Artefact One Continued...

After the filmed observation and interview I got each student to fill out a few brief questions. I had to alter them slightly as I had to change the artifact slightly due to deadlines that the teacher told me about that day. Instead of getting the students to do both a digital and hand drawn drawing I had to compare their digital drawing to a hand drawn piece of art work they had already created as they had limited time with their deadline.

I had to change a few of the questions on the spot but the students answered the following questions for me-

1) What was your first choice of tool?

ipad or ipod

2)Why did you choose this particular tool?

3) Have you used either one before?

yes

no

4) If so, how often?

Everyday

Once a week

Once a month

Never

5) Did you find the medium easy to use?

Yes

No

Didn't make a difference whether it was traditional or digital

6) What was your favourite tool and why?

Here are the responses that I got from the students:

1) All students but 1 choose the ipad other the ipod.

2) Student 1-I choose the ipad because it's bigger so I thought it'd be easier to use

Student 2-There's more control with the ipad

Student 3- Ipad has a larger screen

Student 4- Because the ipad is more accurate, easier and quicker to use

student 5- Larger screen

Student 6- Larger screen

Student 7- Easy to use, quick

3) 2 out of 7 people had used the ipad before

4) 1 out of 7 had used it every day the rest had never used the ipad before.

5) 1 out of 7 found it easy to use. However one said he could find it easier with practice as he's used to using pen and paper.

6) (Favourite tool)

Student 1- ipad because it's larger and easy for fingers, more space

Student 2- I prefer to use 3d mediums as they provide an image that can be seen from different angles

Student 3- The traditional tools (pen, paper, pencil) because its easier and quicker to use and you can get used to using it quicker. There's only so much you can do on the digital so you can't really do as much as you'd want

Student 4- Traditional pen, paper and chalks. It's easier to shade and you know where the lines will be

Student 5- Traditional because tone and definition of an image is easier to express

Student 6- I prefer my normal way of working with chalk, pastels and pencil because it's easier to do fine detail and show soft textures.

Student 7- Didn't really have a favourite, feel a brush tool that is force sensitive would be better as it would mimic the real thing.

From doing these interviews and small questionnaire I feel I have gained an insight into how the next generation of artists function with traditional tools and new web interfaces. To me the most interesting thing is that they are all looking to create art work in the easiest way possible, to them this is photo shop on a laptop as it is two technologies that they are used to that allows them to define their artwork.

Also although it wasn't filmed I had a chat with a few of the GCSE students who told me that they prefer using digital tools. Out of a whole class only one student preferred using pen and paper. Also none them really used art apps on the ipad/iPhone but all of them love using the angry birds apps and other games on their phones. Maybe I could look at merging apps and games together to challenge the boundaries of art apps?

Artefact One:ipad drawing experiment

Today I went to Ashfield school to observe and interview a range of ALevel students to gain an understanding of their perception of the ipad and how it affects their artwork. So it would benefit the students I got them to produce a drawing on the ipad/ipod based on their ALevel exam theme so it was fresh in their minds. The themes were shells, global warming and every day to extra-ordinary. As a comparison against the work produced on the ipad I took photos of their current artwork that is produced by traditional tools, such as pen, pencil, paint etc on paper. Generally the students spent 5Min's using the ipad/ipod to create artwork. Although this is a short amount of time to compare digital artwork against work created using traditional technique over a longer amount of time I feel that it is was a good idea to let the student use the tool for short bursts of time. This is to enable them to express themselves impulsively and to see how easy the ipad is to use.

I have filmed (well Steve filmed-thanks Steve!) the interviews so I could understand how easy the ipad was to use as well as how the students feel about it as a tool to express themselves. My biggest question is if they felt that it affects the formal elements therefore the quality of their drawings. Also if they had used apps before and if this affected their performance using the ipad as a creative tool.

To make the observe fair they all used brushes. Below is their work compared to traditional forms of their artwork.

Student 1:

• Interested in 3d, ipad doesn't allow for that. She wants to experiment with angles.
• Prefers drawing
• Nervous about using ipad
• Didn't feel like she could 'connect' with the ipad
• Feels like she's missing out on being able to add tone.

Student 2:

• Hard to get used to the navigation
• With user experience easier to use
• Too slow to create pencil marks etc
• Not like photo shop
• Likes mixing traditional techniques with digital

Student 3:

• Student doesn't see the ipod/ipad as an art tool. See it as a platform to launch games (angry birds)
• Easier to use because you don't have to clean up but prefers drawing
• Miss details like shading that hard to create in brushes
• Less messy, more convenient

Student 4:

• Appearance created is too harsh
• Different type of skill and look so would use it as a different platform for artwork
• Good for jotting down ideas and sketches

Student 5:

• Most confident at using the ipad as has touch screen computer at home
• Feels its more responsive and works quicker than other touch screen devices
• But it still slows you down, doesn't allow for higher standard of work
• Would like to see it work more like a paint brush- if u push down harder it'll create a thicker line rather than heat sensitive

Student 6:

• Never used ipad before.
• Prefers traditional techniques
• Trouble with functions on ipod
• Would rather use a pen on the screen so it's more realistic to how she would normally draw
• Don't like the ipad as student feels that she hasn't got enough control. Doesn't want to have to think too much whilst drawing, just want to express themselves

Student 7:

• Hard to control. Needs to be less sensitive to functions and more sensitive to drawing
• Needs to get used to the touch screen to draw
• Doesn't use apps
• Needs to be clearer to use