Hsiao-Yen has both Master and Bachelor Degrees in Fine Art Illustration from Academy of Art University in San Francisco. She was a staff at Pacific Rim International School,

a Montessori school offering a bilingual immersion program in English-Mandarin and English-Japanese to students from 3 to 18 years old. She was a graphic art illustrator for the school and for children educational materials since August 2009.

Her illustrations were published and printed in children’s picture books, children’s clothing, advertisements, and teacher’s handbook of children’s education. Hsiao-Yen also designs digital graphic illustrations for school’s website, poster, banner and a variety of publications.

She has been publishing children’s books since 2012 and has won 2013 Moonbeam Children’s Book Silver Prize for “A Persistent Vine” in the category of ‘Picture Book- All Ages’. She excels at watercolor skills, color theory and composition, various unique and cohesive visual styles. She also has over 5 years of teaching experiences and 10 years of freelance in graphic design, logo, digital or traditional illustration and UI design.

She is currently working for Volare Studio/Volotot as an illustrator of children’s products. She designs all the characters and graphic images for the website and videos:

www.volotot.com

My teaching philosophy:

I have designed 4 levels (Preschool, K, K1 and K2)of art classes that helps children develop creativity, problem-solving skills and imagination. Children will have a great opportunity to present and exhibit art works that express their own creativity, feelings and unique self-expression painting styles. They will be introduced to color theory, composition, famous painting styles (Abstract, Realism, Impressionism…etc.), and introduction of well-known artists of each painting style. In addition, students will learn how to use knowledge of structures and functions, the differences among visual characteristics and purposes of art to carry ideas.

Goals for my classes: 

  1. Students will be able to demonstrate understanding of techniques, use different kind of materials/techniques/processes/notations of each art form, and diverse cultural/historical contexts of the arts.
  2. Help students discover their own unique painting styles and find out the most favorite technique.
  3. Parents can’t wait to frame their children’s art works and hang them on the walls at home or proudly show the talents to friends, families or strangers.

For preschool students: 

most projects in classes are to help children exercise their arms and muscles. Children will learn the foundation of how to use tools and materials, developing skills, and inventing new ways to create.

The classes will definitely help them build their interest in Art and creativity.

Project

I will briefly describe the contents of each assignment to the parents, and will send an email reminder one day ahead of each class. The information includes materials, purpose of learning and painting style with its representative artist. If the project cannot be done in one class, I will take a photo of each child’s work with their name on it and send it to the parents via emails to check on children’s learning progress.

* Children won’t be able to take art work back home every week because all the assignments will be collected as an art portfolio, size 9”X12”, and the portfolio will be returned to them by the end of each semester.

Project for this year:

–   Character Design

–   Collage

–   Color Mixing

–   Landscape

–   Line Drawings

–   Mix Media

–   Painting

–   Positive & Negative Space

–   Still life

–   Simple 2D Perspective

–   Self-Portraits

We will be using the following media:
  • Acrylic
  • Black Marker
  • Charcoal
  • Color Papers
  • Ink
  • Isopropyl Alcohol 91%
  • Pencil and colored Pencils
  • Pastel
  • Salt
  • Watercolor
  • Wax Crayon