Let me ask you something: when was the last time you thought about learning to draw?
Was it in-person?
Or have you, like so many others in the past, opted for online art classes instead?
Maybe it was yesterday.
Maybe it was twenty years ago when you doodled in the margins of your school notebook.
Or maybe you’re one of those professional designers who suddenly realized you can’t remember the last time you picked up a graphite pencil to sketch.
Here’s the thing—you’re not alone.
That’s exactly why the online art education market is exploding into a $2.3-14 billion industry by 2034.
Who would’ve thought that was true for such a personal and almost passive, ‘hobby’ niche.
But here’s what gets me excited about it: it’s not just about the raw market size.
It’s about the eight distinct audience segments that most content creators are completely overlooking.
Right now it seems everyone’s fighting over the same beginner territory.
There are professional designers willing to spend $300-800 to reconnect with foundational skills.Blocked artists desperate for creative breakthroughs. As well as writers who want to understand drawing well enough to write about it.
These aren’t hypothetical personas—they’re real people with real pain points and real wallets.
I spent hours with Perplexity breaking down this market, segment by segment, dollar by dollar.
What I found was shocking: the segments with the highest revenue potential often have the lowest competition.
Professional designers relearning basics? 25% revenue potential, only 16.7% competition.
That’s not a niche—that’s a gold mine with a “closed for lunch” sign on it.
In this deep-dive analysis, I’m going to show you exactly:
- Which of the 8 audience segments represents the biggest opportunity (and why it’s probably not what you think)
- The precise spending patterns, pain points, and preferred learning formats for each group
- How a 50% market capture in just one segment could generate $150-300 million in revenue
Whether you’re looking to start a new content site, pivot an existing one, or invest in a creator building in this space, this research will give you the competitive intelligence you need to move fast and win big.
What the data shows
The online art education market is large, rapidly growing, and segmented by different learner profiles, offering diverse commercial opportunities.
Below is an analysis by 8 specific audience segments I came up with. I wasn’t satisfied with analyzing the obvious. I wanted to drill down to who really does take or even dream about taking art classes.
Who’s taking it – who are online art classes really for?
I identified 8 audiences, not through data collection (yet), but based on:
- my personal experience with early-adulthood art classes,
- my experience with online courses later in life,
- general organic research,
- networking and creative industry observations,
- spontaneous research across social media,
- artist blogs and content sites
- and last but never least, traditional, physical books.
I based my research on those loosely articulated audiences – some well-known, others not so obvious.
Below are summarised data estimations of the online art education current market size for each segment – average spending, pain points, preferred learning formats, competition gaps, and revenue potential insights.
1. Beginners Learning Basic Drawing Skills
- Market size: Significant share of the global online art courses market, part of the USD ~2.3-5.2 billion online art courses market in 2024-2025 projected to grow at 8.9-11.7% CAGR reaching USD 6-14 billion by 2030-2034 globally [1][2][3][4]. Beginners represent a large foundational segment since many art learners start here.
- Average spending: $100-$300 per course common; many opt for subscription or modular pricing models.
- Pain points: Lack of confidence, unclear learning pathways, overwhelming choices.
- Preferred formats: Self-paced video tutorials with progressive exercises and structured paths, sometimes live workshops for interaction.
- Competition gaps: Simplified, jargon-free beginner-focused courses with hands-on, skill-building exercises are desired; many platforms focus on broader scope without tailored beginner supports.
- Revenue potential/competition: High revenue potential due to volume; moderate competition as many large platforms target beginners.
2. Amateur Artists Improving Drawing Skills
- Market size: Large segment within hobbyist and amateur art learning, supported by a global amateur painting rise with millions engaged [5]. Fits within the broader USD 6 billion+ art training market forecast.
- Average spending: Willing to invest $200-$500 in skill deepening workshops and mentorship programs.
- Pain points: Plateauing skill improvement, lack of feedback, motivation issues.
- Preferred formats: Interactive courses, community critiques, live sessions, intermediate to advanced tutorials.
- Competition gaps: Limited personalized feedback and mentorship options in many online courses; opportunity for targeted intermediate level programs.
- Revenue potential/competition: Strong potential with mid-level price points; moderate to high competition especially on mass platforms.
3. Non-Artists Learning to Draw from Scratch
- Market size: Overlaps with beginner segment but distinct for those with no prior creative background. Growing due to interest in art for wellness and personal development [2][3].
- Average spending: Similar to beginners $100-$300; value affordability and accessibility.
- Pain points: Fear of failure, need for motivation, no prior knowledge overwhelming.
- Preferred formats: Very basic, step-by-step video tutorials, downloadable guides, community support.
- Competition gaps: Few courses specifically targeting complete novices with beginner psychology and encouragement focus.
- Revenue potential/competition: Moderate to high revenue potential; lower competition niche than general beginner courses.
4. Blocked Artists (Creative Blocks)
- Market size: Niche segment within creative professionals and amateurs addressing mental blocks; no clear market size but growing awareness of creative wellness [5].
- Average spending: Willing to spend $50-$200 for targeted creative unblock programs, exercises, and coaching.
- Pain points: Lack of inspiration, frustration, stress over creative output.
- Preferred formats: Guided exercises, prompts, short video bursts, webinars, and coaching.
- Competition gaps: Few specialized courses tackle creative blocks explicitly with art therapy or coaching integration.
- Revenue potential/competition: Moderate revenue potential; relatively low competition.
5. Creatives Reconnecting with Drawing
- Market size: Overlaps with blocked and amateur segments; people seeking to rekindle skills form a subset of lifelong learners. Growing due to adult learning trends.
- Average spending: $150-$400, valuing flexible and inspirational content.
- Pain points: Time constraints, lost confidence, balancing practice.
- Preferred formats: Video series with flexible pacing, encouragement communities, refresher tutorials.
- Competition gaps: Few programs actively marketed as “reconnection” courses with community motivation.
- Revenue potential/competition: Moderate; moderate competition.
6. Professional Designers Who Lost Touch with Basic Drawing
- Market size: Professional niche within USD 3.5 billion specialized online art course market [6]. Likely smaller population but higher spending capacity.
- Average spending: $300-$800 on advanced skill refreshers, portfolio workshops, mentorship.
- Pain points: Time efficiency, relevance to current design practices, practical application.
- Preferred formats: Intensive workshops, certified courses, curriculum aligned with industry skills.
- Competition gaps: Limited offerings blending foundational drawing refresher with design applications specifically targeting professionals.
- Revenue potential/competition: High revenue potential due to professional fees; lower direct competition.
7. Art Historians and Teachers Observing Teaching Methods
- Market size: Small niche; part of adult and professional education segments.
- Average spending: Variable, often institutionally funded; $200-$600 for specialized observation/training.
- Pain points: Access to diverse pedagogical methods, up-to-date curricula, practical teaching examples.
- Preferred formats: Case studies, video observations, workshop series, certification for educators.
- Competition gaps: Few structured programs aimed at art education professionals focusing on teaching drawing methods.
- Revenue potential/competition: Low to moderate; very low competition.
8. Writers Using Drawing Tutorials to Write About Art
- Market size: Very niche; overlaps with writer and artist education markets.
- Average spending: Likely $50-$150 for accessible, integrative tutorial access.
- Pain points: Lack of art skill confidence, need to understand drawing processes quickly for writing.
- Preferred formats: Concise tutorials, mixed media, explanatory and process-focused content.
- Competition gaps: Almost no direct competition serving writers specifically using drawing tutorials as a tool.
- Revenue potential/competition: Low revenue with very low competition niche.
Listed below are the key target segments for the online art education niche with the focus on age, skill level, and preferred learning formats.
Key Target Segments Defined by Age, Skill Level, and Format Preferences
| Segment | Approximate Age Range | Skill Level | Preferred Learning Formats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beginners | 18-35 (young adults to early career) | Novice, basic drawing skills | Self-paced video tutorials, step-by-step guides, downloadable practice sheets |
| Amateur Artists | 25-45 (mid-career adults) | Intermediate, improving skills | Interactive and community-based courses, live demos, mentorship programs |
| Non-Artists From Scratch | 18-50 (wide adult span) | Absolute beginners, no prior art background | Simple, jargon-free video tutorials, supportive community forums |
| Blocked Artists (Creative blocks) | 25-50 (adults with creative challenges) | Varied levels, typically intermediate | Short exercises, prompts, live webinars, coaching sessions |
| Creatives Reconnecting | 30-55 (experienced adults returning to art) | Intermediate to basic, skill refresh | Flexible modular videos, motivational community groups |
| Professional Designers (Relearning basics) | 30-55 (working professionals) | Previously advanced, currently basic | Structured workshops, intensive video courses, live critiques, 1-on-1 coaching |
| Art Historians/Teachers | 30-65+ (professionals/ academics) | Expert to advanced | Case studies, video observations, workshop series |
| Writers Using Drawing Tutorials | 25-60 (writers and researchers) | Beginner to intermediate | Concise videos, process-focused tutorials, multi-format (text + video) |
Key Insights
- Age ranges vary widely in most segments but tend to cluster around adults active in careers or personal development.
- Skill levels range from absolute beginner (non-artists) to intermediate (amateurs, creatives reconnecting) to previously advanced but currently basic (professional designers relearning).
- Preferred learning preferences emphasize flexibility, interactivity, and community connection. Professionals especially prefer structured and intensive workshops, often with personalized feedback, while beginners prioritize clear, stepwise instructional video content. Blocked artists value short, focused coaching or prompts to reengage creativity.
These defined segments allow for tailored content creation and marketing strategies focused on the personas most likely to engage and convert – for an online art education business aiming to serve professionals relearning basic drawing as well as broader beginner and creative adult learners.
Sources
[1] How to Identify Your Target Audience in 5 steps https://www.adobe.com/express/learn/blog/target-audience[2] Target Market: Examples and How To Define It https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/target-market-examples
[3] Market Segmentation: Tips, Types, & Benefits https://www.surveymonkey.com/market-research/resources/market-segmentation/
[4] Understanding Market Segmentation: A Comprehensive … https://www.investopedia.com/terms/m/marketsegmentation.asp
[5] Market Segmentation: Definition, Types & Best Practices https://www.qualtrics.com/en-gb/experience-management/brand/market-segmentation/
[6] 4 Key Types of Market Segmentation: Everything You Need … https://www.universitylabpartners.org/blog/key-types-market-segmentation-everything-you-need-to-know
[7] How Do You Identify and Define Your Target Market? https://www.coursera.org/articles/target-market
[8] STP marketing: The Segmentation, Targeting, Positioning … https://www.smartinsights.com/digital-marketing-strategy/customer-segmentation-targeting/segmentation-targeting-and-positioning/
[9] Mastering Segmentation Strategy: A Comprehensive Guide https://www.simon-kucher.com/en/insights/mastering-segmentation-strategy-comprehensive-guide
[10] Target Audience Strategies for Identification and Engagement https://camphouse.io/blog/target-audience
Here’s where it starts to get more targeted and more interesting in terms of content creation.
The below table defines the target segments by age, skill level, and more niche-down to their format preferences.
Revenue potential: A Summary of Key Segments
| Segment | Market Size Potential | Avg Spending (USD) | Pain Points | Preferred Formats | Competition Gaps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beginners | Large (part of $2.3B+ market) | 100-300 | Overwhelm, unclear paths | Self-paced video + exercises | Tailored beginner focus |
| Amateur Artists | Large | 200-500 | Plateauing, feedback | Interactive, community | Personalized feedback missing |
| Non-Artists From Scratch | Moderate-Large | 100-300 | Fear, motivation | Step-by-step, guides | Courses for total novices |
| Blocked Artists | Small niche | 50-200 | Creative block, inspiration | Prompts, coaching, short videos | Focus on creative block coaching |
| Creatives Reconnecting | Moderate | 150-400 | Time, lost confidence | Flexible, motivational | Reconnection-focused programs |
| Professional Designers Lost Touch | Small professional niche | 300-800 | Time, relevance | Intensive workshops | Foundational + industry blend |
| Art Historians/ Teachers | Small niche | 200-600 | Access to teaching methods | Workshops, case studies | Few targeted teacher courses |
| Writers Using Drawing Tutorials | Very small niche | 50-150 | Lack of confidence, quick learn | Concise, process- focused | Almost none |
Highest Revenue Potential and Lowest Competition
- Highest Revenue Potential: Beginners (due to volume), Amateur Artists (mid-level spend), Professional Designers (high spend, niche).
- Lowest Competition: Blocked Artists, Art Historians/Teachers, Writers Using Drawing Tutorials—these niche gaps represent opportunities for boutique courses or new entrants focused on specialized teaching and support with less competition but smaller markets.
- This analysis indicates a vibrant and growing overall online art education market with varied opportunities depending on focus, price points, and specialization. Tailoring offerings to underserved niches can maximize early competitive advantage.
Sources
[1] Online Art Courses Market Size, Share | Industry Forecast, … https://www.proficientmarketinsights.com/market-reports/online-art-courses-market-4214
[2] TOP 20 ART TRAINING MARKETING STATISTICS 2025 https://www.amraandelma.com/art-training-marketing-statistics/
[3] Online Art Courses Market Size & Opportunities Report, 2033 https://www.businessresearchinsights.com/market-reports/online-art-courses-market-118621
[4] Online Art Courses Market Growing High for Next Decade … https://www.htfmarketintelligence.com/report/global-online-art-courses-market
[5] The Global Rise Of Amateur Painting: Numbers, Trends, And … https://prominentpainting.com/the-global-rise-of-amateur-painting-numbers-trends-and-creative-growth-in-2025/
[6] Online Art Courses Market: Key Stats & Trends, And Impact … https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/online-art-courses-market-key-stats-trends-impact-ai-wwtrf
Revenue by percentage – revenue potential and competition levels
| Segment | Revenue Potential | Revenue Percentage (%) | Competition Level | Competition Percentage (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beginners | High | 25 | Moderate | 16.7 |
| Amateur Artists | Strong | 16.7 | Moderate-High | 16.7 |
| Non-Artists From Scratch | Moderate-High | 8.3 | Lower | 16.7 |
| Blocked Artists | Moderate | 8.3 | Low | 8.3 |
| Creatives Reconnecting | Moderate | 8.3 | Moderate | 16.7 |
| Professional Designers Lost Touch | High | 25 | Lower | 16.7 |
| Art Historians/ Teachers | Low-Moderate | 8.3 | Low | 8.3 |
| Writers Using Drawing Tutorials | Low | 0 | Very Low | 0 |
Note who the quarter of the ‘relearning the basics’ niche actually is.
To clarify, the 25% figure represents the relative share of revenue opportunity within the analyzed segments of the online art education market focused on drawing skills.
It means that Beginners and Professional Designers who are relearning basics each account for about one quarter of the total revenue potential among the specific audience segments studied.
This highlights these groups as the largest individual opportunities to target for commercial success within this niche.
However, this percentage is relative to the sum of the identified segments, not the entire global online art education market.
Highest revenue potential segment in this niche
- The highest revenue potential segments are Beginners and Professional Designers ‘who’ve lost touch’, at 25% each.
- Amateur Artists also have a solid share at 16.7%.
- Competition is relatively evenly spread among Beginners, Amateur Artists, Non-Artists, Creatives Reconnecting, and Professional Designers, each around 16.7%.
- Blocked Artists and Art Historians/Teachers have lower competition at 8.3%.
- Writers Using Drawing Tutorials have the least revenue potential and competition.
If you captured both you could own 50% of the market share
Estimate the revenue if we capture 50% of the segmented niches in 2025
To estimate revenue if your company captures 50% of the segmented niches for part of online art education focused on relearning basic drawing in 2025, the key inputs are:
1. The total market size (revenue) of that segmented niche in 2025.
2. Your market share capture (50%).
From previous data, the global online art courses market is between approximately USD 2.3 billion to USD 6-14 billion by early 2030s, with drawing education as a sizeable sub-segment.
Assuming the ‘relearning niche’ represents a reasonable share of this, let’s conservatively estimate around USD 300 million to USD 600 million total revenue for the relearning basics segments in 2025 globally (this is only an estimate based on reported market sizes and applying segment logic).
If your company captures 50% share of this niche, the estimated revenue range could be:
0.50 x 300 million USD = 150 million USD
0.50 x 600 million USD = 300 million USD
So, approximately $150 million to $300 million USD in revenue could be expected in 2025 by owning half the segmented niche of learners relearning drawing basics.
This estimate depends on further validation of the niche size but reflects a substantial market opportunity if the business achieves this level of market penetration in the relearning the basics audience segment.
Sources
[1] Market Size: How to Estimate and Present Your … https://fastercapital.com/content/Market-Size–How-to-Estimate-and-Present-Your-Market-Size-and-Opportunity-in-Your-Startup-Pitch-Deck.html
[2] How To Calculate Market Size for Your Product (2025) https://www.shopify.com/za/blog/market-size
[3] How To Find Your Niche in 6 Steps (2025) https://www.shopify.com/za/blog/6187532-dont-follow-your-passion-a-smarter-way-to-find-a-product-to-sell
[4] How to Calculate Market Size in 2025: 3 Steps + Formula https://www.askattest.com/blog/articles/how-to-calculate-market-size-as-a-scale-up
[5] Top 7 Profitable Blog Niche Ideas for 2025 that Make Money https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JjltEenMHo
[6] TAM, SAM & SOM: How To Calculate The Size Of Your … https://www.antler.co/blog/tam-sam-som
[7] NICHE MARKET STUDY https://resource.capetown.gov.za/documentcentre/Documents/City%20research%20reports%20and%20review/Niche%20Market%20StudyM_Final.pdf
[8] Market Sizing: Step-By-Step Guide with Examples (2025) https://www.hackingthecaseinterview.com/pages/market-sizing
Conclusion: Identifying niches within the art education niche
So here we are.
You’ve got the market data, the audience segments mapped, plus you’ve got the pricing strategies, content formats, and delivery schedules sitting right in front of you.
The question isn’t whether the online art education niche is viable—the numbers exclaim “yes” louder than a toddler with a fresh box of crayons.
The real question is: what are you going to do with the data insights?
I get it. Every niche analysis sounds thought-provoking on paper.
But here’s what makes this different: the competition gaps are massive.
While platforms like Skillshare and Domestika are busy trying to be everything to everyone, you could own an entire segment by going narrow and deep.
Do what nobody else is doing only where there’s massive potential to add value. There clearly is with the professional designers (who are earning, meaning they can pay for products) wanting to get back in touch with art (drawing).
Inspired to build a site targeting professional designers who’ve lost touch with drawing basics?
That’s a $300-800 average spend per student with relatively low competition.
Launch a subscription model with tiered access, throw in some live critique sessions, and you’re building recurring revenue from an audience that actually has money to spend.
Prefer volume over premium pricing?
The beginners segment is enormous, hungry for jargon-free content, and willing to pay $100-300 per course. Create a structured, confidence-building curriculum and watch them tell their friends.
Or maybe you see the opportunity in the ultra-niche segments—the blocked artists, the writers studying drawing to improve their craft (I’m particularly curious about this tiny niche), the art teachers looking for fresh pedagogical approaches.
These are audiences that have never been properly served.
A first-mover advantage is still on the table.
Here’s my advice:
Pick a segment and commit. Not two or three and certainly not “a little bit of everything.”
Go deep into one audience’s pain points, learning preferences, and aspirations that your content feels like it was custom-made for them—because it was.
Dig deep into the data – seems so cliché to advocate that now…
But, if you didn’t, you’d be targeting what everyone else is already doing.
The art education market is projected to hit $6-14 billion by 2030-2034. That’s not slowing down. And the winning niche, based on the data above, is not even saturated.
So, if you’re a niche founder or investor, isn’t it time to build something worth drawing about?
If you liked this post you’ll love this one.
Feel free to leave a comment about your interpretation of the data.
Disclosure: While this blog uses AI tools for data collection and analysis support, the research questions, hypotheses, and core insights are my original work. AI assists with information processing, but all conceptual thinking, interpretation, and conclusions reflect my professional expertise.
