Toronto Art Class — Attraction in Toronto

Jun and Janet are excellent teachers for both portfolio and casual art. With their help, I was accepted to the architecture programs at Ryerson, Pratt Institute (w/ International Merit Award of $21k anually), and the Rhode Island School of Design. They have years of experience helping portfolio students, which gives them a comprehensive understanding of the requirements and expectations of most Canadian universities and many others abroad, and helped me understand and fulfill the requirements for each school I applied to. Janet is very professional yet easy to talk to, and is very accommodating for different schedules. Jun, the teaching side of their dynamic duo, has amazing skill in many mediums. I learned so much just from watching how he handles pencils, brushes, and conte, and how he translates three dimensional forms onto paper. He is also very knowledgeable, and could answer most questions I had when I learned new mediums like oil or acrylic. When it comes to conceptual ideas, he is very willing to offer suggestions, and pushed me out of my comfort zone to try what I otherwise would not have tried. I have him to thank for strong core ideas and good technique behind my portfolio pieces. On the other hand, he is also very supportive of more spontaneous ideas, such as when an observational study of mine evolved into a three-dimensional project with Plexiglas and paint. Despite having so many students, he always remembers the details of each person's projects, and even keeps a small journal recording his thoughts about them - it's clear that he really cares about the development of his students. This is also the first studio I’ve been to that offers life drawing classes with actual live models. I highly highly recommend it. It’s a long class (3 hours) but I absolutely loved it, and it really helped me improve with human forms in a low stakes environment, with at least 50+ poses at different time limits. It’s challenging in all the right ways. Even without Jun, the sheer volume of drawings will help you improve immensely, not only with figure drawings, but with observational drawing in general. Since Jun was always there without fail during the life drawing classes, it was even better because he always gave helpful feedback and advice. I even wrote my university application essay about my time in the life drawing class! Their studio space was also very inspiring to me. On shelves and hanging from the walls were projects and paintings from past students, some of which had amazing ideas that gave me inspiration for pieces of my own. Some of those past students also return during the summer to help Jun as assistant teachers, which offers current students insight into life at the universities. Another perk of this class is that, unlike the other studios I've been to, they provide most materials. They are very generous with this - if you need it and they have it, you can probably use it for no additional cost. This is great for learning new mediums and deciding whether it's worth the investment, such as with expensive oil paints.

Lastly, a reminder that some people may need to hear: this is still a class like any other - what you put into it is what you will get out of it. Do not blame the car if you forget the gasoline. Specifically, for portfolio students like me: Do not expect a 100% guaranteed ticket into any school of your choice. Each student they taught got into their schools by their own merit, hard work, and dedication. Jun and Janet will not do all your work for you - each portfolio is, after all, supposed to be a reflection of you, not of Jun - and they are not a replacement for “creativity”. They did, however, make my application process incredibly smooth, taught me the technique I needed to make my vague ideas become actual portfolio pieces, and pushed me to keep on creating. I’ve attended many other studios before this one, and none of the teachers cared as much about my progress as Jun and Janet did. They are amazing at what they do, and I cannot recommend...

Part 1 - Written by Danielle and Jessica. This school can be different for everyone’s need but it was truly not for me. For those who have special learning needs and lack creativity, closer guidance is needed. The school will not cater to those needs and for that reason, I strongly do not recommend this school due to my experience. As a former Toronto Art student, l still lack creativity, especially drawing by hand, even after leaving the school. I realize that most portfolio schools run on a business system and would take your money. A good example would be this school. As an unhappy client leaving the school, I am now with an art teacher who is preparing me for next year’s submission (2021), as I was not able to beat the challenge. I felt mentally unconfident and physically exhausted from being at this school. I was recommended by both the directors to attend the school daily in order to improve my artistic and creativity skill set. However, as my experiences were settling in, the classes did not help me improve despite already increasing the classes prior for the submission. I spent more than a year with this art school believing they would guide me and ease the stress to prepare me for Ryerson’s Architecture Science program in 2020. I was wrong. I thought this school would be the best fit for my and sister’s needs since we really lack with drawing creativity. I found it was hard to absorb information by Jun, the art director, as his style of teaching was to show the person rather than explaining how the technique works. Sometimes I felt that I was forced to do art in a way that was not my style and asked to do something else but ended up being rejected due to the director’s standards. As a result, I was making a portfolio for someone else instead of my own, but the purpose of me attending the school was not only to fix my drawing skills but to show a story of my own personal art pieces. I believe that a portfolio should contain one’s own style and art of a storytelling book. In every portfolio made by an artist should tell the viewer who they are as a person, their identity, their style, and how they express their creativity to the audience. For me, I did not feel the atmosphere of my portfolio was portrayed that way. As for every portfolio class, I thought payment went towards you getting help, inspiration, and importantly, confidence. I left the school with doubts, but I have learned how to draw and paint essentially. I am merely missing the essential part of creativity, which I thought the school would have provided me. Overall, I felt my bad experience with Toronto Art outweighed the good. There was favoritism that played a role in the group classes for those who are more advanced, around the director of the school, Jun. It should be natural that instructors would pay more attention to those who are struggling, rather than helping those who are most likely to succeed. Those who are committed to being responsible will have the passion to help and guide you to your portfolio and drawing test, since it plays a factor in confidence. It was hard for me to feel confident as I lost communication and connection with Jun. I feel that his assistants catered more of my needs. What was most difficult in the class was that trying to address your problem to Janet. Although she is a great listener, she would mention your flaws that reputes the school, rather fixing your problem. I find that it was rude to ask us to come to her office during peak hours or to contact my sister, especially if we are on full concentration mode. What I didn’t understand was that I was paying them for help and guidance in a group class. I felt that I was only paying to teach myself and the supplies, when the purpose was to get the...

Thank you Janet for bringing back the smile and confidence in my daughter Paige. Prior to March 2019, Paige was seeking help from online tutorials and other media to help her work and develop her portfolio. She was cognizant of the fact that she needed professional guidance in her Animation Portfolio submission, until she stumbled upon Toronto Art School on Yonge Street. I reached out to the school by telephone and immediately heard back from Janet, the Directrice, who was very warm, welcoming and polite. She met with us a few days later and encouraged Paige to pursue her dreams of becoming an animator. Janet brought back the self confidence in my child. Apart from Janet, the teachers at the school worked very hard with my daughter Paige and even though our scheduling and distance from Toronto allowed us only weekend classes, my daughter Paige was able to work on all necessary requirements needed for each one of the art institutions that she was to apply to. Janet kept me in the loop of things every step of the way. Jun and the various other teachers guided my daughter well. They took her strengths and helped her showcase them. They were able to tap into the areas that needed work or fine tuning and today Paige is a successful applicant of the Animation art institution of her choice. In addition to that, I would like to mention that Paige has been accepted to the various other institutions that she applied to, which is a great confidence booster to my teenage child. Paige told me that if it was not for the professionalism of the good teachers at Toronto Art, she would not feel as confident and as competent as she is today. Even though the Animation Portfolio submissions are coming to an end and she has been accepted in the institution of her choice, Paige wants to continue to stay at Toronto Art and keep learning more so as to become prepared for her academic year to the art school this coming September. Thank you Janet and Jun for your expertise, knowledge and guidance in my daughter Paige's education and her future career prospects. We are indebted and will always make a special mention of your school should children of our family and friends wish to pursue Fine Arts, Architecture, Fashion Design and Animation. It has been less than a year since Paige started classes at Toronto Art, yet she feels confident and competent to be sitting in a classroom of future animators. As teacher and member of the Ontario College of Teachers, I can recognize a good institution when I see one. I can recognize the quality of curriculum delivered and the depth and width of work covered and trust me when I say that there is a depth and width of quality work covered by the professionals of Toronto Art in preparing my child towards her future endeavours. I will always make a worthy mention of Toronto Art School and to this, I welcome parents to enquire through Janet the Directrice to get in touch with me should they wish to enquire about the school. Well done Toronto Art and Merci beaucoup. Penelaine...