Patrick O'Keefe
Art Director Spider-Man Into The Spider-Verse / Sony Pictures AnimationMoving into films and working digitally, even building these crazy video game worlds all came from an understanding of drawing and design that I learned at Animation Portfolio Workshop which changed the way I look at the world and taught me how to express my creative ideas. Happy 20th APW!
Werner Zimmermann
Life Drawing Instructor / Seneca College AnimationCongratulations on 20 years! It definitely says something about your program and the care with which it is delivered to every student enrolled. I see the results come into my classes and can only say - here's to your next 20!
Toon Boom Animation
Animation Production Software / Bring Your Stories To LifeAs proud sponsors of APW's Character Design Contest for 5 years running, we wish the Animation Portfolio Workshop a happy 20th anniversay! Best of luck to all contest entrants this year!
Geordie Millar
Life Drawing Instructor / Sheridan AnimationToronto houses some of the busiest animation studios and post-productrion companies in the nation. For 20 years APW has been one of the best ways of entering this world. They've consistently supported students with the most essential skills as well as developing mentoring & teaching abilities in their own students. APW instils real positivity and a proud, open outlook that always shines as their students enter College/University programs and on to the competitive creative workplace. Congratulations to APW on 20 years of bringing the best out in their grads! Here's to 20 more!
Brad Prescott, Founder, Animation Career Review
“Congratulations on 20 years of helping aspiring animators achieve their dreams."
Gordon Davies
University of Toronto / Director, Languages & Translation, Arts & Science School of Continuing StudiesCongratulations to APW on their anniversary: 20 years of preparing young people for creative careers in one of Canada's most important industries!
Brian Hladin
Figure Drawing Professor / Sheridan CollegeA big happy birthday congrats to everyone at APW for their first 20 years of excellence! Cheers!
Anime North
Canada's top not-for-profit Fan Event / Anime NorthAnime North sends Animation Portfolio Workshop all the best wishes as you celebrate your 20th anniversary of continuing to teach and support young students in developing their artistic skills and helping them along their educational path. Good going in the future!
Stephanie Ramone
Storyboard Artist / 9 Story Media GroupMerry Birthday wishes to the fine folks at APW. You helped me to achieve my animation dreams. Here's to another 20 doing the same for many more!
Angelo Libutti
Story Artist, 2D, 3D Animator, Director / Animation & Live ActionHappy Birthday Animation Portfolio Workshop! Love ya and keep on doing such a great job!
Sarah Jargstorf
Layout Artist / PixomondoHappy 20th birthday APW! It feels like just yesterday I was trekking my newsprint and chalk across town for life drawing. Big congrats to the whole APW crew!
Kaja Blackley
Canadian writer and illustrator / Maggie MacCormack And The Witches' WheelHappy 20th APW! May you continue to educate and inspire art students for many years to come!
Sonia Furier
Story Artist / Jam Filled EntertainmentAPW has been like a second home to me throughout my high school, college and finally my professional years. It's a place where I gained a strong drawing foundation, which serves me professionally everyday. I am so grateful and proud to be a part of APW's community - Happy 20th APW!
Mark Thurman
Professor Figure/Anatomy / Sheridan CollegeHave a happy 20th anniversay APW! You've done an excellent job helping to educate students with learning how to draw and become prepared for their future lives as animation students and professional animators. I've seen this demonstrated in the APW grads who have been my first year Figure Drawing students at Sheridan College Animation. Best wishes for continued success for many years to come.
Graham Finley
Animator / Pixar AnimationWorking with Gerard and Vince and having them focus my energy and enthusiasm for drawing gave me the start I needed. They knew when to answer questions I had and when I needed the encouragement to continue searching for myself.
Patrick O’Keefe
Art Director Spider-Man Into The Spider-Verse / Sony Pictures AnimationAPW was a major catalyst in forming my passion and skills as a young artist. It helped me to build a strong foundation that went far beyond getting into the college of my choosing and sustains my work ethic today as a professional concept artist in the entertainment industry.
Kathy De-Oliviera
Parent of Autumn De Oliviera Summer Intensive grad / Atlanta GeorgiaIt has been our daughter’s dream to attend Sheridan college since she was a freshman in high school. She was devastated when she applied in her senior year and did not get in. We found APW online and were impressed with the artwork of it’s graduates. Our daughter’s art improved SO MUCH during the program. The friends and mentors she met and the skills she learned were more than she could have asked for. She reached her goal of being accepted into Sheridan. It would have been impossible without APW. 1000% all true…we are grateful for you all!!
Animation Career Review
/ Animation Career ReviewThe rest of the world would do well to recognize the importance of this school.
Krishma Shinh
2017 APW studentAPW was honestly one of the best experiences in my life and I proudly recommend it to every art kid I meet. The environment is just so motivating and the content is so valuable. I'm very thankful to APW teachers: Bernadette, Vince, Sonia, Lindsey, and Gerard. Everyone is so accepting and encouraging. It feels like we're all one big family. Looking back at all the progress I've made since May, I feel blessed to have had the opportunity to grow and develop my skill.
Lynn Dana Wilton
Animator / Stop MotionAPW has raised the bar when it comes to nurturing the next generation of artists and consistently getting the right tools into their heads, hands, & hearts.
Rachel Joseph
Character Designer / Guru StudioThe Animation Portfolio Workshop was one of the greatest experiences of my life as well as one of the best art classes I have ever taken. Every single one of the teachers and TAs helped me greatly improve through the duration of this course. The way everything was taught was so fun and every single teacher was there to help and point you in the right direction when you couldn’t grasp something. One thing I loved about the Workshop was the small tight knit class. Everyone was friends with each other and learned from each other. We were all reaching for the same goal and everyone wanted success for each other. I learned so much and I do not think I would have Improved as much as I had in such a short amount of time. I will use and cherish all the skills The Workshop has taught me for the rest of my life. I miss the experiences of APW so much and would definitely recommend the program to anyone who is interested in pursuing animation as a career!
Jim Zubkavich
Writer and Artist / Instructor - Seneca School of Creative Arts & Animation / Zub TalesAPW student portfolios showcase skills that are crucial to succeeding in the industry – high quality figure drawing and a clear understanding of proportion, volume, and gesture. They give their students a solid drawing foundation perfect for building a successful creative career.
Myke Bakich
Story Artist / FreelanceWorking in the animation industry requires more than a handful of skills and abilities. On a daily basis you are required to be quick, confident, committed, careful and provide a high level of quantity and quality work. I was very fortunate to study at the Animation Portfolio Workshop. It instilled in me the dedication and craftsmanship required to develop and use these skills not only as a student, but as a professional. I still use the fundamentals I learned in class at work each day. When it comes to finding success in the workforce you've gotta have the skills to stay employed.
Mitch Yager
Animator / Sony ImageworksAPW gave me the knowledge I needed to pursue my dream job. I still use the fundamentals from this program every day at work. These guys know what they are talking about and I really don't think I would have got this far without their help.
Lisa Wang
Animator / Method StudiosThe instructors at APW are very dedicated and attentive. Not only did I learn to draw, they also taught me how to see form, structure, and think and draw in 3D space. The skills I learned at APW have been extremely helpful through all four years in animation at Sheridan College.
Claudio Gonzalez
Creature Cloth TD / Weta Digital, New Zealand"The Animation Portfolio Workshop was instrumental in getting me into Seneca's animation course. I joined as an amateur artist with zero knowledge of anatomy, and left a professional with a strong understanding of the human body. My sketchbook improved exponentially after the year I spent at APW. Gerard and Vince were incredibly patient with us and took the extra time needed to help us expand our abilities. I can easily say that without the APW, I would not be where I am today, working as a Creature Cloth TD at Weta Digital. Thank you Gerard and Vince!"
Joseph Lague
Lead Rigger, Cel Action 2D / Industrial BrothersAnimation Portfolio Workshop is the catalyst that launched my career. They successfully taught me the skills to succeed in animation school and beyond. I've been working nonstop for almost 9 years now in Toronto and I am always bumping into successful APW graduates.
Ken Wong
Illustrator / Freelance ArtistDuring the Summer Intensive program with Gerard and Vince gesture drawing became extremely important to me as an artist. It not only changed the way I think about posing a character, but also gave me the most appropriate method to bring characters to life. Surprisingly, the skill set I was taught in APW still helps me to develop my own drawing style and career now!
Paul Guenette
Animator"It's hard to believe that you started this more than 10 years ago". Most of your former students that I've worked with have been some of the best animators. I could also be biased because I was one of the first students. I owe you guys so much. Thanks."
Shen-Howe Lee
UX and UI Designer / One Net MarketingThe APW was a great investment. Gerard and Vince helped me to put together a great portfolio that got me accepted into the Seneca Animation program. Moreover, their community of teachers, students, and alumni provided a lot of support and motivation on my journey to becoming a production artist. I highly recommend APW for anyone who's goal is to work in the TV/FILM or video game industry as an artist.
Gabriel Arrellaga
Animation Student at Sheridan Animation / Gabriel's PortfolioI got accepted to both Sheridan and Seneca, and without the workshop I don´t think I would have had the same results. I came all the way from Paraguay to do this course because I read a lot of great things about it, and I was not disappointed. The instructors are so amazing! They really care about their students and they help us throughout the whole portfolio experience. It´s also great because you make really good friends! I highly recommend taking this course!!
Niko Powell
Animation Student at Sheridan Animation / Niko's PortfolioAPW changed my life. I am proud and so grateful to have been introduced to the world of professional Art. I have learned so much from my amazing teachers: Gerard, Bernadette, and Vince. It has opened up a wide world for me to hone my own artistic talent. They break your drawing down to the bottom so that you can build it up again as a stronger artist in every aspect. I can’t recommend APW enough, it has helped me in so many ways and anyone hoping to go into Illustration, Animation or any of the arts should definitely go through this amazing course full of amazing and inspiring people.
Simona Baranovicova
Seneca Animation Student / Simona's PortfolioI came to Canada all the way from Slovakia to attend the Animation Portfolio Workshop, and I must say it was well worth it! The atmosphere was great, the classes were filled with fun and we gained so much new knowledge. I just got accepted into the animation program at Seneca College and I know I wouldn’t have been able to do it without taking the workshop. If you’re considering whether to take the classes before applying to school, I say do so! There’s always a lot to learn and here you get all the feedback you need to successfully complete your portfolio.
Božena Baranovičová
Slovakia / Simona Baranovicova's MomAfter our daughter Simona came to Canada from Slovakia and completed this workshop we saw great progress in her drawing skills. We are proud that thanks to the Animation Portfolio Workshop and her own enthusiasm she got into the school of her dreams. We thank the whole APW team for the help and support they have shown our daughter! Slovak: Po tom, čo sa naša dcéra Simona zúčastnila na tomto kurze sme u nej videli veľké pokroky v kreslení a sme hrdí na to, že sa vďaka nemu a vlastnej zanietenosti dostala na školu svojich snov. Ďakujeme celému APW tímu za pomoc a podporu ktorú prejavili našej dcére!
Raship Trikha
Sheridan College Animation studentI'm an international student from Chandigarh, India and I GOT ACCEPTED TO SHERIDAN ANIMATION PROGRAM! ALL THANKS TO THIS WORKSHOP! Its so hard to describe how grateful i was to find this workshop. It has a clear goal and path that makes it even more reliable and appropriate. Once you go through this workshop you won't be able so say goodbye. The skills they teach not only help you build your portfolio but will also help you to survive in the competition you will face. The best thing that i liked was that they focused on drawing skills for the most part without making us worry about the portfolio.They started making us build the portfolio when we had the confidence and skill to do so that made it a lot easier. I would really like to thank the instructors Gerard,Vince and Bernadette who guided us throughout the portfolio days and also the T.As Josh and Lindsey for all the guidance! APW students were in fact the least tensed students out of all the applicants. I would really love to do the whole workshop again and again. Ill highly reccomend it to anyone applying to any animation college or anyone who wants to take their drawings skills to the next level!
Gianna Marks
Sheridan College Animation studentI would like to thank all the instructors at the APW for teaching me so much. The drawing experience that I gained at the workshop was beyond what I could have hoped for. This course not only allowed me to produce a competitive portfolio, but it reawakened in me a love for drawing, and a desire to draw. I had never done life drawing before, but the workshop made me fall in love with it, and I wanted to do it as often as possible. It was an amazing experience to see my skills and those of my friends get better with time. The teachers encouraged us to work hard and not to settle for anything. Great animation does not come from just doing the minimum. You have to continuously refine your skills, and the workshop helped me to see that. By the end of the workshop I made some incredible friends who all had the same interests as me. It was a class that I will never forget, and I encourage anyone who loves animation and loves drawing to take this course. You will learn skills that will stay with you in whatever field of art you choose to study.
Diane Cousins
Sheridan College Animation StudentAPW is an experience I will never forget. There are so many amazing people there that can help you improve. They became like a family to me and were nothing but supportive and encouraging. I would recommend this workshop to anyone who loves drawing and needs an extra boost to help them either with drawing or with building their portfolio. I started at a lower level and finished with such improvement thanks to this helpful program. You will get the help you need here and you will learn a lot from some amazing people. Animation Portfolio Workshop has people with experience that you can talk to, ask questions and share any concerns you might have. I can't thank APW enough.
Carlos Schvepper
Character Animator / DHX Media Vancouver, B.C."Como minha experiência em direção a animação profissional, o Animation Portfolio Workshop foi um excelente primeiro passo. Quando ainda morava no Brasil, não tive a oportunidade de fazer desenho artístico e precisei começar praticamente do zero - e o preparo que a APW me ofereceu foi imprescindível para que eu pudesse ingressar na faculdade. Os professores são atenciosos e conhecem nao só a arte mas também a indústria, o que ajuda na hora de avaliar resultados e objetivos. Recomendo a qualquer um que queira tentar as escolas de arte canadenses ou queira melhorar o desenho e olhar artístico. Se eu pudesse, faria o curso novamente!"
Maya Couto-Egamino
APW Online grad 2022I just received my offer from Seneca Animation! I accepted the offer and I'll be attending this September. I just wanted to thank the APW team for everything!
Lara Anil
APW Online grad 2022I can say that I took in more on the first day than I ever had in any of my high school art classes. I’m immensely grateful that I took this year to learn how to draw the long, rigorous way that a lot of people avoid and skip over. After having been through it all, I’m feeling very lucky to have been able to benefit from not only top teaching, but also great one-on-one mentorship—not to mention meeting some wonderful, supportive friends in my class.
Venya Aggarwal
APW Online grad 2022I cannot even put into words how helpful APW has been throughout my portfolio journey. I really feel like I have improved and gained a lot more confidence than I started with. I am really grateful for all the guidance each and every one of you has provided me with. It was a truly awesome journey! Thanks a lot once again!
Avery Mason
APW Online grad 2021, Sheridan Animation studentAPW Online really breaks down the portfolio process by building a base set of skills that help you understand the fundamentals of drawing for animation.
Yakira Gasner
APW Online grad 2021I recommend APW Online to anyone looking for an engaging, interactive program to boost your portfolio and feel confident in your new art skills.
Alisen Montoya
APW Character Design Contest winner 2017 / Alisen's portfolioGood news: I got accepted to both Seneca and Sheridan for animation! I just want to thank APW so much for helping me. I owe the APW team so much for helping me to become a better artist. The guidance you guys gave me made all the difference in whether I got into the programs.
Cathy Nguyen
2018 APW gradAPW was such a genuinely wonderful experience, and I owe much of my success to it. The people you meet, both instructors and peers, are all so supportive and provide an atmosphere that fosters artistic growth and confidence. They’ll teach you, they’ll encourage you, and they’ll help you find a focus in your hard work. You leave the workshop with a solid base of foundational skills that you’ll carry with you regardless of what path you’ll take. I would encourage anyone interested in pursuing visual arts to be part of APW if they have the opportunity!
Inaki Herrera
APW Online grad 2021`APW Online has given me a lot of confidence as an artist which I am forever grateful for since I believe that an artist should have passion for their work.
Sophie Alberdingk-Thijm
SVA Animation APW grad / Sophie's PortfolioAPW not only changed the way I draw, it made me much more confident and passionate about my art. The structure of the course allowed me to stay on top of my work while preparing my portfolio and the environment created through dedicated instructors and enthusiastic students motivated me to work hard and keep improving. It still surprises me how fast my work began to improve (and continues to!) once I had a grasp of the exercises taught in the course. I’m utterly thrilled to start at SVA (School of Visual Arts) in New York this fall, and forever thankful to my mom for introducing me to this amazing network of friends and teachers.
Patrick Macadat
2016 Summer Intensive grad / Patrick's portfolioI'm from Fort McMurray Alberta. Before the workshop I didn't know how to draw gestures, let alone demonstrate structure. The APW Summer Intensive helped me with that and more. I chose the summer intensive because I'm not close to Toronto so I thought it would be better to complete the workshop within 2 months. I'm super pleased with the course it was beyond my expectations! With the help of APW I've been accepted into Seneca and Sheridan.
Luna Skeet Browning
Summer Intensive grad“I am eternally grateful for all that APW has done for me. It has given me an unbeatable drawing education, the most humble and dedicated teachers that I’ve ever met, lifelong friends, and perhaps most importantly of all, a new home. Through it I have grown exponentially not only as an artist, but as a person as well.”
Alex Barnes
2017 APW gradThe workshop is a great place to build your roots and get a feel for what is needed for an animation portfolio. With guidance and help from people who really know their stuff!
Jibreel Baksh
2017 APW gradInitially, I signed up for the APW expecting to create an animation portfolio... Little did I know, I was embarking on a thrilling and transformative journey towards becoming an artist. As the months passed by, not only did I see considerable improvements in my drawings, it was amazing to be part of an environment that continued to feel more like my second family. Having the help of Josh and his personal feedback skyrocketed my progression forward. From character development and storyboarding to concept designs for layouts - It would have taken me a considerable amount of time to reach this point without the help of Josh and the APW team. I would recommend this workshop to any student looking to achieve a solid foundation in drawing and the motivation and understanding to get there.
Krishma Shinh
2017 APW gradAPW was honestly one of the best experiences in my life and I proudly recommend it to every art kid I meet. The environment is just so motivating and the content is so valuable. I'm very thankful to APW teachers: Bernadette, Vince, Sonia, Lindsey, and Gerard. Everyone is so accepting and encouraging. It feels like we're all one big family. Looking back at all the progress I've made since May, I feel blessed to have had the opportunity to grow and develop my skill.
Mr. Justice Kofi Barnes & Mrs. Beverley Thomas-Barnes
Alex Barnes's ParentsThank you. 24 months ago my son expressed an interest in studying animation. This is a field I knew nothing about and did not understand. So I researched the area thoroughly. I discovered that having the ability to create a top notch portfolio is extremely important. Job prospects are greatly enhanced by attending top-notch schools. You need an excellent portfolio to be successful in the very competitive admission process to the best schools. You need intense training to enhance and hone your skills in order to prepare a portfolio that would get the reviewers attention. Your Animation Portfolio Workshop successfully honed my son's talents. It helped him develop the portfolio required for success and he was admitted into his Animation School of choice. Your dedication to ensuring that your students achieve their highest potential is proven and exemplary. Thank you for helping our son achieve his goal.
Georgia Georgiou
2017 APW gradTaking the workshop was the best decision I ever made for my future and making my dreams come true. No matter how talented you are everyone needs guidance, and that's what the workshop is all about. The teachers are on your side every step of the way encouraging you and teaching you how to really draw. Getting into animation school is the best thing that happened to me and I owe it to the workshop and all the teachers and the entire APW team that helped me get there.
Rachel Joseph
Characer Designer / Guru StudioThe Animation Portfolio Workshop was one of the greatest experiences of my life as well as one of the best art classes I have ever taken. Every single one of the teachers and TAs helped me greatly improve through the duration of this course. The way everything was taught was so fun and every single teacher was there to help and point you in the right direction when you couldn’t grasp something. One thing I loved about the Workshop was the small tight knit class. Everyone was friends with each other and learned from each other. We were all reaching for the same goal and everyone wanted success for each other. I learned so much and I do not think I would have Improved as much as I had in such a short amount of time. I will use and cherish all the skills The Workshop has taught me for the rest of my life. I miss the experiences of APW so much and would definitely recommend the program to anyone who is interested in pursuing animation as a career!
Gabriel Arrellaga
APW grad / Gabriel's PortfolioI got accepted to both Sheridan and Seneca, and without the workshop I don´t think I would have had the same results. I came all the way from Paraguay to do this course because I read a lot of great things about it, and I was not disappointed. The instructors are so amazing! They really care about their students and they help us throughout the whole portfolio experience. It´s also great because you make really good friends! I highly recommend taking this course!!
Simona Baranovicova
APW grad / Simona's PortfolioI came to Canada all the way from Slovakia to attend the Animation Portfolio Workshop, and I must say it was well worth it! The atmosphere was great, the classes were filled with fun and we gained so much new knowledge. I just got accepted into the animation program at Seneca College and I know I wouldn’t have been able to do it without taking the workshop. If you’re considering whether to take the classes before applying to school, I say do so! There’s always a lot to learn and here you get all the feedback you need to successfully complete your portfolio.
Tamara Luchtman
2017 APW gradAPW's program is a rigorous, challenging and incredibly rewarding experience. The instructors are exceptional in the sense that they adapt to each student's learning style, are encouraging, and make each class fun and engaging. I credit a big part of me getting into animation school to this program and its instructors/TAs
Raship Trikha
APW gradI'm an international student from Chandigarh, India and I GOT ACCEPTED TO SHERIDAN ANIMATION PROGRAM! ALL THANKS TO THIS WORKSHOP! Its so hard to describe how grateful i was to find this workshop. It has a clear goal and path that makes it even more reliable and appropriate. Once you go through this workshop you won't be able so say goodbye. The skills they teach not only help you build your portfolio but will also help you to survive in the competition you will face. The best thing that i liked was that they focused on drawing skills for the most part without making us worry about the portfolio.They started making us build the portfolio when we had the confidence and skill to do so that made it a lot easier. I would really like to thank the instructors Gerard,Vince and Bernadette who guided us throughout the portfolio days and also the T.As Josh and Lindsey for all the guidance! APW students were in fact the least tensed students out of all the applicants. I would really love to do the whole workshop again and again. Ill highly reccomend it to anyone applying to any animation college or anyone who wants to take their drawings skills to the next level!
Myke Bakich
Story Artist / FreelanceWorking in the animation industry requires more than a handful of skills and abilities. On a daily basis you are required to be quick, confident, committed, careful and provide a high level of quantity and quality work. I was very fortunate to study at the Animation Portfolio Workshop. It instilled in me the dedication and craftsmanship required to develop and use these skills not only as a student, but as a professional. I still use the fundamentals I learned in class at work each day. When it comes to finding success in the workforce you've gotta have the skills to stay employed.
Cristian Caetano
2017 APW gradAPW was a lifesaver! Getting ready to apply for animation seemed like a daunting task at first, but Vince, Bernadette Lindsey and Gerard were there every step of the way to aid me in building my portfolio. By the end, I made lots of friends, learned invaluable skills and built an incredible portfolio, all of which I will never forget.
Ken Mi Nakano
2016 Winter Intensive grad / Richmond, British Columbia"APW is an unforgettable experience which I would highly recommend to anyone interested. The confidence gained and techniques learned are truly invaluable, I felt like a part of a family. When I heard about APW's Winter Intensive, I cut my vacation overseas short to attend and would gladly do it again!, I consider my time there a keystone moment in my life. I'm still shocked at how much I improved in such little time. I was often denied entry into art programs during my time in highschool, but with APW, I was able to enter the school of my choice (Capilano University). Words cannot describe how thankful I am to the team at APW. As the Japanese proverb goes; Better than a thousand days of diligent study is one day with a great teacher."
Ethan Chouinard
2018 Summer Intensive gradThanks to everyone at APW, I've just received a conditional acceptance into my program of choice, Bachelor of Animation at Sheridan! I wanted to say how wonderful it's been to have gotten this opportunity and I owe so much of it to APW.