Experience Summary
I have been tutoring art for over 3 years. My students have often had learning disabilities but that has not stopped them from being successful with traditional as well as digital art. You can view my skills as an artist at zakfalco.com . I have experience tutoring traditional drawing, pastels, charcoal, and pen and ink skills. I also have extensive experience with digital art tutoring in Photoshop, Illustrator, Maya, After Effects, and Flash. I only teach digital painting.
Teaching Style
I do not believe in negative critique. It can be extremely harmful to someone's self image. Instead I praise what the student has accomplished and encourage ways to grow skills and enhance the image created. I prefer to teach one-on-one or two students at a time so that I can personalize the lesson to what the student wants to learn or is interested in drawing. This allows the student to achieve successful growth quickly so they want to keep learning.
My Hobbies
Manga, cartooning, fantasy gaming & drawing, portrait drawing (people and pets).
Other Comments
As a freelance artist I have a very flexible schedule and can typically be available when you wish to schedule lessons. I also provide parents night out art lessons for the kid(s) that think they are too old for a babysitter. You get to go out and they think they are the one getting the extra curricular activity. I prefer to teach at my home in Hawthorne (90250, right by the 405 freeway),at a local park, a coffee house nearby, or the library as I do not drive. I will travel up to 5 miles if lessons are more than 1 hour. Typical art lessons are 1.5 hours or longer to allow the student to learn new material and then put it into practice. You can reach me at zakfalco@hotmail.com or call my cell at 310-746-7484.
| ADD/ADHD |
Proficiency: Experienced
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| I have taught digital and traditional art to students with ADD and ADHD. This is a great way to harness their creativity and find a place where they can succeed. For me it gives me a sense of success that I did not have in other subjects. I would love the chance to share my passion with you or your child. |
| Creative Arts |
 This is one of my top subjects!
Proficiency: Expert
|
| Arts & crafts, traditional drawing, pastels, and digital art software (Photoshop, Illustrator, Maya, After Effects, Flash). Experience working with students with and without disabilities. I also teach still life drawing. |
| Drawing |
This is one of my top subjects!
Proficiency: Expert
|
| As a freelance artist I do photo-realistic drawings and cartooning. My I can teach across this wide spectrum based on what the person is looking for. I have experience teaching kids, teens, and college students with and without disabilities. I teach both hand drawing and digital drawing. |
| Dyslexia |
Proficiency: Experienced
|
| I used art as a means of improving my perceptiveness of objects, people, and letters orientation. I found that treating cursive writing like a form of art allowed me to improve my writing. Art lessons can enhance/make the student focus on the subtle differences that aid in skills like writing, reading, and tracking. |
| Painting |
This is one of my top subjects!
Proficiency: Expert
|
| Being ADHD, I only teach digital painting. I love the fact that I can paint layer after layer without waiting for the paint to dry. This allows someone to create fantastic art during a 1-2 hour lesson. Lessons are taught in Photoshop and Illustrator. |
| Special Education |
Proficiency: I know the basics
|
| I draw on my personal education to bring empathy to students with learning differences. Art is a means to bridge communication deficits, allowing the student to find their voice and express themselves. |