ICT and Art

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If you're of a certain age, you'll remember when computers first appeared in schools. A handful of enthusiasts thought they were a "Jolly Good Thing" whilst most people couldn't see what all the fuss was about. Mr Computer-Enthusiast said, "look, you can do word processing on your computer" and the rest of the staffroom wondered why anyone would want to do that!

Time rolls on and almost everyone can now see the value of the word processor as a writing tool. The power you place in the hands of any writer, young or old, is clear to see. Almost every teacher in every school uses a word processor rather than handwriting for most tasks simply because it's the best tool for the job. With a word processor, text remains plastic and malleable so you can continue to mould and shape it until you're satisfied.

But what about Art?
At first glance Art seems to be different but in fact the same principle is at work. It's a case of dejá vu. Many people wonder why anyone would want to use a computer for art just as they once wondered about word processing. And their suspicion is borne out when they go into almost any primary school and see children "painting" a picture using a mouse and the "Paint" program that comes free in every version of Windows. The children seem to enjoy it but the results are generally poor. Sometimes the teacher gleefully says that Paint offers "everything you need - and it's free."

It may be free but it certainly doesn't offer very much. It's a basic program with few tools and limited functionality. It wasn't designed to be a creative artistic tool. You also shouldn't overlook the fact that fact that the mouse is a very poor tool to draw or paint with - doubly so if its movement is erratic because the ball is clogged with an unmentionable substance which includes fluff (which almost all primary school mice seem to be).

So should we ignore ICT when it comes to Art?
The answer is a resounding no. Apart from anything else, the National Curriculum is very clear on the place of ICT within Art. It clearly states that pupils should be taught the requisite knowledge, skills and understanding through a range of materials and processes which includes ICT. There are even examples across the key stages of opportunities that illustrate how ICT can enhance the teaching and learning of the subject more broadly.

Six main areas
There are six distinct types of activity in which ICT can be used in art. They are:

• Using 'painting' software to create pictures
  This ranges from very low level work such as that described above to the creation of impressive images using software such as Logotron's 'Revelation - Natural Art'. The limitations of the mouse can be overcome by using a peripheral such as a graphics tablet instead. An exciting new development is to use one of the new tablet PCs. If the screen is also pressure sensitive, you'll be amazed at the effects you can create and the wonderful images that result.
  
• Manipulating digital images by altering the colours or adding distortions or special effects
  Manipulating digital images is a completely different approach and may well use different software. The objective here is not to create a new image but to start with an existing one and process it in various ways.
  
• Using a scanner or digital camera
  These hardware peripherals capture electronic images. You can then either incorporate the images into your own work or use them as the basis for creative work using either of the above techniques.
  
• Creating animations
  This is another approach and may well use separate software. Here, multiple images are combined to create an animated sequence or 'film'. The images could be created from scratch or captured using a scanner or camera.
  
• Using CD-ROMs or the Internet for research
  ICT allows you to research modern and historic artists and the different schools of art more efficiently than ever before - and you can also access galleries where their work can be seen.
  
• Using email and the Internet to communicate with others
  ICT enables art teachers and pupils to interact with others across the world who are involved in the teaching and practice of art - it opens up the classroom via the Internet and the World Wide Web. It also opens up multicultural opportunities as people from different cultures and artistic traditions work together and share ideas and opinions.

Apart from the last two, these are creative processes which are carried out using ICT as the tool. In fact it would be better to refer to ICT as the medium in which the creative process takes place and the end results should be judged on their artistic merit and not on their technical competence.

What does ICT offer to Art?
ICT is still relatively new and it hasn't been fully explored yet. Many people see a tension between ICT and traditional ways of working. But ICT doesn't replace traditional methods; it's a new medium in which to be creative - and you can be very creative indeed! Not using ICT in Art would be like not using oils. It is simply another medium and its use is as valid as any other.

ICT offers different qualities from traditional media. It will take time before it's accepted as a mainstream activity in the field of art. But this will happen as people begin to see the value of ICT in the creative process.

ICT allows you to experiment without fear of failure. Work remains plastic and completely malleable at all times. Stages can be saved and revisited, and wrong moves can be undone.

ICT is concerned with more than just static images. It can also include an element of time. This introduces animation and multimedia possibilities. This aspect of ICT has been embraced by television and film artists who use it extensively. And with ICT work can be produced which compares with that produced by professionals.

ICT provides art with no 'mess'. Don't mistake this for art without feeling. Freedom from mess can be an emancipating experience. Judge the results artistically and not on preconceptions of how it should be created.

ICT is not 'just another tool', it's a medium in its own right. And although you can print your results out (in full colour if you wish) much completed work exists best on screen. It is a product created in light rather than in paint.

Not a panacea
But ICT is not a panacea for the easy creation of art. Pupils must be taught to use it meaningfully. It's very easy to include clipart images for the sake of decoration and then view the result as a masterpiece simply because it looks more professional than a hand-produced equivalent. We must ensure that pupils use ICT in ways that contribute to the end product and promote visualisation and thinking. Technological know-how is not enough. Software and hardware used in art must be evaluated in terms of their aesthetic and creative potential, not their technical specification.

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