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- Diarmuid Purcell
Life through the Lens: Using Digital Tools in Support of Painting Practice in the Classroom.
This research project attempted to bridge the gap between current contemporary art practices of digital orientation and the practices that are prevalent in the current art craft and design classroom.
It was designed to explore how digital media tools can support traditional means of making work, particularly; painting. As my interests was also in the dynamics of using digital technologies to facilitate group teaching, this was a strong focus both in process and outcomes.
Students used cameras and digital manipulation programmes to create manipulated imagery to use as source material for their large-scale paintings. To dissuade a preoccupation with representational accuracy, the students were encouraged to remove complex detail from within their photographs through digital manipulation. This was to promote clarity of shape and colour and to allow the students to think objectively and to focus on colour mixing and application of paint.
It emerged from the research that students did not connect what they understand as art making, and digital media usage. As students have a natural affinity with using digital media, through daily use, and are ‘digital natives’, this aptitude should now also be actively nurtured and developed as a vehicle for artistic expression within the curriculum.