Any Experience or Knowledge of MICA's Pre-College?

[witchbaby]

Hey everyone~

I'm planning on trying to go there this summer, and I wondered what everyone thought, and if anyone had gone before. Does anyone know anything about the program? Has anyone gone before, or heard something about it? Specifically, anything about their illustration program would be great!

Thanks. :)

[bluefruitbowl]

I live near MICA, and though I've never attended the program, I've takes summer camp stuff there in the past whilst precollege was in session. The work that I did get to see [precollege kids lugging around large oil paintings of people - which makes me think that they were taking "figure in oil"] was pretty good. I know that at least partially, the staff is the same as the continuing ed staff, which is good. I've heard from people that the rules are uber strict and that you can't really go anywhere in your free time.

edit:
You are a junior? Apply for the Marie Walsh Sharpe program. Apparently it's buttkicking, and it's free. It's also a tasty tidbit, being able to say you are a scholar of the program.

[witchbaby]

I did hear about the strict thing, but I don't really know how much that will effect me until I know how much I'm working and stuff, I think? But the staff thing is reassuring.

I've never heard of the Marie Walsh Sharpe program-- I'll look into it. However, one of the real reasons I want to go to an art pre-college program was to check out the actual art college aspect of it, and make sure it's what I want to do, and get some idea as to what MICA is like, as it's a potential school I want to apply to.

Thanks for replying!

[Meloncov]

I went last summer, taking computer animation and video. It was a wonderful expierence; no one I talked to disliked their classes and teachers, the TAs were generally competent and understanding (they do seem to have a problem recruiting TAs from the animation program, but it's an isolated problem), and the student body was incredible. It's true about the rules being strict, but your right that it isn't all that bothersome the vast majority of the time. As long as you can find a group of friends willing to travel with you and have a good relationship with your TA you'll be able to go to as many places as you have time for (which isn't saying much).

One thing you should be aware of: "Drawing and Painting the Figure with an Illustrators Eye" is not an illustration class. No one has the slightest idea why the "with an Illustrators Eye" was added to the end, but its a figure drawing and painting class without any illustration.

If you want to talk to someone who took classes from the illustration program (either the real illustration workshop or the figure class with illustration in the name, respectively) send a note to RaitoPotatoChip or DiscipleOfPox on DeviantArt. Tell them Epik sent you.

[DiscipleofPox]

Hello, Im new to Conceptart and it thought this would be a meaningful first post
first off I would like to say HI EPIK!!!!
Since I am the one he mentioned in his post And I attended the MICA precollege program as well, but I attended as a Sophomore-Junior.

Meloncov is right about the "Drawing and Painting the Figure with an Illustrators Eye" its not really in illustration class you don't get strict deadlines or fake clients to fulfill orders for like "we need a cover for our new album can you do it?" type things its basically just a drawing and painting the figure class
Tons of studio work
Acrylics
Charcoal
Pencil
and anything you want for your final project. (In the way of media)

Now that is the only negative thing I can say about the class, really it was just a bit mislabeled.
We were taught by a professional illustrator Warren Linn if you want to look him up
We did do great studio work
Models almost every day it was really helpful for my figure drawing since as a highschool i got no exposure to that.
There is really nothing negative about this program, even while i was there i would rave on and on about how you could make so many friend and how amazing the community was at MICA the school is great really, really safe for Baltimore and the teachers are all professionals and everyone improves alot and produces really good work.

Now if you were looking for a more Illustration or concept based class at the pre-college there was one that RaitoPotatoChip attended as his "Workshop" which was just the second class you did as an extension of your main class (RaitoPotatoChip did 3D animation with Meloncov as his main class) and Ill ask him about that and post is as soon as possible.


If you have the opportunity definitely go to the MICA pre-college program I cant say enough good things about it, you will love it.

[/Anders]

from what I heard as a freshman at mica from kids who did do the summer program was that it was good, but when they say strict, they MEAN it - Baltimore is hella ghetto and the staff not only does not want mica-babies, they also don't want you getting strung up. I don't think I would have enjoyed it much based on their stories, but who knows, eh?

[Meloncov]

from what I heard as a freshman at mica from kids who did do the summer program was that it was good, but when they say strict, they MEAN it - Baltimore is hella ghetto and the staff not only does not want mica-babies, they also don't want you getting strung up. I don't think I would have enjoyed it much based on their stories, but who knows, eh?

It's strict, but it isn't that annoying simply because your too busy to care.

[witchbaby]

Thanks, guys! I'm definitly going to go for it, and will be improving my portfolio like crazy to try to get in this summer. :)

[Meloncov]

Thanks, guys! I'm definitly going to go for it, and will be improving my portfolio like crazy to try to get in this summer. :)

While you should never get complacent, I wouldn't stress to much about the application. They aren't super demanding.