The story's been in you for years.
Let's finally get it on the page!
Courses for storytellers who want to draw, write and finish their own comic, picture book or illustrated story — built for people with jobs, families and full calendars. Taught by Robert Revels, 25 years teaching illustration at Academy of Art University.
Sound familiar?
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You've tried to teach yourself. One tutorial, then another, then another. None of them connect, and most assume you're already good.
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You've had the story for years. Maybe decades. A world, a character, a book you'd love to hold in your hands one day.
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You've started. A sketchbook, a few pages, a folder full of ideas. Then life happened — work, kids, bills — and it went back on the shelf. Again.
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And somewhere in the back of your head there's a voice telling you you're too old, it's too late, you're not talented enough — maybe wait until you retire.
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You've got no one to tell you what's working and what isn't, so you second-guess every line.
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Here's the truth: none of that is a talent problem. It's a path problem. Nobody ever showed you how the pieces fit together — and nobody built a path for someone with a real life.
I built this for the artist I used to be
I wanted to be an artist when I was young. Badly. I went to art school — but I wasn't getting taught what I actually needed. Some of the teachers who should have been mentors competed with me instead. So even with a classroom around me, I was teaching myself, grinding through library books and step-by-step manuals, making slides of my work and cold-calling professional artists, just asking them to look at it, because I couldn't get real guidance anywhere else.
I still built a 25-year career teaching illustration and concept art at Academy of Art University, and my students went on to become art directors and lead artists across animation, games, and publishing.
But I never forgot what it felt like to have something to say and no one to show me how to say it.
So every course here is the one I wish I'd had: a clear path, one step a week, built around a real schedule — and someone who's been there actually looking at your work.
— Robert
Your Story Matters!
“Most of the stuff I know about digital painting, I learned from Robert Revels. More than any other teacher at the Academy, Robert was able to help me translate my understanding of painting to the digital realm in a way that was simple and efficient. I highly recommend artists of all skill levels check out his new course.”
“Robert Revels was one of my favorite instructors in college, so much so that I and several other classmates took his class multiple times. His critiques are always insightful and make a visible improvement towards the final, whether it be design sense, composition, or color. I learned a ton from Mr. Revels’ class and came out with a much stronger portfolio.”
“During my time at college, I was fortunate enough to take a painting class with Robert. He is a wonderful and dedicated instructor who guides his students with passion and patience. He would find every students strengths and weakness to help shape them in preparation for their future career endeavors. Not only is he a fantastic educator, but also a very friendly and humble person. I’ve learned so much from him, and I have so much to thank him for being where I am now in my career.”
Eight weeks from now
You open your sketchbook and know exactly what to work on this week.
The character you've carried around for years has a face, a costume, and a voice.
Your pages read. The eye goes where you want it to go.
You've finished something. Not almost. Finished.
It's yours — to publish, print, sell, or hand to the people you love.
And for the first time, you're not doing it alone.
Built for real life
One module a week. It unlocks Monday. Watch on your lunch break, after the kids are down, whenever you've got the time.
Post your work by Saturday night. No live sessions to plan around.
Feedback within days from Robert or one of his industry professionals, if you choose a feedback seat.
Eight weeks, one finished piece. Small enough to fit your life, big enough to change your work.
Three ways to learn
01 / Lessons Only
Learn on your own schedule.
Every lesson and assignment, released each week with the class. Work through it whenever it fits your week — no feedback. Access closes 3 weeks after the course ends. $197
02 / With Pro Feedback
Get eyes on your work every week.
Everything in Lessons Only, plus feedback on every assignment you post from Robert or one of his industry professionals — recorded video critiques, draw-overs, or written notes — and two live Q&As with Robert on Zoom. Only 20 seats per course. $997
03 / Live with Robert
Learn in the room, in real time.
The only format Robert teaches live: a 90-minute class on Zoom every Saturday with demos, teaching and live critique, plus his personal feedback on every assignment and the full recorded course. Only 12 seats. $1,997
Every course is 8 weeks, 8 modules.
How our courses work
Self-Paced · Released weekly · Prerecorded [not taught live]
Our term courses are prerecorded. Robert isn't teaching them live. Instead, a new module unlocks every Monday and the whole class moves through it together, one week at a time — so you can't jump ahead, but within each week you watch and work whenever it fits your schedule. Want Robert live? Choose one of the LIVE courses on Zoom.
Early access. Your classroom opens one week before the start date. Meet your cohort, get your supply list and watch the welcome video.
New module every Monday. One video lesson and one assignment.
Post your homework by Saturday at 11:59 pm PT in the course thread.
Feedback starts Sunday (With Pro Feedback). Your work is reviewed by Robert or one of his industry professionals, with thorough feedback back within 2–7 days — a recorded video critique, a draw-over on your image, or written notes in your thread.
Two live Q&As with Robert on Zoom (With Pro Feedback). One at the midpoint and a wrap-up after the final week, Saturday mornings, recorded.
Access closes 3 weeks after the course ends for everyone.
Who reviews your work
Every feedback seat is reviewed by Robert or one of his industry professionals — working artists Robert trained himself. Each one follows Robert's critique method, so the standard is the same, whoever reviews your piece. And every student gets Robert himself in both live Q&As.
Winter Session
Winter 2027 — starts Monday, Feb 1 - Mar 28
Enrollment opens January 4 · Classrooms open January 25
Light Tells the Story
Color & Light
SELF-PACED with FEEDBACK
8 WEEKS
Welcome to Color & Light. Over the next eight weeks, we'll build a system for value, temperature, and light so your color finally reads as real. Every week you'll paint along with me using the Luminary Light System. By the end you'll have one scene painted in three lighting moods.
Dates: Winter Feb 1 – Mar 28
Comic & Graphic Novel
SELF-PACED — FEEDBACK
8 WEEKS
Welcome to Comic & Graphic Novel. This course takes you from an idea to finished pages. By week 8 you'll have a 4–6 page short comic, pencilled, lettered and inked.
Dates: Winter Feb 1 – Mar 28
Costume Figure Drawing
SELF-PACED — FEEDBACK
8 WEEKS
Welcome to Costume Figure Drawing. We'll start with gesture, build structure, then dress the figure with believable folds and costume. You'll finish with a costumed character figure that tells a story.
Dates: Winter Feb 1 – Mar 28
Drawing Fundamentals
SELF-PACED — FEEDBACK
8 WEEKS
Welcome to Drawing Fundamentals. These eight weeks cover the skills everything else is built on. Draw every day if you can — even 15 minutes counts.
Dates: Winter Feb 1 – Mar 28
Mixed Media Illustration
SELF-PACED — FEEDBACK
8 WEEKS
Welcome to Mixed Media Illustration. Over eight weeks you'll create one finished illustration using gouache, acrylic and colored pencil together. As a bonus, I'll show you airbrush basics if you want to add it to your toolkit.
Dates: Winter Feb 1 – Mar 28
Procreate Essentials
SELF-PACED — FEEDBACK
8 WEEKS
Welcome to Procreate Essentials. In four weeks you'll go from opening the app to a finished illustration with a workflow you'll use on everything after.
Dates: Winter Feb 1 – Mar 28
Summer Session
Summer 2027 — starts Monday, Jun 7 -Aug 1
Enrollment opens May 10 · Classrooms open May 31
Sketchbook: Discovering Your Style
SELF-PACED | FEEDBACK
8 WEEKS
Welcome to Sketchbook. For eight weeks you'll keep a daily practice built to uncover what you love to draw and how you naturally draw it.
Dates: Summer Jun 7 – Aug 1
Portrait Drawing
SELF-PACED | FEEDBACK
8 WEEKS
Welcome to Portrait Drawing. Over eight weeks we'll build the head from structure to likeness to a finished, lit portrait.
Dates: Summer Jun 7 – Aug 1
Illustrative Storytelling
SELF-PACED | FEEDBACK
8 WEEKS
Welcome to Illustrative Storytelling. Over eight weeks you'll create two finished illustrations that each tell a story on their own.
Dates: Summer Jun 7 – Aug 1
Photoshop Digital Painting Essentials
SELF-PACED | FEEDBACK
8 WEEKS
Welcome to Photoshop Digital Painting Essentials. Over eight weeks you'll learn the painting workflow working illustrators use and finish a complete digital painting.
Dates: Summer Jun 7 – Aug 1
Storytelling Perspective Essentials
Welcome to Storytelling Perspective Essentials. Over eight weeks you'll learn perspective the way storytellers use it — to decide where the camera sits, stage your characters and make every scene feel the way the story needs it to.
Dates: Summer Jun 7 – Aug 1
Composition & Visual Storytelling
Welcome to Composition & Visual Storytelling. Over eight weeks you'll learn how to control what the viewer sees first, where their eye travels and what they feel — and finish with a story image that uses every tool in the course.
Dates: Summer Jun 7 – Aug 1
Fall Session
Fall 2027 — starts Monday, Sept 27 - Nov 21
Enrollment opens August 30 · Classrooms open September 20
Light Tells the Story
Color & Light
SELF-PACED | FEEDBACK
8 WEEKS
Welcome to Color & Light. Over the next eight weeks, we'll build a system for value, temperature, and light so your color finally reads as real. Every week you'll paint along with me using the Luminary Light System. By the end you'll have one scene painted in three lighting moods.
Dates: Fall Sep 27 – Nov 21
Comic & Graphic Novel
SELF-PACED | FEEDBACK
8 WEEKS
Welcome to Comic & Graphic Novel. This course takes you from an idea to finished pages. By week 8 you'll have a 4–6 page short comic, pencilled, lettered and inked.
Dates: Fall Sep 27 – Nov 21
The Essential Figure (18+)
SELF-PACED | FEEDBACK
8 WEEKS
Welcome to The Essential Figure. This is the classical life-drawing foundation, using licensed nude reference. All photos stay inside this classroom.
Dates: Fall Sep 27 – Nov 21
Drawing Fundamentals
SELF-PACED | FEEDBACK
8 WEEKS
Welcome to Drawing Fundamentals. These eight weeks cover the skills everything else is built on. Draw every day if you can — even 15 minutes counts.
Dates: Fall Sep 27 – Nov 21
Mixed Media Illustration
SELF-PACED | FEEDBACK
8 WEEKS
Welcome to Mixed Media Illustration. Over eight weeks you'll create one finished illustration using gouache, acrylic and colored pencil together. As a bonus, I'll show you airbrush basics if you want to add it to your toolkit.
Dates: Fall Sep 27 – Nov 21
Procreate Essentials
SELF-PACED | FEEDBACK
8 WEEKS
Welcome to Procreate Essentials. In four weeks you'll go from opening the app to a finished illustration with a workflow you'll use on everything after.
Dates: Fall Sep 27 – Nov 21
Start Anytime
On-Demand · Lifetime access · Enroll any day of the year · No Feedback
IP Forge: World Building
Start anytime · 12 modules · On-Demand · Lifetime access
IP Forge is a complete, step-by-step system for building your own original IP — for comics, graphic novels, games, animation or any long-term story world. Twelve modules take you from a loose idea to a canon-locked world, a cast with emotional truth, a story engine that holds, visual rules you trust, and a design packet and pitch you can actually show someone. Every module comes with a studio worksheet, so you're building your IP, not just watching videos about it.
Tools
PopularBestseller
Luminary — Robert's light-and-value system for painters, as a Photoshop plugin and a web app for Procreate and Clip Studio artists. It's the tool you'll use to paint in Color & Light.
Traditional or digital — your choice
Pencil, paper, Photoshop, or iPad. Every course works either way unless it says otherwise, and three are built for digital: Procreate Essentials, Photoshop Digital Painting Essentials, and Color & Light.
Brushes
BRUSH COLLECTIONS
Oil Brushes
Controlled layering, edge variation, and subtle resistance inspired by traditional oil paint.
Acrylic Brushes
Crisper response and faster coverage while maintaining control and structure.
Watercolor Brushes
Intentional flow, transparency, and edge softness without chaos.
Pencil Brushes
Structure, texture, and clarity for drawing, planning, and exploration.
Marker Brushes
Clean application with controlled variation and consistent response.
Three promises
Find your voice.
Fundamentals that free you up instead of boxing you in.
Finish your story.
Every course ends with something finished: a page, a portrait, a painting.
Find your people.
A small cohort that posts, cheers, and pushes each other.
✺ Frequently asked questions ✺
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No. Most courses start from the ground up — each course page says who it's for.
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Yes. One module unlocks each Monday, and you work on it whenever it fits your week. Homework is due Saturday night.
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Only in LIVE courses. Every other course is prerecorded and released weekly.
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Robert or one of his industry professionals, within 2–7 days — a recorded video critique, a draw-over, or written notes.
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Yes — 20% off, applied automatically when you buy inside Nextgen.
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Lessons Only is the course with no feedback. Pro Feedback adds feedback on every assignment and two live Q&As with Robert. Live adds a weekly class with Robert on Zoom.
One last thing
The story you've been carrying isn't waiting on more talent. It isn't waiting on retirement, or a quieter year, or the perfect moment.
It's waiting on you to start!
Pick one course. Give it eight weeks. Let's finish something together.
Winter enrollment opens January 4