Creating Digital Art with Children

This post is sponsored by HP® Sprout

I am certain the new HP® Sprout is the exact computer I dreamt about when I was younger. I can remember many times wishing I had something that could capture my creations exactly, not like a photocopy, or could turn a three-dimensional object into a two-dimensional image so I could use it on a card (like cool rocks and other priceless items). I knew how to work with my hands but my drawing skills have always been lacking and this was before digital cameras or any understanding of digital creative programs. Who knows what I would have done if I’d had the Sprout in my youth. The Sprout is this whole new system that combines physical creating with digital. It’s part hands-on and part magic (as labeled by Love Bug).

So I introduced it to my children.

It was kind of a last-resort, end-of-the-day, give-me-five-more-minutes-to-work idea and for not being well thought out, it was a great decision. Living with me, my children are exposed to the various aspects of a creative and online career. They watch me make lots of items, style photos, take photos, edit and manipulate images and they are eager to try all those things too; I’ve taken a number of photos of scenes they’ve set up. After shunning digital programs myself for so long, I am keen on them learning about digital creation and the Sprout is a great device to get them started.

Children don’t have the fear and worries adults do. They jump in, try new things and tinker. And I love tinkering. Love Bug took it it immediately. Having some experience with Smart Boards and our phones, she recognized a number of action buttons (plus she can read everything now!!) and began clicking. They started with a Crayola app on the Sprout dashboard. I didn’t know what to expect and hoped it wasn’t confusing. I soon realized I didn’t even need to be there, the intuitive program was a cinch for them to use. They easily maneuvered between the tools, colors and actions. The app also inspired cooperation, helpfulness and turn-taking – magic indeed!

The Sprout has a touch screen which is fantastic for little ones. We’ve given Sweet J some computer experience by way of a word document and a large font which holds his attention for a long time (and gives me lots of practice spelling words for him). However, using the mouse is really frustrating. With the Sprout, he can do most things all by himself. We used the 3D camera to take pictures of his animals and after showing him how to do it the first time, Sweet J did the rest himself. He thought it was so cool to see his animals on the screen.

Once we captured all the animals as images, I showed him how to manipulate the images using his fingers. He’s fairly familiar, though not as practiced, with the process but loved doing it. He giggled as he made his dinosaur ginormous.

What I like about children creating digitally:

1. It’s another medium.

I’m all for giving children experience with all kinds of art mediums. Digital art is so different than three-dimensional art and each inspire different forms of creation. Give children the chance to try it all.

2. It affords lot of experimenting.

It is so much easier to attempt different designs on a digital canvas. Undoing an errant mark takes one click, color adjustment another. They can get lost in the process of creating and I feel like the process is the most important part when they are young.

3. It’s cleaner.

Some days, paints are not on my can-handle list however, digitally painting is spotless. I’m all for sanity savers.

4. Computers are part of our world and children need experience.

Get them comfortable with a keyboard and mouse while they create. It’s a win-win.

My children are just beginning their creative journey and I’m going to do everything I can to give them as much experience as I can. I want their imaginations to run wild. With the inclusion of digital art and the Sprout, wild they will be.

Next week, it’s my turn to create on the Sprout!

This post is sponsored by HP. All opinions and ideas are my own. Thank you for being supportive of our sponsors.