The School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC)'s Early College Program Summer Institute (ECPSI) brings an extraordinary array of students from all over the world to create portfolio-quality work, make connections with our world-renowned faculty, experience SAIC’s amazing facilities, and earn college credit. Through ECPSI, you will be empowered to bring your ideas to life, whatever form that may take. You will have the freedom to work in multiple media: you can incorporate text into paintings, combine performance and sculpture, or cross boundaries from sound to architecture. In our one-, two-, and four-week sessions, you'll follow a college-level curriculum with day-long studio courses, critiques, workshops, and a final exhibition. In this course students will focus interests and refine their skills to create strong, portfolio-quality work. This advanced course is intended for students with previous drawing and/or painting experience who are ready to experiment, take risks, and push their skills to the next level. The organization of ideas and development of self-directed work is emphasized with instructor guidance and peer support. Students explore contemporary artistic practices through interdisciplinary approaches that cultivate material exploration, image making strategies, and traditional and non-traditional drawing and painting techniques. Lead by their individual projects and goals, students may choose to work in a variety of media, such as water-based paint, oil paint, ink, pencil, charcoal, collage, or a combination of media.