Our art lessons for teenagers at Austin, TX campuses combine traditional and digital art techniques. Rather than following a strict curriculum, teens have the freedom to work on personalized projects at their own pace during classes and camps. Furthermore, small class sizes provide individual guidance, helping students build both confidence and artistic skills.
For beginners, we recommend starting with structured drawing lessons. Using Dr. Betty Edwards’ method from Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain, students learn to “see” and draw realistically. They explore contour lines, perspective, negative space, and basic shading. As they improve, we introduce value studies, observation exercises, and shading with charcoal or pastels. Additionally, students experiment with composition, still-life projects, and classic master studies before moving on to watercolors, mixed media, and acrylics.(See what can be learned.)
For experienced teenagers, we assess their skill level and goals, then design projects to enhance their strengths or introduce new techniques. In addition, students can choose to explore digital art tools alongside traditional mediums like pencil, watercolor, pastels, and acrylics. This approach allows them to expand their creative portfolio and develop versatility across different styles and media.
Because of our small teacher-to-student ratio, teens enjoy personalized lessons that nurture their love for art — their skill progress is showcased in our before-and-after gallery! If a class is full, simply join our waiting list, and we’ll notify you when the next opening becomes available.
START ANYTIME.
Yes, you can enroll at any time, as long as there’s space available in the class. Additionally, we prorate your first month tuition based on your start date.
PROFESSIONAL INSTRUCTORS
Also, all our teachers have a college degree in an art-related field.
SMALL CLASS SIZE
Specifically, we limit each class to a maximum of 8 students.
GALLERY DAY EVENT
Above all, every April, we celebrate our students’ progress with an art show we call “Gallery Day”. This event is open to all our enrolled students and their families & friends!
We understand that sometimes things come up—unexpected events, travel, or illness—and you may need to miss a class. Not a problem! As long as you are enrolled, you can make up a missed classes by attending another class listed in our schedule at any of our locations.
However, keep in mind that there is absolutely no prorating or refund for missed classes. In addition, missed classes cannot be used as class credit for the next session, other classes, or camps.
Your tuition provides four(4) consecutive weekly art classes. If you start in the middle of the month, we’ll simply prorate your tuition based on your registration date.
For Kids and Teen Classes, a quarterly admin fee applies in September, December, and March. We will also prorate the admin fee in you enroll in the middle of the quarter.
We provide all materials for kids and teen classes; you only need to bring your student.
Students will explore a wide range of materials, including watercolor, tempera paint, pastels, charcoal, ink, acrylic paint, and more.
Rating
My daughter Vedika was in the 7-9 class for clay design and she had an absolute blast. Apart from just learning something new with great instructors, she just found the environment really friendly and fun which is all you can ask for a summer camp. She will definitely be heading back next year.
My daughter loves this place! We started with a summer class in 2021 m, on the 5-7 bracket and she liked it so much we came back for the full year in August/September. I have already signed her up for next year. The teachers are great, the kids get to learn different types of painting, color scales, they have art display events every year, and their make up classes/absences policy is the best I’ve ever seen! We have always been able to get make up classes when we have had to miss any. Her drawing has improved so much!!!
This camp was highly enjoyable and so much was learned. Johanna was a great instructor!
This is an Art Academy that teaches children and adult classes. Students have beginner to advanced knowledge in drawing and painting. There are several locations, great instructors and a goal to teach YOU to be a better artist. You will like it here!
I would recommend this service to anyone. I wanted to pursue a particular career, but was required to submit a portfolio to showcase my current aptitude and potential in artistic mediums. I was a bit lost on how and where to start, but Johanna helped me find my footing and put together something I am proud to submit with my application to school. Thank you so much for the guidance I needed!
My experience attending adult classes at Art + Academy has been so helpful to reigniting my passion for artistic creation. It has shown me a path forward in my life that I thought would be left behind unfulfilled. My instructor Erin listens, observes and finds the ways to guide me not away from any one approach to my art but presents alternatives and/or source material that may serve me better.
ART+ Academy has brought me farther than I imagined in my drawing and I was just starting acrylic painting when the lockdown came. I missed my weekly classes with feedback and ideas on my project from my teacher, Luz Marie, and fellow classmates. However, ART + saved the day by quickly adapting in-person classes to online classes. Now I can still get my weekly instruction and stay motivated and inspired. Thank ART + for going to the extra mile
My daughter has attended Art + Academy for years – she love the teaching, the teachers and has become friends with the other students! AND her love for Art continues to blossom!
My son loves going here. He’s gotten so good with his art. He’s always loved drawing, painting, coloring and this has helped him be more confident with his artwork. Mrs. Marcia is great with the kids. They have great staff and great teachers.
Both of my teenagers have taken art classes with Miss Marcia and they love her understated approach. She sets a relaxed tone that allows both of my children to take time to enjoy expressing themselves through art. The instruction is excellent, whether in-person or online, and we appreciated the end of session art galleries. Owner Monica is very conscientious in communicating via email, phone as needed, and has worked hard to make art accessible during the pandemic.
We like the creative experience, convenience of location as well as flexible schedule offered to my 14 year old!
My son has been attending SW Art+ Academy for a couple years now. I have really appreciated the smaller classes so that teachers can provide more personalized attention to the kids. Monica is reasonable & responsive to the various requests I have made, too, which I have appreciated. My son recently finished the Watercolor Art Camp, and really enjoyed his time with Mr. Matt! He had many nice items of artwork to proudly show off at his Art Gallery today.
My daughters have taken multiple classes at Art+ Academy and the teachers are just wonderful! My children have thrived there due to the small class-size and individual attention they have received. They always love going to art class!
Summary: Very impressed with quality of artwork both of my boys (6 & 9) brought home. They were enthusiastic everyday to go to camp, and my 6 year old would come home and “play art teacher” and show us the techniques he learned that day. The teachers were very positive, encouraging, and nurturing with the kids. As a mom, I liked that both of my kids were able to attend a summer camp at the same time/location, even though they are different ages with different interests. Great value for a summer camp with the skills taught and confidence boost my kids received! Specific to Sculpting summer camp: My 9 year old does not really enjoy drawing or painting/coloring. He enjoys math, reading, sports and engineering. It is the engineering part of him that led me to sign him up for the sculpting class, with the elements of “building” using clay, recycled/found objects, etc. He absolutely LOVED the class, and his creative side was able to shine! The summer camp sculpting class gave him a comfortable and fun environment for him to explore his “not knowing” / creative side. Specific to 5-7 drawing summer camp: My 6 year old loves to paint, draw, color and get messy. At home, he was frustrated when trying to draw certain objects, but couldn’t figure out how to get what’s in his mind onto paper. He has taken two Art+ Academy classes now (safari animals and dinosaurs) and I can not believe how much he learned in such a short period of time! His raw talent was really nurtured and has improved immensely with new skills and techniques that he’s proud to show off.
Our daughter attends Art+Academy. For three years under the tuition of Ms Erin, we share that our expectations have been exceeded. Erin was pivotal to our daughter’s admittance into a middle school fine arts program here in Austin. She earned our daughter’s trust. The respect and genuine friendship Erin exhibits towards her students gives them the space and time to develop confidence from within. Erin is an exceptional art teacher. Catch her if you can! PAINTING:: By Julia 10yrs old painted 2021 During this lesson Erin highlighted artist Kandinsky. He studied the relationship of music to art and how it affects emotion in your color and brushstroke. Erin played jazz music while the students painted 🙂
I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Art+ Academy. I was in an adult class with Erin as my instructor, and I could not have been happier with the class, with Erin, and Monica, the owner, who has been very friendly and helpful. Before I took the class, I felt like I had very little talent for drawing, but as a result of both the way the class is set up and Erin’s method of instruction, I very quickly discovered that I did indeed have an aptitude for this method of artistic expression. I would never have discovered that aptitude on my own. So, if you are reluctant to sign up for a class because you feel like you might not have the necessary ability, let me assure you that such a concern should not prevent you from enrolling. You might very well find you have a hidden talent that simply needed the right environment in which to emerge.–Josh B, Austin, Texas
My daughter goes here after school and she really loves it. She enjoys every sessions and learnt a lot. My husband and I are thrilled that we have found this school. The teachers are very talented, organized, and you can really tell that they really love teaching the kids. We highly recommend this place.
It is so fun I like it alot
Kids love this place and teachers. Much fun.
My five-year-old son loves doing art in his free time at school so I thought taking an art class would help him to continue to grow as an artist. I wish I was a better artist, and I think being knowledgeable about art will help him as he progresses in school. I signed my son up for an art class at Art + Academy, and he absolutely loves it. He has been taking lessons for about a year, and we are so impressed with what he has created and the variety of mediums he is encouraged to use. His teacher, Ms. Emma, is absolutely the BEST art teacher! She is so wonderful with children, and she is the reason why he has made so much progress. She creates her lessons based on my son’s interests (dinosaurs, birds, police cars, etc.) which makes each lesson extra fun and special for him. Each week, I take photos at the end of his lesson to show my husband, grandparents, and other family members. We are so impressed! We loved Gallery Day–my son was thrilled with all of the stickers (with handwritten positive comments) that he received on his artwork. We can’t say enough wonderful things about Art + Academy.
