How Jane Created an Art Community Where Students Teach Each Other
The Backstory
Jane LaFazio teaches sketchbook and art journaling — subjects that are deeply visual. She needed a platform that could keep up with the art: big, beautiful images, space for students to share their work, and a real sense of community. Most platforms she looked at were built for text and video, not for showing off a stunning watercolor sketch.
What Was Getting in the Way
- Most course platforms weren't designed for visual, image-heavy art courses
- She needed students to see each other's artwork displayed large, not as tiny thumbnails
- Community interaction had to feel natural, like an art circle, not a comment thread
- She wanted her students to learn from each other, not just from her
What They Were Hoping For
- Build a visually rich learning space that does justice to her students' art
- Create a genuine community where students learn from and inspire each other
- Display student artwork prominently — not buried in a sidebar
- Foster the kind of connection and encouragement that makes creative learning special
How Ruzuku Fit In
What Clicked
Jane fell in love with how visual Ruzuku is. The platform shows big, beautiful images with generous space for comments and conversation underneath. It felt like the digital version of an art studio — students could share their work, exchange ideas, and genuinely build community around creative learning.
What They Built
She built art journaling and sketchbook courses that make the most of Ruzuku's visual display and community features. Students post their artwork, get feedback from each other, and end up learning as much from their peers as from Jane's instruction. It's become a real creative community.
The Tools That Helped Most
What Changed
Jane has built a thriving art journaling community where students don't just learn techniques — they connect, share, and inspire each other. The community aspect surprised even her — it became the heart of the whole experience.
| Metric | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Visual Experience | Text-heavy platforms | Beautiful, image-rich |
| Student Interaction | Isolated learning | Vibrant art circle |
| How Learning Happens | Instructor-only feedback | Students teach each other |
| Community Feeling | Just a course | A true creative home |
Timeline: Built a flourishing visual art community that keeps growing
"Ruzuku is soooo visual, with large images and oodles of space below each image for students to comment and exchange ideas. It's an ideal place to learn from each other and interact and, most surprising, to build community."
Lessons Worth Sharing
Visual courses need a platform that was actually designed for visual learning
Community features can become the most valuable part of your whole course
When students learn from each other, everyone's experience gets richer
Sometimes the best thing about a platform is something you didn't expect