Artskool

What's in the box: One painting project with a canvas, an easel, oil paints and related supplies, plus an on-demand video class led by an artist.

Artskool is a Los Angeles based art education company. It sells oil painting kits for home use and also runs in person classes at its studio in Burbank, California. Each kit is built around a single painting, such as a citrus still life or a floral piece. You choose the image you want to paint, and the box arrives with a canvas, an easel, oil paints and other supplies. It also comes with an on-demand video class where an artist walks you through the piece step by step. The featured kits are listed at $75 each. The site also offers an Artskool Membership at $10 with a 14 day free trial, but the homepage does not explain what the membership includes or how it connects to the boxes. Check the details before you sign up. The format suits beginners who find a blank canvas intimidating, because the subject and the method are chosen for you. Oil paint is slower and messier than acrylic, so expect drying time and some cleanup. People near Los Angeles get an extra option: instructor-led classes in portraiture, still life and outdoor landscape painting. If you want a wide variety of supplies or mixed media projects, look elsewhere, since Artskool focuses on guided oil painting.