Youth & Continuing Studies Courses

Learn to draw, sculpt, model, mold, sew, and prototype your own unique toys, stuffed animals, and action figures. Campers first develop their characters by creating a series of traditional illustrations and models before moving into 3D media. Drawing inspiration from both classic and contemporary toys - and the cartoons or stories that accompany them- students develop their toy design using a variety of exciting techniques and creative approaches.

This camp provides a stimulating environment for young artists to grow as creative, unique individuals and to learn how to creatively problem-solve. In addition to daily studio art projects, students visit the collections of the Art Institute of Chicago to experience art firsthand. Individual sketchbooks complement these visits to capture creative research, ideas, and reactions. Campers work together on a variety of fun projects and participate in the joys of making art with friends, experimenting with painting, drawing, mixed-media, sculpture, printmaking, and much more! Each session has a new focus so students that enroll in multiple sessions encounter all-new studio projects.

Work alongside fellow campers to imagine, design, and then create the various elements of a brand new fantastical world full of your own characters, wildlife, structures, histories, and more. This mixed-media course will feature projects in illustration and comics, sculpture, 3-D modeling, and creative writing. Visits to the Art Institute of Chicago will feature an exploration of artists who have also created their own worlds in celebrated fine art across history.

This camp provides a stimulating environment for young artists to grow as creative, unique individuals and to learn how to creatively problem-solve. In addition to daily studio art projects, students visit the collections of the Art Institute of Chicago to experience art firsthand. Individual sketchbooks complement these visits to capture creative research, ideas, and reactions. Campers work together on a variety of fun projects and participate in the joys of making art with friends, experimenting with painting, drawing, mixed-media, sculpture, printmaking, and much more! Each session has a new focus so students that enroll in multiple sessions encounter all-new studio projects.

This camp provides a stimulating environment for young artists to grow as creative, unique individuals and to learn how to creatively problem-solve. In addition to daily studio art projects, students visit the collections of the Art Institute of Chicago to experience art firsthand. Individual sketchbooks complement these visits to capture creative research, ideas, and reactions. Campers work together on a variety of fun projects and participate in the joys of making art with friends, experimenting with painting, drawing, mixed-media, sculpture, printmaking, and much more! Each session has a new focus so students that enroll in multiple sessions encounter all-new studio projects.

This camp provides a stimulating environment for students to explore their artistic potential and increase skill development by working with a variety of materials, using the Art Institute of Chicago, surrounding architecture and public art, and current events as inspiration. Students gain skills in a wide variety of media, which may include drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpting, and mixed media in addition to critical thinking, time management, and problem-solving in a fun, safe, and nurturing environment. Projects are designed to enhance both personal expression and collaborative abilities while introducing students to contemporary and historical art. Each session has a new focus so students that enroll in multiple sessions encounter all-new studio projects.

The buildings in which you live, attend school, even the mall where you shop, have an incredible impact on your life. In this camp, students explore their surroundings and investigate how basic human needs, desires, and behaviors influence the design of architectural spaces. Emphasis is placed on the methods architects use to develop their design ideas while examining structures, materials, and technologies exemplified in historical and contemporary architecture. Using the city of Chicago and its world-renowned architecture as subject, perspective drawing, drafting, model making, and digital software programs are introduced. Visits to the Art Institute of Chicago and walking trips/on-site sketching at historic buildings by architects Louis Sullivan and Mies van der Rohe as well as contemporary structures including Frank Gehry's Jay Pritzker Pavillion and Renzo Piano's Modern Wing of the Art Institute supplement the studio experience.

In this camp, young artists bring their imagination to life through an exciting range of illustration techniques. Characters, animals, objects, vehicles, and environments are created using traditional and digital media and methods such as graphic markers, illustration pens, watercolor, ink, sculpting materials, digital drawing tablets, and programs such as Procreate.

The buildings in which you live, attend school, even the mall where you shop, have an incredible impact on your life. In this camp, students explore their surroundings and investigate how basic human needs, desires, and behaviors influence the design of architectural spaces. Emphasis is placed on the methods architects use to develop their design ideas while examining structures, materials, and technologies exemplified in historical and contemporary architecture. Using the city of Chicago and its world-renowned architecture as subject, perspective drawing, drafting, model making, and digital software programs are introduced. Visits to the Art Institute of Chicago and walking trips/on-site sketching at historic buildings by architects Louis Sullivan and Mies van der Rohe as well as contemporary structures including Frank Gehry's Jay Pritzker Pavillion and Renzo Piano's Modern Wing of the Art Institute supplement the studio experience.

This camp provides a stimulating environment for students to explore their artistic potential and increase skill development by working with a variety of materials, using the Art Institute of Chicago, surrounding architecture and public art, and current events as inspiration. Students gain skills in a wide variety of media, which may include drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpting, and mixed media in addition to critical thinking, time management, and problem-solving in a fun, safe, and nurturing environment. Projects are designed to enhance both personal expression and collaborative abilities while introducing students to contemporary and historical art. Each session has a new focus so students that enroll in multiple sessions encounter all-new studio projects.

This camp provides a stimulating environment for students to explore their artistic potential and increase skill development by working with a variety of materials, using the Art Institute of Chicago, surrounding architecture and public art, and current events as inspiration. Students gain skills in a wide variety of media, which may include drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpting, and mixed media in addition to critical thinking, time management, and problem-solving in a fun, safe, and nurturing environment. Projects are designed to enhance both personal expression and collaborative abilities while introducing students to contemporary and historical art. Each session has a new focus so students that enroll in multiple sessions encounter all-new studio projects.

This camp provides a stimulating environment for students to explore their artistic potential and increase skill development by working with a variety of materials, using the Art Institute of Chicago, surrounding architecture and public art, and current events as inspiration. Students gain skills in a wide variety of media, which may include drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpting, and mixed media in addition to critical thinking, time management, and problem-solving in a fun, safe, and nurturing environment. Projects are designed to enhance both personal expression and collaborative abilities while introducing students to contemporary and historical art. Each session has a new focus so students that enroll in multiple sessions encounter all-new studio projects.

Bring artwork to life using traditional and digital media to create one-of-a-kind animations. In this exciting camp, students learn animation principles while exploring different techniques, including stop-motion animation, frame-by-frame animation, digitally modified video, and computer-aided animation. Digital tools including laptops, still cameras, video cameras, sound recorders, and iPads may be used in conjunction with sketchbook work and traditional processes to reflect contemporary artistic hybrid methods.

Bring artwork to life using traditional and digital media to create one-of-a-kind animations. In this exciting camp, students learn animation principles while exploring different techniques, including stop-motion animation, frame-by-frame animation, digitally modified video, and computer-aided animation. Digital tools including laptops, still cameras, video cameras, sound recorders, and iPads may be used in conjunction with sketchbook work and traditional processes to reflect contemporary artistic hybrid methods.

This camp introduces young designers to fashion with an emphasis on discovering their own style while learning the technical skills that allow them to take their designs from concept to reality. Activities guide students through the process of developing original ideas, finding inspiration for fashion in the world around them, and responding to the work of other artists and designers. Students build fundamental skills in fashion research and drawing, draping, garment construction, and machine and hand sewing. Students also explore sculptural draping by using paper to create exciting experimental looks and deconstruct garments to create new forms. Projects change each camp so students may enroll in multiple camps over the summer.

This advanced camp is for students who have previous drawing experience and want to explore a wide range of materials and processes to expand their work in new directions. While continuing to build on technical skills, students will focus on drawing as a tool for organizing thoughts, feelings, and sharing their ideas. Students will work with a wide range of materials including pencil, charcoal, pastel, ink, and mixed media. Students visit the Art Institute of Chicago to observe and sketch from a vast collection of paintings, sculptures, and objects that are used as inspiration for studio work.

This camp introduces young designers to fashion with an emphasis on discovering their own style while learning the technical skills that allow them to take their designs from concept to reality. Activities guide students through the process of developing original ideas, finding inspiration for fashion in the world around them, and responding to the work of other artists and designers. Students build fundamental skills in fashion research and drawing, draping, garment construction, and machine and hand sewing. Students also explore sculptural draping by using paper to create exciting experimental looks and deconstruct garments to create new forms. Projects change each camp so students may enroll in multiple camps over the summer.

This course introduces young designers to fashion with an emphasis on discovering their own style. Students explore ways to enhance and embellish existing garments with surface design techniques like embroidery, beading and applique. The class also explores experimental projects using non-traditional materials to create one-of-a-kind accessories. Activities guide students through the process of developing original ideas, finding inspiration for fashion in the world around them, and responding to the work of other artists and designers.

Video games develop exciting characters, tell original stories, build vivid graphics, and present a great opportunity for interactivity––plus they are super fun! In this dynamic and challenging camp, students experiment with video game production by coding and illustrating playable computer video games; even sharing some of their creations with friends online! Students make use of traditional and digital media such as sketchbooking, storyboarding, sound effect editing, digital drawing, and using platforms for game creation to create one-of-a-kind video games.

Video games develop exciting characters, tell original stories, build vivid graphics, and present a great opportunity for interactivity––plus they are super fun! In this dynamic and challenging camp, students experiment with video game production by coding and illustrating playable computer video games; even sharing some of their creations with friends online! Students make use of traditional and digital media such as sketchbooking, storyboarding, sound effect editing, digital drawing, and using platforms for game creation to create one-of-a-kind video games.