Things are looking busy for Jonathan Cantu, the Immokalee senior who was given the opportunity to study art in Chicago for a month. Recently, we reported on his first week in Chicago and got see some of his art projects. Having just wrapped up his time at the Illinois Institute of Art, Chicago Jonathan began his first of three weeks at the the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Find out how Jonathan would compare the schools, what he's up to, and what he plans for the future after the break.

On the School of the Art Institute of Chicago

This is the Harvard of the art schools and I am so blessed to being going to pre-college here. They don't play around. I'm getting the full-on college experience. For the last two days we have been making figure sketches. It is really helping me because I'm not really good at my sketches and all the hours of just drawing will really help me in my fashion designing.

On His Schedule

They're keeping me so busy. This is what my schedule looks like: I wake up at 6:45 for a 7:35 train to the city, I walk seven "CITY BLOCKS" for class A at 9:00–12:00, 12:00–1:00 lunch, 1:00–4:00 class B, 4:00–5:30 break, 5:30–7:30 workshops, dinner then 8:35 train, and I almost forgot to tell you I have homework every night too. Art is not all fun and games....not at all.

On Body Casting

Workshops are mandatory on Tuesdays and Thursdays and optional on Mondays and Wednesdays, which I attend. At the optional classes there is body casting, art history, and figure drawing. I did the body casting this week. We started with wax molds of our hands. It was incredibly hot and took forever to cool down. We poured plaster in the molds after very slowly removing our hands. It was difficult but definitely worth it.

On the Differences Between the Two Schools

So far, I've noticed a big difference in these two schools. The Illinois Institute of Art will only focus me on my major, which will be fashion. The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, on the other hand, will not only focus me on fashion but also give me the opportunity to broaden my art skills in painting, drawing, silk screening, sculpting, art history, and more. They are both great schools but I don't know too much about the fashion program at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and the one at the Illinois Institute of Art Chicago is fabulous. Well, so far it's been fabulous. We'll see how I feel in two and half weeks.