We changed everything
What I've been working on for the past 9 months
Hello,
Some of you may not know that my "day job" involves running the online school SVSlearn.com.
I don’t want to bury the lead so here goes: We actually changed everything at SVSlearn.com. We changed the process of taking classes, built a brand new website, created a thriving art community, and implemented a learning system to help people become the illustrator they always wanted to be.
It just launched today and I’m so excited to share it with you!
Backstory
I co-founded SVS in 2013 with illustrator Will Terry as a way to teach courses that weren’t being offered in art schools, and give an opportunity to people who didn’t have art school as an option.
Our first course was an intensive guide to creating children’s books. A few years later, we brought on Lee White, transformed the business model into a subscription service, and built one of the best art curriculums available online. We also launched one of the longest-running art podcasts, which now has over 2.5 million downloads, and we've had more than 19,000 students enroll in our courses. Things were going great.
But, as you know, nothing lasts forever.
Over time, we noticed a shift in how people approach online education. Platforms like Domestika and Udemy began offering a wide range of art courses, while YouTubers uploaded countless demos and "how-to" videos covering just about every art-related topic. The art education landscape became increasingly crowded.
We realized that in the age of information, selling information alone is like selling sunshine to Arizonans. Our enrollment plateaued, and it became clear that if SVS was going to thrive, we needed to evolve again.
A New Vision
We sat down and identified the five key barriers holding people back from achieving the art careers they want:
Lack of clear direction or objectives
Absence of a defined schedule or plan
Random, buffet-style learning instead of progressional growth
No community or accountability
Limited access to professional feedback and mentorship
That list became our call to action.
Artists need more than just knowledge to level up—they need guidance, accountability, and support.
Over the past nine months, we’ve been rebuilding SVS into a community-centered learning platform designed to address these challenges. The new platform provides clear individualized direction, structured plans, progressional learning, accountability through community, and professional mentorship.
Understandably, this has been a massive undertaking—not just for me, but for our incredible team of nine (plus another five or six people from the design and marketing agency we’ve been collaborating with over the past five months).
I’m excited to share that the new SVS community launches TODAY.
Today’s newsletter is devoted entirely to the new SVS: LINK
1) The Illustrator Starter Kit
One of the first resources we created was the Illustrator Starter Kit, designed to give learners a clear and focused path for their growth as artists.
The kit covers everything: from helping you define your goals and evaluate your current skill level, to diving into the core disciplines and techniques every illustrator needs to master. It also includes a chapter on developing a critical eye for your own work, with actionable advice on how to identify and fix weaknesses in your art.
A tool to help you define your goals and evaluate your current skill level
A comprehensive and individualized roadmap of skills and techniques every illustrator needs to master
A process for reviewing your work with a critical eye, with actionable advice on how to identify and fix weaknesses in your art.
Specialized implementation plans tailored to your schedule
This is exactly the kind of resource I wish I’d had in art school.
The new SVS: LINK
2) Learning Levels
Many artists aren’t sure what skill level they’re actually at, and without that clarity, it’s hard to figure out the next steps. It’s a bit like a road trip—if you don’t know where you are, it’s tough to map out how to get where you want to go.
That’s why the Illustrator Starter Kit includes structured learning paths based on your goals, current skill level, and time commitment. There’s a self-evaluation with 10 questions to help you assess where you stand, and from there, you can follow a path that makes sense for you. Simple and helpful!
The new SVS: LINK
3) A Path to Pro Curriculum
Instead of picking the random classes you want like buying tacos at a street cart, we have created a full teacher-directed curriculum that will help you develop a professional set of skills in the most efficient way possible.
Let’s get you on the road to earning money as an artist!
The new SVS: LINK
4) Homework Assignments that actually help you learn
One of the best things about our homework assignments: they mimic real assignments, given by real art directors, in real professional art settings. With each assignment, you will be prepared to tackle directions and corrections that have been given to each of us as have fulfilled the vision of our editors, directors, and clients.
The new SVS: LINK
5) Live Demos and Office Hours
Have you ever worked on a piece that just didn’t feel right, but you couldn’t figure out why? Do you wish you had a professional artist to help you pinpoint the issue and figure out how to fix it?
When we redesigned SVS, one of our main goals was to create a community where you’d never feel stuck. You’ll be surrounded by peers learning alongside you and supported by professional artists who can guide you.
Whether it’s during our live demos or weekly office hours with one or more of our art teachers, members can ask any art-related question—from troubleshooting a tricky 2-point perspective drawing to deciding which pieces to include in a portfolio. We’re here to help you move forward with confidence.
The new SVS: LINK
Ok, that’s it for today. I really hope to see you there in the new SVS community. Its already pretty amazing, but could only get better with you there.
-Jake
My sponsor for this newsletter is…me. It's me, because I'm not accepting sponsors for my email list, and don't plan to any time soon. Really, I'd just like people to buy stuff from my shop. If you like this newsletter, you can support it a few ways:
Join SVS!
SVSlearn.com 2.0, goes live this weekend. An ALL-NEW website, new community, and a special proprietary illustration starter kit for all members that evaluates your ability level and shows what to work on. It’s incredible. Check out the new website here: LINK
Order something from the shop (Best)
Back a kickstarter when I launch one (Also Best)
Support me on Patreon (Second Best)
Share the newsletter with a friend (Third best)
Shop for art supplies using my affiliate links* (Fourth best)
Mention it on social media (Fifth best)
I'd appreciate any of these when you can. Thanks!
Weekend reading:
Mickey Mouse Vol 1: race to Death Valley
Gotta study the comic masters! I love this book so much.
*Any amazon link I post is an affiliate link
I love the podcast and SVS! David Hohn’s perspective classes finally made perspective make sense for me (even after years of art classes lol). I always recommend SVS for beginning illustrators. Will be checking out y’all’s pro classes next year ✨
These changes are awesome! Can’t wait to have some time again to deep dive in SVS again 🌱