For a number of years a good friend talked about FF and tying with me. About 5 years ago I started a new career that involved flying every week and staying in hotels 3-5 nights a week. I realized pretty quick that the TV or books don't keep me occupied very long in the hotel room a long way from home. And working on the computer after 8-10 hours of work is mind numbing. So, I asked him to give me private lessons. We negotiated a series of classes (6) with a bottle of his favorite scotch to cover the materials he gave me, and spent about 3-4 hours each session with homework before the next session of 6-12 flies. He taught classes at the local art center and at the community college in FF and tying, so he had a curriculum and format to go by.
Along the way, I found FAOL and went through the Al Campbell tutorial as well. I tied 2-4 days a week for a couple hours each time for six months while going through the classes. The best parts of taking classes are these in my opinion:
1. Learning the tricks and techniques by seeing them done is the quickest way to tie decent looking flies.
2. Materials to learn being provided allow you to decide what is needed for your own type of tying.
3. A good instructor can critique the end result so you improve faster.
4. You build on success.