Teenager Portfolio Development
Semester Course
For young artists to develop their art portfolio while expanding their artistic and creative skillset
Photo by Maria Cristina Travaglio
Course Overview
This semester course for teenagers is designed to advance students' artistic skills and creative thinking through a range of activities. This course is well suited to support students preparing their art portfolios for university admissions, as well as for the International Baccalaureate (IB) Art exams.
Throughout the course, students will develop and expand their technical and creative skillset. Instructors will give demonstrations and guide students as they explore a variety of processes and artistic mediums, including many experimental multi-media techniques as well as processes to aid in the development of meaningful conceptual themes for their artwork. Students will also learn from one another in guided group critique feedback sessions, supporting a collaborative learning environment. All of this will build students’ technical and creative skillsets, giving them a strong foundation as they develop independent artistic projects with consistent personalized feedback and guidance from the instructors.
Details and Schedule
Instructors: Melina Steiner, Abby Brown
Dates: Wednesdays from 4-6pm
September 25th - December 18th, 2024
(no class on October 30th)
12 sessions, 24 hours of instruction time
Ages: 15-19
Class size: 3-6 students
Primary language of instruction: English
Guided Workshop Sessions
Taking place primarily in the first half of the semester, students will explore new techniques, materials and processes with demonstrations and guidance from the instructors. There will be experimental approaches which prioritize expression and style, and also sessions which focus on core skills such as composition, rendering, perspective, mark-making, layering and color theory to give students a strong technical foundation.
Potential materials and topics, open to adjustment depending on student interests:
Multi-Media Painting and Drawing: The definition and possibilities of painting and drawing will be expanded through the incorporation of non-traditional materials and processes.
3D Art and New Media: Students will have the opportunity to explore 3D art (for example, plaster casting), bookbinding, installation and video art.
Concept Development and Artistic Research: Students will be introduced to concrete steps and processes for the development of ideas and conceptual themes for their artwork. Students can build their critical thinking toolkit, resulting in a stronger art portfolio in which meaningful themes are communicated.
Development of Artistic Projects
Students will have time toward the second half of the semester to develop independent artistic projects with regular feedback and guidance from the instructors, applying the skills learned throughout the course. This time can be used to complete in-progress artwork or start new works to round out and strengthen their art portfolios.
Group Feedback Sessions
With constructive feedback and guidance, students will be able to focus their efforts where it will have the most impact. With a small class size, students will receive consistent personalized feedback from the instructors throughout the course. Students will also have the opportunity to engage in constructive group critique sessions guided by the instructors, so they can learn from one another in a collaborative environment.
Course Structure
This semester long course will combine the following elements:
Pricing
€480 Course Fee + €55 Materials Fee*
for 12 sessions, 24 hours of instruction time
Mid-semester registrations with price adjustment possible
*The materials fee covers one A3 sized sketchbook, painting and drawing material, many multi-media materials (ink, collage, pastel, wax, etc.), and all material needed for the guided workshop sessions. However, students may need to provide additional canvases or other supplemental materials for independent artistic projects.
Bring a Friend Promo!
Refer a friend to this course and if they sign up, you will each get:
Vouchers for one free workshop
at AB Art Studios!
After you have both registered for the course, send us an email to receive your vouchers.
Optional Addition - Individual art consultations for course participants
If you would like more in-depth personalized guidance, you can book private consultation appointments outside of class time with one of the instructors. The instructor can prepare feedback on your portfolio before the appointment, and offer guidance on the standards and expectations of art university admission requirements or IB Art exams, ensuring students are well-prepared for their applications and assessments.
€50 for a consultation session
Consultation sessions are 45 minutes each (plus instructor preparation time)
20% off for two consultation sessions, if purchased while registering for the course (appointments can take place later).