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.

Register Now

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

Apr-May | 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!)

Questions about the Teen Program

Who is the Teen Portfolio Program for?

High school and gap-year students ages 14 to 18 who want serious training in drawing and painting from life, especially those building a portfolio for art school or university applications. No classical experience is needed.

How much does it cost?

$500 per 6-week module, with all supplies and model fees included. Returning students pay $425 (code DOJOFAM). The full year, all five modules, is $2,000.

When does it meet?

Sundays, 1:00 to 4:30 pm. The year is split into five standalone 6-week modules. Coming up: Monochromatic Oil Painting (Jan 3 to Feb 7), Color and the Limited Palette (Feb 14 to Mar 21) and Observational Portraiture (Apr 4 to May 9). The fall cast and figure modules are full.

What will my teen leave with?

Finished, portfolio-ready work from every module. Over the year, that's a rendered cast drawing, a long-pose figure drawing, a grisaille oil study, a limited-palette oil painting and an oil portrait from life, plus process pages and help photographing the work for SlideRoom.

Do we need to buy supplies?

No. Charcoal, graphite, archival paper, artist-grade oil paints, mediums and model fees are all included.

Can my teen take just one module?

Yes. Each module stands on its own. Take one to strengthen a specific skill, or all five for a complete portfolio.

How big are the classes?

Capped at 12 students, so every student gets direct feedback at the easel each week.

Who teaches?

Danny Grant (modules I and III), O'Jinae Welch (II and IV) and Denise M. Fulton (V), all working professional artists.