Overview

Digital Tools and technologies have many things in common. According to Fredrik Hagstroem and Aigars Macins, digital technologies are vital for artists and designers. They can help artists and designers to create solutions. Digital tools are a domain for creative teams and skilled creators. Digital technologies today can bring constraints and opportunities for the business to operate and serve customers and users over time. Software tools, on the other hand, like builders’ tools, are downed when the creative job is done. A tool’s usefulness depends on how it is used and applied and the artist and designer’s skill level. It is vital that artists and designers need to learn to use digital tools safely and effectively. A tool selection is best made by those who are closest to doing the work. Great professionals will always be curious about new tools and testing out better ways of working for their teams. The best tool is the tool that gets the job best given the combination of the task and the skill of the practitioners.

What are digital Tools?

Digital tools are online platforms or software applications leveraged by businesses or individuals to perform quick and optimization functions that ordinarily take forever to accomplish without them. For example, artists and designers drew an image and used a traditional saw to cut a piece of wood. It was time-consuming to produce one piece.  In this course, art and design students can use digital tools to draw and create digital artwork and laser cutting to cut multiple wooden pieces in a short period of time as shown in the image below.

Figure 2 Hand drawn design with pencil and cutting materials by using hand saw

Source: Dennis Perkins

Figure 3 example products by using digital tool and technologies

Source: Rassameya

In the creative industry, the manufacture of designed objects and products has rapidly shifted towards the use of computers for almost every stage, imposing a conflict between digital processes and design practice.

What is technology?

According to Andy Lane, an Emeritus Professor of Environmental Systems at The Open University, Technology is not a neutral word. Different people will give it different meanings depending on their viewpoint and context. Members of the Faculty of Technology at The Open University are no different, but for many years they have adopted one particular definition of technology that reflects their aims and objectives: “Technology concerns itself with understanding how knowledge is creatively applied to organized tasks involving people and machines that meet sustainable goals.”

Lane also states that there are three important aspects to this definition as follows.

1. Technology is about taking action to meet a human need rather than merely understanding the workings of the natural world, which is the goal of science. The invention of the microscope was driven by a need to explore the world of the small, beyond our unaided vision. This technological solution to a long standing problem has in turn enabled us to understand more the workings of the world which in turn has led to the development of more technologies.

2. It uses much more than scientific knowledge and includes values as much as facts, practical craft knowledge as much as theoretical knowledge. The iPod is an example of where the physics of making a small device carry so much music is married with creative design to make an iconic must have accessory.

3. It involves organized ways of doing things. It covers the intended and unintended interactions between products (machines, devices, artifacts) and the people and systems who make them, use them or are affected by them through various processes. Many people like to drink coffee, often in a coffee shop. That coffee may have come from trees which have been bred specifically for increased yields that support a small farmer and his family but that requires pesticides that were developed and manufactured in another country. The harvested coffee beans will themselves be transported around the world, to be processed and placed in packages which are distributed to shops that then make the cup of coffee in a polystyrene cup that was manufactured for the purpose but which then needs to disposed of and so on. Every choice we make relies on, and feeds, a highly interdependent and far reaching way of life where some have much and some have little.

Technology is a hands-on, can-do profession where people have to be skilled in many of the following: engineering, communicating, designing, developing, innovating, managing, manufacturing, modelling, and systems thinking. But technology also gives us various products which can be used for good or ill or where the benefits are disputed and similarly the processes involved in producing and using technology means that we should all take an interest in whether it provides us and everyone else with a sustainable future.

What is Art Education?

Art education is an important aspect of a student’s development. Art education plays an essential role in cognitive development. Studies have shown that students who participate in art programs have better fine motor skills, improved hand-eye coordination, and enhanced visual perception. Art education also improves memory and concentration, which are important skills for academic success. Art education is vital for a student’s overall academic success. Furthermore, art education can help students develop skills for future careers, such as creativity, innovation, and problem-solving (Sharma, 2022).

What are digital tools for Art Education?

Digital tools for art education consist of Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. Adobe Photoshop is a top choice for digital painting and animation, while Adobe Illustrator is standard software for graphic designers. As art educators navigate the evolving landscape of educational technology, mastering the tools and software that facilitate creative learning becomes paramount. The right approach to learning these tools not only enhances teaching effectiveness but also inspires students through the integration of technology in art education. A strategic, hands-on approach to learning, coupled with a commitment to continuous improvement, ensures that art educators remain at the forefront of their field. These are practical steps and insights for art educators to effectively learn and master the necessary tools and software:

Establish a Clear Learning Objective: Begin by identifying the tools and software that will most significantly impact your teaching and your students’ learning. Set clear goals for what you want to achieve with each tool, whether it’s digital painting, graphic design, or classroom management. This focus will guide your learning process and help you measure progress.

Immerse Yourself in Hands-on Exploration: There’s no substitute for direct experience. Start with basic features and gradually explore more complex functionalities. Use the tools to create your own art projects or to design lesson plans. This hands-on practice will not only build your skills but also give you insights into how to integrate these tools into your curriculum.

Participate in Educational Technology Communities: Join online forums, social media groups, and professional networks focused on art education technology. These communities are invaluable for exchanging ideas, discovering creative teaching methods, and staying informed about the latest digital tools and trends in art education.

Utilize Official Training Resources: Most software comes with a wealth of official training materials, such as tutorials, user manuals, and webinars. These resources are specifically designed to help educators get the most out of the software. Make sure to take advantage of these to build a strong foundation of knowledge.

Enroll in Professional Development Workshops: Seek out workshops and professional development courses that focus on the intersection of art and technology. These structured learning environments can provide deeper insights and hands-on experience with advanced features, as well as pedagogical strategies for integrating these tools into your teaching.

Commit to Ongoing Skill Enhancement: The field of educational technology is dynamic, with new tools and updates emerging regularly. Dedicate time to stay current with these changes by subscribing to art and edtech newsletters, attending industry conferences, and periodically reviewing and updating your digital toolset.

Collaborate and Share Experiences: Work with fellow art educators to share experiences and best practices. Organize workshops, create collaborative art projects, or simply have discussions about the use of technology in art education. Sharing knowledge can lead to new insights and innovative approaches to teaching with technology. By adopting these strategies, Art Teachers can not only learn and master the tools and software essential to their profession but also create a vibrant, technology-enhanced learning environment that prepares students for the digital future (Teal Labs, n.d.).

Why are digital tools important for Art Education?

Teaching students to use digital tools and technologies is vital as the use of digital tools in art education can enable more interactive and engaging learning experiences for students. Digital tools also allow for the use of interactive activities and simulations that can help students to better understand and engage with art. Moreover, digital tools also provide teachers with new ways to assess student progress and understanding. Digital tools can greatly enhance the art education by providing access to a wider range of educational resources and materials such as images, videos, and texts. For example, Adobe Creative Cloud provides user guides for both art educators and students to learn new digital tools.

What are digital tools for Graphic Design?

The Art and Design major students who study for BA and BFA in Studio Arts and Art Education will learn to use various digital tools and technologies from different courses as shown below. The students who study graphic design as a concentration and/or visual communication minor will study ART205 Graphic Design I. They will learn to apply Adobe Illustrator for graphic design and take an exam of Adobe Certified Professional in Adobe Illustrator. The students who study communication and media might continue studying ART206 Websites I as their next course. They will learn to apply Adobe Photoshop to create a website and prepare digital elements for social media as well as take an exam of Adobe Certified Professional in Adobe Photoshop. In the age of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI), it is essential for all students to learn how to use GenAI and have a deeper understanding of potential risks and opportunities of GenAI in their disciplines.

Figure 1 Digital Technologies for Art and Design major and non-major students.

Created by Siriporn Peters, October 2024.

Digital tools and technologies for art and design have been rapidly developed to help art and design practitioners in higher education and creative industries to speed up their work flow and produce new art and design successfully. Digital tools and technologies are developed to help the art and design practitioners to work faster and better, not to replace the art and design practitioners.

Further Readings:

Hagstroem, F. and Macins, A. (n.d.). Don’t confuse tools with technologies.

Sharma, B. P. (2022). Digital tools in art education: From expanding creative horizons and facilitating collaboration to increasing access and resources for a diverse student population. Applied Research in Artificial Intelligence and Cloud Computing, 5(1), 55-65.

Lane, A. (2019). What is Technology? 

Teal Labs. (n.d.) What tools do art teachers use?