When Art Suddenly Clicks

Alongside my role at Arts Instruct, I also have the pleasure of tutoring art one-on-one on the Preply platform, amongst others. I've been doing this for over two years now, and it’s been such a rewarding experience to teach students from all around the globe!

One of my favourite students is a bright 12-year-old girl from Texas, who comes from a lovely family of home-educated sisters. Right from the start, her willingness to explore new materials and techniques made her a delight to teach. In fact, I often use our lessons to test out new project ideas before sharing them at Arts Instruct. Her feedback is invaluable; she’s honest and provides real-time insights on what works and what might be confusing for students.

I recently shared our story for Preply’s “Better Duo” campaign, which celebrates the incredible human connections that make learning truly special.

The Challenge: When a Technique Just Won’t Click

Last year, I was working on a fun gesture drawing project with her. The goal was to capture movement rather than focus on fine detail. She picked football as her theme, which was perfect since she plays for her local team, and I'd picked skateboarding as the demo for my membership platform. Unfortunately, despite my best efforts—like demonstrations and visual aids—she was still struggling with the technique. Her drawings felt stiff and overly careful.

To understand what was happening, I took a step back and watched her work from above. I realised she was using one continuous line to build her entire figure, which made her style slow and too controlled for gesture drawing.

Thinking Outside the Box

Instead of repeating the same instructions, I decided to change things up a bit. I asked her to imagine that her pencil was a magic wand. “How would you hold a magic wand? How would you move it?” Instantly, she relaxed her grip!

Next, I introduced a 30-second time limit to keep things exciting and to help her stop overthinking. And then I made one more little tweak: instead of starting with the arm, I suggested she draw the hand first, imagining where the arm would be. Bingo! It was a total breakthrough moment!

She ended up creating a beautiful, dynamic football drawing that was full of life and movement. She was so proud that she even decided to create a similar piece for her own football team!

Why Connection Matters

This experience shows just how much I value one-on-one teaching. Art isn’t about creating a perfect masterpiece; it’s about exploring, experimenting, and overcoming challenges with the right support. Building a trusting relationship makes it easier for students to take creative risks and really enjoy the process.

A Peek Behind the Scenes at Arts Instruct

At Arts Instruct, every project is crafted based on real teaching and genuine student experiences. I'm dedicated to helping students aged 11–14 build skills and confidence, especially those who might think, “I can’t draw.”

If you’re curious about how structured and supportive art lessons can help your child flourish creatively, I’d love for you to explore my membership with a free trial. And if you’re a student looking for some friendly one-on-one art time, I’d be thrilled to hear from you!

Let’s create something amazing together!

Ready to support your child’s creativity with confidence?

If your child is aged 11–14 and enjoys art but sometimes struggles with confidence, perfectionism, or knowing where to start, Arts Instruct was created for exactly that reason.

I’m a UK-qualified art teacher (PGCE), and every Arts Instruct lesson is carefully designed to:

• Build real art skills step by step

• Support creative thinking, not just copying

• Feel calm, achievable, and encouraging

• Fit easily into home learning, without pressure

You can explore the membership with a free trial, giving your child time to try the lessons, experiment with materials, and work at their own pace.

Find out more and start your free trial at www.artsinstruct.com