through affiliate programs and other methods, and how to use your blog effectively on social...

That’s colored pencil? Yes, it is, and you can learn how to get those vibrant colors and complex textures. Experiment with a variety of techniques for using wax- and oil-based colored pencils, water soluble pencils, and various papers and mixing media as you explore color theory, composition, project design, and finding a personal style. Drawing...

Make your digital camera work for you. Learn about using available light (natural or artificial), composition, exposure, and techniques that turn snapshots into professional-quality photographs. You’ll shoot slides that will be shown and discussed in class. Bring your cameras and camera instruction manuals to the first class. Digital and film cameras...

Do people often ask you to repeat what you’ve said? Is a thick accent preventing you from advancing professionally? In an interactive, information-packed course, learn the secrets to speaking clear, easily understood American English, and find out how to avoid--or fix--the most common errors made by foreign speakers of English, regardless of their...

Improve your writing by reading exciting poets! If you’re a beginning reader of poetry or an already practicing poet, come discover the secrets of poetic form, metaphor, imagery, rhythm, and much more by looking deeply into the works of a wide range of poets – from Shakespeare and the classics to the best international, American, and LA poets—such...

Did you know that women often make the best investors? Whether you’re single, widowed, married, employed, or retired, you need to know how to improve your current financial picture. Learn the importance of portfolio allocation, how to select an investment advisor, and how to select investments for growth, income, and safety. We’ll also cover...

Discover the basics of sensible organic gardening. Find out how to build good soil, what you need to know about amendments and fertilizers, and tricks and tips for beautiful gardens, even in containers and tiny spaces. Learn about water-saving irrigation, how to start seeds and nurse them into healthy seedlings, and how to pick the best transplants...