By Abigail Murphy, Turner Center Summer Intern
With the continuous intrusion of technology in nearly all aspects of life, art can now be created digitally. The Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts is offering digital art classes for kids throughout the summer in two different time blocks: 10 am to 12 pm and from 1 pm to 3 pm.
Digital Art Instructor Becca Waterman uses Microsoft Office Paint and Photoshop to introduce students to the technology and the art process, to inspire them to create, and to help them develop their own styles utilizing brushes, blending and layering of colors.
The classes, already into the fourth week of the summer art program, are open to kids with various levels of experience. Each week the classed are focused around a theme to give some direction with the projects designed to help students “put themselves in their artwork.”
“I definitely do think it’s important for artists, especially kids, to make work about themselves,” she said. “Literally including themselves in the work somehow is an interesting and direct way to do so.”
During the week of July 8, Oceans will be held in the morning and All Around the World in the afternoon. All Around the World offers a project on China with dragons and motifs and a project on African patterns and textures. Similar to other classes, All Around the World will incorporate some history in the lessons.
During the week of July 15, Summer Fun and The Dream World will be offered. Summer Fun will feature projects on fun things that took place over the summer, something the students love about summer, and the ideal summer activity. The Dream World projects will explore sleeping dreams, as well as the students’ hopes and dreams.
With each class, Waterman makes time for students to present their projects. At the conclusion of the classes, students receive printouts of the artwork they created.
“I want them all to show each other and talk about it,” she said. “They are not just thinking of the art, but they have to think of a story or explanation behind it, as well.”
She said art is always shifting with new mediums. Now that computer programs have become more accessible, so has the ability to form art with them.
“Artists have the ability to take anything and bring it into the art world,” Waterman said.
For more information about the Digital Art classes or other kids’ summer classes at the Turner Center, visit www.turnercenter.org or call (229) 247-2787.
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