The Dan Studios Process

Define.

Clarity & Strategy

Defining Your Path – Helping students uncover their strengths, artistic voice, and aspirations to build a strategic, intentional portfolio.

Research & Planning – Understanding what top art schools look for and aligning each student’s work with their goals.

Critical Thinking & Concept Development – Encouraging depth, originality, and intellectual engagement in their artistic practice.

Design.

Creativity & Craft

Developing Technical Excellence – Strengthening foundational and advanced artistic skills across diverse media.

Storytelling Through Art – Teaching students how to craft visually compelling and conceptually rich portfolios.

Personalized Portfolio Development – Guiding students to create a body of work that is both authentic and competitive.

Deliver.

Execution & Success

Finalizing a Standout Portfolio – Ensuring every portfolio is polished, curated, and strategically assembled for maximum impact.

Presentation & Articulation – Training students to confidently discuss their work in interviews, artist statements, and applications.

Pathway to Top Schools – Providing expert mentorship to help students secure admission to leading art and design institutions.

Why work with Dan

Dan Hickey is an international art educator, IB Visual Arts Examiner, and portfolio consultant with over a decade of experience guiding students into leading art, design, and architecture universities including RISD, Parsons, UAL, Cambridge, and CalArts. As Head of Art at UWCSEA East Campus in Singapore and a curriculum developer across Asia, he brings rare insight into what top schools are truly looking for — combining deep pedagogical expertise with first-hand admissions knowledge. Through Dan Studios, Dan helps students build portfolios that are not only technically strong, but personally meaningful, strategically designed, and impossible to ignore — empowering young artists to find their voice and succeed in the world’s most competitive applications.

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  • 10+ years teaching and mentoring in top international schools

  • Students admitted to leading global art & design institutions

  • Specialist experience across fine art, design, and architecture portfolios

Logo for The New School Parsons featuring bold red text on a white background.
Logo of Maryland Institute College of Art with the initials MICA
The logo of Rhode Island School of Design, featuring a circular blue emblem with the words 'Rhode Island School of Design 1877' and 'RISD' in the center, with decorative flourishes.
Logo of University of the Arts London with text 'ual: university of the arts london'
Logo of the Royal College of Art featuring a crest with a lion and unicorn, and text indicating postgraduate art and design programs.
University of Cambridge coat of arms with the text 'University of Cambridge' below.
Logo of California College of the Arts with the acronym 'CCA' and the full name below.
ArtCenter logo with an orange circle next to the words 'ArtCenter' in black text.
Logo of SAIC, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, featuring a large black square with 'SAIC' in bold white letters and the institute's name to the right.
Pratt logo on a yellow background.
School of Visual Arts logo with a red abstract floral design and black text.
University of Edinburgh logo featuring a crest with a shield, book, and a Latin motto

Our Success Stories.

Sculpture of two human faces made from crushed and crumpled cardboard boxes, positioned facing each other against a plain beige wall.

Mark Wong

Accepted to RISD, UAL, and Parsons

“Loving art, being enthusiastic and passionate was something I learned from Mr. Hickey. His support, honest advice, and deep understanding of his students gave me the freedom to explore my own voice. That made all the difference.”

Pixelated mosaic of Mona Lisa painting.

Cherry

Accepted to Pratt, Parsons, CalArts, SVA, Otis, and Syracuse

“Mr. Hickey helped me lean into my fascination with humor and the absurd. His mentoring gave clarity to my creative voice and shaped a portfolio that truly reflected who I am as an artist.”

Contact Dan.

If you would like to book a consultation, ask a question about Dan Studios’ services or talk to Dan, then fill in this form and we will attend to your requested promptly.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Dan Studios is a specialist art and design portfolio consultancy led by educator Daniel Hickey. We help students in Asia and worldwide create competitive portfolios for top art, design, and architecture universities.

  • Dan is an international art educator with over a decade of experience in leading schools across Asia and Europe. He has guided students into top institutions such as RISD, Parsons, Cambridge, UAL, and CalArts.

  • Unlike traditional art classes, Dan Studios blends technical training, conceptual development, and strategic guidance. Our Define–Design–Deliver framework ensures every portfolio is both authentic and aligned with university admissions requirements.

  • Students have received offers from leading global schools including RISD, Parsons, Cambridge, University of Edinburgh, UAL, Pratt, CalArts, and MICA.

  • Yes. Our programs are designed for a global audience. With a fully online model, students across Asia and around the world can access mentorship, courses, and consultancy without geographic barriers.

  • Absolutely. Many of our students apply to architecture programs, and we specialize in guiding them through architectural thinking, drawing, model-making, and portfolio curation.

  • Define (clarity & strategy), Design (creativity & craft), Deliver (execution & success) — a proven three-step process that helps students build strong, competitive portfolios.