Watts Atelier vs. Evolve Artist – Which Offers the Best Value? (2023)

You don’t need an expensive art school to learn the techniques of the old masters.

With proper instructor feedback and critique, you can learn these skills online - but there are a lot of options out there. To help, we’re comparing the Top Online Art Schools to the Evolve Artist program.

At Evolve Artist, we’re on a mission to teach aspiring artists to create art without limitation … even if it’s not with us. We back what we do, but everyone has their own learning style, goals, and budgets.

Today we’re looking at Watts Atelier vs. Evolve Artist. 

A few disclaimers:

• We’ve done our research, but student experience is the most important factor! If we’ve gotten something wrong, let us know in the comments section or email us at hello@evolveartist.com.
• We back what we do, but everyone has their own learning style, goals, and budgets. We genuinely respect any program that helps artists reach their potential.
• Always do your own research. In the end, it’s your time and your money. While this post is detailed, it’s not exhaustive and is based on publicly available information.

Read our other in-depth comparison here:
New Masters Academy vs. Evolve 

Comparing Watts Atelier vs. Evolve Artist

Here is a summary of the main differences when comparing Watts Atelier vs. Evolve Artist. 

• Evolve and Watts Atelier have a lot in common. Both provide a full education in the fundamentals of art using traditional methods and techniques.
• Evolve offers a more contemporary approach - teaching traditional painting without the baggage of tradition. We’ve stripped back the unnecessary time-consuming extras. For example, we use a 4-value scale, instead of an 11-value scale. 
• For the pricing model - you'll find a subscription-based service at Watts Atelier vs. Evolve Artist's all-inclusive one-time pricing.
• Both Evolve and Watts Atelier include assignment critique.
• Instructor mentoring (with weekly and monthly caps), master classes, and materials are extra at Watts Atelier vs. Evolve's unlimited assignment critiques and 1-1 bookings, with materials included.
• Watts Atelier provides detailed learning paths in specific focus areas such as still-life, landscape, and sequential art. Evolve's core curriculum provides students with in-depth training in oil painting across portraiture, still-life, and landscape.
• The level of instructor involvement differs between the two programs. At Watts Atelier, students can take courses outside the suggested order, so it's more self-guided. Compare this to Evolve’s more hands-on approach where you cannot progress to the next block until the instructor has assessed that you’re ready. 
• When comparing cost vs. what the program offers, Evolve offers the best value for money. 

Watts Atelier vs. Evolve Artist: The Program

At Evolve Artist, we believe that technical mastery is the necessary foundation for producing art without limitation.

Our step-by-step oil painting program moves students from beginner to professional-grade art in one year. 

Our Foundations Program consists of 4 Blocks where we break down the fundamentals of art - value, edge, perception, and color.

The Advanced Program is for those who want to go even deeper and learn advanced techniques and more stylized approaches. 

Our lessons and assignments are laid out in easily digested parts. We provide a deep dive into our curriculum on our website. 

At Watts Atelier of the Arts, you learn traditional drawing and painting techniques.

The pre-recorded lessons are very detailed, with each building on the principles of the previous lesson, ranging from fundamental to advanced techniques.

PDF workbooks and assignments support each lesson. Both programs provide references for assignments. Evolve's are created in-house to specifically build on the skills being taught.

At Evolve, students have a guided online art school experience. Students move on to the next block once an instructor assesses they are ready.

At Watts, you can take courses in any order you'd like. But Watt's does provide a Learning Path guide focussed on particular areas of specialization. Their website provides a detail write-up of each path. 

Learning paths include:

• Portrait & Figure Artist
• Illustrator & Concept Artist
• Still Life Artist
• Landscape Artist
• Comic / Sequential Artist

At Evolve, the program builds oil painting skills across portraiture, still-life, and landscape paintings.

Watts Atelier vs. Evolve Artist: Coaching

Both Watts Atelier and Evolve provide assignment assessments as part of the program. 

Evolve Instructors guide students through each step of their education.

Assignments are uploaded to our online Homework Tool and checked twice daily by instructors, so personalized in-depth feedback comes within 24 hours.

There is 1-1 mentoring, instructor office hours, live group chats, and homework rooms.

At Watts Atelier, assignments are submitted for review and receive "a few words" of critique from the Watts grading team. Mentorship from a Watts instructor is an additional subscription.

Watts Atelier vs. Evolve Artist: Cost

The cost structure when comparing Watts Atelier vs. Evolve Artist is very different. 

Evolve Artist has a one-time all-inclusive price for the program. The Foundations Program (Blocks 1-4) - $249/month on a 12-month plan, or $2,500 one-time payment, saving $488

The Advanced Program (Blocks 5-8) is $249/month on a 12-month plan, or $2,500 one time payment, saving $488

When you sign up, you receive all the materials you need (high-quality paint, canvas, brushes, references, etc.) - with free worldwide shipping. 

At Watts Atelier, you access the program through monthly subscriptions:

• Draw Access - $99 a month - provides access to all drawing courses, includes critiqued assignments.
• Just Painting -  $119 a month - provides access to all painting courses, includes critiqued assignments.
• Full Access - $199 a month - for every course offered, includes critiqued assignments.
• Subscribe to Instructor Mentoring for Full Access and to receive individual coaching from a Watts instructor at $499 a month. This includes 1 critique per week by an instructor and 2x30-minute video coaching sessions per month. 
• Individual masterclasses are not included in the program and can be accessed for an additional $49 per month.

Watts Atelier vs. Evolve Artist: How long does it take?

If you dedicate 7 hours a week to the program, we estimate you can complete Evolve Artist’s Foundation Program in 1 year, and another year for the Advanced Program. 

We know life can get in the way. The calculator on our website shows you what results you can achieve based on the number of hours you commit per week.

For Watts Atelier, the program will take 3 years if following a Learning Path, assuming a student can complete a phase in one month. 

Evolve Artist Pros and Cons

Watts Atelier Pros and Cons

How much would it cost to get the Evolve experience at Watts Atelier?

If you would like to see if you can get Evolve experience at Watts Atelier - we’ve done the hard work for you. 

The estimates below take into account that Evolve includes unlimited 1-1s and master classes in its one-time fee. 

If you want to drop Instructor Mentoring and access the Watts program with a lower level of assignment critique, we’ve outlined the costs below too. However, this would not be the same level of in-depth instructor guidance you would receive with Evolve.  

Let’s break this down.

Watts Atelier annual cost including mentorship and master classes.

• Instructor Mentoring (includes Full Access) $5,988 annually ($499 a month) plus Master Class Access $588 annually ($49 a month) = $6,576 annually.
  
  If following a three-year learning path, a full education = $19,728.
• Materials not included. 
  

Watts Atelier's annual cost including master classes only (no instructor mentorship)

• Full Access, $2,388 annually ($199/month) plus Master Class Access, $588 annually ($49 a month) = $2,976 annually.
  
  If following a three-year learning path, a full education = $8,928.
• Just Painting Access, $1,428 ($119/month) plus Master Class Access, $588 annually ($49 a month) = $2,016 annually.
  
  If following a three-year learning path, a full education = $6,048.
• Materials not included. 

Overall, Evolve offers outstanding value for money for students.

If you decide to take the Advanced Program plus the Foundations Program at Evolve (approx. two years of commitment), the cost for a full education would be a one-time fee of $5,000. This includes instructor feedback, unlimited 1-1s, master classes, materials and more. 

Watts Atelier's Instructor Mentoring and Full Access plans are more expensive than Evolve’s one-time fee on a year-by-year basis alone.

Full Access would not include mentoring, and the Instructor Mentoring plan has limits that Evolve does not have. 

If you subscribe to Just Painting Access, the cost on an annual basis may be cheaper, but there is significantly less value as there is no additional mentorship. 

If you consider Watts Atelier's subscription model, combined with the estimated three years to complete a Learning Path, Evolve is by far more affordable.

Our final word: Which program is best for you?

If you follow either the Watts Atelier or Evolve Program, you will receive a full education in the fundamentals of art.

If you value traditional, detailed training in the fundamentals, and have the time, resolve, and resources to go through three years of education, you may prefer the Watts Atelier approach. 

However (and of course, we are biased) we believe that Evolve offers the  detailed training in the fundamentals of art, in a streamlined and contemporary package, with more hands-on guided support and instructor feedback. 

On cost alone, Evolve provides high quality art education for the best value compared to Watts Atelier due to its all-inclusive, one-time pricing model.

If you want a taste of what the Evolve is all about, register for our FREE Masterclass - CLICK HERE. Kevin Murphy, Founder of Evolve, will walk you through how you can create realistic art through our proven program. 

Happy Painting everyone! 

Read our other in-depth comparison here:

New Masters Academy vs. Evolve