VISUAL ART AND TECHNOLOGY

Digital Tools for Visual Art Learning (good ones/free ones)

2012-02-06T05:32:00.000-08:00

PANORAMIC STITCHING SOFTWARE
http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/panoramic-software.htm
PHOTOGRAPHY SOFTWARE
http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/sw.htm
Pencil (animation software)
http://www.pencil-animation.org/
45 Websites For Students To Create Original Artwork Online
http://mrssmoke.onsugar.com/45-Websites-Students-Create-Original-Artwork-Online-3442983
What's new at FluxTime Studio
http://www.fluxtime.com/
10+ Best Free or Open Source Photoshop Alternative Software
http://www.tripwiremagazine.com/2011/04/10-best-free-or-open-source-photoshop-alternative-software.html
Ten Free Alternatives to MS Paint
http://www.trickswindows.com/2010/12/ten-free-alternatives-to-ms-paint.html
Art21
http://www.pbs.org/art21/

Please use the comments feature below to suggest other links

Readings to Push the Envelope / Visual Art LEARNING

2012-02-05T19:13:00.000-08:00

Ten reasons why teaching the arts is critical in a 21st century world
http://edge.ascd.org/_Ten-reasons-why-teaching-the-arts-is-critical-in-a-21st-century-world/blog/3549601/127586.html
3D printers give engineering classes a boost: High schools, colleges using rapidly developing technology to illustrate real-world applications of technology lessons http://www.eschoolnews.com/2011/04/22/3d-printers-give-engineering-classes-a-boost/
Object Lessons: Teaching Math Through the Visual Arts, K-5
http://www.stenhouse.com/shop/pc/viewprd.asp?idProduct=9334
Bringing Art into School, Byte by Byte: Innovative programs use technology to expand access to the arts
http://www.hepg.org/hel/article/498
Teaching Creativity....http://people.goshen.edu/~marvinpb/arted/tc.html

"Average is Over" - Art Education Can Be The CURE for AVERAGE

2012-01-25T06:06:00.000-08:00

"In a world where average is officially over, there are many things we need to do to buttress employment, but nothing would be more important than passing some kind of G.I. Bill for the 21st century that ensures that every American has access to post-high school education."

Thomas Friedman - January 25, 2012 New York Times Op/Ed piece "Average Is Over"...
This is an important opinion piece, but it doesn't bring the full issue into focus suffiicently. America's schools DO NOT (even attempt to) educate students to be other than average. They educate them to be 'highly effective average' or to excell at a curriculum that aims at a standardized, average body of knowledge. A college education, as Friedman refers to it, represents more of the same - not something different.

Visual Art Education is one area that can be developed to remedy this! It's not there now. Not only because it is marginalized and offered in dribs and drabs, but because it hasn't been conceived and developed to satisfy the need that Friedman identifies. We've got our work cut out...

See Friedman's piece below

"Op-Ed Columnist

Average Is OverBy THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN
Published: January 24, 2012
" In an essay, entitled “Making It in America,” in the latest issue of The Atlantic, the author Adam Davidson relates a joke from cotton country about just how much a modern textile mill has been automated: The average mill has only two employees today, “a man and a dog. The man is there to feed the dog, and the dog is there to keep the man away from the machines.”

Davidson’s article is one of a number of pieces that have recently appeared making the point that the reason we have such stubbornly high unemployment and sagging middle-class incomes today is largely because of the big drop in demand because of the Great Recession, but it is also because of the quantum advances in both globalization and the information technology revolution, which are more rapidly than ever replacing labor with machines or foreign workers.

In the past, workers with average skills, doing an average job, could earn an average lifestyle. But, today, average is officially over. Being average just won’t earn you what it used to. It can’t when so many more employers have so much more access to so much more above average cheap foreign labor, cheap robotics, cheap software, cheap automation and cheap genius. Therefore, everyone needs to find their extra — their unique value contribution that makes them stand out in whatever is their field of employment. Average is over.

Yes, new technology has been eating jobs forever, and always will. As they say, if horses could have voted, there never would have been cars. But there’s been an acceleration. As Davidson notes, “In the 10 years ending in 2009, [U.S.] factories shed workers so fast that they erased almost all the gains of the previous 70 years; roughly one out of every three manufacturing jobs — about 6 million in total — disappeared...”

Read the full article at its source: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/25/opinion/friedman-average-is-over.html?_r=1&hp

Archeological Discovery In African Cave Shows that People Have ALWAYS Made Art

2011-10-17T08:08:00.000-07:00

Science/AAAS ___This abalone shell was found with ocher and a grinding stone. The iron oxide was used as
a pigment to paint bodies and walls, as well as to thicken glue.
FROM:www.npr.org/2011/10/14/141313283/in-african-cave-an-early-human-paint-shop

This fascinating article on the NPR website sheds light on how basic the impulse to make art is. Whether one is grinding ochre in an abalone shell or making a digital image using the likes of GIMP, ArtRage, and PhotoShop, there are important commonalities in the spirt and processes of the effort. Understanding those commonalities is important for students and teachers, alike. Well worth at least a short, interactive discussion!

"Apparently one of the earliest human instincts was to paint things, including bodies and cave walls. That's the conclusion from scientists who have discovered something remarkable in a South African cave — a tool kit for making paint. It looks to be the oldest evidence of paint-making.

Over in southern Africa 100,000 years ago, Homo sapiens was pretty new on the scene. A favorite hangout was a cave named Blombos near the Southern ocean.

Archaeologists like Christopher Henshilwood have spent decades finding stuff there that our ancestors left behind. Recently, Henshilwood uncovered two abalone shells with ocher ground into the shell. "Above and below each shell and to the side of each shell was a complete kit that was used for producing a pigmented mixture," he says.

In addition to the shells were stone flakes, grinding stones and bits of bone with reddish ocher on them. Ocher is a kind of iron oxide dug from the ground that early humans used as a pigment and to thicken glue..."

Read the full article at its source:
http://www.npr.org/2011/10/14/141313283/in-african-cave-an-early-human-paint-shop

SPIRITS: Great Traditional Art Project in Need of Technology Update

2011-10-04T14:33:00.000-07:00

Go directly to the Picasa Web Album to change view or download:https://picasaweb.google.com/MLGura/StudentArtProjectSPIRITSContemporaryMaskWorksBasedOnTraditionalAfricanSpiritMasks#
(Student Art Project) SPIRITS: Contemporary MaskWorks
based on Traditional African Spirit Masks

I worked on this project with a large group of 9^th grade students at The East Harlem Performing Arts School (a public school in New York City). I was the Visual Arts teacher there from roughly 1985 - 1992. Of the large body of projects I created for my students there, this stands out as one of the very best. It absolutely captivated the students and, as I recall, was one of their favorite activities during that entire school year. The project was a full-blown, interdisciplinary Project-Based Learning unit. While it was firmly anchored in Visual Arts, it deeply involved numerous aspects of Social Studies and Language Arts, as well. I believe it would have tremendous value for students today, although I would adapt it to take advantage of common classroom computer and Internet technology (which didn’t exist at the time I implemented it) to make for an easier and far richer experience for both students and teacher.

The project consisted of the following elements and phases (Students understood from the beginning that they would be participating in all of the following and in this sequence):

A museum visit (in New York City – Museum for African Art) in which a docent showed a collection of African masks to my students and engaged them in discussions about materials and processes (for making the masks) as well as the meaning and function of the masks in the context of the culture in which they were created. Related to this, I showed several films on African Masks and culture to the students. These were borrowed from the Performing Arts Library at Lincoln Center. This element of the project would be infinitely easier and more effective currently, with the advent and availability of YouTube and similar video resources.

(student self-selected) Readings on specific African cultures and their masks. I photo-copied a supply of short passages (taken from resources books on African Art… see citations below). From these, I directed students to select a passage that would focus and guide their own work.

Based on a reading and analysis of their chosen passage, the student then created a real, physical mask that would perform the function of bringing the character in the passage to life. This was based on explanations at the museum that African Spirit Masks often are both a physical bringing-to- life of a mythical character and a “prop” worn by a person who, through dance, chanting, and acting, facilitates this calling forth of the spirit embedded in the mask.

The mask making phase of the project was done in 2 stages. First, a series of sketches ( 9 x 12 paper, pencil, crayons, etc.) were done to inform the second stage, which called for a life-size, or larger, 3 Dimensional mask constructed with papier mache (newspaper, masking tape, wallpaper paste – then, poster paint).

Based on the reading and the completed mask, students were required to write a page-long monologue. This was to be a dramatic self-presentation of the character they were to bring to life while wearing the mask in a performance. Monologues were to be roughly a minute in length.

At a school assembly, each student delivered his mask presentation as a performance. Onto the darkened hall and stage, guided by a single spotlight, each student (in his own turn) faced the audience while wearing the mask and delivered the monologue.

I am happy to report that both the presenters and their audience rose to this occasion and the twenty or so performances were delivered seriously and effectively. The audience was moved and learned a good deal about African Spirit Masks as well as the subsidiary content involved in the project.

Reflecting in hindsight, this was an excellent project in all respects, and one that resulted in a deep and broad body of learning for the students. I highly recommend replication, especially in ways that would take full advantage of the digital technologies available today. In addition to all the refinements that technology would have for the research and planning aspects of the project, the performance might be made easier and more effective if done as solo videos and then played for, or offered for on-demand viewing by the audience afterward.

Books used in the project

Duerdon, D. (1974). African Art: an Introduction. London: Hamlyn.

PARRINDER, G. (1967). African Mythology. (4th impression ed.). London: Hamlyn.

Online Resources

Background on African Masks

African Art and Culture Museums (with Mask connections)

Mask Making

Interesting Connections

For book formatted, downloadable PDF version - click here: http://www.scribd.com/doc/67443795/SPIRITS-EHPA-Student-Art-Project

Technology Makes Art Easy for Every Teacher in Every Classroom

2011-07-29T07:04:00.000-07:00

ISTE 2011 – the annual conference of the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) was held this year in Philadelphia. There was a fair amount of technology oriented Arts Education activity in evidence at the conference.

I gave a workshop/lecture titled
“Technology Makes Art Easy for Every Teacher in Every Classroom“ which was well received. I got some worthwhile, some interesting and eye opening, and some appreciative feedback from participants. For the workshop content and more information and resources on this vital subject, please check out the following links:

General Link - Technology Makes Art Easy for Every Teacher in Every Classroom

Workshop/Lecture Description – “Visual Art has the potential to greatly enrich the educational experience of all students. However, the shortage of trained Art Teachers, the cost and inconvenience of traditional art materials and art classrooms, and fears and confusion about the need for talent have made art something that fewer and fewer students benefit from at school. This session will demonstrate how informed technology use can support and encourage all teachers to make art part of their instructional repertoire, turn every classroom into an art room, and every student an adept maker of art…”

For full description go to > http://www.isteconference.org/ISTE/2011/program/search_results_details.php?sessionid=60644244&selection_id=69577836&rownumber=1&max=1&gopage=

Workshop/Lecture Handout – This is the PowerPoint presentation that guided my oral presentation… http://www.slideshare.net/markgura/tech-makesarteasy4everyteachergura

As a conference offering with high potential impact, the session was recorded as video…

Workshop/Video (scroll down to mid-page) – http://www.isteconference.org/ISTE/2011/program/search_results_details.php?sessionid=60644244&selection_id=69577836&rownumber=1&max=1&gopage=

Alas, while the session was well received, its essential message may have fallen through the cracks. The key idea is that technology has changed the equation and made it possible for all teachers (every subject area) to now make Visual Art part of what they do with their students. However, as was easy to predict, the session drew attendance primarily of “Art Teachers”, a group who find my idea interesting, but who are not the rank and file generalist classroom teachers for whom the message is intended to have greatest impact.

There were also several Poster Sessions given by accomplished art educator colleagues that I want to list recommend here:

1) Craig Roland’s poster session was most interesting and all interested in Art Teaching in the age of near ubiquitous classroom technology should be aware of and visit Craig’s powerful Art Education 2.0 online resource:

Creating Global Connections with Art and Technology
Digital-Age Teaching & Learning: Arts

Craig Roland, Davis Publications with Robb Sandagata
Learn how art teachers are using social media and digital tools combined with the power of image making to build global learning opportunities for their students.

Craig’s very powerful web resource for educators: http://arted20.ning.com/
and

2) Deborah Greh’s poster session offered valuable ideas about approaches and resources for teaching art with classroom technology.

Digital Age Tools for Art Teachers

Digital-Age Teaching & Learning: Arts

Deborah Greh, St Johns University with Susan Bivona.
Find out about the 21st Century Skills Map for the arts as well as Web resources specifically for art specialists.

Deborah was kind enough to email me the following link which leads to numerous, valuable resources: http://sites.google.com/site/artatiste/

The many vendor displays and ‘digital playground’ hands-on exhibits for Visual , related resources and approaches throughout the conference – as well the 2 poster sessions and the follow-up links provided by Craig, Deborah, and other colleagues show they very impressive amount of available items for Visual Arts Educators. However, beyond the inspiration they inspire in me, I also see the need for a serious conversation about What’s Meaningful in Visual Arts Instruction CURRENTLY. Alas, there seems to be so much effort and interest in getting kids doing things in the area of visual arts, that the guiding questions of why Visual Art do and What in Visual Art is truly worth doing? Have largely fallen by the wayside. For all the good stuff out there, there persists a stream of what I see as meaningless “visual effect oriented, superficial activities”… think of digital coloring books and “Instant Art” of every conceivable variety. I hope to get a broad-based conversation going about this sometime soon!!! We really need it…

A Met Velázquez Is Vindicated - Brilliant Use of Tech to Demonstrate Restoration!

2010-12-21T05:20:00.000-08:00

---------------------------------From NY TIMES online 12/120/10

Below is a story from the NY TIMES / ARTS sections 12/20/10. It's an interesting story about the restoration of a great old master painting. However, it is accompanied by 2 REMARKABLE interactive media items embedded in the online version of the paper: they are photographic simulations of the restoration, allowing the viewer to manipulate the image to see the progress of the restoration process from 'before' to 'after' - There is also an embedded podcast player of a very worthwhile (short) interview with the people behind the restoration.:
1) Main story @ http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/12/18/arts/20101218-velazquez.html , and
2) follow the links at the top of the story for more... # 4 leads to another interactive simulation of the restauration

The Restoration of a Velázquez
After technical studies and a yearlong restoration, curators and conservators at the Metropolitan Museum of Art now believe that a full-length portrait of Philip IV that has been in the Met's collection since 1914 is by Velázquez and not his workshop. The attribution reverses a finding made in 1973 when museum officials downgraded this portrait, along with 299 other old master paintings, saying they were either by the artist's workshop or a follower... for the full story, go to: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/12/18/arts/20101218-velazquez.html

iPhone / iPad for Visual Art? Ask David Hockney

2010-12-08T06:25:00.000-08:00

From: http://www.ipadshouse.com/ipad-%E2%80%93-the-new-digital-canvas/

I'd be interested in how the iPhone or iPad could be used to make worthwhile art no matter who weighed in on the challenge. That David Hockney, one of the world's most established artists, (and one who has made such good sense in his work by exploring traditional representation as well as pushing its boundaries) has made an important splash with it is especially thought provoking and inspiring.

Here's a short NPR Interview with Mr. Hockney about his current Paris exhibit of a body of work done exclusively on these devices. Also, here's one of many worthwhile articles recently written about the exhibit and Hockney's "iART" titled Digital Art Evangelist David Hockney's iPad Flowers Bloom in Paris.

As iPhones and iPads continue to be eyed by schools as viable supports for learning, Hockney's lead looms as having more and more importance for educators who want to include art in the student expereince. It behooves those of us who are adept at making Visual Art, teaching it, and using technology in this context to familiarize ourselves with it and support our colleagues as they consider it, too.

James McMullin Drawing Series

2010-11-26T05:52:00.000-08:00

.....................................New York Time - October 2010

A Gazillion years ago, I studied illustration at the School for Visual Art (SVA) in Manhattan. I was fortunate to have James McMullan, one of the world's foremost illustrators, as one of my instructors. Mr. McMullan was a good teacher and provided inspiration by dint of his excellence as an artist.

I just came across this good series he did for the NY Times on how to draw. There are a gazillion (there's that number again) books and video series on how to draw, and they all include the same concepts more or less. However, it is great to see a talented artist and teacher put his own personal spin, his own thumbprint on what otherwise could be cliched. Here are the links to the first 11 of the 12 installments of this series (below).

I add this to the blog because it reminds me of the way I used to teach the very same concepts to middle school students (a gazillion years ago:) when I taught in New York City public schools like The East Harlem Performing Arts School. I was not willing to skirt the very thorny issue of teaching kids to draw "for real." Although anyone can learn to draw, the process requires so much time and patience, so much tolerance and self discipline in handling the frustration, that teaching young students the classical approach to drawing is simply not done! That, and perhaps, that many public school art teachers are not all that masterful in their drawing abilities, themselves :) I chose to walk this perilous minefield for a good few years before I moved on to become the city's Director of Intructional Technology (it's a long story :)...

I distilled the best of my drawing lessons and adapted them to take advantage of the power of technology so that literally, any kid could learn to draw and draw without pain. A few of these appear in the book Visual Arts Units / All Levels published by ISTE (international Society for Technology in Education).

McMullan links:
1)Getting Back to the Phantom Skill
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/16/getting-back-to-the-phantom-skill/
2) The Frisbee of Art
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/23/the-frisbee-of-art/
3) Hatching the Pot
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/30/hatching-the-pot/
4) The Beagle Vanishes
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/07/the-beagle-vanishes/
5) Mother Nature Decoded
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/14/mother-nature-decoded/
6) The Shadow Knows
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/21/the-shadow-knows/
7) The Three Amigos
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/28/the-three-amigos/
8) Plumbing the Head
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/11/04/plumbing-the-head/
9) Drawing Funny
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/11/11/drawing-funny/
10) The Chain of Energy
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/11/18/the-chain-of-energy/
11) Strategies to Get You There
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/11/25/strategies-to-get-you-there/

From 2 Dimensions to 3D with Google SketchUp

2009-05-17T06:16:00.000-07:00

I’m off today to Sicily for a while. With a few hours to spare until plane time, I thought I’d handle the post that follows – something I’ve been meaning to do for at least 6 months…

From 2 Dimensions to 3D
I taught Fine Arts in middle schools in East Harlem, NYC for close to 2 decades. I think one of the most important challenges I tackled during that part of my career as an educator was teaching kids to draw – I mean REALLY DRAW. Over the years I developed my own curriculum. As I did this I discovered there are half a dozen, perhaps 8 or 9 basic, essential concepts that elude almost everyone, but that anyone can learn if properly taught. Among this is the representation of depth or 3D. You can support learners in this by showing them how to construct 3D images out of flat 2D shapes and connecting lines. The figure below was done in MS Word.

Actually, MS Word has 3D shapes that are already drawn that may be inserted into a composition (example below).
Watch a student who has been struggling perceptually with depicting basic shapes in 3D accomplish this easily using technology and you’ll see big light bulbs illuminate over his head! However, in the strictest sense, these drawings are not accurate because the planes (rectangles) are fully frontal. This sets up an impossible situation because if the rectangle facing the viewer were absolutely frontal, then the sides would not be visible. These drawings are inelegant in other ways, but we are talking about the training of perception here. And in that sense walking a learner through this exercise is invaluable.
Moving on, though, Google’s SketchUp (free downloadable) software will take students and artists infinitely further (example below).

I hope to return to SketchUp again and again to experiment with it and its educational potential. For now, here are some worthwhile links to explore:

Google SketchUp – 3D for Everyone
http://sketchup.google.com/index.html Student Work

Google’s Gallery of Student Workhttp://picasaweb.google.com/gallery.sketchup/EducationK12#5242246332382961586
http://www.slideshare.net/tverdegreen/6th-grade-sketch-up-projects
Google SketchUp Math ProjectsStudent Built Homes Using SketchUphttp://www.sanjuan.edu/webpages/pribadeneira/view.cfm?subpage=77265

SketchUp Video Tutorials
http://www.youtube.com/user/SketchUpVideo
also
http://download.sketchup.com/downloads/training/tutorials50/Sketchup%20Video%20Tutorials.html
and
http://www.sketchucation.com/
Lesson Plans Involving Sketchup
http://www.sd53.bc.ca/gifted/strategies/sketchup/sketchuplesson%20plans.pdf

and Misc. Resources
http://www.sharphue.com/edu
Edutopia blog post - http://www.edutopia.org/have-you-seen-sketchup
3DVinci Teacher Guide - http://www.edutopia.org/have-you-seen-sketchup

The Art of Vocabulary

2009-05-15T20:56:00.000-07:00

Wordle (a free web-based resource) is an easy to use engine that generates powerful images from the words you enter. Many refer to the images produced with Wordle as 'Word Clouds'. I believe the thinkingstudents put into planning a producing a Wordle image on a theme would make a wonderful activity that offers the potential for great art learning as well as foster literacy skills.

Images can be manipulated in many ways and users can develop intuitive techniques for producing images, just as one would using any other medium to make art. It requires no registration. Once an image is created it can be submitted to the Wordle website gallery and/or a screen capture can be taken of it for use elsewhere (i.e. a Picasa Web Gallery). Here's a sample I created in roughly 10 minutes. Find Wordle @ http://www.wordle.net/

ISTE Art & Technology Education WEBINAR a Success!

2009-04-25T03:42:00.000-07:00

It was a great privilege to share the ideas in my book with colleagues from around the world. The archived WEBINAR is available from ISTE as a recording. Go to: www.iste.org/webinars

USING TECHNOLOGY TO MAKE EVERY CLASSROOM AN ART CLASSROOM

2009-04-21T16:12:00.000-07:00

Accompanying materials/resources for ISTE Webinar:
“Using Technology to Make Every Classroom an Art Classroom”
April 22, 2009

You may access the PowerPoint presentation @:
http://www.slideshare.net/markgura/every-classroom-an-art-classroom97-a
Also: Animation Project @ http://www.slideshare.net/markgura/food-chain-1277806
and…
African Culture Sculpture @ http://www.slideshare.net/markgura/african-culture-sculpture

The presentation references the use of the following free resources:

Picasa – Photo processing application (download) http://picasa.google.com/
YouTube Introduction to Picasa: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rskC6c_5L1M
Picasa Web Albums – Online Gallery/Slide Show, Videos, etc. http://picasa.google.com/intl/en_US/web/learn_more_picasa.html
GIMP multi-platform painting program http://www.gimp.org/
TUX Paint multi-platform painting program http://www.tuxpaint.org/

New Life.com Photo Archive Brings Access to Usable Images to Your Classroom

2009-04-04T04:36:00.000-07:00

Photos are a perennial source of inspiration and material for student art projects. Read on about a new source from LIFE magazine. Note that the article below states "Photos on the site are organized into five channels: news, celebrity, travel, animals, and sports. Visitors can print individual images and share them through sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Delicious. New features of Life.com, due to roll out in the coming months, will allow users to create their own photo galleries (on, say, the life and work of Maya Angelou, for English class, or animal life in the Everglades, for science). All the site's tools will be free."

From edutopia:

"Alabama governor George Wallace stands in the doorway of the University of Alabama, physically blocking African American students from integrating the school. Humphrey Bogart, in Washington, DC, protests the blacklisting of artists by the House Un-American Activities Committee. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walk on the dusty surface of the Moon.
These and seven million other images of American history and culture are newly available on Life.com. The relaunched site -- accessible to everyone but especially useful to educators -- makes the entire archives of photo giants Life magazine and Getty Images available free. Users can view galleries curated by the site's editors or search the library by names, dates, subjects, and locations. The archive chronicles current events, too, with daily news galleries and the addition of 3,000 new Getty photos a day.

Once America's leading photo-centric news magazine, Life chronicled the nation and the world for seven decades before issuing its last print publication in 2007. Life's last editor, Bill Shapiro, who heads up the new project, wants students, teachers, and parents to use the site to make history more tangible. "The most iconic moments in American history -- we have those," Shapiro reports. "We didn't want simply to create a historical repository or a dusty archive. We wanted these events to feel as alive as they did when they happened."

Photos on the site are organized into five channels: news, celebrity, travel, animals, and sports. Visitors can print individual images and share them through sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Delicious. New features of Life.com, due to roll out in the coming months, will allow users to create their own photo galleries (on, say, the life and work of Maya Angelou, for English class, or animal life in the Everglades, for science). All the site's tools will be free..."

Read the full article @ its source: http://www.edutopia.org/online-photography-archive-life-magazine

Technology makes art eduction a bigger draw

2008-10-08T06:53:00.000-07:00

"Technology makes art eduction a bigger draw" is a wonderful article (see below) from eSchoolNews that explains how the use of software in student projects faciliates the art experience in many ways for both student and teacher. This is a theme I explored extensively in my recently released book 'Visual Arts Units for All Levels' (ISTE) giving many examples of meaningful, easy-to-do activities that can be done largely with free or already in place software.

Some excerpts from the article:

"In art classes at schools and universities today, new and emerging software is rendering art appreciation and even actual artistic production accessible to a far greater number of interested students and aspiring artists than ever before"

"I don't think technology is replacing traditional art instruction, but I think it's a really good piece to use alongside it. ...It's really a skill they need to go on and be competitive with the rest of the world."

"Using technology in art classes also might help take the pressure off students--especially younger students--who enjoy art, but who feel they aren't talented enough to draw or paint."

"The software "has lit the creativity fire for so many of my students--especially those who struggle to communicate their rich thinking through more traditional means," said Wade Whitehead, a fifth-grade teacher in Roanoke, Va. "

"As part of his role, Ponton helps teachers learn how to incorporate technology into their lessons... DrawPlus offers pre-defined shapes, which Ponton said is beneficial for students who might not have top-notch drawing abilities themselves. This helps keep such students engaged, he explained, whereas before, they might have lost interest out of frustration.

"Ponton said students in his district use DrawPlus not only in creative arts classes, but also in core subject areas to create and animate illustrations for concepts ranging from chemistry compounds to Spanish verbs."

Yes, software to support student art making efforts has the potential to elevate art from something few teachers are comfortable with or equipped to offer their students, (and that many students find difficult because of limited technique), to an eminently practical approach to successful learning that can be made part of a great many common school activities! Youngsters naturally want to explore ideas visually, and supporting them in doing this through the use of simple to use software is an easy step to take in making classwork more motivating and relelvant. My book 'Visual Arts Units for All Levels' shows how student art can be made easily with free resources like Google's Picasa or nearly ubiquitous applications like MS Word and PowerPoint, which nearly all schools have already.

These free or ubuiquitous applications can get teachers started down this wonderful path. As their experience and interest develops and success grows they can acquire expensive pieces of software, which in many cases are more robust and elaborate. However, teachers can absolutley start out making great art with their students without buying new software.

As an example I created this graphic using MS Word, MS Powerpoint, and Paint (included with all Windows OS computers)... please compare this with this demo from Serif software, which is referenced in the article. True, their 'for purchase' software can take the student a little further, but the piece I produced with software that cost me nothing clearly indicates that this same activity could be done well without purchasing anything. As a result of my 18 years as a middle school fine arts teacher in an East Harlem public school, I know the value of this type of activity and understand that this would be an appropriate resource set and series of techniques to use with my students to accomplish it. This image was done in just a few minutes using Word's Auto Shapes, importing them into PowerPoint as a group where images are easily positioned and text easily added, and touched up in Paint...easy!

Serif Draw Plus DEMO video...
http://www.serif.com/education/videodemos/drawplusproduct/

I want to state emphatically that items like this one offered for sale, do have their value and I suspect that teachers may be tempted to purchase them AFTER they have begun to make art with their students using the free resources I recommend and are ready to go to the next level. This software was offered at the price of " Elementary School Site License - $2,200." on the company's website when I checked.

The article from eSchool news can be found in its entirety @ http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/top-news/?i=55283

"Technology makes art education a bigger draw Sophisticated software and new online collaborations are helping students of all abilities acquire key art concepts and skills

In art, as in life at large, technology has changed everything – or, more precisely, almost everything.

In art classes at schools and universities today, new and emerging software is rendering art appreciation and even actual artistic production accessible to a far greater number of interested students and aspiring artists than ever before.

In the classic approach, talented apprentices toil under the tutelage of a highly skilled master to perfect their skills and learn the fundamentals of their art. That approach works well for the talented few but not so well for those who lack dogged desire or raw native talent. It also imposes strict limits on the number of individuals permitted to benefit from the wisdom, skill, and experience of the master.

To a remarkable degree, technology in the service of art and art education is changing all that...