The Best Web Series for Learning New Skills

The Best Web Series for Learning New Skills: Level Up Your Life, One Episode at a Time

I. Creative Arts & Design: Unleash Your Inner Artist

The realm of creative arts and design is vast, encompassing everything from digital illustration to pottery. Web series offer a flexible and engaging way to delve into these skills.

• Skillshare Originals: Skillshare isn’t just a platform; it’s a creator of high-quality web series. Many Skillshare Originals focus on creative skills.

  

  • Focus: Graphic design, illustration, animation, photography, creative writing, and more.
  • Format: Short, digestible lessons led by industry professionals. Think of them as mini-courses broken into easily manageable episodes.
  • Why it’s great: The series are project-based, meaning you learn by doing. You’re often given prompts and exercises to apply the concepts immediately. The production quality is consistently high, and the instructors are excellent communicators.
  • Example: “Illustration for All: Discovering Your Creative Voice” by Olimpia Zagnoli. This series helps you find your unique style as an illustrator.

• Proko’s Anatomy Series (YouTube): For aspiring artists, understanding human anatomy is crucial.

  • Focus: Figure drawing, anatomy for artists.
  • Format: Detailed lectures and demonstrations by Stan Prokopenko, a master artist and instructor.
  • Why it’s great: Prokopenko’s teaching style is engaging and humorous. He breaks down complex anatomical concepts into understandable segments. The series covers everything from skeletal structure to muscle groups, providing a solid foundation for figure drawing.
  • Example: “Figure Drawing Fundamentals.” This series covers the basic principles of figure drawing, including gesture, form, and proportion.

• The Futur (YouTube): While not strictly a series in the traditional sense, The Futur’s YouTube channel offers a wealth of content on design, branding, and business.

  • Focus: Graphic design, branding, business for creatives.
  • Format: Interviews, tutorials, and discussions on design principles, client management, and marketing for creative professionals.
  • Why it’s great: The Futur provides a holistic view of the design industry, covering both the creative and business aspects. Chris Do, the founder, is a charismatic and knowledgeable host.
  • Example: Their series on logo design principles, covering topics like simplicity, memorability, and timelessness.

• Domestika Courses (Domestika): Domestika offers individual courses, many of which are structured like mini-series.

  • Focus: Wide range of creative skills, including illustration, photography, crafts, and design.
  • Format: Professionally produced courses with high production value, featuring step-by-step tutorials and downloadable resources.
  • Why it’s great: The platform emphasizes practical application and encourages community engagement through forums and project sharing.
  • Example: Courses on watercolor painting, portrait photography, or creating vector illustrations.

II. Technology & Coding: Master the Digital World

The demand for tech skills is constantly growing. Web series offer an accessible and affordable way to enter this field.

• freeCodeCamp.org (YouTube): A non-profit organization dedicated to making coding education accessible to everyone.

  • Focus: Web development (HTML, CSS, JavaScript, React, Node.js), data science, machine learning.
  • Format: Comprehensive courses, often lasting several hours, broken into smaller, manageable video lectures.
  • Why it’s great: freeCodeCamp’s courses are incredibly thorough and well-structured. They cover a wide range of topics, from beginner-friendly introductions to advanced concepts. The organization also provides a supportive community for learners.
  • Example: Their “Responsive Web Design” certification course, which teaches the fundamentals of HTML, CSS, and responsive design principles.

• The Net Ninja (YouTube): A popular channel offering tutorials on various web development technologies.

  • Focus: JavaScript, React, Vue.js, Node.js, Firebase, and more.
  • Format: Short, focused tutorials that cover specific topics in a clear and concise manner.
  • Why it’s great: The Net Ninja’s tutorials are easy to follow and provide practical examples. He’s excellent at explaining complex concepts in a simple way.
  • Example: His series on React Hooks, which explains how to use Hooks to manage state and side effects in React components.

• Traversy Media (YouTube): Another excellent resource for web development tutorials.

  • Focus: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP, Python, and more.
  • Format: Tutorials, crash courses, and project-based learning videos.
  • Why it’s great: Traversy Media offers a wide range of content, covering both front-end and back-end development. His crash courses are a great way to get a quick overview of a new technology.
  • Example: His “JavaScript Crash Course,” which provides a comprehensive introduction to the JavaScript language.

• Sentdex (YouTube): Focuses on Python programming, data science, and machine learning.

  • Focus: Python programming, data science, machine learning, web development with Python.
  • Format: In-depth tutorials and project-based learning videos.
  • Why it’s great: Sentdex dives deep into complex topics, providing detailed explanations and practical examples.
  • Example: His series on machine learning with Python, covering topics like supervised and unsupervised learning.

III. Business & Entrepreneurship: Build Your Empire

Whether you’re starting a business or looking to improve your career, these web series offer valuable insights.

• Marie Forleo (YouTube): Offers advice on business, marketing, and personal development.

  • Focus: Business strategy, marketing, productivity, and personal development.
  • Format: Interviews, Q&A sessions, and solo videos on various business-related topics.
  • Why it’s great: Marie Forleo is a charismatic and insightful host. Her videos offer practical advice and inspiration for entrepreneurs and business owners.
  • Example: Her series on “How to Start a Business,” which covers topics like identifying your target market and creating a business plan.

• GaryVee (YouTube): Known for his energetic and no-nonsense advice on social media marketing and entrepreneurship.

  • Focus: Social media marketing, entrepreneurship, and personal branding.
  • Format: Vlogs, interviews, and keynote speeches.
  • Why it’s great: GaryVee provides actionable advice and encourages viewers to take immediate action. He’s a great motivator for aspiring entrepreneurs.
  • Example: His daily vlogs, which offer a behind-the-scenes look at his business and personal life.

• Amy Porterfield (Online Marketing Made Easy Podcast/Content): While primarily a podcast, Amy Porterfield repurposes much of her content into video format, creating valuable web series-like resources.

  • Focus: Online marketing, digital courses, list building, and sales funnels.
  • Format: Interviews, solo episodes, and how-to tutorials.
  • Why it’s great: Amy Porterfield provides practical and actionable strategies for building a successful online business. She breaks down complex marketing concepts into easy-to-understand steps.
  • Example: Her content related to creating and launching online courses, covering topics like course planning, content creation, and marketing strategies.

• Y Combinator (YouTube): Offers lectures and interviews with successful entrepreneurs and investors.

  • Focus: Startup advice, fundraising, product development, and business strategy.
  • Format: Lectures, interviews, and panel discussions.
  • Why it’s great: Y Combinator provides access to valuable insights from some of the most successful people in the startup world.
  • Example: Their Startup School lectures, which cover the fundamentals of building a successful startup.

IV. Personal Development & Soft Skills: Enhance Your Potential

These skills are essential for success in all areas of life.

• Charisma on Command (YouTube): Teaches viewers how to improve their communication skills, build rapport, and become more charismatic.

  • Focus: Communication skills, charisma, confidence, and social intelligence.
  • Format: Analysis of public figures, practical tips, and exercises.
  • Why it’s great: Charisma on Command breaks down complex social dynamics into understandable concepts. The videos provide actionable advice on how to improve your communication skills and build stronger relationships.
  • Example: Their series on “How to Be More Confident,” which covers topics like overcoming fear and building self-esteem.

• TED (YouTube): Features talks on a wide range of topics, including psychology, neuroscience, and personal growth.

  • Focus: Wide range of topics, including personal development, psychology, and science.
  • Format: Short, engaging talks by experts in their respective fields.
  • Why it’s great: TED Talks are a great way to learn new things and gain different perspectives