About the Book

This book is designed for ART109 Digital Foundations at Morehead State University in Morehead, Kentucky, USA.

The course description of ART109 Digital Foundations is an introduction to creative problem-solving techniques using digital tools. The course will cover how contemporary software and digital devices create new opportunities for creative approaches in two-dimensional media such as photography, drawing, and design. The course will balance design and art-based brainstorming and problem-solving approaches. The course is required for, but not limited to, art majors, minors and convergent media students.

The author’s main goals are to

1. Provide equal opportunities for all students to access learning materials, including students with disabilities.
2. Introduce students to digital foundations in art and design for both major and non-major students.
3. Create instructional support hands-on learning activities and assignments to assist students to build up digital foundation knowledge and skills.
4. Enhance students’ digital literacy skills and competency as well as Generative Artificial Intelligence or GenAI literacy and Competency.

According to European Commission, digital competence is defined as ‘the confident, critical and responsible use of, and engagement with, digital technologies for learning, at work, and for participation in society’ (Castaño Muñoz, et al., 2021). The Digital Competence Framework for Citizens comprises five components:

1. Information and data literacy;
2. Communication and collaboration;
3. Digital content creation (including programming and intellectual property related questions);
4. Safety (including digital well-being and competences related to cybersecurity); and
5. Problem-solving with digital tools (Carretero, Vuorikari, & Punie, 2017).

This book consists of four (4) parts as follows:

Part 1 Introduction to Digital Foundations for Art and Design

Part 2 Digital Tools, Devices, and Technologies for Art and Design

Part 3 Creative Problem-Solving Approaches and Techniques

Part 4 Creative Approaches in  Digital Art, Design and Media

As knowledge and technology in art and design industries have been rapidly developed, this book will continue to update contents and exercises to enhance digital literacy and competencies of both art and design major and non-major students.

Further Readings:

Annapureddy, R., Fornaroli, A., & Gatica-Perez, D. (2025). Generative AI literacy: Twelve defining competencies. Digital Government: Research and Practice, 6(1), 1-21.

Carretero, S., Vuorikari, R., & Punie, Y. (2017). DigComp 2.1: The digital competence framework for citizens.

Castaño Muñoz, J., Vuorikari, R., Costa, P., Hippe, R., & Kampylis, P. (2021). Teacher collaboration and students’ digital competence – evidence from the SELFIE tool. European Journal of Teacher Education, 46(3), 476–497.

Mandiberg, M. (2008). Digital foundations: intro to media design with the Adobe Creative Suite. Peachpit Press.

Nascimbeni, F. (2019). Digital literacy for children: exploring definitions and frameworks. UNICEF.