Frequently Asked Questions

for online art classes

Are your classes right for me?

+ What are your classes like?

• Each workshop is designed as an enjoyable experience and a journey. The lessons and exercises build upon each other, from warm-up activities to full, in-depth projects.

• My online workshops are meant for your own pleasure and creative fulfillment. They are not academic classes. There are no assignements to submit, no grades, no schedule, no certificates of completion, no live conferences. They are simply a space of freedom and creativity for you to explore and enjoy.

• I share my own process as authentically as possible so that in turn, you can be inspired to build your own creative practice in a way that is true to you. I hold nothing back and you will be able to see how I deal with challenges and creative blocks as much as joy and happy accidents. My hope is that you feel like you are with me in the studio!

• To me, the path of the artist is an emotional and spiritual journey where following our heart and the whispers of our souls comes before color theory. That’s why my classes always involve an element of personal development, like taking the time to breathe, journaling, setting an intention, expressing gratitude, learning to trust your intuition, welcoming serendipity and setting up your space in a way that supports your creativity.

+ How do I know if a class is for me? What is your teaching style like?

• I’m a self-taught artist and a certified creativity coach, and I teach in a heart-centered, non-academic way. You will see me in action and will be guided to explore your own world, inside and out. All my classes aim at bringing you closer to your most authentic creative voice.

• The workshops are full of my personal techniques, some I have learned and pass on in my own ways, others I have discovered through happy accidents and experimentation.

• There is also a strong focus oncreative strategies to make your practice unique, overcome your blocks and challenge yourself to gently expand your comfort zone.

• To know if a class will be the right fit for you, trust your intuition. If it feels exciting and stirs your curiosity, if it resonates in a way that feels really good, that feels like joy, like home, or like a big good sigh and a smile... then it most certainly is for you. Let your inner artist guide you!

• If, on the other hand, you are looking only for technical instructions, or for an academic class where you submit work and get detailed feedback and critique, then this is not the right place.

• If you are not comfortable with words like heart, soul, intuition, intention, serendipity, wholeness, mindfulness, affirmation, inner artist, magic or creative spark, or if seeing me draw an oracle card for inspiration makes you cringe… then my classes are probably not for you.

• If in doubt, I encourage you to start with one of my free lessons to see if my teaching style resonates with you. Please note that refunds will not be made after registration for a paid class.

+ I've never painted, done art journaling or tried mixed media before. I can't even draw a straight line! Can I take your classes?

• Yes, you can! I believe that the beginner’s spirit is a true gift, and all the projects in my classes are doable. Of course there will be learning curve if this is completely new to you. Commitment and perseverance are key when we start to shake things up, and "mistakes" are a good thing, because they’re the best way to learn. Trust, self-compassion and a spirit of adventure are super important, and practice is the key!

• I also strongly encourage you to participate and share what you create in the classroom community forum and the Facebook group, where you will be encouraged by other beginners and seasoned artists alike. When you see others who are more advanced on their journey, let this inspire you and give you faith that you will get there too. We all need to start somewhere and my classes have lifetime access so you can take the time to learn at your own perfect pace and go back to the lessons over and over again. My hope is that taking a class with me gives you a solid foundation for your creative practice, so you can grow your wings from a place of truth and authenticity.

+ I'm a seasoned artist, are your classes for me?

• Yes! There are many seasoned and professional artists in my classes and I’d be honored to have you with us. My classes will open you up to new possibilities, new ideas and inspiration for the next steps of your artistic journey.

+ I'm not really into mixed media. Can I do your workshops with other techniques (watercolor, encaustic, oil painting...)?

• Maybe. If you are confident enough in your technique of choice, then you might find creative ways to adapt my lessons to your needs. A lot of the creative mindset we discuss in the classes is not specific to mixed media.

• That being said, I will not offer support for other techniques and you may not find many fellow participants who share your techniques. If learning from peers is important to you, then you need to be aware of this. No refunds will be made.

how does it work?

+ How do your online classes work?

• The workshops are e-courses, hosted online, and members get an individual, private account to access all their classes.

• All e-courses are self-study and self-paced. Most classes have lifetime access (as per our terms of service, "lifetime" means for the lifetime of the program). The videos are prerecorded, so you can watch them whenever you want, and as many times as you wish. It is up to you to find the rhythm that suits you best. Make time regularly to complete your course. It is a gift you are giving yourself!

• Some classes are released at a specific date and a whole group starts together, which is motivating and fosters a spirit of community. For some classes, especially new classes involving a lot of content, the lessons might be released over a period of several weeks, but there is no schedule to comply with, no “catching up” or “falling behind”, ever.

+ Do I have access to you? Can I ask you questions?

• I do my best to share my whole process and offer as much information as possible within the workshop videos, text and other resources. If you have additional questions, you can ask them in the Classroom Community forum. I usually check in once a week (except when on holidays) to answer student questions. The other participants will also be able to help you. Please keep in mind that personal interaction with me is not part of the service you pay for when you register for a class, it is a bonus and a privilege, not something that is "due" from me.

• The classroom site is the place where all the teaching takes place. I will not answer individual questions by email or direct messaging, nor in the Facebook group. The Classroom Community forum is accessible directly from within the menu of the workshops.

+ Can I submit my work to you for individual feedback/critique?

• I'm happy to answer questions within the classroom forum whenever I can, but I will not offer detailed individual feedback or critique, which would be a whole other service than an e-course. My online workshops are not academic classes where you are expected to submit your work to be reviewed/assessed by the teacher. This wouldn't fit with the way I approach art and teaching.

• In all my classes, my wish is to help you connect to your creative self, express yourself authentically and trust yourself more and more. I deeply believe that the only way to do this is to turn within, get to know yourself better, tune into your feelings, pay attention to what intuitively feels good to you or not, and make all your decisions from there. Finding and trusting this inner compass takes practice, and my workshops are full of activities, prompts and encouragement to help you do just that, and help you get back into the flow whenever you get stuck, which is a normal part of the creative process for everyone.

• There is a deeply personal relationship between you and your art, and inviting others to interfere can turn out more disruptive than useful, leaving you with even more doubts, and less self-reliance. Asking for opinion online is especially tricky because you invite mostly unknown people to make a quick judgement on your work based on a tiny, most often poorly lit picture that they will see for just a few seconds amidst so many other things, with inaccurate colors, no idea of scale and texture, and most importantly a very faint idea of who you really are and the journey you and the artwork have been through together. That's why I encourage you to pause and think twice before inviting anyone (including me) to tell you what to do with your art.

+ Can I share, exhibit and/or sell what I create and learn from your classes?

We are all artists in this community and my goal, as a teacher, is to help you discover and make YOUR own original art. I also believe that having healthy boundaries and standing up for our work is important. Therefore:

• If the art you create from my workshops ends up being very personal and different from mine, then YES of course, you can exhibit and sell it. Well done!

• If the pieces you create are very similar to my own personal style and the projects I demonstrate, then NO, it is not ok to exhibit/sell them either offline or online as your own personal creations. They are just a part of your learning journey.

• You are welcome to share pictures of these learning pieces on your blog or social media, as long as you credit me and link back to www.lalymille.com

• You can freely share pictures of your "in process" and finished artworks in our private community forum and private Facebook group.

• It's OK to share a few "in process" pictures publicly on social media or your blog etc. but please make sure to only share a glimpse, and remember that the contents of my lessons are all copyrighted materials, just as much as the artworks themselves. Therefore it is not OK to share full or partial step-by-step pictures, instructions or videos (timelapse or otherwise) showing the processes I teach in class.

• It is definitely NOT OK to teach and advertise workshops based on my classes, whether live or online, without my express, written permission.

• In case of deliberate copyright infringement, the member's account will be suspended and we will take any legal action necessary.

• If you're not sure about sharing something, then it's probably your intuition telling you that it's not OK. You can of course email me and ask me directly. I'll do my best to help. I trust your common sense and integrity.

+ Can I connect with other members?

• Yes! And I warmly encourage you to! We have the most vibrant, positive and encouraging online community, we can't wait to welcome you!

• You can share photos of what you create, and connect with others in the Classroom Community forum within the classroom site.

• You will also have access to a private, optional Facebook group to connect even more with fellow participants.

practical details

+ Why is registration for some classes limited? Will you open them again in the future?

• Some of my classes are available all-year-round and you can jump in at any time. For other classes, especially the more in-depth or recent ones, registration only opens once or twice a year, for a limited time. This helps me be more present for the participants, especially at the beginning. For these classes I encourage you to put your name on the waiting list to be first to know when the next session opens.

• Limited registration does not mean a small classroom. There are usually a few hundred participants in each session, and since the classes have lifetime access, participants from past sessions are often active as well. The good news is: that's hundreds of potential art friends for you!

+ Once I sign up, when will I receive my login?

First, make sure to add **laly@lalymille.com, admin@lalymille.com and lalymille@c.kajabimail.net** to your email contacts, to make sure that messages for the class safely reach your inbox.

• You will first receive a confirmation email as soon as you sign up. Then:

• If the class has instant access: you will receive your login instructions shortly after registration, together with an invitation to join the Facebook group. Please make sure to keep this email for future reference.

• If class starts at a specific date, you will receive your login instructions and Facebook invitation when class starts.

• Login instructions will be sent to the email you used during registration. If you need to update your contact email after check-out, you can do so by clicking on the "preferences" link at the bottom of any of our emails or by writing to William at **admin@lalymille.com**

• If you register while class has already started, you will receive your login instructions within 48hrs.

• If it's the first time you are taking one of my classes, you will receive a random password for the classromm site. Once you are logged in, you will be able to go into your settings and change the password to your liking. If you are a returning student, the class will be automatically added to your existing member account, provided that you have used the same email address when registering.

+ How long will the class and videos be available? Are the videos downloadable?

• For most of my classes, you get lifetime access to the classroom and videos. "Lifetime" technically means for the lifetime of the program. If we were to retire a course (which so far has never happened), we would give you several months' notice so you have plenty of time to complete the lessons. You can watch the videos within the classroom as often and as many times as you wish.

• To protect the integrity of our content (and all the work that went into creating it) the videos are not downloadable. Therefore, before signing up, please make sure that your internet connection allows you to smoothly stream high resolution videos online. Refunds will not be made after registration.

+ What technical setup do I need to participate?

Please be aware that the lessons often have multiple images and videos. To avaid slow loading time, please comply with the following guidelines:

• A desktop computer or laptop is best. Alternatively you can use a tablet. Whatever your device, make sure it is up-to-date, in good working order and with no content restrictions (parental control, anti-popup etc.)

• A high-speed, internet connection, preferably Wifi (not cellular), strong enough to load pages with multiple media contents and smoothly stream high resolution videos online.

• The latest version of Chrome or Firefox installed on your device. If you are using an Apple device, we strongly encourage you to use Chrome or Firefox instead of Safari, as it is known to create issues with password-protected sites. You can download them from the App Store.

• Make sure your browser is set to accept all cookies. Cookies allow our system to recognize you as a member.

+ What if I'm having trouble accessing a lesson?

• The internet is not a perfect world and temporary glitches may happen that we are not responsible for. The first thing to do is be patient and respectful.

• If you are having difficulty loading a lesson page or video, make sure to clear your cache and cookies, check that no other apps are running in the background (updates, cloud storage/dropbox syncing etc.), check your cookie settings and internet connection, close and restart your browser, deactivate any browser extensions like ad blockers etc., log out of the class, then log back in. Make sure you are using one of the recommended browsers (currently Chrome and Firefox) and a strong Wifi connection.

• If, after trying all of the above, you are still having trouble accessing the class, contact us by email at admin@lalymille.com and we will check that there are no issues on our side. On extremely rare occasions, our website host might be running an update and suspending the service for a short time. We are not responsible for this and it will usually be resolved within a few hours. Remember that the classes are self-paced with lifetime access so there is no rush. Why not take advantage of this time to paint?

• Please understand that an issue on our side would affect all users. If other participants are able to access the lesson as usual, then it means that our service is running smoothly and the problem is not happening on our end. We may be able to offer helpful suggestions but we cannot take responsibility for individual technical issues. We understand that this may be frustrating, but refunds will not be made after registration.

+ What supplies do I need to participate?

There is a list of suggested supplies for each class. You do NOT need everything on the list. On the whole, these are the supplies I use most regularly:

• A basic set of acrylic supplies including some acrylic paints, inks, gesso and matte gel medium.

• A few paintbrushes, including a medium-sized flat brush for collage.

• A variety of materials to stamp and make marks with. Some of my favorite options are bubble-wrap and a plastic card.

• Collage materials: magazine pages, tissue paper, packing paper, book pages, sheet music, sewing pattern paper, old clothes, ribbon, lace... You don't need to buy anything, ask around to your friends and family!

• Some substrates to create on (depending on the projects): an art journal, stretched canvases or wood panels. Wood, MDF and shelving left-overs from your DIY store are a great, inexpensive option.

• A camera (nothing fancy, the one on your phone is fine). This is great to document your process and look at your art from a different perspective.

I will always encourage you to experiment and use whatever supplies you already have. Only purchase what you feel is really necessary or what you feel strongly attracted to.

+ The price of the course is in Euros and USD, how much is it in my country's currency?

• You can check the price conversion with online tools such as xe.com. It fluctuates slightly from day to day. You will see the correct price in your own currency at checkout on Paypal or Stripe.

+ Do you offer refunds?

• No. All sales are final. When you sign up, you immediately get access to the whole content of the class. Therefore no refunds will be issued after you register. Please make sure you understand and agree to our terms of service and our privacy policy before signing up.

• In particular, before you register, please make sure that your internet connection allows you to smoothly stream high resolution videos online. The videos are not downloadable and we are not responsible for individual technical issues. No refunds will be made.

• If any unexpected life issue prevents you from taking the class as you had planned, remember that you have lifetime access and the class will be available for you whenever you are ready. If you don’t think you will ever be able to take the class you have purchased, contact us and we can discuss transferring it to a friend. No refunds will be made.

+ I find your workshops too expensive.

• I strongly believe that the price of my classes reflects the quality and depth of the contents I offer, and the feedback I most often get from participants is that it is worth every cent and much more. So many creatives underprice their work (I have often done it too) but I believe in raising our self-worth and I prefer to be one of those showing the way. I also offer a wide range of classes with different price points, as well as a ton of free, quality content. If you feel differently, then I'm sure you will find other classes and teachers that will suit you better.

• I also believe in investing in yourself. So many people enroll in cheap classes and never open them. When you join one of my classes, I want you to get the most out of it. This financial commitment is a commitment to yourself.

• We offer the convenience of payment plans for my more expensive classes, don't hesitate to use them.

• If you like my work but are not ready to invest in a class, I encourage you to sign up for my free workshops, read my blog and follow me on Instagram. You will find plenty to inspire you at no cost whatsoever.

+ How can I reach out to you?

• If you have questions before signing up for a class and you don't find the answer here or on the class description page, feel free to email us at admin@lalymille.com. We will do our best to reply to you within 48 hours (Monday to Friday).

• If you are already enrolled, please post your art-related questions in the Classroom Community forum in the corresponding topic. This is the only place to ask me your questions. I will not answer individual questions by email, through private messaging or on Facebook.

• For administrative or technical questions (login, email not received, billing, payment plan, invoices etc), please contact William by email only through the contact page or by writing to admin@lalymille.com. Do not post these in the Facebook group, through messenger or in the classroom forum. William will reply to you within 48 hours (Monday to Friday). Please note that we are located in France so there might be a little timezone difference!

thank you, I hope to see you in class soon!