Getting into the Art School of Your Dreams, The Key to Preparing a Professional Portfolio

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Portfolio Preparation Course for Youths

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An Art Portfolio Preparation/Building Course for aspiring artists ages 10 – 17 years of age to prepare them to get into the Art School of their Dreams.

A common misconception – debunked!

One might think that building a portfolio is as simple as putting together a few doodles and artworks your kids have done over the years and submitting them to the schools of your choice. However, taking into consideration of the increasing standard of each art school and your child’s choice of specialisation, a simple collation of your art works simply will not suffice!

Our younger students having a go at their first still-life studies

What is a portfolio?

First of all, what is an art portfolio? According to the University of the Arts London, an art portfolio is basically a collection of your work. It shows how your skills and ideas have developed over a period of time. It demonstrates your creativity, personality, abilities and commitment, and helps schools to evaluate your potential. Your portfolio will be a vital part of your application to any art school. In fact, it will be more important than your grades when applying to art schools, because it lets schools see firsthand the work you have created.

Preparing a portfolio for the school of your choice has a standardised set of requirements to be met. Not only that, it is the only platform and chance you get to impress the admission officers with your own sense of style, good art foundational skills as well as your own set of talents!


When should your child start building a portfolio?

At Visual Arts Centre, we believe that in order to build good foundational skills in art, you have to start young. Having a good foundation in art does not occur overnight. It takes more than just hours or days. Thus, it is important to start as early as 10 years old.  Yes, it can get tiring – combined with Singapore’s notoriously rigorous school curriculum – but with patience, hard work and good discipline, we believe that we can help you achieve an outstanding portfolio that can get you into any school of your choice!

How to build a portfolio made to impress your admission officers?

We broke down 3 key criteria we have collated from some of the top local and global art schools:

Good Foundational Art Skills in Different Mediums

This is where you show your admission officers your technical skills. This is perhaps the most obvious trait of all, as it shows directly how skilled you are as an artist. Technical mastery includes being able to apply basic and advanced art principals to your work, create work that shows a high level of attention and detail, and complete projects that are free of sloppiness and mistakes.

A Diverse Range of Skills That Showcases Your Unique Style and Capabilities

Art schools will also look at your versatility and variety. One reason versatility is important is because the ability to create multiple art forms is a sign of a talented artist and one who can apply their skills in multiple ways. It is also rare for an artist to stick exclusively to one art form.

Often, they will also look for your own unique style and personality in your works. Your style will be the factor that differentiates you from the others, and can be a plus point in art school applications!

Clear Display of Logical Thinking and Development of Artwork

Besides just submitting the work you have done, you have to show a clear form of research as well as a step-by-step process of how your artwork came to life. This includes research materials such as artist references, mood-boards, colour palettes as well as little notes you’ve made along the way! This shows critical thinking and explains the background behind your works. Each piece of artwork has its own story. So, what story would you like to tell about yours?

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Visual Arts Centre

What is Visual Arts Centre’s Approach?

Every young artist has their own interests. With that into consideration, our professionally trained instructors will train your kid from the utmost basics of drawing and sketching to producing their own unique style of artworks over a period of time. Our goal is to help your kid build a good foundation and slowly – as time goes by, help them find their niche and cultivate their creativity.

Why Visual Arts Centre?

Each of Visual Arts Centre’s teachers are geared with their individually rich background and many years of experience. These teachers has trained many past and current students who has successfully gained admission into the top art schools – both locally and globally – of their dreams. So you can trust that Visual Arts Centre knows exactly what you will need to build an outstanding portfolio to wow those admission officers.

A rough overview of our Art Portfolio Building/Preparation course:

[Head on over to this page if you would like to learn more about this portfolio preparation course.]

Drawing and Sketching: Still-life, Landscape, Plaster- cast and Portrait Observational Drawing Lessons:

  • Basic Drawing and Sketching techniques
  • Shading and Tonal Values
  • Form and Composition
  • Understanding Perspectives and How to Attain Accuracy in Proportions

 

 Rendering Still-life Drawings

   Landscape Sketching

  Portrait Drawing of our David Plaster Cast

Student’s drawing of leg plaster cast

Quick Sketch: Portrait, Motion-Figure Drawing, Landscape:

  • Via Zoom Lessons or In studio, Learn Different Techniques on How to Compose a Quick Sketch from Live Observations.
  • To Learn How to Sketch or Compose Drawings in A Short Period Of Time or On-The-Go

Landscape and Portrait Quick Sketching Demonstrations

 

Colour and Mixed Media: Acrylic Painting, Watercolour Painting, Colour Pencils, Oil Pastels

  • Different Brush Strokes and Techniques
  • Understanding and Application of Colour Theory
  • Understanding the Different Mediums and Their usage
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 Students with their Landscape Acrylic Painting

Conceptualisation: 3D medium and Various Colour Mediums

  • Learning How to Create Works with A Different Mix of Mediums
  • Application of Tonal Values
  • Transforming Works From 2D to 3D
  • Exploration of Creativity
  • How to Present Their Idea Development Process Critically and Creatively

  Making 3D models using different materials

What’s More?

We know that acing that interview is not just about presenting just your artworks. To impress those admission officers, first impressions and general art knowledge is important as well. Not only do we focus on the technical stuff, we got the interview process down as well. Otherwise, all that talent would simply go to waste!

Besides the technical stuff, we cover:

  • Basic Fine Arts History
  • Art Criticism and Evaluation
  • Interview Training
  • Regular Progress Assessments
  • Final Portfolio Check and Consolidation

From the technical aspects of building the portfolio to giving a good presentation of not only your works but to make an impression, Visual Arts Centre understands your needs and has got you covered!

Visual Arts Centre is motivated with the mission to get your child into their preferred art school. Over here, we adopt a unique and systematic approach that allows you to train your foundational art skills and develop your own sense of creativity. From foundational skills to how to ace those interviews, Visual Arts Centre has it all covered.

Registration has already begun!

Click here to learn more or sign up for our Portfolio Building Course For Youths Now!

 

Call/WhatsApp us at 6255 0711 | Email us: info@visualartscentre.sg for more enquiries

Our Schedule

VISUAL ART CENTRE DHOBY GHAUT STUDIO

CLASS SCHEDULE

Teen/Adult Class

Kids Class (5-7 YO)

Creative Junior Class (8-9 YO)

MON

11am -
1:15pm

5pm -
7:15pm

5pm -
7:15pm

(Digital/
Manga)*

7:30pm -
9:45pm

(Digital/
Manga)

5pm -
6:30pm

TUE

3:30pm -
5:45pm

3:30pm -
5:45pm

3:30pm -
5pm

(KIDS)

4:30pm -
6pm

(KIDS)

3:30pm -
5pm

WED

11am -
1:15pm

1:30pm -
3:45pm

5pm -
7:15pm

7:30pm -
9:45pm

(Chinese Ink
Painting)

5pm -
6:30pm

THU

1pm -
3:15pm

3:30pm -
5:45pm

(Digital/
Manga)

7:30pm - 10pm

(Nude Life/ Portrait)

3:30pm -
5pm

FRI

11am -
1:15pm

5pm -
7:15pm

7:30pm -
9:45pm

 

5pm -
6:30pm

SAT

10:30am -
12:45pm

1pm -
3:15pm

3:30pm -
5:45pm

6:30pm -
8:45pm

 

SUN

10:30am -
12:45pm

11:15am -
12:45pm

(KIDS)

1pm -
3:15pm

3:30pm -
5:45pm

6pm -
8:15pm

*TO BE ENQUIRED

Call/WhatsApp: +65-6255-0711 E: info@visualartscentre.sg

MacPherson Art Studio

Call/WhatsApp: +65-6255-0711

E: info@visualartscentre.sg

CLASS SCHEDULE

140 Paya Lebar Rd, 03-04 AZ @Paya Lebar Building, S(409015)

Contact us for any enquiries!

Our Location

Dhoby Ghaut Art Studio

Dhoby Ghaut Art Studio​

Address:

10 Penang Road, #01-02 Dhoby Ghaut Green,
Singapore 238469

Exit from Dhoby Ghaut MRT Station Exit B and turn left, we are there in 30m!

MacPherson Art Studio

Visual arts Centre Macpherson kids holiday, space for hire, venue hire for exhibition gallery, top central venue for rent in Singapore, Visual Arts Centre

Address:

AZ@Paya Lebar, 140 Paya Lebar Road, #03-04,
Singapore 409105

Exit from Macpherson MRT Station Exit A and turn left, we are right across the road, 1 minute walk away!

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Foundation In Digital Art

Embark on a captivating journey into the vibrant world of digital art! Our Foundation in Digital Art workshop invites budding creatives aged nine and above to unleash their imagination and hone their artistic skills in a dynamic, supportive environment. From mastering basic digital tools to crafting mesmerizing digital masterpieces, children will explore a spectrum of techniques guided by seasoned mentors. Through hands-on activities and interactive sessions, participants will discover the endless possibilities of digital expression while fostering creativity and critical thinking. Join us for an exhilarating adventure where young artists transform ideas into stunning visual realities, igniting a passion for digital art

Colour & Texture Exploration With Acrylic Painting & Collage

Prepare to unleash your inner artist in a kaleidoscope of color and creativity with ‘Colour Blast: Acrylic Painting & Collage Techniques’! Dive into a whirlwind adventure where vibrant hues and mesmerizing textures collide in a symphony of imagination. From mastering the art of seamless color blending to discovering the magic of mixed media collage, this journey is a playground for your artistic soul. With each brushstroke, explore new techniques that breathe life into your canvas, transforming it into a vibrant tapestry of expression. Join us and let your creativity run wild as you embark on this colorful escapade!”

World of Manga [Foundation & Styling]

A manga art workshop for children and teenagers sounds like a fantastic idea! Here’s how you might structure it:
Introduction to Manga: Begin by introducing what manga is, its history, and its influence on popular culture worldwide. Show examples of different manga styles and genres to give participants an overview.
Basic Drawing Techniques: Start with the fundamentals of drawing, such as line work, shapes, and proportions. Provide step-by-step instructions on how to draw basic manga characters, focusing on simple shapes that can be built upon.
Character Design: Move on to character design concepts, including creating unique characters, designing their personalities, and developing backstories. Encourage participants to get creative and think outside the box.
Expression and Emotion: Teach how to convey emotions and expressions through facial expressions, body language, and positioning of characters. This can be a fun and interactive exercise where participants practice drawing various emotions.
Storytelling and Paneling: Explore the basics of storytelling in manga, including paneling techniques, pacing, and layout. Show examples of different panel structures and discuss how they affect the flow of the story.
Inking and Coloring: Introduce participants to inking techniques using pens or markers. You can also cover digital inking for those interested. Then, demonstrate basic coloring techniques using markers, colored pencils, or digital software.
Feedback and Collaboration: Provide opportunities for participants to share their work and receive feedback from their peers and instructors. Encourage collaboration by having them work together on short manga projects or collaborative drawings.
Final Showcase: End the workshop with a showcase of participants’ work. This could be in the form of an exhibition, digital gallery, or printed booklet. Celebrate everyone’s creativity and progress throughout the workshop.
Remember to create a supportive and encouraging environment where participants feel free to express themselves and explore their creativity. And don’t forget to have fun! Manga is all about imagination and passion, so let that spirit shine through in your workshop.

Academy Drawing Traditions

The academy drawing and sketching tradition, rooted in centuries of artistic practice, emphasizes disciplined study of form, proportion, and technique. Originating from Renaissance workshops and formalized by institutions like the Royal Academy, it prioritizes meticulous observation and mastery of fundamental skills. Students progress from basic exercises to complex compositions, learning to depict still life and common objects with precision and expression. This tradition values both classical principles and innovation, encouraging artists to push boundaries while maintaining a deep respect for tradition. Through rigorous training and critique, artists within this tradition cultivate a strong foundation for creative exploration and artistic excellence.

Chinese Ink Painting and Calligraphy

This course on Chinese ink painting and calligraphy introduces young learners to the rich traditions of Chinese art. Through hands-on activities, students explore the basics of brush techniques, ink control, and the delicate art of Chinese script. They learn to appreciate the cultural significance of calligraphy and painting, developing skills in creating elegant strokes and expressive brushwork. The course fosters creativity, patience, and fine motor skills, while also providing insights into Chinese history and aesthetics. By the end, children gain confidence in their artistic abilities and a deeper understanding of Chinese cultural heritage.

Funk with Graffiti

Funk With Graffiti Workshop for children is an engaging and creative program aimed at introducing young artists to the vibrant world of graffiti and funk-inspired street style art. Participants learn the basics of graffiti history, techniques, and safety. Guided by professional graffiti artists, children explore the art of designing their unique tags, emphasizing creativity, expression, and individuality. The workshop includes hands-on activities, from sketching concepts to creating final designs with spray paint on provided surfaces. By the end of the session, children gain confidence in their artistic abilities and an appreciation for graffiti and funk as legitimate forms of street art. Each child completes two original artworks, which they proudly take home, showcasing their newfound skills and personal style.

Batik Tales

In the Batik Introduction Handkerchief Painting workshop, participants will learn the traditional art of batik, a wax-resist dyeing technique originating from Indonesia. The workshop begins with a brief history and overview of batik, highlighting its cultural significance and various techniques. Participants will then observe a demonstration of applying wax with tjanting tools and dyeing the fabric. Following the demonstration, each participant will design and create their own batik handkerchief, applying wax to create patterns and then dyeing their fabric. The workshop concludes with a group discussion, allowing participants to share their creations and reflect on their learning experience.