10 Lessons I Learned in Art School

Here are 10 lessons I learned in art school. While you can be an artist without going to art school I learned so many valuable skills while studying my Bachelor and Master of Fine Arts.  I have also included some help in preparing your art portfolio for art school. Check out my tips for the 10 lessons I learned in art school below! 

Lesson #1 Time Management

In post-secondary education there are a lot of deadlines and the same is true for art school. At the end of the semester there are critiques where you are presenting the art you have been working on and there are also papers and presentations in other classes. It is a lot to balance especially if you are working other job(s) like tutoring or being a teaching assistant on top of that! Art school taught me how to define my priorities, schedule my time, make goals and break down tasks so that I could accomplish everything!

Lesson #2 Listening to Feedback

In art school there are a lot more critiques than in high school. In high school I don’t remember really having any critiques. Critiques are a great chance to present your artwork to your classmates and professors and listen to their feedback. I would take notes in my sketchbook for each critique. Often, I would hear ideas to try, books to read, artists to research or changes to consider. It’s a great opportunity to really refine your listening skills. It’s less about you talking and explaining the work and more about letting the work speak for itself and hearing how people respond to your art. 

10 Lessons I Learned in art school - click the image to pin this for later!

Lesson#3  Art Skills

Of course the main reason for attending art school was to focus on learning new art skills and enhancing existing art skills. While studying, I learned papermaking, printmaking, oil painting, figure drawing, still life drawing, ceramics, throwing pottery, screen printing, fabric dyeing, sewing, hand embroidery, crochet, Photoshop, taking quality photos of my artwork, and the list goes on and on. The more skills I was able to master the more diverse my art practice became and the more interesting my art was.  Naturally I learned how to get better at acrylic painting and other skills! (Check out my FREE guide for acrylic painting at the end of this post!)

Want to go to art school but unsure how to create an art portfolio that stand out and gets accepted? Click the button below to join the waitlist and be the first to hear about my course!

Lesson#4 Making Money as an Artist 

I went into art school thinking that the only way I could make money as an artist was through selling my art but I learned a lot of other routes artists take to make money like awards/grants, commissions in galleries, art licensing, teaching, art fairs and more! As an artist it is so important to have multiple streams of revenue to be able to count on having a consistent income. Read these tips on pricing your art!

Lesson #5 Networking and Relationships 

Art school is where I made a lot of close friendships with people who really understand what being an artist is. I met wonderful professors that have helped me to get jobs, art sales and grants. The art world like any world is about connections and who you know. Networking is incredibly valuable and it is a lot easier to get opportunities through having some connections.

Jackie Partridge

Lesson #6 Budgeting

Being a student taught me how to budget and save. I lived away from school and learned I needed to save for unexpected and expected costs like art supplies. I became frugal with my money and avoided going out or spending a lot on clothes and entertainment. I also learned about taxes and how to create a budget when applying for an art grant. 

Lesson #7 Presenting Your Artwork

I always thought an art gallery was the only place you could really showcase your art. I learned I could show it anywhere. I have shown my art online, in site-specific installations, outdoors, in rented buildings, on campus, in libraries and more! The possibilities are really endless which is always exciting! 

Lesson #8 Confidence 

Art school made me a lot more confident in my artwork. It allowed me to feel very proud of the art that I have created and it gave me confidence to apply for exhibitions, artist calls and grants. Hearing praise about my art boosted my confidence and helped to diminish my imposter’s syndrome that a lot of artists struggle with. 

Lesson #9 Decision Making Skills

Art is all about decisions. From the title of your work to the materials you use -it all comes down to hundreds of decisions. It’s important to not overthink, trust your gut and be able to not waste time making decisions. I began to see my art as fluid. I could always rework something or install a sculpture differently the next time to truly learn from the experience. 

Lesson #10 Taking Risks 

I took a lot of risks in art school. It’s important to try things, to listen to feedback and to experiment. Art is really a series of experiments and taking your Master of FIne Arts is a learning process where you are learning about yourself just as much as you are learning about what kind of art and subject matter you are interested in. 

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Why I became an artist

For help with your art portfolio -click here to read this helpful blog post! 

Tips for pricing your art

6 tips for achieving your art goals

Join the art portfolio course waitlist

If you are wanting to improve your acrylic painting - you can download this FREE 16 page guide by clicking the button below! I show you the 10 common mistakes beginner painters make and what you can do to avoid them!

I hope you found these 10 lessons of what I learned in art school helpful! 

All the best on your path to becoming an artist! 

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My Top 10 List of Favourite Painting Supplies

Here is my top 10 list of favourite painting supplies to help elevate your acrylic painting! Learn what Jackie Partridge likes to paint with. What I love about art is being able to test and try new materials. I love experimenting with art supplies and often make great discoveries that way! New painting supplies can allow you to feel creative again in your art practice. Here is a look at my top ten list of favourite painting supplies! I wrote a basic list of supplies you need to get started with acrylic painting - you can read that here!

My Top 10 List of Favourite Painting Supplies

1.  Besides a different variety of primary colours it can be nice to have special paint like a metallic gold or silver -these can be nice touches in a painting -buying a smaller amount is fine to try if you want. Metallic paint is usually more expensive than regular acrylic paint. I also love grabbing colours that I am drawn to or colours I love using like yellow ochre or different greens.

2. A good easel for painting - I purchased a wooden table top easel from Michaels that folds away, making it nice and compact. I went for wood because it can be more durable than some of the cheaper metal or aluminum ones out there.

3. Posca Pens - I love using Posca Pens in my paintings and to doodle with. You can learn more about Posca Pens in these videos on my YouTube channel: Posca Pen Introduction and Posca Pen Zentangle Technique

4. Golden Acrylic Fluids- I enjoy using these as inks on paper, or to mix with my paint or gel mediums to make it more vibrant.

5. Golden Matte Gel, Golden Modelling Paste and Golden Crackle Paste - with these products you can really enhance the quality of your acrylic paint you can make the paint thicker or crack like broken glass. Although the brand Golden is more expensive it is great quality and a brand I recommend.

6. A great sketchbook- I prefer something smaller that I can carry in my bag. I usually buy mine at Michaels because they often have a BOGO sale. It’s great to have a sketchbook to store ideas of future art projects.

7. A variety of brushes including plastic scrapers -just like having extra paint it is nice to have other options.

8. Palette knives- I love abstract painting and the texture that palette knives allow you to get. You can see my palette knife painting videos here:

   How to choose a palette knife, palette knife painted sunset, palette knife river painting, palette knife painted poppy

9. Watercolour paper and coloured drawing paper- I love painting on paper. It is a nice and affordable option to painting on canvases. Make sure to browse the paper aisle at your local art supply store to find something that calls out to you! 

10. Handmade Paper -It can be really fun and beautiful to paint on you can check out some I have for sale in my shop here!

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Improve Your Acrylic Painting by downloading this FREE 12 page guide. Click the image to download!

6 Tips for Hitting Your Art Goals

6 tips for hitting your art goals this year! This year you can make your goals come true! How did you do sticking to the goals you made last year? Do you even remember them? Here are some tips about sticking to your goals, so you don’t lose track of them this year! 

I love planning, making lists and achieving my goals. It does take work though..

Here is a list of my 6 tips to help you hit your art goals this year!

# 1 Sticking to Your Goals - check on them

In order to keep my goals I need to review them and to check in on them.

I plan my goals near the end of December a year in advance and I review my goals every four months to adjust them accordingly.

Each month, I check on my monthly goals and put a check mark beside the completed ones. I have a new agenda this year that has a section for goals at the start of each month which really helps! If you don't have this you can always set up reminders on your phone, write on a calendar or create to-do/goals lists.

It's important to check on a goal's progress because if you have many goals you can easily forget.

Pro Tip: If you are working on a larger goal you can break it into smaller chunks that are easier to manage!

#2 Your Goals Aren't Permanent!

Life happens... Before you know it you meet your goal or you decide the timing isn't right. You are allowed to change your mind - because they are your goals! I like to give myself some grace and I'm not hard on myself when I am no longer aiming for a goal. I'm still figuring out what kind of artist I want to become and what I want my life to look like in the future.

#3 You Need to be Invested and Know Why

You have to want your goals- and not believe you should make them because what society is telling you. Part of sticking to goals is figuring out why you want them in the first place. This drive keeps you motivated. So, if you don't know why you want something, think deeper or even try journalling.

A goal needs intention behind it. It helps when a goal has clarity too because it will be something that you can easily visualize.

#4 Does Your Goal Inspire You and Excite You?

Like Marie Kondo says "does it spark joy" if it does, it's something you will treasure something you will continue to work on. If it doesn't you won't - it's that simple! The more excited you are, the more urgency there is to finish it.

A goal should be exciting but still believable to you.

#5 Give Yourself Deadlines for Your Art Goals

I was always an achiever in school and I've found to still be successful out of school it helps to have deadlines. Give yourself a realistic time frame while keeping yourself challenged and accountable! Sometimes, I will make a firm deadline with myself like "If you don't finish this by the end of the day then you can't ..."

The nice thing about applying to different art calls and grants is that they have deadlines associated with them. These deadlines can really help you stay organized.

#6 Reward Yourself for Meeting Your Goals - Make the Process Fun!

Some goals are going to take longer to complete because they require more work and they are bigger goals. I find it helpful to remember to enjoy the journey (although I struggle with this). Don't be afraid to celebrate milestones or to reward yourself with something you want. If the process of goal setting isn't enjoyable you aren't going to be excited about it and it will be harder to stick to your goals.

Here are my art goals for 2021

Now that I am teaching full time I have to consider what goals are realistic for me and my schedule:

1. Post consistently to social media (5x a week to instagram, 1-2x to facebook, every day to Pinterest, twice a month to my email list, blog post 3-4x a month, YouTube 2x a month)

2. Apply to art calls twice a month - I want to have more exhibitions this year!

3. Spend time in nature for inspiration- I find this really helps with my art practice.

4. Make consistent art sales- I would love my art to be my main source of income.

5. Keep my website updated monthly- I like reviewing my website at the end of each month to make sure everything is current.

6. Set boundaries for teaching for more work life balance- no work on Friday nights and Saturdays, no emails past 7pm, no marking on the weekend.

7. Make art during school breaks- Teaching full time has made me really miss having time to make my art.  

Your Art Goals Might Be…

Working on an Art Portfolio

Check out this post on how to prepare an art portfolio for college or university!

Starting a YouTube Channel for Your Art

Check mine out here for acrylic painting!

Improving Your Acrylic Painting

If one of your goals is getting better at acrylic painting - I can help with that! Download my FREE guide where I show you the 10 common mistakes beginner painters make and how you can avoid them!

If you have a goal this year to get into art school and become an artist or an arts-related career- download my FREE guide with 10 Tips to Make Your Art Portfolio Application Stand Out!

Follow me on Social Media for more ideas! And let me know your goals this year in the comments or the DMs!

How to Create an Art Portfolio: 7 Tips!

How to create an art portfolio with 7 tips from artist Jackie Partridge. I have been exhibiting my artwork since 2012. I have received artist grants and awards and I have attended artist residencies. With this experience I have done my share in submitting my portfolio for numerous applications. As a teacher, I have worked with grade 12 students to help them with their art portfolio applications. See my 7 tips for your college/university art portfolio application below!

After receiving my Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting and Drawing from Lakehead University I also completed teacher’s college. I graduated being able to teach grades 4-12 in Ontario before taking my Master of Fine Arts at Concordia University.

During my time in teacher’s college part of my placement included teaching art to grade 12 students. In the first term I helped students with their portfolios as they were in the midst of applying for university and college arts programs. I volunteered my time to help these students during my lunch break by giving them tips and ways to improve what they had selected to be in their portfolios.

I have worked as an art instructor for a private boarding school where I helped international high school students with their portfolio applications in art, graphic design, illustration and architecture programs.

If you need ideas for what to put into your art portfolio application you can click here!

7 Tips to Make Your University/College Portfolio Stand Out

Tip #1

READ THE REQUIREMENTS -AND FOLLOW THEM

You need to know what they want and usually they tell you specifics!

Every university and college or even programs within the same school have different application requirements when it comes to their portfolios. Some schools are very specific asking for a certain number of pieces, certain media used or certain sizes of work. Some schools want original work, some/most don't-- they want photographs uploaded on programs like SlideRoom.  Some schools even have specific themes like "Make a work that is finished yet unfinished." This can make the process more difficult and leave students feeling overwhelmed and unsure -often overthinking their decisions and ideas.

Want to go to art school but unsure how to create an art portfolio that stands out and gets accepted? Click on the button below to get on the waitlist for my art portfolio course!

Tip #2

Show Your Creative Process

Most schools want to see your process work - they want to see how you think about your art and why you made the choices you did.

Tip #3

Show Your Personality

The purpose of the portfolio is an introduction and a chance for your chosen school to get to know you and see if you would be a good fit there.  You want to show your interests and possibilities you might want to continue to explore while in post-secondary education. You should include materials you like working with and show your artistic style that is unique to you!

Tip #4

Show Variety

You want the professors reviewing your portfolio to be impressed by your skills and see you as an artist who is versatile. Therefore, it is important to show that you can do more.

By showing variety you are showing that you aren't afraid to try new things and experiment with your artwork. It shows that you are open to growing and learning which is the whole point of college and university programs. Check out my YouTube channel for tips to make your acrylic paintings stronger! You can also improve your painting with FREE12 page Guide!

Tip #5

Show Program Specific Techniques 

If you are applying to specific programs like architecture or illustration you want to think about possible projects that might be studied in those programs. Once you have thought of those ideas you could try to include relevant pieces in your portfolio.

If you are applying to a non-specific program like a Bachelor of Fine Arts for example- then again you want to show variety. You need to show your range, talents and abilities.

How to make a strong portfolio - show your diversity of skills like ceramics

Tip #6

Details are Important 

You need to remember that review panels are looking at portfolio after portfolio for hours on end. You need to stand out and be memorable. Make sure you consider details to set you apart.

Edit your photos, think about your layout, come up with clever titles for your work. All these details are important!

Tip #7

Show Your Thinking, Your Writing and Research

Usually you will be asked to submit written descriptions about your work- make sure they are detailed and informative.

List your inspiration- if you did a drawing based off a building or place -state that research. You want to show your intelligence and critical thinking abilities in these descriptions.

Make sure you edit your writing, stick to the word count and choose a consistent and legible font.

Take time to plan your written descriptions and do not leave them to the last minute!

I wish you good luck with your portfolio applications and the BIGGEST tip I can give you is to start early and trust your gut!

What People are Saying

I was excited for the opportunity to work with Jackie!

The presentation from Jackie was very specific relevant information to prepare my students for applying to art schools. It gave us a checklist to follow and ideas we had not yet considered.

This presentation is a MUST for anyone needing information to better prepare students to apply to art schools. Not having gone that route myself, it was invaluable!

Jackie was not only knowledgeable, but easy to work with and super accommodating. I would highly recommend her!!

Britt, High School Art Teacher, California, U.S.

Here are my art portfolio ideas. These ideas are great if you are struggling with what to include in your art portfolio.

Click here to purchase!

To purchase the art portfolio coaching please click the button below

Want Some Help With Your Art Portfolio? I Would Love to Work With You - Send me an Email!

I offer Portfolio Review and Portfolio Development Consultations. I can help you decide what to create, what to include in your art portfolio, answer any questions, prepare for interviews, and more!

Here is the link to download my FREE Guide for How to Create an Art Portfolio That Stands Out!

All the best with your art portfolio applications- You got this!

My BEST tips for Displaying, Framing and Purchasing Art

My best tips for displaying, framing and purchasing art all in one helpful post! I wanted to make things easy for you and compile my favourite resources about growing your art collection in one place. I have collected my BEST tips and added them here for you! Learn how to frame your art, how to purchase art or get art commissioned and where to display your art in your home!

Deciding to Buy Art for the First Time?

Read this!

If you haven’t purchased art before there are 14 considerations you will want to make to decide which piece of art is right for you. You can read more HERE. If you would like to read more about art commissions or getting a piece of artwork commissioned by me - you can click here!

Unsure About Framing Art?

I can help with that. In this blog post I share about how to choose the right frame to display your artwork proudly in your home. See more HERE.

Not Sure Where to Hang Your Art?

I have added a list of 16 ideas of places to hang art in your home. I also give tips about hanging your art like choosing a gallery wall or hanging art as a pair in a diptych. Read the tips HERE.

Stop Wondering How to Display Art on a Shelf!

Learn how to style your shelf to display your art collection and other meaningful objects like framed family photos, souvenirs and more. Read more here!

Ready to start or expand your art collection for your home? You can check out my shop here!

Connect with me on social media by clicking on one of the icons below!

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Learn How to Improve Your Colour Mixing with Acrylic Paint with Colour Mixing Basics!

Learn how to improve your colour mixing with acrylic painting - this is a great start to improving your acrylic painting skills. You have to be able mix your own colours! Colour mixing is a skill that takes practice! I have highlighted some FREE acrylic painting tutorials below to help you get better at acrylic painting! Colour mixing can be challenging! It isn’t as simple as elementary school art lessons where you discover the magic of mixing two colours together to get a completely different colour. Check out my colour mixing basics resources linked below!

Learning to mix colours from scratch takes you from a beginner painter to an intermediate painter. If you mix your own colours, you will be able to paint more realistically and your paintings will be more visually appealing to look at!

Using brown paint straight from the tube doesn’t have the same effect as mixing your own brown. There is so much range and possibilities when it comes to mixing your own colours!

It is ESSENTIAL to learn the foundations of colour mixing to be successful at acrylic painting! I will show you how easy it is with step by step instruction with video paint lessons all about colour mixing with acrylic paint!

I have broken down colour mixing lessons into easy to understand paint tutorials perfect for beginner painters! (including children!)

Colour Mixing Basics

• To make a colour lighter (a tint) add white

• To make a colour darker (a shade) add black

• To make a colour dull - add it’s complementary colour

• Experiment and test - try to make as many colour with your primary colours (red, yellow and blue) plus black and white

Learn How to Mix Green

This video is great for developing your skills. Mixing green is not as simple as mixing yellow and blue paint. If you are great at mixing greens and able to mix a variety of greens then you will be able to paint more realistic landscape paintings. Once you have mastered mixing greens - you will be able to paint better landscapes - click here to read more tips on painting landscapes!

Watch the Mixing Greens Video- HERE

Video Length: 13 min. 20 sec.

Learn How to Mix Grey

Mixing grey is not as simple as black + white. The more variety you have in your colours the more interesting your paintings will be! This video is a quick way to develop your colour mixing skills and make more professional looking paintings!

Watch the Mixing Greys Video- HERE

Video Length: 8 min. 15 sec.

Need More Help with Colour Mixing?

You can download my FREE colour mixing worksheets and videos for mixing green and grey here!

Mixing Purple Worksheets and Videos!

Mixing Skin Tones Worksheets and Videos!

Colour Wheel and Value Scale Worksheets and Videos!

OR save 30% and purchase the colour mixing bundle with everything mentioned above!

Want to Improve your acrylic painting? Download my FREE 12 Page Guide - I will show you the 10 common mistakes that acrylic painters make and how you can avoid them to become a better acrylic painter FASTER!!

Click the button below to download the FREE guide!

Learn How to Make a Colour Wheel and Value Scale

If you haven’t painted before and don’t know much about mixing colours - I recommend watching this video. I explain the basics of colour theory. You will learn about primary, secondary and tertiary colours and how to mix them. You will also learn about making a tint or shade with a colour. This is a great educational video perfect for beginners, teachers, parents homeschooling and daycare providers. Colour mixing is the foundation of acrylic painting!

Watch the Colour Wheel and Value Scale Video- HERE

Video Length: 25 min. 9 sec.

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