We want everyone's experience to be a good one!
Martha and dedicated class monitors are available to help during all class times.
Online Courses Help and FAQs
Welcome to Winslow Art Center!
How to Create an Account
You don’t need an account before you register for a class.
New accounts get created during the checkout process, so if you don’t have an account, please go ahead and register for a class, event or festival and an account will be created based on your email address.
How to Register for a Class
Add any paid or free class to your cart and complete checkout and you’ll be registered.
You don’t need an account to register. If you don’t have an account, one will be created based on your email address when you sign up.
How to Change your Password
• If you’re not able to sign in, send yourself a password reset email. There is also a “Lost Password” link on the sign in form to send yourself a password reset emai.
• If you’re currently signed in, change your password from your Manage Account page without sending yourself an email.
• Martha can change your password for you. Please text or phone 206-715-6663 if you need help to get signed in at the time of your class.
How to Sign In and Manage your Account
Click the round avatar in the top right to sign in, sign out and manage your account. You can access your classes, view your orders, manage subscriptions, view bookmarks, gift cards, edit your billing address, change your email, profile photo or payment methods, reset your password, see waiting list info and more on your Manage Account Page.
When you’re logged in, your profile photo will appear in the menu bar.
Your profile photo will also appear along with all your posts in your online class message boards.
The default avatar before uploading your own profile photo image is a grey mystery person.
If you see nothing but a circle and a half up there, you’re not logged in! Click the grey 1.5 circle person to sign in.
New accounts can only be created when registering for a class or event. If you’re not signed in or don’t have an account, you’ll be prompted to either sign in or create a new account when you register.
How to Upload or Change your Avatar/Profile Photo
Click the red button to go directly to the Change Profile Photo Page or follow the step by step instructions.
1. Click the round Manage Account button in the top right in the menu bar to go to your Account Dashboard. Log in if not already.
2. Click Edit Profile in the menu below your avatar/profile image.
3. Click Profile Photo.
4. Drag and drop or use the file menu option to upload your profile photo.
How to Access Your Online Class and find your Zoom and Recording Links
Zoom and recording links are emailed to students approximately 5-7 days before the first session of a class and no later than the night before the first class.
Zoom and recording links are also posted on Online Class Groups pages approximately 5-7 days before the first session of a class and no later than the night before the first class.
• You must be registered and signed in to access the Zoom links, recordings or message boards.
• If you purchase a class shortly before it begins: You will receive a link on the purchase confirmation screen and by email usually within one minute after purchase. (Check your junk/spam folder if it’s not in your inbox promptly and please be aware gmail addresses can take a while longer to receive.) You will find an online class group appearing immediately after registration on your Online Class Groups page with the Zoom link.
• Please phone or text Martha at 206-715-6663 if you need urgent help finding your Zoom link at the time of your class.
How to find Zoom and recording links on a desktop step by step:
From the navigation menu on any page click "Online Class Groups"
Or from your manage account page click your avatar or "Online Class Groups"
Every active class you've registered for is on your Online Class Groups page:
Zoom links are posted on each Online Class Group Page:
(If you’re not signed in you’ll be directed to the Sign In page.)
You must be signed in to see these links.
Every class has a group. Groups are listed with most recently active on top
Find class times, Zoom links, recording pages and other pdf links in the group details box.
How to find Zoom and recording links on your Online Class Groups page using a phone:
Expand the 'hamburger' menu then click Online Class Groups
Or click your profile image or the Online Class Groups menu link on your account dashboard:
Scroll through your Online Class Groups to find the class you're looking for
Find your Zoom and recording links on the class group message board:
If you’re not signed in, you’ll be directed to the Sign In page.
If you’re not signed in you’ll be prompted to Log in.
Every active class you’ve registered for has a class group listed here. Groups are listed most recently active on top.
Find your Zoom, recording and other class materials links in the class group details box.
Recording links are sent by email and posted on Online Class Groups pages just like Zoom links.
If you are signed up for a live over Zoom class, the link to watch the recording will be posted on the Online Class Groups page just below the Zoom link. Follow the steps above for finding Zoom links and you will also see the recording links.
If you are purchasing a recording of a past class, the link will be emailed in your purchase confirmation or click on the Online Class Group icon to go directly to the recording. Please follow the steps above for finding Zoom links and you will also find your recording.
How to Get Help
Please do not leave help requests in class message boards or recording page comments.
Message boards are for instructor-student class business only and we don’t check them for help requests. Help requests left in recording comments may not be seen promptly. Please use one of the following methods to get help:
Urgent help at the time of your class
Please phone or text Martha at 206-715-6663 for help at the time of your class if you need help with Zoom or have any trouble signing in or accessing your class group.
Online Class Groups Help
If your online class group is not showing up on your online class groups page, please contact us. The process is automatic and usually occurs immediately or sometimes within a few minutes of a registration confirmation email depending on the class.
Message Board Help
A class monitor will give a demonstration and answer any questions about how to use the message boards after the first session of a class.
For online help using the message boards including how to post, how to convert HEIC or other file formats to JPG, how to workaround phones that post images rotated 90º or how to reach tech support, please visit our Message Board Help page.
(Please do not post in a message board requesting help with an administrative or technical issue because they are for class/student/teacher business and we don’t check the boards for help requests.)
Administrative Help with Classes and Orders
Please phone or text Martha for urgent help. Please email or use the form below and we will reply usually within one business day.
- martha@winslowartcenter.com
- 206-715-6663
Help with Zoom
The first session of each class starts 30 minutes early in case anyone needs help with Zoom. We can’t use class time to help with Zoom, so please come early to the first class if you think you might need assistance. Martha will give a quick run through of how to use our private class groups and Zoom right before the start of the first class. Martha will assist anyone privately who needs help during class.
Click here to visit Zoom’s Help Pages for installation and usage instructions.
Martha or a class assistant will give a quick Zoom intro on the basics immediately before the first session of a class.
To screen share an image on Zoom, you have to have the image you want to share on the same device that you are using for the Zoom meeting. (ie if you are using zoom on your laptop, you can’t screen share a photo that is on only your phone.)
To get photos from your phone or camera to you laptop, there are many ways including Photos, AirDrop, SMS or iMessages or emailing yourself. If you are using Zoom on an iPad, you should be able to share any photo that is on your iPad.
For definitive Zoom Audio, Video and Sharing Instructions, please click here.
We ask that you please mute yourself while on Zoom when you are not speaking because background noises cause audio and visual interference.
Desktop Zoom Controls
You must hover your mouse over the zoom window to get these controls to appear.
Speaker View: See the speaker large (as opposed to gallery view which shows all participants in thumbnail size.)
Mute: Click to turn your own microphone off. Please keep yourself muted except to speak or else background noises can easily and inadvertantly interrupt the class.
Stop Video: Turn your own video off if you don’t wish to be seen. Turning off your video can sometimes help if you have a slow connection.
Chat: Opens the chat window so you can send and read messages from everyone. When a screen share starts you may need to click chat again to get the chat window back.
Help with a site error
Thank you for your patience as we, and everyone, figure out the new tools of online learning. We are constantly updating and improving our systems.
If you have an urgent problem such as trouble logging in or issues with Zoom at the time of your class, please phone or text Martha at 206-715-6663.
If you experience an error message or unexpected result, please email techsupport@winslowartcenter.com with screen shots if possible and/or description of the error and what you were doing when you encountered it. Please include specifics such as what page you were on, what link you clicked.
We had a few rare instances where the groups were not displaying properly but signing out, clearing the browser cache and cookies (for winslowartcenter.com only) then signing back in again has resolved the issue.
Subscriptions
Q: Why is a past Technique Takeaway a "subscription" for two months?
A: It's a one-time charge that grants access for two months.
You will not be charged more than once for a “two month access” registration for a past Technique Takeaway or Talk. There are no ongoing charges and the subscription cancels itself automatically. There is no next payment date and your access (“subscription”) to the recording is set to automatically expire after two months.
For example, if you purchase two-month long access to a recording on May 4th at noon pacific time, you will have access to watch the recording until noon on July 4th. You do not need to cancel a Past Technique Takeaway or Talk subscription, it will end automatically on its own two months after purchase with no additional charges.
How to cancel a subscription to an ongoing group
Some groups have ongoing subscriptions, such as Lucie Duclos’ Paper Pals Collage Club or Mark Daniel Nelson’s Digital Drawing Club.
If you cancel your renewal to an ongoing subscription you will have access to the group until the end of your billing cycle.
Follow the steps below to cancel an ongoing subscription and stop it from renewing:
- Click your avatar to sign in and go to the Manage Account page
- Click Subscriptions
- Click View next to the subscription you want to manage
- Click Cancel to stop an automatic renewal. After clicking the cancel button, the subscription will show as “pending cancellation” until the end of the billing cycle.
- Your access to the group and recordings will continue until the end of the billing cycle.
Please feel free to contact us if you have questions or need assistance to manage or cancel a subscription.
Manual renewal option for ongoing subscriptions has been turned off because it is currently incompatible with our e-learning management system.
How to see if your subscription is going to end or renew on the My Account page
The look of the Account Dashboard has changed since the infographic was made, the Subscriptions link looks the same but the location of all the buttons has moved over to one column on the left below the avatar.
Please note: The manual renewal option for ongoing subscriptions has been turned off because it’s incompatible with our e-learning management system. Only credit cards can be used for subscriptions. A cart with a subscription in it will not have a PayPal option.
Are all the classes live in real time?
Live, real-time classes are our specialty! All our online courses are offered first live using Zoom so you interact with your instructor and use a private message board to post work for critiques or discuss questions in between live sessions. If you have any questions or concerns about how we use Zoom or for help setting up Zoom, please contact Martha at martha@winslowartcenter.com or 206-715-6663 and she will be happy to assist you.
The private group message boards are like a private facebook group, but without the facebook. The online groups are where students and instructors can post images, links, questions and comments. You will find the zoom links, links to class recordings, downloads, assignments. the supply list and other information from your instructor in the group message board. Access to any group is restricted to just the students enrolled in that particular class. The groups and resources they contain remain accessible for a month (or more) after a class has ended.
Unless otherwise specified in a course description, live courses are recorded and available to watch again for at least 30 days after the course has ended. You do not need Zoom to watch class recordings or participate on the message board.
Are all live classes recorded?
Unless otherwise specified in a course description, live courses are recorded and available to watch as many times as you like for 60 days after the course has ended. You do not need Zoom to watch class recordings or participate on the message board. If an instructor does not want classes recorded, we defer to instructor preferences.
How long are the class groups and recordings available after the class ends?
Unless otherwise specified in a course description, you will be able to access your message board and watch class recordings as many times as you like for two months after the course has ended. If an instructor does not want classes recorded, we defer to instructor preferences.
Message boards, including all posts and images of student work, are deleted from our servers after they expire unless they are part of a free group, ongoing group or so noted in the class description. Please screenshot any comments or parts of the message board that you would like to keep.
What are Winslow Art Center's data and video privacy policies?
Most of the time in most of the classes, the Zoom recording is set to record the instructor and the instructor’s screen share for lectures, slideshows and demos. During class, while on speaker view, student video feed or artwork may be visible to other students and could be recorded depending on the context of the class, such as a critique class where students are sharing work and conversing. Class videos are created expressly for private viewing by registered class attendees only for a limited amount of time after the end of the class. Students may keep their video feed off if preferred. No student video feed or stills will be used in a public or promotional way without an individual’s consent.
Some instructors allow downloadable class recordings and that would be noted in the course description.
We do not share or store personal data except as needed to complete financial transactions and manage online classes and the Winslow Art Center. No credit card numbers are stored on our site. Please read our full data privacy policy HERE.
What if I miss my class?
Unless otherwise specified in the course description, we record each class session and you can access your group and watch the video of your class for 30 days after the class has ended. If an instructor does not want classes recorded, we defer to instructor preferences.
Do you sell pre-recorded videos?
All our online classes are live with our instructors and include a class group message board for use during the run of the class. Sometimes we continue to sell access to watch Technique Takeaway videos after the event. See all pre-recorded classes for sale. Unless otherwise specified on the class description page, access to all pre-recorded videos lasts for two months.
Do you sell gift cards?
Yes! Click HERE to purchase a Gift Card.
Is it important to have a strong password?
Strong passwords are highly recommended. Passwords don’t have to be weird to be strong, consider stringing four unrelated words together.
Can I take a class with just a phone?
While a phone will work to post in the message boards, because a phone screen can be on the small side for video intensive zoom meetings with demonstrations, screen share presentations, watching instructional videos, looking at images or lessons or reading pdfs, for the best experience, we recommend using a desktop, lap top or tablet for classes at Winslow Art Center. We have also received feedback from people that the chat feature built into zoom is more difficult to manage on a tablet than a computer so for that reason we recommend a desktop or lap top over a mobile device for the zoom classroom as well.
Is the website open 24/7? How can I watch a class recording during site maintenance?
Winslow Art Center closes for scheduled maintenance approximately once a week for one hour. Message Boards and the cart/checkout must be closed during updates. Most scheduled updates occur overnight between 10pm and 3am Pacific Time (1am-6am Eastern/6am-11am UK)) on Friday and Saturday nights (Saturday and Sunday mornings) and last for less than one hour. Message Boards and e-commerce must be closed during maintenance.
To watch a class recording during maintenance:
Before the site is closed, open the recording page as usual, pause and play the recording as usual.
Once the site is closed, use a direct link (such as the one in your introductory class email or a browser bookmark) to open the recording page. If the recording page shows “Closed for Maintenance” with the Winslow Art Center splash screen or for any reason you can’t open a recording page, please email katod@winslowartcenter.com and request your class recording. It will be unlocked within a few minutes.
For best results, do not refresh the recording page while the site is closed. Play and pause the recording as usual.
If you refresh the page you may get locked out briefly with a grey message that maintenance is being performed In that case, please wait 10-20 seconds and refresh the page again.
On very rare occasions there may be several minutes where recordings can not be watched if the page is refreshed while the site is closed.
How to remove a group from your Online Class Groups page.
Unless otherwise noted on the group page, free groups generally do not expire. Technique Takeaways and class message boards expire 60 days after the final session. If you would like a free group or any other group removed from your Online Class Groups page, please fill out a help request form or email martha@winslowartcenter.com.