Sukriti Painting Atelier, In Association With Bed'n'Easel

1. A brief session to determine the goal of a new student.

2. Assessing the ability to meet that goal and listing out strengths to be focused on and new skills to develop.

3. Keeping the confidence in ability high by producing finished works while also working on exercises that lead to self-assessment and constant improvement.

4. Using Old Masters' and established artists' works to train the eye to appreciate aesthetics and become aware of quality that one can aspire to building in one's own work.

5. To do all of the above, I use well-designed and time-tested lessons that I have deviced over several years of teaching and learning fine art.

I have been Atelier trained at the Roubtzoff School at the Russian Cultural Centre, Tunis (Tunisia); trained in Summer Workshops at the Florence Art Academy, Moindal (Sweden); Summer Workshop at the Royal Drawing School, London (UK); and I hold a Diploma with Distinction in Painting and Drawing. On arriving in Washington DC I also studied at the Schuler School of Fine Art, Baltimore (MD). I have (from 2004-20011) studied extensively the available online courses. 

I typically teach classes of 4-6 participants. This helps me in keeping the per person and per hour charges low. $50 for one studio session (one hour of instruction, followed by an hour of supervised exercises) for a smaller group of only 4 students is my introductory price for DC.

Private lessons in my studio will cost higher.

I do not encourage private tuitions unless the student has high level of abilities as I believe that there is as much to learn from other's strengths and weaknesses for a beginner as from one's own efforts. Also, I reserve private lessons for students with unusual circumstances.

I have kept my tuition fees low as I encourage students to work with best of artist grade materials for good results and art materials can be very expensive. 

I had my paintings in shows and in my studio and many, after seeing my work, wanted me to teach them. Initially, I started with free demos and group painting events for free but I realized that a commodity not priced is not valued as much. 

This led me to teach with lessons priced just so people can afford it with ease along with all the incrimental expenses they need to make to excel in art.

While responding to individual needs of the students, I have over the years prepared many lesson plans, which I use systematically but with flexibility.

I have worked with beginners and also with students holding BFA and MFA. I have worked with children (7-17 yrs old), and with adults (men and women). Having been an expat living in different countries of Africa, I have worked with people from different nationalities. 

What was common in all my students was this immense need to draw and paint well. 

I was training myself to be an artist in Africa in 2002. Often the only source of my learning was books and DVDs which I had to import from other countries (India, UK, USA). I came across several books and DVDs resulting from Atelier teaching in the US. When I participated in Figurative Art Convention and Expo, Nov 2017 in Miami, I got to meet the authors and instructors of these books and resource materials in person and learnt some more from them. This included, David Leffel, Sherrie McGraw, Juliette Aristedes, Michael Mentler, Cesar Santos, Graydon Parrish, and many, many more. Their instructions were always good, but getting to learn from them face to face is an experience I cherish as a student.

Look for the best teacher for it is a long, difficult journey and your faith in your abilities can be doubly enhanced with ecouragement and disciplined learning. 

1. What is their goal?

2. Does the teacher offer (evidence is in the teacher's work) what would help them achieve their goal?