Can anyone recommend a digital art program?

[5LittleMonkeys]

Dd12 has asked to learn about and how to do digital art. I have no idea what's even out there. Any suggestions?

[masaki]

We haven't used this program, but I've heard good things.

 

http://www.YouthDigitalArts.com/

 

Good luck on your search!

[catholicmommy]

I'm interested in this as well... :lurk5::lurk5:

[Lori D.]

Digital Art is a very broad field, covering everything from using software to create art, music, or animation -- to using digital still or motion cameras -- to graphic design using digital and electronic tools and software. Can you narrow it down a little for us? What area(s) is your DD thinking of when she says "Digital Art":

 

- digital photography / film making

- electronic graphic design (creating ads, logos, flyers, posters, magazines, etc.)

- website design

- computer software and/or digital/electronic media to create individual art images

- digital or computer animation, computer/video games, or simulations

- computer sculpting and/or 3-D rendering

- using or designing interactive media systems

- computer software and/or digital/electronic media to create music and/or sound

Edited October 2, 2011 by Lori D.

[5LittleMonkeys]

- computer software and/or digital/electronic media to create individual art images

- digital or computer animation, computer/video games, or simulations

 

I believe these would be what she is looking for based on things she has shown me and what she has told me. She's been asking for a Wacom Graphics Tablet. I'm going to start this week researching products and programs and thought I'd start here to see if anyone had already tried out anything that they loved.

[Lori D.]

She's been asking for a Wacom Graphics Tablet.

 

I highly recommend the Creative Live live streaming classes, which are free if you sign up and watch at the time they are streaming, but they are also recorded and you can purchase them as a download. While these courses are done by adults for adults, they are generally at an introductory level, and the instructors are so good, that our teen son has had NO problems following along; depending on what course it is, your DD would probably be able to get a lot out of these, too. I don't see any upcoming (the free, live) classes on topics that would fit in with your DD's interests, but there are several past classes that would be worth purchasing:

 

Here is the Creative Live website

Here is the Creative Live course catalog

 

Here are Creative Live courses I am guessing might match up with your DD:

1. Using Wacom Tables (one 90-120 min. session) = $15 download

2. Ten-Week Illustrator CS4 Course (ten 90-120 min. classes) = $75 download

3. Ten Week Flash CS4 Course (ten 90-120 min. classes = $75 download

 

And, just 'cause it's October, this was a fun one we watched last year:

Pumpkin Carving (single 90 minute session) = FREE download

 

Some of the other courses offered are probably NOT a match for DD:

- Dreamweaver is web design software.

- InDesign is graphic design / page layout software.

- Photoshop may eventually be a match, but probably much later on.

 

 

Some ideas that I ran across as I google searched:

This program looked really interesting, and I'm guessing is much more along the lines of what your DD is thinking of, but you'd have to live in that school district to participate.

Digital Media Academy has multiple locations, and offers summer camp options for kids (age 7-12), teens (12-17), adults.

Here's an interactive Digital Arts website.

This mega list of free online resources could be an excellent starting point for doodling around!

 

 

BEST of luck! Warmest regards, Lori D.

Edited October 3, 2011 by Lori D.

[5LittleMonkeys]

Lori D., as usual, your help is greatly appreciated! Dd was looking over my shoulder when I clicked on the interactive Digital Arts website(NGA), and she just about knocked me out of my chair trying to get a better look. We'll have to download a shockwave player, but when we do I think she will be spending a lot of time on that site, as will my 8yo who is coming right behind her in artistic interests.

 

 

 

Masaki, thanks for the link to Youth Digital Arts too. I'm going to look into it further as well. Lot's of research happening here in the next couple of weeks.:D

 

 

 

I definitely see a graphics tablet being on her Christmas wish list too. I love seeing her so excited about this. She's always loved doing art and projects, but just lately she has gotten this epiphany that if she really devotes herself to art education and takes advancing her skills seriously, she could have a future in pursuing her passion as a career. In the past she's always said she wants to "be something to do with art", but now she is actually taking ownership of making those first steps to making that a better possibility.

[ThreeBlessings]

For fun- Scratch (my kids have loved this) and Pixia are FREE. There are lots of tutorials on youtube about using Pixia, though we haven't watched them. Pixia is neat because it allows you to draw and add in layers, very cool. There used to be a Pixia website, but google isn't spitting it out for me if it still exists. It had tutorial manuals for download.

[KarenNC]

:lurk5: