Who Should Do a DIY Tanjore Course (and Who Should Not)?
Written by
Vibha Raj
Should you do a DIY Tanjore course or a live class? An honest look at who thrives self-paced, who is better in a batch, and the support you get either way.
Key takeaways
- The DIY Tanjore course suits self-starters, busy or irregular schedules, students in other timezones, returning students, and anyone who likes to rewatch and go at their own pace.
- It is our most accessible option on cost, and the kit is bundled into the price.
- You still get real support: a WhatsApp group with a teacher, photo feedback on your own painting, and access we extend freely on request.
- A live online batch may suit you better if you want a fixed schedule, real-time correction, and the accountability of learning with a group.
- More than 1,000 students have finished their painting through the DIY course, so self-paced does not mean unfinished.
DIY is a lovely way to learn Tanjore painting, but it is not the right fit for everyone, and we would always rather you start in the format that will actually carry you to a finished painting. So here is an honest look at who thrives with a self-paced course, who is better off in a live batch, and what support you can count on either way.
There is no prestige in one format over another. The best choice is simply the one you will actually finish, and that depends far more on how your days are shaped than on how serious a painter you are. So read the list below as a mirror, not a test.
DIY suits you if...
A self-paced course rewards a particular kind of learner. See how many of these sound like you.
- You are a self-starter. You are happy to sit down, press play, and make steady progress without someone setting the time for you.
- Your schedule is busy or unpredictable. If no two weeks look alike, a fixed class time is hard to protect, and learning around your life is far kinder.
- You are in a different timezone. When our live evenings in India fall in the middle of your night, DIY lets you paint at a civilised hour wherever you are.
- You are a returning student. If you have painted with us before and know the rhythm, a self-paced course is an easy way to add another deity to your collection.
- You like to rewatch. Some of us need to see the gold foil laid three or four times before it clicks. On DIY you can, as often as you like.
- You want the most accessible option. DIY is our gentlest on cost, with the material kit bundled into the price.
You may prefer a live class if...
If a few of these ring true, a live online batch might carry you better than DIY. You want a fixed schedule that holds you to it, you like real-time correction while your brush is still in hand, or you are motivated by the energy of learning alongside a group. None of that is a weakness. It is simply how some of us finish. If that is you, read when to choose a live online class.
| DIY | Live online | |
|---|---|---|
| Pace | Fully your own | Guided, 6.5 to 11 weeks |
| Schedule | Anytime, no fixed class | 2 fixed evenings a week |
| Feedback | Photos on WhatsApp | Live, plus WhatsApp |
| Accountability | Self-driven | Built-in, time-bound |
| Cost | Most accessible | Mid |
What you still get on DIY
Choosing self-paced does not mean going without support. On DIY you get a WhatsApp group with a teacher, real feedback on photos of your own painting, and access that we extend freely whenever life gets in the way. And you are in good company. More than 1,000 students have finished their painting through the DIY course, which is the best answer we can give to the worry that self-paced means unfinished.
Will you actually finish on your own?
This is the honest worry behind most DIY hesitation, and it deserves a straight answer. The risk with any self-paced course is not the painting itself, it is momentum, the way a box of supplies can quietly become a someday. We built the DIY course to work against that. The lessons are short and clear, the WhatsApp group keeps a teacher close, and we extend your access whenever life gets in the way rather than letting a deadline defeat you. More than 1,000 students have finished their painting this way, which tells you it is not only the most disciplined few who get there.
What the support really looks like
It helps to picture it concretely. When you join, we open a WhatsApp group with you and a teacher. You paint, and whenever something comes up, a sketch you are unsure of, a gold edge that lifted, a face you are nervous to begin, you photograph it and send it, and you get a clear, specific answer about your own painting. We also check in without being asked, to see how you are getting on and whether anything has you stuck. Some students message often, some only now and then, and some who live nearby simply come by the studio. There is no quota and no wrong way to ask. The point is that help is always within reach, which is exactly what keeps a self-paced course from stalling.
Three honest scenarios
Sometimes it is easiest to recognise yourself in someone else.
A working parent in another timezone. Evenings are unpredictable and the live class falls past midnight where you live. DIY lets you paint in the pockets of time you do have, an hour here, a quiet Sunday there, without guilt about a class you cannot attend. Your teacher is on WhatsApp when you get stuck, and if a hard month swallows your painting time, we simply extend your access until life makes room again.
Someone who once bought a kit and stalled. If a box of supplies has been waiting in a cupboard, the missing piece was almost certainly guidance, not willpower. Most people stall at the same few moments, the first embossing, the gold, the face, and those are exactly the moments our lessons slow right down for. With a teacher checking in and clear steps to follow, the DIY course is built to get you past the point where you stopped before, and this time to the end.
A returning student adding another deity. You have finished a painting with us and want to keep going. A self-paced course is a gentle, flexible way to take on your next subject, at a pace that fits around everything else, and our returning-student benefit makes it an easy yes.
A complete beginner who is quietly nervous. You have never painted and you are not sure you have it in you. The lessons begin at the very beginning and assume nothing at all, and the WhatsApp group means a reassuring voice is always a photo away. Nervous beginners finish paintings with us all the time, and there is no reason you would be the exception.
How to decide, in a minute
If your weeks are unpredictable, you are in a far-off timezone, or you simply love to go at your own pace, start with DIY. If you know you need a fixed time in the calendar and the pull of a group to keep you going, choose a live batch instead. Either way you get real teaching, real feedback, and a finished painting at the end, so the only real mistake is waiting.
Why learn with us
You are never learning alone. Tanjore Collective was founded by Vibha Raj, an award winning Tanjore artist who learned the art from her mother, the master artist Vani Bhaskar, and who is known for explaining every step with real clarity and patience. Our teachers each bring their own strength: Spurthy trained at the Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath in Bangalore, and Yashaswini began her own path here as a student before she became a teacher. When you send a photo of your painting, this is the kind of guidance that answers you.
"I had always wanted to learn this intricate art form but felt apprehensive, unsure if I could do it without proper guidance. The DIY course allows you to access the videos at your own pace. Vibha ji explains every step with great clarity, making it especially beginner-friendly."
It is also why so many students trust us with their first painting. We hold a 5.0 rating from more than 450 Google reviews, and our work and teaching have been featured in Deccan Herald, Hindustan Times, Deccan Chronicle and Incredible India.
Frequently asked questions
Can a complete beginner do a DIY course alone?
Yes. The lessons assume no experience, and you are never truly alone, because you get photo feedback from a teacher on WhatsApp.
What if I need more hand-holding than DIY gives?
Then a live online batch may suit you better, with real-time teaching and a fixed rhythm. Read our guide to choosing a live class.
Is DIY really cheaper?
It is our most accessible option, and the material kit is bundled into the price.
What if I cannot finish within 90 days?
Just tell us, and we extend your access. We do this gladly, even months later.
Can I switch to a live class partway through?
You cannot switch a course midway, but you are always welcome to enrol in any format next time, and our returning-student benefit applies across all of them.
How do I know DIY students actually finish?
More than 1,000 of them have finished their painting, supported by the WhatsApp group and flexible access.
Whichever way you choose, there is no wrong door. If DIY is your fit, we will be right there on WhatsApp, cheering you to the finish.
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