“Integrating Digital Art Practice and Art History Studies” by Hatanaka

Many professionals in the digital art and design industry emphasize the importance of classical art skills and knowledge as a foundation for creating digital art. As an art educator and theorist, I am trying to bridge the gap between traditional art theory and contemporary studio practice. This report is based on an introductory level lesson plan of “Visual Art History” for the first-and second-year students of university who aim to be information designers, computer artists or technical directors. In my lesson, students listen to lectures of art history and also make experimental artwork based on what they learn in class. They are assigned themes such as “mythology and character design”, “abstract art and digital painting”, “Japanese traditional picture scroll and character storytelling” from which they are to create their visual ideas.