We’re told that throughout our lives we should never stop learning. And for good reason. Research has shown that adult learning makes us happier, healthier and wealthier. Where do we sign up?!

Now more than ever, many of us have time on our hands that we could only have dreamt of a few months ago. Time to push the boundaries of what we’re capable of and try something new. Here are some ideas for how to spend it (without actually spending a dime!):

Art Lessons

Image: Artyfactory

Granted, we aren’t all born as gifted as Picasso, but we can give it a good go. Artyfactory offers an impressive range of cross-medium art lessons, all completely for free. You can start with simple Pencil Portrait Lessons, which explore basic proportions of the head and facial features, or dive straight in to Pop Art or Aboriginal Art Lessons. There’s even a selection of art quizzes, if that’s what you’re into.

Photography basics and beyond: From Smartphone to DSLR

Image: Expert Photography

The smartphone has enabled many things for modern society. One of which is that we’re all a budding photographer in waiting. This free photography course powered by Coursera allows us to utilise the little cameras in our pockets to the best of their ability. You’ll learn about photo composition, camera control, exposure and much more. It’s the age of Instagram after all, why not make sure you can capture photographs to be proud of?

Introduction to Graphic illustration

Image: Class Central

For those of you lucky enough to have some basic drawing skills, this free course in graphic illustration will take you to the next level. Breaking down the traditional role of the illustrator, this course explores some more in depth questions, such as how to achieve originality and what a “good” illustration is, whilst also offering practical tips on composition and style. For those intrigued by graphic design as a career path, this is definitely worth a try.

Origami Video Tutorials

Image: YouTube

 Origami is often described as yoga for the mind. The simple act of folding paper to create beautiful shapes can be used as a way to enhance mindfulness for all ages. Origami.me houses hundreds of video tutorials to guide you through this process – ranging in difficulty from beginner to complex. It teaches the creation of just about everything from birds to flowers – and even Pokémon if that’s your jam! Get stuck in.

Life Drawing: Stella x Saatchi Gallery

Image: YouTube

 Yes, The Saatchi Gallery have joined forces with Stella McCartney to bring you the most stylish life drawing experience you will ever lay eyes on. Tune into the Saatchi Gallery’s IGTV video to join supermodel Malgosia Bela as she poses for a string of famous artists including the award-winning Miriam Escofet and Massimiliano Pironti. You can even submit your own artwork using the hashtag #StellaCommUnity for a chance to feature on Stella’s own Instagram. Needless to say, the drawing session is accompanied by music from Sir Paul McCartney himself. Now, that’s something to twist & shout about.

Which new skill will you be indulging in? Let us know in the comments below. If you like our blog, you’ll love our Instagram.