Digital Art For Children

With technology advancing at such a rapid pace teaching children about computers has become increasingly important. Digital art has many applications, and experimenting with art programs can help a child develop valuable skills that will be useful throughout their life. Today most professions require some knowledge of computers and that trend is likely to continue. Fortunately there are a variety of ways to introduce kids to digital art. Here are a few ideas to get parents and teachers started.

Have children design logos on paper then try to create that image using a software program like Photoshop. If Photoshop is a little too complicated there are other programs available that are easier to use. Some programs can be downloaded online for free. Artpad is a free online program that allows you to paint and experiment with different colors and tools on a digital canvas. This is a great way to familiarize children with creating art on the computer. Brushter is also free and this program allows children to paint online with a variety of brush options and effects. There are countless websites that offer free drawing and painting tools as well as programs that allow kids to edit images online.

Having children create a newsletter or other type of publication is another activity that incorporates digital art. Decorating the newsletter with clip art or custom designed logos is a great idea. Don't be afraid to let kids try things the adults may find too complicated. Children can be very intuitive and things that adults consider difficult may be very easy for a child to pick up through trial and error. Have kids draw a picture then teach them how to use a scanner to create a digital image. Kids can add effects to the image and experiment with changing the size and shape of the image on the computer.

Another great way to introduce your child to digital art is through photography. These days the majority of photos are taken on digital cameras. There are a number of cameras on the market that are specially designed for children. Allowing children to take digital photos and edit them in the computer is a fabulous learning tool. Kids can learn how to crop images and combine them with other photos they have taken. Printing out their photo creations or posting them on a website will allow them to share their creations with friends and families. There also are many hosting services that have the option to create free websites. Allowing a child to create a website and banner art using photo editing software can be a fun activity. Choosing content for the site and adding pictures will help create a computer savvy child.

The options are endless when it comes to digital art for children. Allowing them to become familiar with computer based graphics at an early age will definitely give them a leg up in the future. Whether thinking about future employment opportunities or success in school teaching kids about digital art will definitely put them at an advantage.