When you first think of art class, you don't necessarily think of technology or digital art. But it's a fantastic way for art teachers to incorporate technology into their classroom with minimal supply need -

In any Graphic Design or Digital Art class, the very first lessons must introduce students to graphics software - such as Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator - and digital hardware, such as cameras and scanners. However, once students have a good handle on the equipment, where does a teacher go next? What art lessons can be taught that are meaningful, relevant and motivating, help students master software, and teach them about the professional field of Graphic Design? Here are 20 Art & Design projects that are suitable for high school students who have a basic knowledge of graphics software and hardware: 1. Found-Object ABC (or Number) Photography Students use digital cameras to search out (scavenger-hunt style) the ABC’s or numbers in found-objects - for instance, the support bars on the side of a swing-set could appear to be a letter ‘A’. Students upload their photos and use Photoshop to enhance each photo, emphasizing the letter or number they are showcasing. Finished photos may be printed or turned into a digital collage. 2. Hometown Landscape Photography I took my Graphic Design students on a field trip into the picturesque courthouse-square and downtown area of our city. You could also take students to state parks or local attractions. Students used digital cameras to highlight points of interest in our downtown area, and were told to focus on unique perspectives, angles and viewpoints. Students uploaded their photos and used Photoshop to enhance each photo, even adding visual effects and filters. Finished photos were printed, framed, and displayed in our city’s local art gallery in a special student exhibit. 3. Manipulated Self-Portraits Teens love to take selfies – exploit that interest with this project. Students use digital cameras to take unique photos of themselves, exhibiting unique angles, viewpoints and backgrounds. Photos are uploaded, then Photoshop is used to enhance each photo with effects and filters. 4. Juxtaposing Self Seamlessly into Famous Artwork Students search Internet (www.artchive.com, Wikipedia, or www.artcyclopedia.com) for a well-known artwork they are interested in using, or scan artworks from Art reference books – paintings with figures work best. Students use digital cameras to take photos of themselves in a way complementing the artwork. Students must use filters, tools and blending options to juxtapose themselves seamlessly into the artwork. I have had students print these as 8x10s, mat, and then display in the school hallway – teachers, students, and administrators alike love to look at these and comment! 5. Juxtaposing Self Seamlessly Into Famous Historic Photograph Discuss the movie ‘Forrest Gump’ and how digital artists had to juxtapose Tom Hanks’ character seamlessly into historic video footage. Students search Internet for well-known historic photographs or scan from history or reference books. Students use digital cameras to take photos of themselves in a way complementing the photograph. Students must use filters, tools and blending options to juxtapose themselves seamlessly into the photograph, so it appears as if they were there in person. Black and white photos work very well for this. These are also a hit when displayed in the hall. 6. Layers-upon-Layers Digital Artwork Presenting Opinion, Issue or Viewpoint Students decide upon an issue they have a clear opinion on, or a viewpoint they want to express. Students must express this viewpoint using multiple layers of text, graphics, effects and blending tools to design a digital artwork in a propaganda-style. Students may search internet, take photos, scan artwork or create original material for images. 7. Me & My Clone(s): Interactive Portrait Students must decide upon a location and action in which to photograph themselves in various positions. A student’s teammate will photograph while the student poses in ways in which the resulting figures will be interacting when placed together in a montage. Students can interact with one clone, or two or three or more, depending on the action. Photos are uploaded and students manipulate their photos to have their clones ‘interacting’ in one location. I have had some students do this as if they are posing with themselves in a pyramid, others where they are tripping themselves in the hallway, or jumping over themselves playing leapfrog. 8. Celebrity Airbrushing: Myself as a Magazine Cover Students research the controversial topic of model airbrushing (and view good and bad examples of this practice). Students watch tutorials – there are plenty of appropriate and informative Photoshop tutorials on perfecting skin tone, changing hair color, adding makeup, etc. – on YouTube. Students take ‘cover photos’ with themselves as models, upload, and airbrush their photos to be cover-ready. Next, they add magazine titles, headlines and other features to design a magazine cover. 9. New School Website & Logo Design Most schools have logos and websites, and most of them are also outdated and old-fashioned. Students must first consider the needs and image of their school (it would be a good idea to invite the principal in as a guest speaker), and design a new logo for the school. Next, students design a new home page for their school’s website, using this new graphic. If you work carefully and professionally, you may even be able to convince those in charge to consider utilizing your students’ graphic designs. 10. Greeting Card Design Students choose a holiday, life event or other occasion for greeting cards, which must be researched (www.hallmark.com and www.americangreetings.com are good companies to use for research). After learning about styles and current trends, students design a series of greeting cards – including original logos and graphics. 11. Food Styling Design Students research food styling, then use digital cameras to take appetizing and artistic photos of their lunch (at school) or another meal (at home). These photos are uploaded, and students design advertisements, cereal boxes, product labels, menus, or magazine covers with their photos. 12. Yearbook or Book Cover Design Students may work with the school’s Yearbook staff, if desired, to custom-create the school’s next yearbook cover. If this is not feasible, students may choose to design the cover for their autobiography, or re-design a new cover edition for an existing book. 13. ‘Movie About My Life’ Poster Design Students love to imagine themselves in the movies. They will decide upon a title for their movie, the actors in it, and a basic plot – and use the Internet, cameras, and Photoshop to design the promotional movie poster, including credits, graphics, a release date, plot summary, critic review and a slogan. 14. Corporate Identity Design Students first research corporate design, view plenty of examples and learn the basics of graphic design in logos (color selection/meaning and typography). Students then create their own companies, and design a corporate logo, letterhead, and business cards. 15. School Event Planning Design Students may be given actual school events to design custom graphics for – school dances, fundraisers, Art shows, athletic events, music concerts, awards, etc – which will make their designs relevant to their school environment. If students are seniors, however, they might design graphics for their upcoming graduation or open houses. Students will be assigned to design event tickets, programs, brochures, and advertisements for the event that all show cohesive design and graphic unity between each item. 16. School/Organization Advertising Design Have your school’s Business Manager or Director of Development come in and talk to students about school publicity and advertising, and real ads that they must place in newspapers – such as enrollment notices, Open House ads or athletic schedules. Students must take into account school image and needs, and create a potential newspaper advertisement, promoting the school. If possible, arrange to have one of the student ads used in the actual newspaper. 17. Record Company/CD Cover Design Students create a record company and a band of their own, then use Photoshop to design their first CD cover. Students should take into account the style of their band’s music, as well as consumer expectations, and consider these ideas in the graphics. Designs should include the band’s name, album title, company logo, and a listing of the tracks, as well as graphics. 18. Real Estate Advertisement Design Students research the real-estate market in their area (use websites of local real estate brokers). Students select a property they find, and design a housing-magazine advertisement for the property, displaying the housing graphics, including descriptions, listing agents, prices, contact information, and more. It would be fantastic to have a real-estate agent come in and present to the class about how they market their listings. If it can be arranged, real-estate agents may select student promotional designs to use to market their listings. 19. Video Game Design High school students love video games. Each student should imagine a brand-new video game of their own, and design a screenshot of the game - showing the characters and game graphics - as well as a promotional poster, advertisement or game box design. 20. Television Graphics Design If feasible, invite a Graphic Designer from a local news station to come and present to the class about television graphics, the software they use, and job specifications. Students imagine a brand-new TV channel, design the logo for the evening news program, and design custom graphics for the weather forecast, ‘Breaking News’ stories, and more. Keep in mind that to successfully teach these Graphic Design and Digital Art lessons, the Art teacher will need to have access to computers for each student, digital cameras, a good color printer, graphics software (such as Photoshop or Illustrator), the Internet, a scanner, and flash drives for students to save their own work. High school Art students are already bombarded by thousands of visual images and propaganda on a daily basis. Thus, the idea of using computers to create Digital Art is already motivating to students – it is up to the Art teacher to harness that interest and energy into guiding them to learn about the real world profession of Graphic Design. Using any of these Art & Design lessons will be a fantastic jumping-off point for teaching students about this new, important and relevant career.

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Digital Art. The website is called Digital Art Teacher, but have you ever noticed that we don’t actually have an art curriculum focused on digital art? Today, I am delighted to tell you that this is no longer the case! Below you’ll find a sequence of lessons that will fill a semester with creative and informative digital art lessons […]

This is a great lesson for beginning digital artists looking to build fluency in digital drawing skills and improve their understanding of using digital layers. This blog post features step by step photos with instructions, a video tutorial, and photo examples of finished projects. I hope you enjoy and don't forget to follow Make a

Your plans ran short today? You have a class full of students who finished a project early and don’t know what to do? You have a computer lab which suddenly only has half of the computers in operation? Your country has suddenly shut down due to a deadly virus and now you must completely change […]

Digital Art. The website is called Digital Art Teacher, but have you ever noticed that we don’t actually have an art curriculum focused on digital art? Today, I am delighted to tell you that this is no longer the case! Below you’ll find a sequence of lessons that will fill a semester with creative and informative digital art lessons […]

Disclaimer: This is an old post. If you are interested in graphic design lessons, go to the “All Lessons” tab to preview my lesson resources. Thanks! https://www.digitalartteacher.com/curriculum/ It’s HERE!!! It’s finally here!! I am proud to announce that my first set of lesson plans and video tutorials are now available! If you are interested in […]

Are you new to the world of illustration or an aspiring illustrator searching for your unique illustration style? Then you in the right place. We will highlight six key steps to help you define your illustration style

The world is filled with so many different forms of art – including digital art. In this course, you’ll explore this special genre of art found in everything from advertising to animation to photography and beyond. Additionally, you’ll tap into your creative side to create digital art and make it come alive!

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Art Room poster: Art can make a better you — how art can help us grow and understand ourselves — Art as Therapy! 8.5x11 and 11x17 included. Can be scaled down or enlarged for your print or digital needs. *********************************************************************** Hope Creek Studios specializes in Art Studio and History, Photography and Graphic Design lessons and creative aids. Click here to see MORE STUDIO ART worksheets, lessons, & creative aids in our TPT store! FOLLOW ME to get FREEBIES to your email from Hope Creek Art Studios *********************************************************************** Let's Connect www.HopeCreekAcres.com Pinterest Facebook Instagram ********************************************************************** © 2023 Hope Creek Art Studios/Hope Creek Acres ® ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

The ultimate curriculum platform for K-12 art teachers. FLEX gives art teachers access to a rich library of standards-aligned curriculum materials so they can save time and focus on teaching and student learning.

GRAPHIC DESIGN BASIC COURSE 14 -16

WHY ART #3 - What can art do in a student's life? Here's a quick fact poster/handout. Original artwork size 8.x5x11. Can be scaled down or enlarged for multiple sizes or digital display. I like to have it not only on display for students but as a handout for parents. This is our 3rd version since it...

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Introducing the Magazine Cover Project for Photoshop – your key to unlocking creativity and digital literacy skills in the classroom. This comprehensive resource is meticulously crafted to engage students in the dynamic world of digital art curriculum and graphic design projects. Perfect for high school art projects, technology in education, and digital media projects, this project guide is a must-have for educators looking to integrate innovative teaching materials into their creative classroom activities. What This Resource Offers: Photoshop Lessons: Step-by-step tutorials tailored for Adobe Photoshop, making complex design principles accessible to students of all skill levels. Digital Art Curriculum Integration: Seamlessly blends art technology projects with core curriculum, promoting STEM integration art and design thinking activities. Creative Digital Projects: Encourages students to explore their creativity through digital creativity tools, preparing them for future digital arts portfolio development. Why It Stands Out: Comprehensive Design Skills Development: From visual communication class basics to advanced graphic arts assignments, students will learn and apply key design skills. Innovative Educational Design Software Use: Specifically designed for educational Photoshop activities, this project enhances students’ proficiency with professional design software. Artistic Technology Integration: Perfect for interactive art lessons and computer graphics courses, it fosters an appreciation for the intersection of art and technology. Ideal For: Teachers seeking to enrich their digital literacy skills offerings. Educators looking for creative computing classes resources. Art instructors aiming to incorporate more digital design resources in their curriculum. Graphic Design classes focusing on typography. Dive into a project that not only boosts Photoshop for students' knowledge but also enhances their creative problem-solving and visual arts education. This graphic design project is an excellent addition to any digital art curriculum, offering a hands-on approach to learning that students will love. Empower Your Students: Equip them with the skills needed for a future in design, media arts lessons, and beyond. Witness their growth as they develop into confident creators ready to tackle any creative digital projects. Get Ready to Inspire: Transform your art class resources with this innovative educational design software project. Download now and watch your classroom come to life as students embark on their journey through design skills development and creative classroom activities. Happy Designing! ✨

10 Digital Art Projects That Will Spark Student Creativity Media & Techniques % %

Curriculum… Just take a second to let that word soak in… How does it make you feel? Worried? Confident? Restricted? Reassured? However you feel about it, having a set curriculum is something that many administrators expect of teachers. And whether you like it or not, it does help you organize your plans and can calm some anxiety […]

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Free printable Pop art templates for learning to create in the style of Andy Warhol. This free art tutorial for kids will have your students begging for more....and you can give it to them! We've included three different templates that are sure to delight your budding artists.

Unlock the secrets to creating stunning digital illustrations and propel your artistic journey forward! Delve deep into the art of digital creation!

ART POSTER — Handy poster to use in your art room: WHY SKETCHBOOK? Reasons why using a sketchbook are important and beneficial. I often print this for students and parents along with some of the other posters like Why Art? and Art Facts, etc. 8.5x11 and can be shrunk or enlarged for print or digital display. *********************************************************************** Hope Creek Studios specializes in Art Studio and History, Photography and Graphic Design lessons and creative aids. Click here to see MORE STUDIO ART worksheets, lessons, & creative aids in our TPT store! FOLLOW ME to get FREEBIES to your email from Hope Creek Art Studios *********************************************************************** Let's Connect www.HopeCreekAcres.com Pinterest Facebook Instagram ********************************************************************** © 2023 Hope Creek Art Studios/Hope Creek Acres ® ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Digital Illustrations are a huge part of my business and I absolutely love creating them. Today, I wanted to share the basic tools you will need to create your own digital illustrations.

In this day and age of Photoshop, we were inspired to explore the lost art of altering photographs by hand with this Altered Photograph Art Project!

Get easy tips to convert drawings to vectors using several methods. Digitize your art for Adobe Illustrator with these simple methods.

So, your teaching graphic design to high school students (YAY!)… Maybe you’re asking yourself, “Where do I start?” Maybe you’re thinking, “I’ve never taught this before and I don’t know what to do!” Or maybe you just want to quit and find a new job where you don’t even have to worry about it… I […]

Learn the 12 Principles of Graphic Design every designer should know and use them to create amazing graphic design projects.