Ctrl+Paint vs New Masters Academy
Ctrl+Paint
ctrlpaint.comNew Masters Academy
nma.artSide by side
| Figure | Ctrl+Paint | New Masters Academy |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | $36.75/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 3 | 2 |
| Spec score · Art Learning Apps | 8.1 (#6) | 7.3 (#22) |
| Purpose | Ctrl+Paint is a free learning resource dedicated to the basics of digital painting, taught through bite-sized videos. | New Masters Academy is a learning website for artists with recurring subscriptions for video courses and reference materials. |
| Support | The creator says he reads support emails personally and asks users to check the FAQ and keep messages concise. | The interactive courses page directs questions to support.nma.art and describes written critiques and video critiques with draw-overs using NMA Tokens. |
Plans
Ctrl+Paint
- Free video libraryFree
- Premium series$10, paid once
- Digital Painting Starter Kit$55, paid once
In their own words
Ctrl+Paint
Ctrl+Paint is a web-based learning resource for digital painting basics, taught through short videos. Its free library contains hundreds of videos described as five minutes long, arranged from introductory topics toward more advanced ones. Lessons cover drawing, composition, reference, Photoshop tools, painting techniques, color, masking, and vector tools. The library page says new free videos are released every Tuesday and Thursday. For practice, the Concept Art Playbook offers visual problem-solving challenges modeled on game-industry work, which learners can follow at their own pace. The free library has no ads or subscription fees. Individual premium series cost $10.00 per once and cover beginner-to-intermediate topics. The Digital Painting Starter Kit costs $55.00 per once and includes six video series, 362 minutes of video, worksheets, line art, and PSD files. Premium purchases are followed by an automated email with download instructions and a link. A stylus is needed because pressure sensitivity is essential to the taught techniques; Wacom tablets are recommended. The creator says the site does not offer personal tutoring or portfolio reviews.
New Masters Academy
New Masters Academy has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.