Year-Round Teen Portfolio Program

Program Overview

Standing out in college portfolio reviews requires more than casual talent—it demands technical discipline, spatial awareness, and a deep understanding of direct observation.

Our Sunday Portfolio Program offers a structured, atelier-style environment where students move beyond drawing from photographs to master the fundamental skills prioritized by top-tier art universities and admissions panels.

Organized into five standalone 6-week modules across the academic year, students learn comparative measurement, value logic, structural figure drawing, and classical oil painting. Take a single module to targeted-refine a specific skill, or complete all five to build a comprehensive, application-ready portfolio.

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Why Study Atelier Dojo?

  • 100% Direct Observation: Work directly from 3D plaster casts, high-contrast still lifes, and live professional models.

  • All-Inclusive Tuition: Zero supply lists. Professional-grade charcoal, graphite, archival papers, artist-grade oil paints, mediums, and model fees are completely provided.

  • Small Studio Caps: Capped at 12 students to guarantee direct, individualized mentorship at the easel every session.

  • SlideRoom & Application Ready: Every 6-week module yields finished high-level deliverables and digital portfolio documentation guidance.

Who This Program Is For

Designed for Motivated Young Artists (Ages 14–18)

This program is tailored specifically for high school students, gap-year artists, and rising teens who are ready to move beyond basic hobby classes and take their artistic development seriously.

  • College-Bound Fine Arts & Design Applicants: Students preparing portfolio submissions for top-tier BFA programs, art institutes, or university design degrees (such as RISD, Pratt, Cooper Union, CalArts, or UT Austin) who need strong, observational "from life" work for SlideRoom.

  • Classical Realism & Atelier Enthusiasts: Young artists who love realistic drawing and painting and want to learn formal, traditional techniques in a professional studio setting.

  • Students Seeking Technical Rigor: High schoolers who feel they have maxed out their school's current art curriculum and want structured mentorship in comparative measurement, anatomical drawing, and oil painting.

Note: No prior classical experience is required, but students should bring a strong desire to focus, practice deeply, and spend extended studio time working at an easel.

Sessions Overview

SESSION I: CAST DRAWING & COMPARATIVE SIGHTING (FULL)

Sep-Oct | Sundays | 1:00 pm – 4:30 pm

Master the core mechanics of traditional observational accuracy. Students learn comparative measurement, plumb lines, and light logic while working directly from 3D plaster casts. Outcome: One master cast drawing and comparative construction process pages.

SESSION II: STRUCTURAL FIGURE DRAWING & ANATOMY (FULL)

Nov-Dec | Sundays | 1:00 pm – 4:30 pm

Apply comparative measurement directly to the living human form. Working with professional live models, students explore gesture, anatomical landmarks, weight distribution, and tonal modeling. Outcome: A long-pose structural figure drawing and a curated set of anatomical gesture studies.

SESSION III: MONOCHROMATIC OIL PAINTING & VALUE

Jan-Feb | Sundays | 1:00 pm – 4:30 pm

Bridge drawing skills into oil paint without the complexity of color. Students master paint application, brush control, wipe-out techniques, and edge control through single-color tonal painting (grisaille). Outcome: One finished high-contrast tonal oil study and a value/edge control reference sheet.

SESSION IV: COLOR THEORY & THE LIMITED PALETTE

Feb-Mar | Sundays | 1:00 pm – 4:30 pm

Master color temperature, hue, and harmony using the legendary 4-color Zorn Palette. Students translate value structures into color and form building using direct observational setups. Outcome: One finished limited-palette oil painting and a Zorn Palette mixing chart.

SESSION V: OBSERVATIONAL PORTRAITURE & PORTFOLIO SYNTHESIS

Mar-Apr | Sundays | 1:00 pm – 4:30 pm

Bring together drawing, value structure, and color theory to paint the live model portrait. Students focus on skull geometry, feature alignment, skin tones, and capturing likeness, concluding with a portfolio documentation audit. Outcome: One master oil portrait from life and SlideRoom-ready digital application files.

Tuition

  • Single 6-Week Module: $500 (All supplies & model fees included)

  • Repeat Student Discount (15% Off): $425 (Use code DOJOFAM at checkout after your first module)

  • Full Academic Year Pass (All 5 Modules - 20% Off): $2,000 (Save $500 total — get 1 module free!)