Art Coaching.
Building a strong portfolio that improves with guidance and feedback.
Your student’s work doesn’t develop on its own.
Your student needs structure, feedback, and next steps.
Without it, work is often unfinished.
Students improve with coaching.
Together they strategize what to work on next.
Hailey demonstrates the observational drawing skills that anchor a strong animation portfolio in this colored pencil piece.
✔︎ Art coaching is ongoing, 1:1 guidance at each step.
✔︎ Each piece is reviewed and improved through critique.
✔︎ The goal is to build a portfolio that shows how your student thinks, creates, designs.
“Suzanne met with me in zoom once a week for an hour and taught me the basics of how to draw. First we started out with drawing shapes and worked our way up to still lives and drawing from life. Suzanne helped me make portfolios for National Portfolio Day and my college applications. Suzanne mainly talked to me and helped me work through my projects. She also informed me on which materials artists use for their art pieces, including which paper, pencils, blenders, and erasers. I appreciate that Suzanne primarily worked with me and not my parents.”
“We felt that this experience was definitely worth the investment. We didn’t even know where to begin to get the portfolio process started. Lisa and Abigail worked well with Izzy. They were encouraging and got her to create more pieces for the portfolio to make it stronger. We really couldn’t have done this without ARTiculate. ”
1:1 scheduled meetings.
Each session builds on the last.
This consistency drives progress.
ARTriculate Art Coaching Specialities
Students work across many disciplines.
The approach stays the same.
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![Character design sheet by ARTriculate student durok showing a single figure with spiky red hair in multiple expressive poses, from an animation and illustration portfolio.]()
Animation & Illustration
Develop your work through storytelling and worldbuilding.
(Image above by Durok) -
![Watercolor and ink architectural drawing of industrial waterfront buildings by ARTriculate student Matthew, now studying architecture at the Sam Fox School at Washington University in St. Louis.]()
Architecture
Draw what you see and explore ideas in 3D.
(Image above by Matthew) -
![Handcrafted black fringe skirt with a banded waistband and dramatic full layered hem, an original design from an ARTriculate student fashion portfolio.]()
Fashion
Develop original designs and build a collection.
(Image above by ARTriculate student) -
![Black and white rooftop photograph by Congressional Art Award winner Jules, an ARTriculate student now studying photography in college.]()
Film & Photography
Capture images and build visual stories.
(Image above by Jules, Congressional Art Award winner) -
![Cardboard prototype of a structured messenger bag with pockets and handles, designed by ARTriculate student Maya for her industrial design portfolio.]()
Industrial Design
Design products and solve real problems.
(Image above by Maya) -
![Production design portfolio for a Mean Girls Jr. stage production with mood boards, floor plans, and built set pieces for Cady's and Regina's bedrooms, by an ARTriculate production design student.]()
Production Design
Design costumes, props, sets, and visual environments.
(Image above by ARTriculate student) -
![Mixed media illustration by ARTriculate student Simran showing a figure with dark red hair sculpting a portrait bust, from her studio and fine arts portfolio.]()
Studio & Fine Arts
Work across drawing, painting, and mixed media.
(Image above by Simran)
“Adam has been wonderful and Dylan plans to continue working with him over the summer before starting college. He’s learning so much and improving his skills.”
“We are really grateful for the guidance and support both Laura and Florence provided to Maithili to get her prepared to apply to design and architecture colleges! When we found Articulate, it was already late spring of my daughter’s junior year and there was a lot of work to be done. But Laura and Florence gave her the confidence to achieve her goals. Their process was structured, disciplined and put accountability on the student. Their calm and collected manner helped my daughter navigate through many deadlines, decisions. Florence supported us through the college list and ED/EA decision and it was very valuable. We cannot thank them enough and highly recommend to all parents and students who want to pursue the path for art, design, architecture and allied disciplines. Thank you, Laura (Mrs. McFaden) and Florence and the Articulate team. ”
Work comes together piece by piece.
And becomes a strong portfolio!
✔︎ The work comes together through practice and feedback. It becomes a portfolio that clearly shows who your student is.
✔︎ Each school has different expectations. The work is shaped to meet those requirements.
✔︎ The final work shows both skill and direction. Admissions can clearly understand your student and their work.
Halle - Coached by Laura - Surreal mixed media portrait, fine arts
Pedro - Coached by Adam - Character design sketchbook, animation & illustration
Addie - Coached by Laura - Swimmer oil painting, fine arts
Ezra - Coached by Kerr - Poolside figure oil painting, fine arts
Sakina - Coached by Laura - Expressive oil portrait, fine arts
Elise - Coached by Lisa - Figurative oil painting, fine arts
Riley - Coached by Laura - Colored pencil self-portrait, fine arts
Simran - Coached by Lisa - Group digital illustration, character design
Liam - Coached by Abigail - Documentary photography, waterfront
Matthew - Coached by Abigail and Lisa - Watercolor and ink, industrial landscape
Addie - Coached by Laura - Surreal forest oil painting, fine arts
Eshita - Coached by Suzanne - Floating chairs colored pencil drawing, illustration
Addie - Coached by Laura - Self portrait oil painting, fine arts
Khanh - Coached by Laura - Surreal mixed media painting, fine arts
Sophie - Coached by Laura - Fairy figure digital illustration
Charlotte - Coached by Abigail - Embroidered anatomy mixed media, fine arts
Liora - Coached by Laura - Fringe skirt fashion design
Andi - Coached by Abigail - Modern building architectural rendering
Bethany - Coached by Laura - Classical drapery oil study, fine arts
Griffin - Coached by Laura - Seated figure clay sculpture, fine arts
Sara - Coached by Lisa - Wizard characters digital illustration
Jules - Coached by Abigail and Kerr - Urban street photography portrait
Hana - Coached by Laura - Paper sculpture portrait, fine arts
Maithili - Coached by Laura - Architectural model and sketches
Alexa - Coached by Abigail - Skyscraper mixed media drawing, fine arts
Jay - Coached by Adam - Torii gate watercolor and ink
Cameron - Coached by Georgia - Sculptural organza dress, fashion design
“Suzanne has been SUCH a big help to Ava. And I really appreciate all the extra time spent outside of lessons. It’s been wonderful to watch her portfolio grow — and see her pushed to do different things. I know she’s had to troubleshoot some things and Suzanne is always there to give her great guidance.”
Have questions? How we work with your family.
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Art coaching is ongoing, one-on-one work.
Students meet regularly with a coach, bring in their work, and receive critique.
They build skills, develop new pieces, and refine their creative voice. We also look at how the work aligns with portfolio and supplemental requirements.
Over time, the work comes together in a way that reflects the student clearly.
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Most students are building a body of work that supports their applications by senior year.
For art schools, this is a portfolio with specific requirements. Each program looks for different types of work, including observational, process, and conceptual pieces.
For universities, creative work is often submitted as a supplement. It provides a way to show ideas, interests, and strengths beyond grades and activities.
We help shape the work so it aligns with how each school evaluates it.
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Students work on both technical skills and new project ideas.
That includes refining existing pieces and developing new work outside of school assignments.
Each piece is reviewed through critique. Lessons are tailored to each student based on their current work, their interests, and the requirements of the schools they are considering.
From there, we decide what to focus on next.
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Art coaching is flexible.
Students schedule one-hour Zoom sessions and can meet as often as they would like. Most students meet once per week.