Navigating Digital Art

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Discover this curated collection, a versatile resource that navigates the ever-changing world of digital art-making in contemporary art education. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced educator, this collection is designed to meet your needs. It showcases digital tools that enable students to create, collaborate, and innovate, and provides proven techniques for integrating technology into art instruction. These strategies foster digital literacy, creativity, and student engagement. Explore profiles of digital-based artists who are reshaping visual culture and learn about art and design career pathways grounded in technology. Whether you're new to digital media or looking to deepen your integration of technology, this collection will support your digital practice in the art classroom.

  • A Sketchy Webinar: Developing Student Drawing Skills in a Digital Age
    Contains 3 Component(s), Includes Credits

    [March 6, 2024] Join us as we explore drawing in the 21st-century classroom. From analog to digital arts, see examples and hear from educators who teach drawing to advance artmaking and communications skills to help students capture real and imagined worlds. As part of this discussion, we’ll also dive into how the methods and mindsets of sketchnoting can help learners of all ages build confidence with new and effective ways to absorb and manage information.


     

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    A Sketchy Webinar: Developing Student Drawing Skills in a Digital Age 

    Wednesday, March 6, 2024 
    FREE for NAEA members; $49 for nonmembers

    Join us as we explore drawing in the 21st-century classroom. From analog to digital arts, see examples and hear from educators who teach drawing to advance artmaking and communications skills to help students capture real and imagined worlds. As part of this discussion, we’ll also dive into how the methods and mindsets of sketchnoting can help learners of all ages build confidence with new and effective ways to absorb and manage information.

    Manuel Herrera

    Learning and Development Specialist, Washington University in St. Louis

    Manuel Herrera is visual thinker, sketchnoter, designer, and educator. For the past 20 years Herrera has used his passion for education, sketching, and creativity to build workshops and design talks that bring out the inner creative in everyone. His events focus on play and process to help students build confidence, as well as practice routines centered on thinking and creativity.

    Jane Montero

    Art Educator, Dexter Community Schools

    Jane Montero has taught middle-level art for 33 years. She is the President of the Michigan Art Education Association and a graduate of NAEA’s School for Art Leaders. Montero received the Outstanding Teaching Award from NAEA’s Art & Media Technology Interest Group in 2023, and she was also the recipient of Michigan’s Middle Level Art Educator of the Year Award, and the National Middle Level Art Educator of the Year Award in 2021–2022.

    Matt Young

    Visual Arts Educator and Art Chair, Pickerington Central High School

    Matt Young serves as the visual arts chair and is a past president of the Ohio Art Education Association. Matt is a noted speaker and has presented at the NAEA National Convention, for The Art of Education, and at various other educational conferences around the country. In addition, he has written articles for Davis Publications, NAEA, The Art of Education, and the Ohio Department of Education.

    Upon completion of this NAEA webinar, you may earn 1 hour of professional development credit as designated by NAEA. Once the webinar is completed, you may view/print a Certification of Participation under the "Contents" tab. You may also print a transcript of all webinars attended under the "Dashboard" link in the right sidebar section of the page.  

    Clock hours provided upon completion of any NAEA professional learning program are granted for participation in an organized professional learning experience under responsible sponsorship, capable direction and qualified instruction, and can be used toward continuing education credit in most states. It is the responsibility of the participant to verify acceptance by professional governing authorities in their area.

  • Open Source Tech Tools to Use in the Art Room: A Pechakucha-Style Webinar!
    Contains 2 Component(s), Includes Credits

    This webinar contains valuable information about six different tools and is relevant for all art educators. Learn about one tool or all six. Your students will be glad you did.

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    Open Source Tech Tools to Use in the Art Room: A Pechakucha-Style Webinar!
    Wednesday, February 6, 2019 | 7-8 pm ET
    FREE for NAEA Members; $49 for non-members

    This six-part webinar contains valuable information for all art educators. Participate in one or all six. Your students will be glad you did.

    1. No Adobe? No Problem! | How to Create Vectors and Pixels Without Adobe Software. Interested in teaching digital media or graphic design skills to your students but are unable to use Adobe software (for budget or student at-home accessibility reasons or because you use Chromebooks)? This webinar segment, presented by Krisha Moeller, will provide you with an overview of how you can use Gravit Designer for vectors in place of Adobe Illustrator and Pixlr Editor for pixels in place of Adobe Photoshop. Other options for free, web-based, graphics programs will also be discussed.
    2. Open Source Tools for Fabrication. Digital fabrication opens up exciting opportunities for artists to bring machine creation and iteration to their artmaking process. With the availability of open-source software, designing with these tools has become affordable. Erin Riley hosts this webinar and will provide information on design and tool options artists can use with students in their studios and makerspaces.
    3. Quality Apps for Making Art With An iPad…But Wait! There’s More! They’re All Free! What is keeping you and your students from making art with iPads in school? If the price of apps for your large number of students is your reason, have no fear. Alice Matthews Gentili will show you apps that are short on cost (they’re free!) but mighty with possibility for drawing, painting, collage, and photo editing. With iPad and stylus in hand, nothing can stop you from getting your artmaking on!
    4. Generate Art With Scratch. Expect to be amazed! Computer programming is an art process, just like painting or drawing. Scratch is a free programming language that integrates art and storytelling. Artists who work with generative art create semiautonomous systems that share responsibility for the final artworks. Variations are expected but not predetermined, so the goal is to iterate on the results generated by the system—whether computational, mechanical, social, or a hybrid combination. Join Sean Justice as he shares valuable insight in this engaging session.
    5. Apps That Can Bring Engineering Into Art and Design Programs for Any Classroom. 3D fabrication can take many shapes, as long as you know the software that matches your students’ skill levels. Brandy Jackson shows you how to use TinkerCad, Fushion360, Google Drawings, and Inkscape to bring 3D designing to life in your classroom at no cost to you or your school.
    6. Creating Virtual Art and Spaces in Open Source Platforms: Students’ Art Projects in Virtual Worlds and Minecraft In her two National Art Education Foundation (NAEF) grant projects, Lilly Lu, PhD, explores the creation of virtual art and spaces with open source tech tools such as Opensim and Minecraft. They provide richer visual environment, more creative possibilities, and less expensive tech costs for digital artmaking. Lu will present student artwork created and exhibited in such platforms for formal and informal school settings and share her strategies and recommendations for future open source projects.
    7. Teaching Photography on a Title I Budget. Teaching students about photography should not be limited to those school systems who can afford dark rooms, computer labs, or expensive photographic equipment. With guidance from Carlos Alvin Cruz, learn how to use student-owned devices, tablets, digital SLRSs, and Chromebooks to explore the elements and principles of photography, while teaching students how to navigate different platforms and free apps to create digital artwork.

    Krisha Moeller

    Miss Moe has served as a graphic design and digital illustration teacher for 5 years (grades 9-12) in Southern California and has worked as an educational technology specialist for the past 2.5 years. She is also chair-elect of the Art Education Technology (AET) Interest Group for NAEA and always looking for new ways to support the meaningful use of technology within the ArtEd classroom!

    Erin E. Riley

    Erin Riley teaches students and facilitates faculty projects at the intersection of engineering, design, and art. She also teaches a studio course in creative technologies in the Department of Art and Art Education at Columbia University’s Teachers College. Erin is among the first cohort of Senior FabLearn Fellows at Stanford University, where she writes on the topic of maker education and curriculum design and creates tools and resources for educators. During the summer, Erin works with middle school–aged students on STEAM projects at REACHPrep, an educational access organization for underserved students. Erin’s forthcoming book The Art of Digital Fabrication will be published by Constructing Modern Knowledge Press.

    Alice Matthews Gentili, MEd

    Alice Gentili is in her twenty-first year in the Mendon-Upton Regional School District. In addition to her academic degrees, she holds certification in instructional technology and STEM. She uses iPads in the art classroom for 3D design, digital art, media art, and Google Classroom and is currently focused on developing project-based middle level STEAM curriculum for the maker-centered classroom. Gentili’s skill as an art educator has been widely recognized: the 2017 NAEA Eastern Region Art Educator of the Year, the 2017 NAEA/Art Education and Technology Outstanding Educator, the 2015 Massachusetts Art Educator of the Year, and the 2012 Massachusetts Middle School Art Educator of the Year.

    Sean Justice, EdDCT

    Sean Justice’s teaching and research address teacher education in the age of computing and digital networks. As an artist, he has exhibited photographs, videos, and computer animations both nationally and internationally. His book Learning to Teach in the Digital Age: New Materialities and Maker Paradigms in Schools was published in 2016 by Peter Lang. He also publishes regularly in art, education, and human development journals.

    Brandy Jackson M. Ed IT

    Brandy Jackson is a nationally recognized STEAM curriculum developer for grades k-8. In her role as integration specialist, she has developed a full makerspace, run multiple STEAM programs, and run community outreaches to support hands on making in the traditional classroom. As the owner and operator of Mobile MakerSpace Cape Cod, she brings these STEAM lessons to schools across New England.

    Lilly Lu, PhD

    Dr. Lilly Lu has a background in instructional technology and focuses her research on emerging art media, virtual worlds/virtual reality (creation and pedagogy), gaming (game design and play/game pedagogy), digital visual culture, and integrating new media/technology into art education. Two of her research projects were funded by grant awards from the National Art Education Foundation (NAEF) in 2008 and 2015.

    Upon completion of this NAEA webinar, you may earn 1 hour of professional development credit as designated by NAEA. Once the webinar is completed, you may view/print a Certification of Participation under the "Contents" tab. You may also print a transcript of all webinars attended under the "Dashboard" link in the right sidebar section of the page.  

    Clock hours provided upon completion of any NAEA professional learning program are granted for participation in an organized professional learning experience under responsible sponsorship, capable direction and qualified instruction, and can be used toward continuing education credit in most states. It is the responsibility of the participant to verify acceptance by professional governing authorities in their area.

  • Artificial Intelligence and Art Education, Part I: A New Approach to Creativity
    Contains 3 Component(s), Includes Credits

    [December 6, 2023] We are at the beginning of a new phase of creativity, led by artists who collaborate with machines and feed algorithms with data. Artists employ artificial intelligence (AI) to generate visual images, sounds, and animations using chatbots, neural networks, and prompt-based software. However, these AI-based tools, techniques, and processes are just the beginning of a new trend that could initiate fundamental changes in the way artists and designers approach and produce art. AI artists are challenging copyright and intellectual property laws that don’t currently address the evolving language and aesthetics of art created all or in part using machine learning algorithms. With this greater computing power and the development of future programs, the limits of such output are merely the limits within our own imagination. But as AI becomes more prominent, not just across the arts but across most areas of life and work, what does this mean for artists and the future of art education? To answer this question, our presenters will talk about the implications of AI in the arts to better understand the technology, as well as its widespread adoption and use.

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    Artificial Intelligence and Art Education, Part I: A New Approach to Creativity

    Wednesday, December 6, 2023
    FREE for NAEA members; $49 for nonmembers

    We are at the beginning of a new phase of creativity, led by artists who collaborate with machines and feed algorithms with data. Artists employ artificial intelligence (AI) to generate visual images, sounds, and animations using chatbots, neural networks, and prompt-based software. However, these AI-based tools, techniques, and processes are just the beginning of a new trend that could initiate fundamental changes in the way artists and designers approach and produce art. AI artists are challenging copyright and intellectual property laws that don’t currently address the evolving language and aesthetics of art created all or in part using machine learning algorithms. With this greater computing power and the development of future programs, the limits of such output are merely the limits within our own imagination. But as AI becomes more prominent, not just across the arts but across most areas of life and work, what does this mean for artists and the future of art education? To answer this question, our presenters will talk about the implications of AI in the arts to better understand the technology, as well as its widespread adoption and use.

    Nettrice Gaskins

    Assistant Director, Lesley STEAM Learning Lab

    Nettrice Gaskins is an African American digital artist, academic, cultural critic, and advocate of STEAM fields. She earned a BFA in Computer Graphics with Honors from Pratt Institute in 1992, an MFA in Art and Technology from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 1994, and she received a doctorate in Digital Media from Georgia Tech in 2014. 

    Matt Dombrowski

    Associate Professor UCF & Limbitless Solutions Creative Director

    Associate Professor Matt Dombrowski is Creative Director at Limbitless Solutions Inc, a nonprofit organization within the University of Central Florida (UCF). He leads an interdisciplinary team to develop 3D printed, visually expressive bionic arms and training video games for children with limb differences to properly utilize their prosthetics. His work has been featured by Adobe, Autodesk, Unity, Epic, Smithsonian American Art Museum, GDC, SXSW EDU, and Gates Foundation.

    Twitter Social Media Handle: @dombrowskiucf & @limbitless3d

    Tim Needles

    Artist; Educator; Author

    Tim Needles is an artist, educator and author of STEAM Power: Infusing Art Into Your STEM Curriculum. He teaches art/media at Smithtown School District, is a TEDx Talk speaker, and his work has been featured on NPR, in the New York Times, Columbus Museum of Art, Norman Rockwell Museum, Alexandria Museum of Art, Katonah Museum of Art, and Cape Cod Museum of Art. He’s the recipient of ISTE’s Technology in Action Award and Creativity Award, NAEA’s Eastern Region Art Educator Award & AET Outstanding Teaching Award, and The Rauschenberg Power of Art Award. He’s a National Geographic Certified Teacher, PBS Digital Innovator, a NASA Solar System Ambassador, an ISTE Arts & Technology and STEM PLN leader, NAEA ArtEdTech interest Group leader, and Adobe Creative Educator and Education Leader Emeritus. He’s active on social media at @timneedles.

    Upon completion of this NAEA webinar, you may earn 1 hour of professional development credit as designated by NAEA. Once the webinar is completed, you may view/print a Certification of Participation under the "Contents" tab. You may also print a transcript of all webinars attended under the "Dashboard" link in the right sidebar section of the page.  

    Clock hours provided upon completion of any NAEA professional learning program are granted for participation in an organized professional learning experience under responsible sponsorship, capable direction and qualified instruction, and can be used toward continuing education credit in most states. It is the responsibility of the participant to verify acceptance by professional governing authorities in their area.

  • Artificial Intelligence and Art Education, Part II: Ethics and Impact
    Contains 3 Component(s), Includes Credits

    [January 10, 2024] This presentation explores the impact of artificial intelligence on today’s art education practices. It also provides suggestions for art educators interested in the incorporation of AI technology into art curricula, or those concerned about ethical issues involving the use of AI. Recently, many educators, engineers, and administrators have addressed the need to prepare for the changes AI may cause, but many art educators may also feel unprepared for these changes as they pertain to the intersection of AI, visual arts, and creativity. Using machines as a creative agency is a relatively new concept, and, in some ways, AI-generated art challenges traditional definitions of creativity. In this presentation, three art educators who teach in secondary and postsecondary education settings will share their thoughts and experiences related to AI’s impact on K–16 education. The webinar will introduce the following: 1. How high school students use AI technology in art classrooms. 2. How preservice art teachers explore the possibilities and risks of AI. 3. How college foundations students are encouraged to reexamine the role of creativity in artmaking processes and push creative boundaries. In addition, the presenters will examine the ethics and risks teachers and students should be aware of when utilizing AI tools.

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    Artificial Intelligence and Art Education, Part II: Ethics and Impact

    Wednesday, January 10, 2024
    FREE for NAEA members; $49 for nonmembers

    This presentation explores the impact of artificial intelligence on today’s art education practices. It also provides suggestions for art educators interested in the incorporation of AI technology into art curricula, or those concerned about ethical issues involving the use of AI. Recently, many educators, engineers, and administrators have addressed the need to prepare for the changes AI may cause, but many art educators may also feel unprepared for these changes as they pertain to the intersection of AI, visual arts, and creativity. Using machines as a creative agency is a relatively new concept, and, in some ways, AI-generated art challenges traditional definitions of creativity. In this presentation, three art educators who teach in secondary and postsecondary education settings will share their thoughts and experiences related to AI’s impact on K–16 education.

    The webinar will introduce the following:

    1. How high school students use AI technology in art classrooms.

    2. How preservice art teachers explore the possibilities and risks of AI.

    3. How college foundations students are encouraged to reexamine the role of creativity in artmaking processes and push creative boundaries.  

    In addition, the presenters will examine the ethics and risks teachers and students should be aware of when utilizing AI tools. 

    Megan Fowler

    Ed.S in Art Education; Art Educator, Seckinger High School, Buford, Georgia

    As a veteran teacher for 14 years, Megan Fowler is an art education specialist who currently teaches AP Studio, AP Art History, Graphic Design, and Digital Design at Seckinger High School in Buford, Georgia. Fowler was awared the Archer High School Teacher of the Year in 2018, and she was also a recipient of the Piedmont University Alumni Pacesetter Award in 2019. 

    Borim Song

    Professor of Art Education, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina

    Borim Song is a professor of art education at the School of Art and Design of East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina. She holds her EdD and EdM from Teachers College, Columbia University in New York City. Her scholarly interests include new technologies for art education, online education practice, and contemporary art in K–12 curriculum.

    Upon completion of this NAEA webinar, you may earn 1 hour of professional development credit as designated by NAEA. Once the webinar is completed, you may view/print a Certification of Participation under the "Contents" tab. You may also print a transcript of all webinars attended under the "Dashboard" link in the right sidebar section of the page.  

    Clock hours provided upon completion of any NAEA professional learning program are granted for participation in an organized professional learning experience under responsible sponsorship, capable direction and qualified instruction, and can be used toward continuing education credit in most states. It is the responsibility of the participant to verify acceptance by professional governing authorities in their area.

  • College and Career Pathways in Visual Arts, Design, and Media Arts
    Contains 2 Component(s), Includes Credits

    [October 12, 2022] We live in a world of change, inciting ever-evolving design trends and technologies requiring artists and designers to lead the way. Join us as we explore a wide range of creative career opportunities for students passionate about creating, making, building, and telling stories. The collaboration, creative problem-solving, critical-thinking, and entrepreneurial skills honed in art and design disciplines are transferrable and relevant to a wide range of industries, and can help launch successful and sustainable careers. As future seasoned design thinkers, these creatives are poised to find innovative and inventive solutions to meet the needs of the 21st century and beyond.

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    College and Career Pathways in Visual Arts, Design, and Media Arts
    Wednesday, October 12, 2022 
    FREE for NAEA members; $49 for nonmembers

    We live in a world of change, inciting ever-evolving design trends and technologies requiring artists and designers to lead the way. Join us as we explore a wide range of creative career opportunities for students passionate about creating, making, building, and telling stories. The collaboration, creative problem-solving, critical-thinking, and entrepreneurial skills honed in art and design disciplines are transferrable and relevant to a wide range of industries, and can help launch successful and sustainable careers. As future seasoned design thinkers, these creatives are poised to find innovative and inventive solutions to meet the needs of the 21st century and beyond.

    Dale Clifford

    Dean of Academics 
    Savannah College of Art and Design, Atlanta Campus 

    Dale Clifford received a BFA from Miami University and an MFA from Clemson University. Clifford has been teaching in higher education since 1989. Clifford joined the Savannah College of Art and Design in 2002 and is currently the dean of academics at SCAD’s Atlanta campus.

    Laura Strikwerda

    Executive Director of Admission 
    Savannah College of Art and Design, Atlanta Campus

    Laura Strikwerda began her career in education more than 20 years ago. Since then, she has been a transfer adviser, a middle and high school teacher, and admission representative, the director of recruitment, and the director of admission enrollment. Strikwerda is now the executive director of admission for SCAD’s Atlanta campus. 

    Honor Bowman Hall

    Dean of the Schools of Fine Arts and Visual Communication 
    Savannah College of Art and Design

    Honor Bowman Hall is an artist living and working in Savannah, Georgia. Hall serves as dean of the Schools of Fine Arts and Visual Communication at the Savannah College of Art and Design, where she graduated with an MFA in painting in 2014. Her paintings appear in collections across the United States and abroad. 

    Upon completion of this NAEA webinar, you may earn 1 hour of professional development credit as designated by NAEA. Once the webinar is completed, you may view/print a Certification of Participation under the "Contents" tab. You may also print a transcript of all webinars attended under the "Dashboard" link in the right sidebar section of the page.  

    Clock hours provided upon completion of any NAEA professional learning program are granted for participation in an organized professional learning experience under responsible sponsorship, capable direction and qualified instruction, and can be used toward continuing education credit in most states. It is the responsibility of the participant to verify acceptance by professional governing authorities in their area.

  • FREE Online Art Tools: Where the Wild Things Are!
    Contains 2 Component(s), Includes Credits

    Take a walk on the wild side! Discover 13 FREE digital online tools that you can use to organize yourself as you plan curriculum, open a unit, anchor a lesson, work on digital portfolios, integrate the new National Visual Arts Standards, and/or directly engage your students in digital art assignments.

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    Take a walk on the wild side! Discover 13 FREE digital online tools that you can use to organize yourself as you plan curriculum, open a unit, anchor a lesson, work on digital portfolios, integrate the new National Visual Arts Standards, and/or directly engage your students in digital art assignments. Cris Guenter, NAEA Pacific Region Vice President-Elect and Theresa McGee, 2014 Outstanding Technology Teacher, will guide your professional learning adventure! Both are long-time techies who have been including technology in their art instruction for years. Join Cris, Theresa, and your colleagues from across the country for this webinar to discover FREE online tools and how to you can use them for your classroom and beyond!

    Presenters: Cris Guenter and Theresa McGee


    Upon completion of an NAEA webinar, participants will receive a Certificate of Participation with (1) clock hour of professional development per session, as designated by NAEA. Clock hours provided upon completion of any NAEA professional learning institute are granted for participation in an organized professional learning experience under responsible sponsorship, capable direction and qualified instruction and can be used toward continuing education credit in most states. It is the responsibility of the participant to verify acceptance by professional governing authorities in their area.

    Professional Development Credits

  • A STEAM Makerspace in YOUR Classroom!
    Contains 2 Component(s), Includes Credits

    Science, technology, engineering, art, and math—knowledge in these fields will take our students far. And, the ways to give them this knowledge can be engaging and fun! Join STEAM specialist and educator Tim Needles as he shares creative lessons and approaches for every experience and education level when incorporating STEAM in the art room. This webinar will outline the fundamentals of STEAM and share a variety of technologies and concepts from old school ideas—light painting, upcycling, and cardboard—to emerging technologies such as digital drawing, 3D printing, augmented reality, coding, and robotics. Learn about the various ways STEAM lessons can cover everything from timing to environment to authentic project-based learning. Whether you’ve never tried teaching a STEAM lesson or you’re a full-time makerspace educator, this webinar will have something inspiring for you!

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    A STEAM Makerspace in YOUR Classroom!
    Wednesday, June 5, 2019 | 7-8 pm ET
    FREE for NAEA Members; $49 for non-members

    Science, technology, engineering, art, and math—knowledge in these fields will take our students far. And, the ways to give them this knowledge can be engaging and fun! Join STEAM specialist and educator Tim Needles as he shares creative lessons and approaches for every experience and education level when incorporating STEAM in the art room. This webinar will outline the fundamentals of STEAM and share a variety of technologies and concepts from old school ideas—light painting, upcycling, and cardboard—to emerging technologies such as digital drawing, 3D printing, augmented reality, coding, and robotics. Learn about the various ways STEAM lessons can cover everything from timing to environment to authentic project-based learning. Whether you’ve never tried teaching a STEAM lesson or you’re a full-time makerspace educator, this webinar will have something inspiring for you!

    Tim Needles

    Tim Needles is an artist and educator from Port Jefferson, New York. His work has been featured on NPR and in the New York Times, as well as the Columbus Museum of Art, the Norman Rockwell Museum, and the Museum of Fine Arts Houston. He has been teaching art and media in Smithtown, New York for 20 years and is an Adobe Education Leader and educational consultant for the Japan Society. He has received numerous awards for his teaching, been featured on various media broadcasts, and is active on Twitter and Instagram @timneedles and Facebook @TimNeedlesArt.

    Upon completion of this NAEA webinar, you may earn 1 hour of professional development credit as designated by NAEA. Once the webinar is completed, you may view/print a Certification of Participation under the "Contents" tab. You may also print a transcript of all webinars attended under the "Dashboard" link in the right sidebar section of the page.  

    Clock hours provided upon completion of any NAEA professional learning program are granted for participation in an organized professional learning experience under responsible sponsorship, capable direction and qualified instruction, and can be used toward continuing education credit in most states. It is the responsibility of the participant to verify acceptance by professional governing authorities in their area.

  • NAEA Open Studio Conversation: Easy-to-Implement Digital Art Activities for Your Classroom
    Contains 2 Component(s)

    [March 13, 2025] Looking to introduce digital art into your classroom but not sure where to start? Join us for this month’s Open Studio Conversation, sponsored by Wacom, where we’ll explore easy-to-implement digital art activities designed to spark creativity and build essential digital skills like simple drawing techniques, exploring layers, experimenting with colors, and more. From quick warm-ups to longer lessons, you’ll leave with ready-to-use lesson ideas that make digital art fun and accessible for all students. Whether you’re new to digital tools or looking to expand your existing lessons, this webinar will provide practical strategies and inspiration to implement in your classroom.

    NAEA Open Conversation: Easy-to-Implement Digital Art Activities for Your Classroom
    Thursday, March 13, 2025
    Cost: FREE!

    Looking to introduce digital art into your classroom but not sure where to start? Join us for this month’s Open Studio Conversation, sponsored by Wacom, where we’ll explore easy-to-implement digital art activities designed to spark creativity and build essential digital skills like simple drawing techniques, exploring layers, experimenting with colors, and more. 

    From quick warm-ups to longer lessons, you’ll leave with ready-to-use lesson ideas that make digital art fun and accessible for all students. Whether you’re new to digital tools or looking to expand your existing lessons, this webinar will provide practical strategies and inspiration to implement in your classroom. 

    This Open Studio Conversation is sponsored by Wacom. Attendees will have the opportunity to win an Intuos tablet to be given away following the event.

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    Please note that participation in this live event or recording does not include NAEA professional learning credit. 

    Michele Dick

    Education Marketing Manager, Wacom 

    Michele Dick is an educator first and foremost, and she brings her unique skills and experiences as classroom teacher, technology specialist, and digital learning coordinator with Evergreen Public Schools in Vancouver, WA, to her role at Wacom. A sought-after conference speaker, professional learning expert, and innovator in integrating digital ink technologies into creative and core curriculum instruction, Michele provides essential support, expertise, and creativity into her role helping educators tap the power of digital pen and display technologies in their teaching practices.   

  • NAEA Open Studio Conversation: Creating Art on Chromebooks
    Contains 2 Component(s)

    [January 29, 2025] Do your students have Chromebooks? Are you wondering how you can leverage web-based applications to engage learners in building their art skills, confidence, and creativity? If you answered yes, this Open Studio Conversation is for you. We'll explore several free (that's a key word!) web-based tools that your students can use to express their creativity and enjoy the processes of making art digitally!

    NAEA Open Studio: Creating Art on Chromebooks
    Wednesday, January 29 2025
    Cost: FREE!

    Do your students have Chromebooks? Are you wondering how you can leverage web-based applications to engage learners in building their art skills, confidence, and creativity? If you answered yes, this Open Studio Conversation is for you. We'll explore several free (that's a key word!) web-based tools that your students can use to express their creativity and enjoy the processes of making art digitally! 

    This Open Studio Conversation was sponsored by Wacom. 

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    Please note that participation in this live event or recording does not include NAEA professional learning credit. 

    Michele Dick

    Education Marketing Manager, Wacom 

    Michele Dick is an educator first and foremost, and she brings her unique skills and experiences as classroom teacher, technology specialist, and digital learning coordinator with Evergreen Public Schools in Vancouver, WA, to her role at Wacom. A sought-after conference speaker, professional learning expert, and innovator in integrating digital ink technologies into creative and core curriculum instruction, Michele provides essential support, expertise, and creativity into her role helping educators tap the power of digital pen and display technologies in their teaching practices.   

  • NAEA Open Studio Conversations: Discovering Successful Creative Career Pathways for All
    Contains 2 Component(s)

    [January 16, 2024] In this Open Studio Conversation, NAEA welcomes featured presenter Jeffrey Conger, professor of graphic design at Montana State University and cofounder of the university’s Dyslexia & Innovation Symposium. Jeffrey will explore the skills and portfolio strategies that help students pursue higher education opportunities in graphic design and media arts, career options for students considering these pathways, and the value of exploring higher education opportunities in unexpected locations. He’ll also talk about the value of welcoming nontraditional and neurodiverse students into art and digital media programs in both secondary and higher education. Joining Jeffrey is Michele Dick, business development manager for education at Wacom and an education veteran with 21+ years of classroom and administrative experience with Evergreen Public Schools in Vancouver, Washington. Wacom device giveaways will be announced at the end of the conversation!

    NAEA Open Studio Conversations:  Discovering Successful Creative Career Pathways for All
    Skills, Portfolios, and Career Directions for All Art & Media Students, Including Those Navigating Neurodiversity
    Tuesday, January 16, 2024
    Cost: FREE!

    In this Open Studio Conversation, NAEA welcomes featured presenter Jeffrey Conger, professor of graphic design at Montana State University and cofounder of the university’s Dyslexia & Innovation Symposium. Jeffrey will explore the skills and portfolio strategies that help students pursue higher education opportunities in graphic design and media arts, career options for students considering these pathways, and the value of exploring higher education opportunities in unexpected locations. He’ll also talk about the value of welcoming nontraditional and neurodiverse students into art and digital media programs in both secondary and higher education. Joining Jeffrey is Michele Dick, education specialist at Wacom and an education veteran with 21+ years of classroom and administrative experience with Evergreen Public Schools in Vancouver, Washington. 

    BONUS! Wacom will give away Intuos wireless tablets to two lucky Open Studio Conversation attendees! To be eligible, you must attend the live Open Studio Conversation and winners will be announced via email following the broadcast. Wacom Intuos wireless pen tablets are designed for individuals and beginners interested in drawing, painting or photo editing in a digital space. Whether you’re looking to try out the pressure-sensitive pen, create a stylish design, or explore the included software and online tutorials, Wacom Intuos has everything you need to start an exciting digitally creative journey.

    Presented by:

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    Please note that participation in this live event or recording does not include NAEA professional learning credit. 

    Jeffrey Conger

    Professor
    Co-founder Dyslexia & Innovation Symposium
    Montana State University

    Jeffrey Conger is a professor of graphic design and co-founder of the Dyslexia & Innovation symposium at Montana State University in Bozeman. As a lifelong dyslexic and outspoken advocate, Jeffrey has developed innovative pedagogy through experimental pilot courses for neurodivergent individuals with learning differences. 

    Through his client-based scholarly creative, Jeffrey actively works as a professional designer, photographer, and author who specializes in automotive culture. Known for his candid storytelling and journalistic style, his content has been published regionally, nationally, and internationally through the mass-media giants Motor Trend Group, TEN: The Enthusiast Network, Source Interlink, and Egmont Publishing.

    In addition, Jeffrey is the recipient of several prestigious awards Presidential Leadership Faculty Fellowship, the Cox Family Award for Creative Scholarship and Teaching, the Dean’s Excellence Award for Integration, and the Founder’s Day Award for Teaching Excellence. He is an invited speaker to the national AIGA design conference, presenter at AIGA educators conference, along with being an American Advertising Federation gold and silver Addy award winner.

    Michele Dick

    Education Specialist
    Wacom

    Michele Dick is the Business Development Manager for Education at Wacom. Her work encompasses providing profressional development for educators across the U.S., in the use of Wacom’s solutions for art, media arts, CTE, and core curriculum teaching and learning. Prior to joining the Wacom Education team, Michele spent nearly 21 years as an educator with Evergreen Public Schools in Vancouver, Washington, where she served as an elementary educator, a technology specialist, and digital learning coordinator. Michele earned her Master’s Degree in Teaching from Washington State University in Vancouver. 

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