Take Classes. Encourage your young artist to get art training outside of the school day. Far too little funding goes to those classes and even less time due to the number of students. Exposure to more focused art classes can help your student get ahead of the crowd when it is time to apply for scholarships for art school and other art programs. Those require a portfolio that is exceptional! Great places to try are local community colleges who have continuing ed art classes, local Community Centers and of course me!

Keep an art Journal/ sketchbook. Colleges look for that and honestly it's a great way to improve drawing skills. This is also a fantastic way for teens to process emotions during what usually is a pretty emotional time in their lives. Art journaling is very therapeutic.

Learn Art History. Read lots about Art History and all the amazing artist that have come before them. There's so many unique styles and techniques used by artists that diving in and getting to know the artists of the past and today will do two things.... 1. Inspire young artist and 2. Show them that to really make a mark in the at world you have to find your own voice so to speak. Your own style.

Explore New Mediums. Not everyone is going to find their passion through watercolor, but they may have an instant connection with pastels, photography, sculpture or stained glass. It's really important to expose art students to a variety of mediums, and put the pieces in that portfolio I mentioned earlier.

Keep a portfolio. A portfolio is vital when trying to get into special art programs or colleges. Students with a portfolio filled with a variety of mediums and techniques that show strong design skills are sure to catch the eye of schools. Portfolios should contain only the artist best work. This work will rotate out as the young artists skills improve.

If your young artist needs classes or help building a portfolio contact me!