Online · One-to-one · Beginners welcome
Anyone can learn to draw
Private online lessons that treat drawing as play, not an exam. Drawing, watercolour, painting — and architecture portfolio prep.
I stopped drawing over 10 years ago, and she helped me get back to it!
Most of my students were sure they couldn't draw
They were wrong, and so is nearly everyone who says it. Drawing has rules — proportion, perspective, value, edges. People who "can't draw" have simply never been shown how to look.
I'm Aliya. I have a five-year bachelor's degree in architecture, I've been teaching drawing since 2018, and now I teach online full time.
How I teach:
Meet me before you book
Watch my short video introduction to hear how I teach — and check that we'd get on. There are more painting tutorials on my YouTube channel.
What happens in a 50-minute lesson
One to one, on Google Meet. Nothing to install — you click the link and we start drawing.
We look at your work
You hold it up to the camera or send it ahead. I tell you what's working and what's quietly holding the drawing back.
I show you
I share my screen and draw next to you, so you watch the technique happen instead of hearing it described. Interrupt me whenever.
You draw, I nudge
Most of the lesson. You work, I watch and step in — a line redirected here, a shadow softened there. This is where it clicks.
You leave with homework
One small exercise aimed at the thing we just fixed, so next time starts further along than this one ended.
What my students say
5.0 ★ — every single reviewAliya is clearly very knowledgeable. She teaches proper technique and I'm amazed at how well I can draw when shown how!
Aliya is a fantastic teacher with positive and cheerful attitude. My daughter really enjoyed working with her.
Amazing teacher. She always comes up with new ideas and I feel real progress after every lesson.
She's super positive and patient. Plus she is flexible for whatever you want to learn. 11/10 experience!
I liked Aliya's enthusiasm and cheerfulness. She is very positive and inspires a desire to keep learning!
Aliya inspired me to believe in myself and my skills. I stopped drawing over 10 years ago, and she helped me get back to it!
From my classes
Group workshops, kids' classes and private lessons — real people, real paintings. Most of them had never painted seriously before.
student spotlight
Kyle — over two years of weekly lessons
Kyle has been drawing with me once a week for more than two years. Every week builds on the last — and you can see it on the page.
She's super positive and patient. Plus she is flexible for whatever you want to learn. 11/10 experience!Kyle, USA ★★★★★
student spotlight
Emil — a year of lessons, twice a week
Over a year of lessons Emil explored very different styles: a dramatic comic panel in steep perspective, a samurai in pen-and-ink rain, and a watercolour-and-ink barn.
Lessons for children, too
Kids are a big part of my week, and I know what keeps young artists excited. Younger students get more drawing and less theory, lots of encouragement, and something they're proud to hold up to the camera at the end.
from age 3 — and no upper limit!
Mums, dads, brothers, sisters, grandmas and grandpas are all welcome too — drawing together is a lovely family hour. Parents can also simply sit in on the first lesson; several reviews above were written by them.
What I teach
Lessons are built around what you want to make, not a fixed syllabus.
Pencil & pastel
Proportion, shading, structure and sketching from life — the foundations everything else builds on.
Watercolour
Washes, layering, wet-on-wet and keeping your whites — loose, luminous painting without the frustration.
Acrylic, oil & gouache
Bold colour, mixing with confidence, and building a painting from block-in to finish.
Pricing
Pay in any currency through Wise. No subscription, no joining fee.
Demo lesson
New here? I'll show you the drawing tricks I give every student, and we'll work out where you want to go.
Book the demo Pay · Wise or bank transferTen lessons
A block built around your goals. Lessons never expire, so there's no clock running on you.
Start the 10 lessons Pay · Wise or bank transferSingle lesson
50 minutes on whatever you need most that week — a technique, a project you care about, or a medium you've never tried.
Book one lesson Pay · Wise or bank transferHow payment works
Prices are in US dollars. Prefer another currency or payment method? Message me on WhatsApp and we'll sort it out.
more than private lessons
Paint together — online
Live group painting on Google Meet. Everyone paints the same picture step by step, and everyone finishes with a painting they're proud of. No experience needed.
Group masterclasses
Gather friends, family or classmates for a live painting evening: one painting, step by step, in 1.5 hours. Everyone joins from anywhere — I send a short materials list in advance.
$280 per group
≈ $28 per person in a group of 10 · 1.5 hours · larger groups priced on request
Book a groupTeam building with paint
Your team works online across time zones — digital nomads, remote startups, distributed companies? Get everyone on one Google Meet, paint the same picture together and end with a screen full of paintings and a group photo. Relaxed, creative, and nobody needs to be "good at art".
from $280 per team
≈ $28 per person for a team of 10 · 1.5 hours · larger teams priced on request
Plan a team session
Gift certificates
Give someone their first painting. A demo lesson, a single lesson or a 10-lesson package as a gift — with a printable certificate in their name, ready for any occasion.
from $18
Give a lessonI draw everywhere I go
From my sketchbook
When I'm not teaching, I'm drawing — on beaches and mountains, in city squares and galleries. Everything I teach, I practise myself every day.
Questions people ask first
What if I'm a complete beginner?
Perfect — most of my students start with zero experience. Drawing is a skill with teachable rules, and lessons are built around your current level.
What if I'm not happy with my first lesson?
Then don't book a second one, and I'll refund the demo. I'd rather you found the right teacher than stayed with the wrong one.
Do you teach kids?
Yes! Children from age 3, and there’s no upper limit — mums, dads, brothers, sisters and grandparents are welcome too. Several reviews above are from parents who booked lessons for their kids.
How long until I see real progress?
Most students notice a clear difference within four to six lessons. The "I actually made that" moment usually lands around three months.
What if I need to reschedule?
Tell me 24 hours ahead and we'll find a new time. Block lessons never expire, so there's no clock running.
What materials do I need?
Pencils and paper, or a simple watercolour set. Once I know what you want to learn I'll tell you exactly what to buy, so you don't spend money on things you won't use.
Which timezone do you teach in?
Many. Open the calendar and every slot shows in your own local time automatically.
Booking takes two minutes
1 · Pick your time
Open the calendar and choose any open slot. Times appear in your own timezone.
Open my calendar2 · Pay through Wise
Before or after your lesson, whichever is easier. Tap “Pay” under your lesson: pay through Wise, or send a regular bank transfer using the details on that page.
Wise tag @aliiak14
3 · Check your email
A Google Meet link arrives before the lesson. Nothing to download, nothing to set up.
Not ready to book? Get my free guide — the drawing tricks I teach every student.
No spam — just the guide and the occasional workshop announcement. Unsubscribe anytime.
Your first drawing is 50 minutes away
Bring whatever you've drawn so far, even if that's nothing at all.