digital art research topics

Articles on Digital art

Displaying 1 - 20 of 27 articles.

The folly of making art with text-to -image generative AI

Ahmed Elgammal , Rutgers University

Is there a way to pay content creators whose work is used to train AI? Yes, but it’s not foolproof

Brendan Paul Murphy , CQUniversity Australia

How to perfect your prompt writing for ChatGPT, Midjourney and other AI generators

Marcel Scharth , University of Sydney

No, the Lensa AI app technically isn’t stealing artists’ work – but it will majorly shake up the art world

Synthetic futures: my journey into the emotional, poetic world of AI art making

Mitch Goodwin , The University of Melbourne

Give this AI a few words of description and it produces a stunning image – but is it art?

Aaron Hertzmann , University of Washington

How r/place – a massive and chaotic collaborative art project on Reddit – showcased the best and worst of online spaces

Andrew Childs , Griffith University

NFTs: one year after Beeple sale, non-fungible tokens have become mainstream

Paul Dylan-Ennis, University College Dublin

NFTs are much bigger than an art fad – here’s how they could change the world

James Bowden , University of Strathclyde and Edward Thomas Jones , Bangor University

How nonfungible tokens work and where they get their value – a cryptocurrency expert explains NFTs

Dragan Boscovic , Arizona State University

Why would anyone buy crypto art – let alone spend millions on what’s essentially a link to a JPEG file?

A token sale: Christie’s to auction its first blockchain-backed digital-only artwork

Denise Thwaites , University of Canberra

A litany of losses: a new project maps our abandoned arts events of 2020

Jo Caust , The University of Melbourne

Art and online activism amid the pandemic: lessons from around the world

Kandi Aryani Suwito , King's College London

Beauty in code – 5 ways digital poetry combines human and computer languages

David Thomas Henry Wright , Nagoya University

How 3D printing is transforming our relationship with cultural heritage

Myrsini Samaroudi , University of Brighton and Karina Rodriguez Echavarria , University of Brighton

How the humanities can equip students for the fourth industrial revolution

Ruksana Osman , University of the Witwatersrand

How activist artists on the US-Mexico border contest Donald Trump’s wall

Claire Taylor , University of Liverpool

Now is the summer of our discontent: memes, national identity and the globalisation of rage

Michelle Mielly , Grenoble École de Management (GEM)

The iPhone at ten: mobile devices have opened a new era of tech storytelling

Victoria Mapplebeck , Royal Holloway University of London

Related Topics

• Artificial intelligence (AI)
• Digital arts
• Digital economy
• Interdisciplinarity
• Non-fungible tokens

Top contributors

Lecturer in Digital Media, CQUniversity Australia

Affiliate Faculty of Computer Science, University of Washington

Associate Professor and Principal Fellow (Hon), School of Culture and Communication, The University of Melbourne

Professor and Dean of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand

Senior Lecturer in Latin American Studies, University of Leeds

Senior Lecturer in Writing, Bangor University

Lecturer in American Studies, University of Hull

Professor of Shakespeare Studies, University of Oxford

Researcher in Virtual Reality, Auckland University of Technology

Lecturer, Directorate Teaching Program, Lecturer in Interactive Art Media, FFAM, The University of Melbourne

Senior Lecturer in Economics / Director of the Institute of European Finance, Bangor University

Professor in People, Organizations, Society, Grenoble École de Management (GEM)

Professor in Hispanic Studies, University of Liverpool

Lecturer/Assistant Professor in Management Information Systems, University College Dublin

Faculty of Arts, The University of Melbourne

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COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES DIGITAL ARTS AND EXPERIMENTAL MEDIA

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DXARTS 198 Digital Arts Seminar (1-5, max. 10) A&H Topics vary and are announced during the preceding quarter. Taught by UW faculty and visiting artists, engineers, scientists, and humanities scholars. View course details in MyPlan: DXARTS 198

DXARTS 200 Digital Art and New Media: History, Theory, and Practice (5) A&H Investigates and illuminates Digital Art and New Media from a creative, theoretical, and historical perspective. Towards an exploration and discovery of the future of art, examines the paradigm shifts implicit in the inception and expansion of media art, as well as the dynamic core ideas that underscore digital art practices in the early twenty-first century. Offered: AWSpS. View course details in MyPlan: DXARTS 200

DXARTS 295 Creativity as Research: Experimentation and Play (5) A&H Examines creative research in the arts and the natural overlap with research in other fields. Individual and collaborative projects explore research through the lens of digital art, dance, science, and theater. Offered: jointly with DANCE 295/DRAMA 285; A. View course details in MyPlan: DXARTS 295

DXARTS 430 Algorithmic Processes in the Arts (5) A&H Basics of computer programming and algorithmic thinking in digital arts. Emphasis on experimental art forms where building of custom software is integral to realizing an artistic vision. View course details in MyPlan: DXARTS 430

DXARTS 450 Digital Video Foundations (5) A&H An introduction to experimental video art. Provides a theoretical and practical foundation for creating video for installation, performance, or screen. Students attend lectures and complete assignments to create original video works. Workshops include hands-on introductions to digital video production: cameras, lenses, sound, lighting, motion control, and non-linear editing. View course details in MyPlan: DXARTS 450

DXARTS 451 Experiments in Video Art I (5) A&H Introduces real-time video software for the creation of immersive installations, multimedia performance, and video art. Workshops demonstrate advanced compositing, multi-channel video, time delay, and live-image processing. Students explore the intersections of experimental video and contemporary art through individual projects, discussions, and critiques. View course details in MyPlan: DXARTS 451

DXARTS 452 Experiments in Video Art II (5) A&H Students work on individual projects while exploring such research topics as robotic camera motion, computer vision, interactivity, and video integration with physical I/O systems. Prerequisite: DXARTS 451. Offered: W. View course details in MyPlan: DXARTS 452

DXARTS 460 Digital Sound (5) A&H Foundations of digital sound for digital arts applications. Project-based course focused on creating experimental sound compositions. Overview of the history of electronic music and analysis of important works from its canon. Acoustics, psychoacoustics and digital sound theory. Digital signal processing and recording techniques. Multi-track, recording, editing, mixing, and mastering using Digital Audio Workstations (DAW). Offered: Sp. View course details in MyPlan: DXARTS 460

DXARTS 461 Digital Sound Synthesis (5) A&H Introduction to software sound synthesis techniques. Project-based course focused on creating experimental sound compositions framed by context of the Western Art Music Tradition. Includes acoustics and psychoacoustics; virtual synthesizers; wavetable synthesis; additive synthesis; ring, amplitude, and frequency modulation synthesis; granular synthesis; and noise and subtractive synthesis. Offered: jointly with MUSIC 401; A. View course details in MyPlan: DXARTS 461

DXARTS 462 Digital Sound Processing (5) A&H Introduction to digital sound processing techniques. Project-based course focused on creating experimental sound compositions framed by context of the Western Art Music Tradition. Includes digital effects; delay lines; introduction to digital filtering; FIR and IIR filters; reverberation; virtual-room acoustics and sound location; time-domain transformation of sound; andgranulation and time stretching. Prerequisite: DXARTS 461/MUSIC 401. Offered: jointly with MUSIC 402; W. View course details in MyPlan: DXARTS 462

DXARTS 463 Advanced Digital Sound Synthesis and Processing (5) A&H Advanced sound processing and synthesis techniques. Includes sound time warping; analysis-synthesis techniques; linear predictive coding; the phase vocoder; frequency-domain sound transformations; introduction to physical modeling. Prerequisite: DXARTS 462/MUSIC 402. Offered: jointly with MUSIC 403; Sp. View course details in MyPlan: DXARTS 463

DXARTS 470 Sensing and Control Systems for Digital Arts (5) A&H Covers basic electronics for integrating sensors and actuators into art installations and performance. Includes real-time systems programming and design using simple software tools for controlling video and audio as well as hardware tools for data I/O to control electromechanical and sensing devices. View course details in MyPlan: DXARTS 470

DXARTS 471 Mechatronic Art, Design, and Fabrication I (5) A&H Part one of three-quarter studio sequence exploring mechatronic art systems. Includes mechanics, electronics, software, advanced fabrication methods and real-time audio/video processing. Offered: A. View course details in MyPlan: DXARTS 471

DXARTS 472 Mechatronic Art, Design, and Fabrication II (5) A&H Part two of three-quarter studio sequence exploring mechatronic art systems. Includes mechanics, electronics, software, advanced fabrication methods and real-time audio/video processing. Prerequisite: DXARTS 471. Offered: W. View course details in MyPlan: DXARTS 472

DXARTS 480 Introduction to Data Driven Arts (5) A&H In contemporary digital culture, diverse media can be understood as data - from text and images, to recorded sound and speech. Introduces tools for collecting, processing, and organizing archives of multimedia. Establishes a foundation for artistic experimentation with machine learning and artificial intelligence systems. Involves working creatively with data from text and images, recorded sound and speech. Offered: A. View course details in MyPlan: DXARTS 480

DXARTS 481 Data-Driven Art I (5) A&H Art made using information, algorithms, patterns, datasets, searches, and metadata. Media - images, video, sound, text - as data indexable, searchable, and part of larger systems. Implications and possibilities of artists using such systems, looking at dynamic, algorithmic based approaches to composing with highly distributed collections of data. Offered: W. View course details in MyPlan: DXARTS 481

DXARTS 482 Data-Driven Art II (5) A&H Further develops skills and concepts required to make art, using machine learning and Big Data. Combines technical instruction in Python with discussion of ethical, aesthetic, and creative possibilities of data science. Topics include histories of data-driven art, technical applications using NLP, GANs, Classification Systems, Datasets, and hands-on systems-based art projects. Prerequisite: DXARTS 481. Offered: Sp. View course details in MyPlan: DXARTS 482

DXARTS 485 Material and Cultural Bias in Algorithmic Systems (5) A&H Project based course which examines the merging of data science, and arts and design practices. Draws from a range of theoretical texts and artistic works, combining textile and statistics literatures. Emphasizes mingling of ideas, multiple interpretations, and translations to critically represent, express, and challenge biased datasets and skewed machine learning systems. Offered: jointly with HCDE 485. View course details in MyPlan: DXARTS 485

DXARTS 490 Special Topics in Digital Arts and Experimental Media (3-5, max. 15) Taught by UW faculty and visiting artists, engineers, scientists, and humanities scholars. View course details in MyPlan: DXARTS 490

DXARTS 491 Senior Thesis I (5-) A&H Introductory course of the senior thesis sequence. Includes weekly seminars, selection of a thesis topic, and contract with an appropriate faculty adviser. Majors and senior standing only. Offered: A. View course details in MyPlan: DXARTS 491

DXARTS 492 Senior Thesis II (-5-) A&H Second course of the senior thesis sequence. Majors and senior standing only. Prerequisite: DXARTS 491. Offered: W. View course details in MyPlan: DXARTS 492

DXARTS 495 DXARTS Production Studio (3-15, max. 30) A&H Intensive, large-scale, collaborative, experimental media-based art projects. Examples include major interactive art installations, cinematic works, live computer music performances, and mechatronic or telematic collaborations. Topic vary. View course details in MyPlan: DXARTS 495

DXARTS 499 Undergraduate Research (1-5, max. 12) Supervised independent work on projects and research. Offered: AWSpS. View course details in MyPlan: DXARTS 499

DXARTS 500 Research Studio (3, max. 30) Covers recent advances and current trends in digital arts and experimental media research. Students discuss and demonstrate their own ongoing research and creative projects. In-depth examination of new artwork and research by pioneering figures in the field. Prerequisite: DXARTS graduate student. View course details in MyPlan: DXARTS 500

DXARTS 505 Research Techniques in Digital Arts (3) Digital arts research resources; structuring and strategizing research as part of artistic development; standards for writing and publishing; ethics and approach to technology transfer, and issues such as patenting. Prerequisite: DXARTS doctoral student. View course details in MyPlan: DXARTS 505

DXARTS 517 Psychology of Audio and Visual Perception in the Arts (5) Processes behind sound and image perception, with emphasis on cognition and practical applications for artists. Includes cross-modal theory and synaesthesia. Prerequisite: DXARTS graduate student. View course details in MyPlan: DXARTS 517

DXARTS 528 Real-Time Digital Image Processing (5) Theory, aesthetics, and practice of real-time video manipulation/performance systems. Theory and high-level programming of image synthesis and processing. View course details in MyPlan: DXARTS 528

DXARTS 552 Advanced Topics in Digital Video (5) Covers recent advances and current trends in digital video research. May include in-depth examination of new artwork and research by faculty, students, and visiting professionals. Prerequisite: DXARTS 450; and either DXARTS 451 or DXARTS 452. View course details in MyPlan: DXARTS 552

DXARTS 565 Spectral Modeling of Sound (5) Theory and practice of sound modeling in the spectral domain. Custom-designed software for spectral modeling and re-synthesis. Implementation of software tools for spectral analysis, transformation, and synthesis. Emphasizes the development of new software tools and the production of experimental sound compositions. Prerequisite: DXARTS 463. View course details in MyPlan: DXARTS 565

DXARTS 567 Sound in Space (5) Theory and practice of spatial sound. Spatial hearing mechanisms. Stereo microphone techniques. 3D sound field capture and reconstruction using first and high order ambisonics. VBAP, WFS, and other advanced sound spatialization techniques. Introduction to aural architecture and spatial audio composition with emphasis on the production of experimental sound pieces and installations. Prerequisite: DXARTS 463. View course details in MyPlan: DXARTS 567

DXARTS 569 Real-time Digital Sound Processing (5) Introduction to real-time digital sound processing techniques. Includes: foundation of real-time systems; integration; reactive environments in performance and installation work; interfaces; communication protocols (MIDI, TCP); feature detection; pitch tracking; transient detection; time-domain processing techniques; frequency-domain processing techniques; algorithmic processes. Prerequisite: DXARTS 463. View course details in MyPlan: DXARTS 569

DXARTS 571 Telematic Art I (5) Focuses on the production of artworks that make use of real-time information networks. Topics include Internet art, database-driven art, and telematic installation art. Prerequisite: either DXARTS 470, DXARTS 473, or permission of instructor. View course details in MyPlan: DXARTS 571

DXARTS 598 Advanced Topics in Digital Arts and Experimental Media (3-5, max. 21) Covers recent advances and current trends in digital arts and experimental media research. Various topics may include in-depth examination of new art work and research by faculty, students, and visiting professors. View course details in MyPlan: DXARTS 598

DXARTS 600 Independent Study or Research ([1-9]-) Credit/no-credit only. View course details in MyPlan: DXARTS 600

DXARTS 800 Doctoral Dissertation (*-) At least 27 hours of dissertation credit is required for the award of a Ph.D. in Digital Arts and Experimental Media. No more than 10 credits may be taken in any quarter, except summer. Credit/no-credit only. View course details in MyPlan: DXARTS 800

Digital Scholarship and Preservation Services

Interactive Digital Media Art Survey: Key Findings and Observations

In February of 2013, Cornell University Library in collaboration with the Society for the Humanities began a two-year project funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) to preserve access to complex born-digital new media art objects. The project aims to develop a technical framework and associated tools to facilitate enduring access to interactive digital media art with a focus on artworks stored on hard drive, CD-ROM, and DVD-ROM. The ultimate goal is to create a preservation and access practice for complex digital assets that is based on a thorough and practical understanding of the characteristics of digital objects and requirements from the perspectives of collection curators and users alike. Digital content that is not used is prone to neglect and oversight. Reliable access mechanisms are essential to the ongoing usability of digital assets. However, no archival best practices yet exist for accessing and preserving complex born-digital materials.  Given our emphasis on use and usability and our recognition that we must develop a framework that addresses the needs of future as well as current media art researchers, we developed a survey targeting researcher, artists, and curators to expand our understanding of user profiles and use cases. The purpose of this article is to summarize our key findings of the survey.

About the Project

Despite its “new” label, new media art has a rich 40-year history, making loss of cultural history an imminent risk. Experiencing a media artwork requires machines that are themselves vulnerable to technological obsolescence. This is especially true of digital art, which requires hardware and software support and is often stored in fragile formats. Although the NEH-funded project uses the Library’s Rose Goldsen Archive of New Media Art as a testbed, our ultimate goal is to create generalizable new media preservation and access practices that are applicable for different media environments and institutional types.

Many of the artworks in our test collection were created for computer operating systems that are now obsolete. This vintage iMac is an important component of the project’s digital workstation.

Named after the late Professor Rose Goldsen of Cornell University, a pioneering critic of the commercialization of mass media, the Goldsen Archive was founded in 2002 by Professor Timothy Murray (Director, Society for the Humanities, Cornell University) to house international art work produced on portable or web-based digital media. The archive has grown to achieve global recognition as a prominent collection of multimedia artworks that reflect aesthetic developments in cinema, video, installation, photography, and sound. We estimate that about 70 percent of CD-ROM artworks in the Goldsen collection already cannot be accessed without a specialized computer terminal that runs obsolete software and operating systems. Because of the fragility of storage media like optical discs, physical damage is also a serious danger for the Goldsen’s artworks on CD-ROM and DVD-ROM, many of which are irreplaceable. Even migrating the information files to another storage medium is not enough to preserve their most important cultural content. Interactive digital assets are far more complex to preserve and manage than single, uniform digital media files. A single interactive work can comprise an entire range of digital objects, including files in different types and formats, applications to coordinate the files, and operating systems to run the applications. If any part of this complex system fails, the entire asset can become unreadable.

Project team at work, from left to right, Dianne Dietrich, Mickey Casad, and Desiree Alexander

Survey Results

In January 2014, we announced the questionnaire on several preservation, art, and digital humanities mailing lists. We had a total of 170 responses, 122 of them responding as an individual researcher or practitioner and 48 responding on behalf of an archive, museum, or a cultural heritage institution. Out of 170 respondents, 80 fully and 32 partially completed the survey and 58 of them only took a quick look without responding. We are not sure if the incomplete survey rate is due to time limitations of the respondents or indicates unfamiliarity with the program area. We did not observe any significant differences in the responses of these two groups (personal and institutional responses), probably due to the fact that even at an institutional level, new media projects and collections are led by small teams or sometimes individuals. Respondents held multiple roles and characterized themselves as artists (48%), researchers (47% researchers), educators (25%), and curators (20%).  Almost 24% identified themselves as archivists, conservators, project managers, digitization specialists, or technical developers.  The scope of digital media art collections they worked with was also broad, including digital installations, digital video and image, interactive multimedia, raw audio files, born digital artwork, 3-D, video art, and websites. Genres emphasized in their media art research included installation/performance/media sculpture, video/cinema, and interactive artists portfolios. Respondents were interested in several platforms, the most common ones being personal computers/devices, locative media installation/sculpture performance, web-based art works, and hardware peripherals. Among the countries represented were the US, Germany, France, UK, Australia, and Argentina.

We posed an open-ended question to inquire about the research questions that guided respondents’ interactions with media works. It is difficult to characterize or summarize their broad range of involvements, as the research frameworks referenced were almost equally distributed among the contextual categories of artistic, social, historical, cultural, aesthetic, and technical. However, some of the noteworthy research angles mentioned in the responses included:

• Social change – how technologies are assisting exploration of political stories, strategies to mitigate problems of born-digital to work towards a system of advocacy and lobbying, implications of social identity (for example, gender) in digital media artworks
• Digital divide – accessibility of digital art for individuals with lower socioeconomic backgrounds and artists’ role in reaching out to a diverse population
• Role of technologies in supporting and stimulating community and researcher engagement, presentation of news and actual events through art
• Interpretation of artists’ intentions – what is being communicated through the artwork, interactive power of technologies, imaging future use – e.g., how will the art object be used/viewed in 20 years?
• Historical perspectives – how certain technologies have been used in art, evidence of art-science collaboration – synergy
• Affordances of digital media and digital spaces – if and how digital works explore something further than the analog approaches, embodied and social user interactions.
• User-response oriented analysis – the role of viewers’ background in interpreting digital art work and interactive narratives, effects of image and sound on audiences, social and political effects of technology.
• Characteristics of influential artworks  & relation of historic art work to present-day questions, searching for works of art for classroom teaching
• Long-term preservation challenges and requirements for retrieval and documentation of digital art works for research and learning from users’ perspective. Sustainability of digital content and role of crowdsourcing
• Device requirements for accessing and experiencing the artwork – role of viewing environments (e.g., if an artwork is meant to be seen on an old TV set)
• Authenticity and documentation: How can documentation capture the essence of highly interactive works, for instance live performances?

Respondents cited a number of serious impediments encountered in conducting research involving new media art. These impediments were technical, institutional, and cultural in nature.  For example, respondents mentioned lack of documentation, technological challenges such as migration and emulation, costs and lack of understanding of costs, legal issues and access limitations, missing connections between similar archives (lack of unified discovery & access), digital divide, insufficient metadata, and hardware and software dependencies. Several of the respondents expressed their unease about the disappearing web-based art and ubiquitous broken links. One respondent noted, “In a society that is rushing headlong into the future, it is vital that we preserve the efforts of those who have early works in this new culture.” One of the respondents pointed out that due to a general “disinterest in preserving the cultural artifacts of the digital age,” there was a lack of understanding of the importance of these objects for cultural history. Another comment was about the infrequent access requests and therefore difficulties in justifying investment in preservation efforts for future use.

The respondents who use new media collections in support of teaching and learning listed several impediments such as vanishing webpages, link rot, poor indexing, gap for works from the 80s and 90s, and the lack of quality documentation. One of the respondents wrote, “Some work becomes very easy to make when the technology evolves and the students don’t understand how it was important, or how it was a challenge to produce at the time.” This statement underscores the importance of documenting cultural context to situate the work from artistic, historic, and technical perspectives

We inquired about respondents’ documentation needs and preferred strategies in cases where full interactive access is not possible. Again, there were several suggestions:

• Providing textual description of content
• Capturing video documentation of use such as walkthrough video with voiceover
• Recording audience perspectives, interpretations, and reactions
• Maintaining artists’ notes
• Offering blogs such as the British Library’s Endangered Archives Programme to build awareness about the threats to digital archives
• Describing the technology in context to its time to understand and appreciate the available technological and artistic tools
• Collecting contextual materials – exhibition announcements, brochures, resumes, etc.
• Capturing metadata including MANS (Media Art Notation System), OAIS, PREMIS, TOTEM (the Trustworthy Online Technical Environment Metadata Registry)

When we asked the respondents about the preservation measures undertaken for their own art work, again we again received a combination of different strategies. Some were common ones such as archiving hard drives, keeping backups of software, and maintaining redundant storage. They also mentioned maintaining a blog with information about the art work, web publishing for open and broad access, videotaping user interactions, taking screen shots, and creating short videos about the work. Several respondents made reference to the fact that some of their early works no longer existed or worked.

For practicing artists, there were several concerns about longevity of their creative expressions. One individual expressed doubts about the inability to sell works due to the fact that they may become obsolete within a year. They worried that it was difficult to archive immersive installations, interactive Flash pieces, and work with dependency on external files. They also mentioned copyright issues as a significant impediment. There were also several comments such as the following ones articulating anxiety over future use:

[My work] will stay forever in storage and will never be re-activated.

I am worried about context and artistic intent – how do we retain authenticity in the long term?

The question about which archiving and access practices affected respondents the most in their creative and professional work also generated thoughtful responses. Here are some examples:

Access to past works are incredibly valuable to me –  understanding works not just for their message but also for their technical [aspects] help new media artist evolve the area of practice.

I think museums tend to see my books as a treasure when they were created to be used .

Knowing where artworks and their documentation are kept. Individual sites that do not often appear very high up in search engine results.

What is complex media object?  If it is performed or presented, it can be power point or a photo essay.

For curators, the following comments illustrate the biggest concerns:

Probably the biggest impact is in teaching. One is continually trying to explain a work that one has seen in the past without the ability to actually show it.

I know [the art works] will become obsolete as running objects so the best thing I can do is push as much data about them out onto the Internet as possible.

Allowing original context of the artwork in the audience experience

Only twenty-four of the respondents indicated that their institutions include born-digital interactive media artworks and artifacts in its holdings. Several of the respondents indicated that they don’t include born-digital interactive media in their holdings because such materials fall outside of collection scope.  In some cases, they noted that procedures for providing access are too complex or unsustainable, or cited technological challenges and lack of local support.

Twenty respondents answered the access and preservation related questions on behalf of an archive, museum, or a cultural institution. Only one organization mentioned having a sophisticated and integrated web-based discovery, access, and preservation framework. The others indicated that access needed to be arranged through a special arrangement such as setting an appointment. They indicated that a full range of users are supported – students, faculty, researchers, artists, hobbyists, and general public such as museum visitors. They mentioned a range of preservation strategies they rely on including migration, creation of search and discovery metadata, maintaining a media preservation lab, providing climate control storage, collecting documentation from the artists. They named several challenges to preservation, many stemming from lack of resources or difficulties associated with executing artist interviews. The conservation measures were sometimes triggered by exhibition plans and some indicated that they were working on clarifying policies. They also noted that the measures taken to secure access, preservation, migration rights varied from case to case.

Key Conclusions

The data we have gathered further strengthened our opinion that identifying the most significant properties of individual media artworks will require direct input from artists. This confirms our belief that we need to push the integration of archival protocols as far upstream as possible, to the point of content creation and initial curation. We plan to adapt pre-existing conservation-oriented questionnaires to our emerging data model and our growing sense of media art “classes” with distinct preservation and access needs.  We plan to solicit the contributions of artists in the test collection for this specific NEH-supported project. We will simultaneously revisit our rights agreements with the artists, which never anticipated access strategies based on emulation.

A reoccurring theme in our findings involved the difficulties associated with capturing sufficient information about a digital art object to enable an authentic user experience. This challenge cannot and should not be reduced to the goal of providing a technically accurate rendering of an artwork’s content. So much of new media works’ cultural meaning derives from the users’ spontaneous and contextual interactions with the art objects. Reproduction of an artwork’s digital files does not always ensure preservation of its most important cultural content. It is essential that we anticipate the needs of future researchers and acknowledge the core experiences that need to be captured to preserve these artifacts. For a work to be understood and appreciated, it is essential to relay a cultural and technologies framework for interpretation. Some works that come across mundane now may have been highly innovative trailblazers of yesterday. Given the speed of technological advances, it will be essential to capture these historical moments to help future users understand and appreciate such creative works.

The preservation model to be developed will apply not only to new media artworks but to other digital media environments. Therefore we are hoping that this project will inform digital preservation services at libraries, archives, and museums to support future uses in learning, teaching, research and creative expression by scholars and students. We will further elaborate our findings in a future article. Stay tuned!

Oya & Mickey

On behalf of the project team:

Timothy Murray & Oya Rieger (co-PIs), Mickey Casad (Project Manager), Dianne Dietrich, Desiree Alexander, Jason Kovari, Danielle Mericle, Liz Muller, Michelle Paolillo, & AudioVisual Preservation Solutions

July 30, 2014 | category: AV Preservation , DCAPS , Digital Media , Preservation & Digital Collections , Uncategorized

6 Responses to “ Interactive Digital Media Art Survey: Key Findings and Observations ”

This is such an interesting and useful survey. Thank you. Congratulations on so many responses and such rich ones. Plus, that old like iMac is adorable!

Have you proactively contacted individual artists who work in multimedia and actively have shown their work in museums and major galleries (as opposed to waiting for responses to your survey), for their input and ideas about preservation? Especially early pioneers like Woody and Steina Vasulka and Bill Viola?

Thanks for your kind remarks, Cathy!

We developed the media arts survey targeting researcher, artists, and curators to allow better understanding of user profiles and use scenarios. The responses represent a cross-section of disciplinary perspectives and allow better understanding of user profiles. The variety of responses to our questions about access confirmed that, in order to identify artworks’ most significant properties for access versions, we must solicit direct input from the artists wherever possible. We have added this as a new goal for the second project year. We appreciate your comment, Karen.

Great work, if we don’t save it, we’ll lose it. Thanks for the informative presentation, please keep us informed of similar efforts. Best, Richard Suertudo The ipi House ipapereye.com

Given your plan to “adapt pre-existing conservation-oriented questionnaires,” you may want to look at the Variable Media Questionnaire. In particular, its recently added Packages feature may help you quickly identify and document media art “classes” with different preservation and access needs.

Good luck with this important project!

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ART 8000 Thesis Research: Digital Art

After passing to thesis and selecting a thesis committee, graduate students enroll in ART 8000 Thesis Research: Digital Art with the chair of the thesis committee. Students are expected to write an articulate proposal outlining creative, formal, and research goals for the thesis year. Their work culminates in a written thesis and a professionally mounted solo exhibition.

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REVIEW article

Art therapy in the digital world: an integrative review of current practice and future directions.

• 1 Institute of Health Research and Innovation, University of the Highlands and Islands, Inverness, United Kingdom
• 2 Independent Researcher, Moray, United Kingdom
• 3 Population Health Science Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
• 4 Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom

Background: Psychotherapy interventions increasingly utilize digital technologies to improve access to therapy and its acceptability. Opportunities that digital technology potentially creates for art therapy reach beyond increased access to include new possibilities of adaptation and extension of therapy tool box. Given growing interest in practice and research in this area, it is important to investigate how art therapists engage with digital technology or how (and whether) practice might be safely adapted to include new potential modes of delivery and new arts media.

Methods: An integrative review of peer-reviewed literature on the use of digital technology in art therapy was conducted. The methodology used is particularly well suited for early stage exploratory inquiries, allowing for close examination of papers from a variety of methodological paradigms. Only studies that presented empirical outcomes were included in the formal analysis.

Findings: Over 400 records were screened and 12 studies were included in the synthesis, pertaining to both the use of digital technology for remote delivery and as a medium for art making. Included studies, adopting predominantly qualitative and mixed methods, are grouped according to their focus on: art therapists’ views and experiences, online/distance art therapy, and the use of digital arts media. Recurring themes are discussed, including potential benefits and risks of incorporating digital technology in sessions with clients, concerns relating to ethics, resistance toward digital arts media, technological limitations and implications for therapeutic relationship and therapy process. Propositions for best practice and technological innovations that could make some of the challenges redundant are also reviewed. Future directions in research are indicated and cautious openness is recommended in both research and practice.

Conclusion: The review documents growing research illustrating increased use of digital technology by art therapists for both online delivery and digital art making. Potentially immense opportunities that technology brings for art therapy should be considered alongside limitations and challenges of clinical, pragmatic and ethical nature. The review aims to invite conversations and further research to explore ways in which technology could increase relevance and reach of art therapy without compromising clients’ safety and key principles of the profession.

Introduction

Digital technology is increasingly present in psychotherapy practice worldwide, enabling clients and therapists to connect remotely. This way of improving access to therapy is important for those who might not otherwise be able to benefit from treatment due to living in more remote locations or having disabilities or mobility problems preventing them to attend therapy sessions in person. Despite this general trend of expansion in telehealth provision, to include also psychotherapy services, relatively little is known about its use within art therapy practice ( Choe, 2014 ; Levy et al., 2018 ). Research in the area focuses primarily on verbal therapies and more specifically on cognitive-behavioral therapy conducted online ( Hedman et al., 2012 ; Saddichha et al., 2014 ; Vigerland et al., 2016 ) with some notable examples of work highlighting issues key to psychodynamic psychotherapy ( De Bitencourt Machado et al., 2016 ; Feijó et al., 2018 ).

Art therapists support clients in engaging in creative processes to improve their psychological wellbeing. Due to incorporating art making within therapy process and the key role of triangular therapeutic relationship between the therapist, the client and the artwork ( Schaverien, 2000 ; Gussak and Rosal, 2016 ), art therapy practice is arguably more difficult to translate to online situations. However, suggestions have also been made that art therapy is particularly well suited to distance delivery, partially due to increasing ease of sharing images via online channels and non-reliance on verbal communication, and also due to dealing with symbols, metaphors and projections, which can manifest irrespective of medium used ( McNiff, 1999 ; Austin, 2009 ).

Art therapy profession has not entered the digital world only recently. In fact, it has been critically engaged in often difficult discussions on the risks and potential of digital technology for art therapy practice for over three decades ( Weinberg, 1985 ; Canter, 1987 , 1989 ; Johnson, 1987 ). Back in 1999 the Art Therapy Journal dedicated a special issue to the links between computer technology and art therapy and has repeated a similar issue a decade later. In 2019, the Journal asked therapists and researchers to consider ways in which professional assumptions can be updated, modernized or reframed to meet contemporary needs.

The use of digital technology in art therapy is not limited to online communication tools but extends to the application of digital media for the purpose of art making, equally relevant to face-to-face practice. While distance art therapy could potentially widen the reach of therapy to include new groups of clients, expanding the range of therapeutic tools to include digital arts media might extend art therapy toolbox to widen access for those clients who might not otherwise engage in traditional art materials for a variety of reasons.

However, it has been argued that the process of digital media adoption in art therapy is slow ( Carlton, 2014 ; Choe, 2014 ) and resistance to digital technology as well as concerns about the use of digital tools for art making in therapy have been reported in literature ( Kuleba, 2008 ; Klorer, 2009 ; Potash, 2009 ). It has been even implied that art therapists themselves may be more conservative and hesitant in their use of digital media than their clients ( McNiff, 1999 ; Peterson et al., 2005 ; Carlton, 2014 ). This cautiousness is stipulated to be informed by a heightened sense of responsibility for clients’ safety and wellbeing ( Orr, 2016 ). Art therapists’ own emotional factors and biases were cited to be important barriers to adoption of technology ( Asawa, 2009 ) while it has been suggested that therapists experience “conflict between the desire to promote art therapy and engage in technology and the desire to remain loyal to the field’s origins in traditional methods of communication and art media” ( Asawa, 2009 , p. 58).

The use of digital arts media is unique to art therapy practice and is perhaps not yet sufficiently researched for that reason, despite its potentially enormous implications for art therapy practice ( Kapitan, 2009 ). Lack of in-depth research on digital art making has been cited as a key barrier for practitioners to introduce digital arts media in therapy sessions ( Klorer, 2009 ; Potash, 2009 ). Similarly, limited guidelines from professional associations and importance of more specific technology-oriented ethical codes for practitioners are frequently highlighted ( Kuleba, 2008 ; Asawa, 2009 ; Alders et al., 2011 ; Evans, 2012 ).

A challenge identified in early stages of discussion on the use of technology in art therapy was the need for increased collaboration between art therapists, designers and developers in order to device technological solutions suitable to art therapy practice ( Gussak and Nyce, 1999 ). Limited attempts to develop art therapy-specific electronic devices to date lacked in-depth input from art therapists at the technical stage and, in consequence, appropriate integration of the established processes of art therapy with technology (e.g., Mihailidis et al., 2010 ; Mattson, 2015 ). In effect, art therapists who incorporate digital arts media in their practice elect to use painting apps not necessarily suitable for art therapy practice. There is also an ongoing debate on the tactile nature of art materials being lost if art is made using digital tools and potential impact on clients ( Kuleba, 2008 ; Garner, 2017 ). A similar discussion concerns the therapeutic relationship and specifically whether it could be recreated in distance therapy ( Klorer, 2009 ; Potash, 2009 ).

Despite these indicated debates on the usefulness of digital technology for art therapy practice and polarized opinions, some scholars and practitioners have advocated for increased efforts to incorporate digital art-making in the therapy process suggesting rising and permanent role of technology in art therapy ( McNiff, 2000 ; Kapitan, 2007 ; Thong, 2007 ). Given the rapidly growing interest in digital technology applications to art therapy practice, research has been developing relatively slowly and has not yet been systematized. Doing so would help paint an inevitably complex picture of how art therapy is currently engaging with digital technology and how it might make the best use of the opportunities it presents and critically address challenges early in the process.

In order to identify key topics important for practitioners and areas for further research, we aimed to capture and synthesize available research literature that explores the role of digital technology in the current and future art therapy practice (understood here as within-session work with clients). More specific research questions were:

- How do art therapists use digital technology in their practice?

- What benefits and challenges of using digital technology with clients do they identify?

- How do clients experience art therapy sessions with digital technology elements?

Methodology

Through our own experiences in research and practice and following some initial literature searches we were aware that the area we set to explore is complex and relatively novel. Thus, we anticipated that any published research accounts were likely to include a variety of study designs, appropriately to the overall exploratory character of research in the area and in line with research in arts therapies in general, which tends to draw upon diverse methodologies and beyond qualitative and quantitative paradigms, to include also arts-based approaches. We chose an integrative review framework as a guide to allow us to undertake a well-rounded but flexible evidence synthesis that would present a breadth of perspectives and combine methodologies without overvaluing specific hierarchies of evidence ( Whittemore and Knafl, 2005 ). Integrative review is an appropriate method at early stages of systematizing knowledge on a developing subject area ( Russell, 2005 ; Souza et al., 2010 ) and as such was deemed suitable for our exploratory work which aimed to identify central issues in the area, indicate the state of the scientific evidence across diverse methodological paradigms and identify gaps in current research ( Russell, 2005 ).

Search Strategy

The following databases were searched for studies published until July 2020: MEDLINE, CINAHL Complete, APA PsycInfo, APA PsycArticles, Academic Search Complete and the Cochrane Library. Google Scholar search, backward and forward reference screening of included publications, and peer consultation were used to identify any other relevant articles. Search string ( Table 1 ) included the four key elements of this review: intervention (art therapy), intervention modification/adaptation (digital technology), methodology (empirical research) and population of interest (all client populations, any setting). These elements of a search strategy were conceptually guided by the PEO (Population-Exposure-Outcome) framework ( Khan et al., 2011 ; Bettany-Saltikov, 2016 ) instead of the more popular PICO (Population-Intervention-Comparison-Outcome), as the former was considered more suitable for capturing mixed method studies ( Methley et al., 2014 ).

Table 1. Search string development: concepts shaping this review and corresponding PEO elements.

Inclusion/Exclusion Criteria

We opted for broad inclusion criteria to report on all research studies pertaining to the use of digital technology in art therapy and therefore no specific definition of ‘digital’ was adopted other than how authors describe the focus of their paper(s). Time of publication was not initially considered a selection criterion but on reviewing the papers a decision was made to exclude those that focused on technology no longer relevant to modern practice, which, it was felt, related to articles published before 1999.

Articles were included in the review if they:

- concerned the use of modern (currently relevant) digital technology (DT) in within-session art therapy practice with clients;

- reported outcomes observed through empirical study, regardless of whether these were investigated using quantitative, qualitative, mixed or arts-based methods;

- were available online and in English.

Articles were excluded if they:

- focused exclusively on the use of digital technology for office work, assessment, supervision, training or research;

- were PhD theses, dissertations or books/book chapters;

- were theoretical/opinion papers with no empirical data reported.

Data Extraction

Data were extracted from included papers using a data collection form based on the Template for Intervention Description and Replication (TIDieR; Hoffmann et al., 2014 ) which helped to record the characteristics of the studies, interventions, outcomes and main findings reported.

Data Synthesis

We followed the recommended process for synthesizing data in an integrative review ( Whittemore and Knafl, 2005 ) by initially comparing the extracted data item by item, recognizing similarities and groupings, to eventually identifying meaningful categories for studies and interventions included in the review. Each of the papers was read multiple times to generate a mental map of ideas explored across the literature. Iterative process of examining the classified data enabled us to identify themes and relationships which constitute the essence of this synthesis process. Due to expectedly heterogenic character of included studies, attempts at establishing a meaningful classification were at all times guided by the above principles.

Of 474 records identified through database searching and consulting reference lists, 405 were excluded based on title and abstract screening. Full-texts for the remaining 69 records were consulted and 56 were excluded with reasons ( Figure 1 ). Many of the excluded papers were opinion pieces which did not present empirical outcomes, but were nevertheless helpful in gaining a fuller perspective of the topic and are frequently referred to in the discussion. Selection process resulted in 13 articles included in this review.

Figure 1. PRISMA flow diagram.

Study Characteristics

All of included research was undertaken either in the US (9 studies) or in Canada (4 studies). The studies were varied methodologically, with qualitative (6 studies), quantitative (1 study) and mixed methods (5 studies) paradigms all represented. The studies employed primarily surveys, focus groups, interviews, case studies and prototyping workshops, often following participatory and mixed-method designs, which seems appropriate for early explorations and for highly applied research with direct implications for clinical practice. Art therapists themselves were research participants in the majority of included papers with only three reporting specifically on client experiences ( Darewych et al., 2015 ; Levy et al., 2018 ; Spooner et al., 2019 ). Numbers of participants in qualitative, client-focused and/or workshop-based studies (8 studies) were generally low (ranging from single figures to 25 participants) and numbers of respondents in survey-based studies (4 studies) ranged from 45 to 195. Two papers ( Collie and Čubranić, 1999 , 2002 ) reported on the same research study and are referred to jointly throughout this review (including in tables).

The articles tended to discuss the use of digital technology in art therapy practice in a more general way or focus on one of the two uses of digital technology identified in our initial literature review: the use of online tools for distance art therapy and the use of digital media for art making within therapy sessions. Majority of the survey-based studies which examined directly arts therapists’ opinions on the use of digital technology in art therapy were interested in both uses of technology, while workshop-based studies typically focused on either distance delivery or exploration of digital media for art making. There were overlaps and we tried to capture the relationship between the digital technology interest and the categories we eventually decided to group the articles into in Figure 2 , which also provides an overview of methodologies and participant groups. The results are presented below in three seemingly separate groups of studies. However, the concepts explored in this research are inevitably intertwined, which is important to note to avoid over-simplifying the nature of opportunities and challenges brought into art therapy realm by the progressing developments in digital technology. Paragraphs below present key messages from the papers grouped in the three categories, except findings pertaining directly to the challenges and benefits of using digital technology within therapy, which will be discussed separately.

Figure 2. Selected characteristics of included studies: online/face-to-face delivery, digital/traditional arts media, methodology, participant group. *Indicates that a characteristic is present in a study.

General Views on Technology, Online Art Therapy, and Digital Arts Media

Art therapists’ views and opinions.

Four articles from two US-based research teams focused entirely on the views and opinions of art therapists on the use of digital technology in art therapy practice and utilized a survey design ( Table 2 : Peterson et al., 2005 ; Orr, 2006 , 2012 ; Peterson, 2010 ). They gathered both the therapists’ experience (based on practice) and expectations (based on personal attitudes). A total number of responses for the four included papers was 474, with majority coming from qualified art therapists and students in art therapy training (in one survey, only 61.5% of respondents were qualified art therapists with the other respondents being not practizing attendees of the AAT conference, Peterson et al., 2005 ). In one study, follow-up interviews were also undertaken with eight respondents selected according to their readiness for adopting new technologies ( Peterson, 2010 ).

Table 2. Characteristics of studies focusing on art therapists’ views and experiences.

Although all studies reported also on the general adoption of technology by art therapists in personal and professional practice including office work, research and training, this review extracted findings pertaining to in-session practice with clients as far as it was possible or to any aspects of digital technology use that directly affect work with clients. Therefore, information on other uses of technology by art therapists, although reported in the cited papers, is not presented here. The general message coming from all included surveys was that art therapists tended to use technology far more often for their own personal practice and for administrative professional tasks than within sessions with clients.

Across the studies, a trend emerged suggesting an increasing use of digital technology within art therapy sessions. A study comparing results from surveys undertaken 7 years apart, found that between 2004 and 2011 art therapists increased their use of digital media in their art therapy practice with clients: from 19 to 32% using technology as an artmaking tool during sessions and from 2.4 to 9.4% using web camera communication during sessions ( Orr, 2006 , 2012 ). In addition, in the 2011 survey, 11.8% respondents reported using online chat ( Orr, 2012 ). In an even earlier survey from 2002 ( Peterson et al., 2005 ), 12.3% respondents reported using technology with clients for creating digital artwork and 1.5% reported using web camera for communication in sessions, confirming the rise in in-session technology use over the years.

Two studies highlighted the need for specialist training in digital technology use for art therapists. Orr (2006) reported that in her 2004 survey only 28.5% respondents received some training in using technology to create art, 4.8% respondents felt that the training received met their needs well, while none felt that it met their needs very well. In 2011, the percentage of therapists who reported receiving training in the use of technology as therapeutic tool with clients increased slightly and stood at 36.5% and 11.5% of respondents felt that it has met their needs well ( Orr, 2012 ). Despite this rise in training opportunities, the author concluded that the training “has not kept up with the adoption rate of technology by art therapists” ( Orr, 2012 , p. 234) and that more and better education is indeed needed.

Another survey conducted almost a decade ago moved beyond establishing how art therapists use digital technology to determine their reasons for adopting or rejecting emerging digital tools for therapeutic use with their clients ( Peterson, 2010 ). A client’s response to a form of digital technology was found to be a key factor in art therapists’ decision as to whether the technology was an effective therapeutic medium. The respondents agreed that if a medium (including digital media) could safely contribute to a desirable change, then its inclusion in treatment is warranted. Cost was, again, cited as an adoption deterrent, while providing new capabilities for the therapist and the client was an additional adoption factor.

A theme consistent across the presented surveys seems to be the highly ethical and professional approach of art therapists in deciding on the use of technology with clients. The responses seemed consistent in indicating that a degree of familiarity with digital medium is necessary for therapists to implement it in therapy session with clients. Importantly, the clients’ response to any novel arts medium is the guiding factor in making decision about a specific technology adoption. Being certain of the benefits for clients seems to be a prerequisite for introducing a specific technology in art therapy sessions. The survey from 2011 revealed that art therapists were increasingly more concerned about ethical and confidentiality issues than 7 years before and that their main reservations about using digital media were linked with uncertainties around ethics ( Orr, 2006 , 2012 ).

Online Art Therapy: Digital Technology Used for Distance Art Therapy Sessions

We identified five research studies (of which one was reported in two articles) that were concerned primarily with application of digital technology solutions to remote art therapy delivery ( Table 3 : Collie and Čubranić, 1999 , 2002 ; Collie et al., 2006 , 2017 ; Levy et al., 2018 ; Spooner et al., 2019 ). Three of these studies, all from the same Canadian research team, similarly to research discussed above, examined art therapists’ opinions through focus groups ( Collie et al., 2006 ), interviews and participatory designs, including simulated online art therapy interventions ( Collie and Čubranić, 1999 , 2002 ; Collie et al., 2017 ). The studies were concerned with development of an online art therapy service for people with limited mobility, women with breast cancer and, most recently, young adult cancer patients. Two other studies from one US-based research team examined the experience of veterans participating in a blended (primarily online, with face-to-face initial assessment and re-evaluation) creative arts therapies program via semi-structured interviews and a single case study of an art therapy participant ( Levy et al., 2018 ; Spooner et al., 2019 ). Both studies were undertaken as part of a clinical program evaluation and therefore did not follow a fully experimental design. Although pre-post assessments were undertaken, these have not been reported yet.

Table 3. Characteristics of studies focusing on online / distance art therapy.

In two studies ( Collie and Čubranić, 2002 ; Collie et al., 2017 ) the participants were also co-researchers, described as art therapists, counselors, educators and people with experience of life-threatening illness (total n = 17), who were invited to take part in simulated online art therapy group sessions. The interventions experienced in the two studies were quite different, one being a group art therapy session in which participants communicated and shared digital images created in real time ( Collie and Čubranić, 2002 ), while the other included both synchronous and asynchronous elements, allowing participants to take part in live chat-based session and also upload images to a discussion board outside of scheduled session times ( Collie et al., 2017 ). In both studies participants shared their experience via discussions and follow-up interviews. Another study ( Collie et al., 2006 ) used focus groups and interviews with similarly diverse participants ( n = 25) to generate clinical and technological guidelines for distance art therapy.

One of the key conclusions coming from the studies was that online group art therapy, being a relatively novel intervention, would require certain adaptations in relation to face-to-face practice ( Spooner et al., 2019 ), for example development of suitable “social protocols” ( Collie and Čubranić, 1999 ), refining of communication procedures ( Collie and Čubranić, 2002 ) and development of “new therapeutic models” ( Collie et al., 2006 ). These adaptations would need to comply with the legal and ethical guidelines, with new telehealth-related guidance eventually required for art therapy profession and initially adapted from related disciplines such as counseling or psychology ( Spooner et al., 2019 ).

Among participating health professionals (including a large proportion of art therapists), there seemed to be quite polarized opinions about the use of computers in therapy, with majority in favor of distance art therapy, but some participants also expressing concerns about “antitherapeutic” character of technology ( Collie et al., 2006 ). Distance delivery was not generally viewed as allowing anonymous participation – in fact, high value was put on close personal interaction regardless of communication technology used ( Collie et al., 2006 ). A sense of connection and “togetherness” was observed in a study of an online group art therapy ( Collie et al., 2017 ), suggesting that the usual therapeutic group factors may be transferable in a distance therapy setup.

In their evaluation of a US-based creative arts therapy program for veterans living in rural areas, Levy et al. (2018) reported primarily positive experiences of using an online art therapy service. Participants appreciated the delivery mode and not having to travel long distances to sessions and described the normally expected positive effects of therapy like increased confidence, improved communication and making sense of emotions through self-expression. A case study of a female veteran participating in the program ( Spooner et al., 2019 ) initially revealed a decrease in perceived quality of life and satisfaction with health, which was attributed by her and her therapist to the actual progress in therapy being made: becoming more aware of emotions and ready to explore more difficult topics to eventually rediscover aspects of herself that were previously lost. These accounts seem to confirm that the therapeutic process can manifest within distance art therapy sessions and therapeutic outcomes can be achieved.

Two papers, published almost two decades apart ( Collie and Čubranić, 1999 ; Levy et al., 2018 ), proposed that distance art therapy creates subtle shifts within the usual triangular relationship between the client, the therapist and the artwork ( Schaverien, 2000 ). It was suggested that the client/artwork relationship is emphasized, while the client and the therapist are geographically separated and the client remains particularly connected and “co-present” with the art. This could create new opportunities for therapy and mean that the physical separation between the client and the therapist might affect art therapy less than verbal forms of therapy.

Digital Arts Media: Digital Technology Used for Making Artwork in Art Therapy Sessions

Three articles focused primarily on the use of digital media within face-to-face therapy settings ( Table 4 : Choe, 2014 ; Darewych et al., 2015 ; Kaimal et al., 2016 ), but it needs to be noted that the technologies discussed can potentially be successfully applied in distance therapy situations. Two papers examined applicability of iPads and/or other touchscreen devices to art therapy. One study reported on the experiences of adults with developmental disabilities through phenomenological approach ( Darewych et al., 2015 ), while the other set to explore some unique potentially therapeutic features of art applications for iPads from art therapists’ perspective, utilizing the methods of a survey and focus groups ( Choe, 2014 ). The third and most recent study focused on the relevance of virtual reality art-making tools ( Kaimal et al., 2016 ). This small selection of papers nevertheless provides a good overview of the current application of digital media to making art in art therapy sessions and introduces a client perspective.

Table 4. Characteristics of studies focusing on digital arts media use in art therapy.

In her investigation on iPads’ applicability to art therapy, Choe (2014) defined three qualities of art apps most valued by art therapists: ease of use or intuitiveness, simplicity, and responsiveness. The therapists who took part in the study believed that it was essential that any art apps were matched with the needs of individual clients and that no single app examined in this project could satisfy the needs of all clients and art therapists. The study found that the therapists had higher expectations of digital than of traditional art materials and were not prepared to compromise on the app’s speed, control or immediacy of working with images. It was suggested that certain client populations may in particular benefit from digital art making in therapy, including, among others, clients with developmental disorders, clients with suppressed immune systems (due to iPads being easier to clean), and clients who have experienced tactile trauma. It was also proposed that digital art making posed risks to some client groups, including those with internet addiction, psychosis or obsessive-compulsive disorder ( Choe, 2014 ). Another study similarly recommended caution about using immersive VR-based tools for art making with clients managing acute psychiatric symptoms ( Kaimal et al., 2020 ).

A study examining the experiences of eight adults with developmental disabilities who used digital art making in art therapy sessions ( Darewych et al., 2015 ), concluded that the participants appreciated the ease of use of the apps tested, which allowed them to create images independently. Those with olfactory and tactile sensitivity preferred the texture-free touchscreen devices to traditional art materials.

Making art in virtual reality, as “a new medium that challenges the traditional laws of the physical world and materials” ( Kaimal et al., 2020 , p. 17), was also tried and tested for use in art therapy in a small experiential study. The authors propose that therapeutic change can occur in VR environments and that it relates primarily to the unique qualities of the medium and to the fact that the participant is exposed to new environments of choice and creative opportunities not available in the material world ( Kaimal et al., 2020 ).

Challenges and Opportunities of Using Digital Technology in Art Therapy Practice

The following section presents findings across the three sets of studies that pertain more specifically to the challenges and opportunities of the use of digital technology in art therapy practice. Although these are grouped into three categories, not dissimilar to the categories of studies presented above, findings are based on contributions from across all papers examined in this review. We found frequent overlaps in aspects of technology discussed within papers, for example it was common for studies generally focusing on digital media to provide insights on remote delivery and vice versa. Not wanting to lose those, we decided to thematically analyze the content of all 13 included articles to identify themes relating to the advantages and disadvantages of technology use in art therapy, pertaining in particular to digital media and technologies and processes enabling remote delivery.

General Concerns About Including Digital Technology in Art Therapy Practice

Cost of equipment.

High cost of equipment was cited as the main reason for not including technology in art therapy sessions in a survey from 2004 ( Orr, 2006 ) and from 2002 ( Peterson et al., 2005 ), particularly the cost of electronic art tools advanced enough to allow for true emotional expression ( Orr, 2006 ). However, this issue was not as prominent in a survey from 2011, when it seemed that ethical concerns of art therapists were predominant barriers to introducing technology in therapy sessions ( Orr, 2012 ).

The importance of a specialist training for art therapists in the use of digital technology is highlighted across studies ( Collie et al., 2006 ; Orr, 2006 , 2012 ; Kaimal et al., 2020 ). It is recognized that skilful and active facilitation, essential for providing appropriate container (safe environment) and ensuring client safety ( Collie et al., 2017 ; Kaimal et al., 2020 ), requires extra time for learning ( Orr, 2006 ). Similarly, more effort and time investment in training might be needed on the client’s side, either to adjust to an online mode of therapy ( Spooner et al., 2019 ) or to a new type of digital arts media ( Kaimal et al., 2020 ). A concern has been raised about this additional learning potentially impeding the therapeutic process and that extra time might be needed for establishing a therapeutic relationship ( Collie et al., 2006 ).

Technical issues

Unfamiliarity and not being comfortable with the devices were cited as key barriers to engaging technology in art therapy sessions ( Peterson et al., 2005 ; Orr, 2006 ), which could present a challenge for both the therapist and the client ( Spooner et al., 2019 ). Problems with connectivity, including not having sufficient strength of signal and reliability, were cited as common issues in studies that examined online art therapy ( Levy et al., 2018 ; Spooner et al., 2019 ). Both inexperience and technical breakdowns could cause distress to clients ( Collie et al., 2006 , 2017 ).

Concerns Related to Online Art Therapy

Confidentiality and safety.

Concerns about maintaining confidentiality and privacy in art therapy sessions in which online technology is introduced were raised across the studies ( Orr, 2012 ; Collie et al., 2017 ; Levy et al., 2018 ). It was suggested that conducting a session online does not allow for the same assurance of privacy as in a suitable therapy room, due to potential for interruptions from family or housemates ( Levy et al., 2018 ), and that creating a safe emotional container in a cyberspace is harder than in face-to-face therapy ( Collie et al., 2017 ). In addition to confidentiality and safety issues, other ethical concerns have been raised, for example that technology can be used by clients for inappropriate online interactions ( Orr, 2012 ), that the comfort of home environment in case of online sessions might lead clients to behave in ways that they would not in a therapist’s office or that the therapist might potentially observe something concerning or illegal in clients’ private home space ( Levy et al., 2018 ).

Technological limitations

A study on online art therapy for veterans highlighted some limitations encountered in how artwork was shared between the client and the therapist, including therapists being unable to view the client’s drawing process as well as their facial expression ( Levy et al., 2018 ). When artworks were made using traditional art media and shown to the webcam, the quality of the image was at times compromised, leading to blur or loss in subtle detail ( Levy et al., 2018 ). Observing art making process directly seemed desirable while not easily achievable in online therapy setting. Levy et al. (2018) also highlighted the importance of the chronological order in which elements are added to the drawing and expressed concern about the therapist not knowing the content of the image until it is completed. In a survey from 2004 a doubt was raised as to whether it would at all be possible for an art therapist to conduct a session without being able to observe art making process in real time ( Collie et al., 2006 ).

Benefits of Online Art Therapy

Bridging divides/connecting.

Research on online art therapy seems to confirm that online mode of delivery has the potential to bridge geographical distances ( Collie and Čubranić, 1999 ; Collie et al., 2017 ) and expand access to services otherwise unavailable to clients living in rural and more remote areas ( Collie and Čubranić, 2002 ; Levy et al., 2018 ). It also helps make art therapy more accessible to clients regardless of barriers such as stigma or disability ( Spooner et al., 2019 ), and especially mobility disabilities ( Peterson, 2010 ). It was also observed that technology might have an equalizing effect in a group therapy setting if it is new to everyone ( Collie et al., 2017 ) and that the semi-anonymity of an online group might in fact increase a sense of privacy, particularly for those who are worried about being judged by appearance ( Collie and Čubranić, 1999 ; Collie et al., 2017 ). Technologies that enable collaborating on a single artwork from different locations or even looking at each other’s art on the screen were reported to bring a sense of connection and emotional closeness, as if being in the same place ( Collie et al., 2006 , 2017 ). It was also felt by some that distance delivery promotes community involvement, integration and social engagement by, for example, allowing incorporation of family members into the treatment plan ( Levy et al., 2018 ; Spooner et al., 2019 ).

Therapeutic rapport

Some studies found a positive impact of online mode of art therapy on developing therapeutic rapport ( Orr, 2012 ; Levy et al., 2018 ; Spooner et al., 2019 ). The use of technology in therapy was seen by some as comforting and actually helpful in reducing client’s resistance to therapy and/or art making ( Orr, 2012 ). Considering the client’s home environment by the therapist was referred to as an opportunity to establish deeper trust ( Levy et al., 2018 ) and a case study of a female veteran confirmed that her progress was greatly facilitated by the opportunity to invite the art therapist into her home ( Spooner et al., 2019 ).

Some papers suggested that using technology for distance therapy can be empowering ( Orr, 2012 ), allowing the client to take a more active role in their own treatment process and to have a greater autonomy within and outside therapy sessions ( Levy et al., 2018 ; Spooner et al., 2019 ). There were also indications that creating art in a home setting might lead to increased engagement in arts processes on a more regular basis and between therapy sessions ( Levy et al., 2018 ; Spooner et al., 2019 ).

Best Practice Recommendations for Online Art Therapy

Two papers in particular ( Collie et al., 2006 ; Levy et al., 2018 ) attempted to suggest solutions to some of the challenges mentioned above and ways of working which might increase safety and efficacy of online AT practice.

Among the recommendations developed by Collie and her team for distance art groups for women with cancer some seemed potentially applicable to all online art therapy situations ( Collie et al., 2006 ). These included: using a mix of technologies and accommodating clients’ individual preferences, clearly explaining limits to confidentiality imposed by Internet communication, providing guidance to participants for creating suitable private spaces, ensuring that participants have access to immediate local support as an alternative method of addressing emotional safety, and ensuring the safety and confidentiality of art sent from one place to another. The need for training for practitioners in offering art therapy from a distance was also highlighted ( Collie et al., 2006 ). Similar message was repeated in a more recent study, which concluded that the importance of skilful and typically more active than face-to-face facilitation of an online art therapy group calls for specialized training ( Collie et al., 2017 ).

Levy et al. (2018) proposed that in order to address potential technical issues with connectivity, therapists might offer their clients more than one way to connect and agree alternative ways of contact (e.g., by telephone) in case the connection breaks mid-session, to be able to continue any unfinished discussions and/or obtain closure before the end of the session. It was also suggested that interruptions from family could be minimized if the therapist and the client agree in advance how these would be handled, e.g., client could alert therapist when others are present. Instructing clients to be prepared for the session and to call exactly at appointed times was also proposed best practice. To address issues with blurred or unclear image while showing artwork to the webcam, it was recommended that, in case of digital artwork, client might share their screen, and in case of art made with traditional arts media, a digital photograph might be taken and shared with the therapist. Establishing a common vocabulary for describing artwork was another suggestion for improving communication.

Concerns Related to Digital Arts Media

Lack of tactile qualities.

An opinion that technology is cold, isolating, and even “dehumanizing” is repeated particularly in the literature published in the previous decade ( Collie et al., 2006 ; Orr, 2006 ). These seem to refer primarily to the nonsensory character of digital arts media ( Orr, 2006 ), the lack of tactile and sensual qualities ( Collie et al., 2006 ; Orr, 2012 ; Choe, 2014 ) or even lack of tangible physical engagement with the medium as in case of making art in virtual reality ( Kaimal et al., 2020 ). It was suggested that this lack of sensory input might lead to clients disconnecting not only from art materials, but also from their own bodies and social interactions ( Orr, 2012 ) and that the therapeutic value of working with “traditional” tactile art materials should not be underestimated ( Collie et al., 2006 ; Orr, 2006 ). Technology was also cited as potentially overwhelming and distracting from the creative process ( Orr, 2012 ).

Limited room for expression

An observation was made in a paper published over two decades ago that the small size of a computer screen and small mouse movements, used at that time to create images on-screen, could “tame emotions” ( Collie and Čubranić, 1999 ). Similar concern that the standardization of digital tools for art making could impede emotional or creative expression was voiced in forthcoming publications ( Collie et al., 2006 ; Orr, 2012 ). It was also speculated that a computer image, that exists as multiple copies of itself, might not be an adequate container for emotional material ( Collie and Čubranić, 1999 ) and that using computers for art making might put more emphasis on the product than on the artistic process ( Collie et al., 2006 ). The VR software used for art making was also described as “somewhat crude and clunky” ( Kaimal et al., 2020 , p. 22), potentially disorienting and incomparable with traditional arts materials in terms of the range of visual effects possible.

Benefits of Digital Arts Media

Freedom of expression.

It was suggested across a number of papers that digital arts media can be empowering by possessing expressive qualities not necessarily achievable with traditional physical art materials ( Collie et al., 2006 ; Orr, 2012 ). Digital art making, including in virtual reality, was proposed to reduce inhibitions, promote freedom ( Collie and Čubranić, 1999 ; Darewych et al., 2015 ; Kaimal et al., 2020 ), and facilitate multimodal expression not limited to images ( Collie et al., 2006 ). It was observed that inhibitions were diminished in creating artwork using digital media since there were no expectations of how a digital artwork should look like and it was also speculated if the elusiveness of a computer image might in fact strengthen the therapeutic process ( Collie and Čubranić, 1999 ). VR environments were found to enhance the freedom of expression without the constraints of the physical world, empower clients with restrictions in their movements and “explore creative opportunities otherwise unavailable in the material world” ( Kaimal et al., 2020 ). Playfulness of the artmaking process and creative exploration was another positive aspect of engaging with digital arts media noted in the literature ( Collie and Čubranić, 1999 ; Kaimal et al., 2020 ).

Digital environment

Some unique technological features of digital environments were cited as presenting key advantages for therapy, including portability, “an all-in-one art studio” ( Darewych et al., 2015 ). Several studies reported therapeutic benefits of a mess-free digital environment for art making, particularly for clients resistant to touching materials ( Orr, 2012 ), those who did not want to get messy during art therapy sessions ( Peterson, 2010 ) and particularly for clients with developmental disabilities combined with tactile or olfactory sensitivities ( Darewych et al., 2015 ). Another potentially therapeutic feature of digital arts media was identified as being able to record and preserve the stages of development of an artwork ( Collie et al., 2006 ), or document work in progress to enhance client’s understanding of how their work has developed over time ( Orr, 2012 ).

This review set out to provide some understanding of how digital technology is applied with therapeutic intent within art therapy sessions. We were able to answer two of our research questions, describing how art therapists work with digital technology in their practice and discussing the benefits and challenges of both online provision and the use of digital arts media. The perspective we were able to provide is the one of art therapists’ primarily and still little is known about clients’ experiences, attitudes and outcomes ( Kapitan, 2009 ; Edmunds, 2012 ; Carlton, 2014 ).

Research to date, although some survey-based, is largely qualitative and heterogeneous, presenting difficulties to any inter-studies comparisons. However, these seeming limitations demonstrate, in fact, the seriousness with which the subject has been approached by art therapy practitioners and researchers. Creative use of diverse methodologies to examine art therapists’ views is an essential first step, appropriate for the early stage exploration of how (and indeed, whether) digital technology might be used in art therapy practice. It is appropriate that early investigations are cautious and focused on practitioner’s perspective before any new strategies may be implemented in the actual practice with clients. Such approach seems highly ethical and client-focused, as indeed confirmed in this review in the reasons given by art therapists for their reluctance and cautiousness with which they decide on whether to introduce digital technology in art therapy sessions. Impacts on clients are of primary importance and therapists, understandably, are not willing to compromise on client safety in adopting technological solutions not thoroughly tested ( Peterson, 2010 ; Orr, 2016 ).

Nevertheless, it is important to highlight that the findings in this review are largely based on art therapists’ opinions and attitudes, not necessarily rooted in experience of using technology in practice. Given the common human error of judgment in terms of imagining theoretical concepts in practice, one can only wonder if some of the opinions expressed might have changed following an actual engagement in digital media-based or online practice, particularly if, as suggested ( Asawa, 2009 ), emotions such as fear and anger might guide art therapist’ initial impressions on technology, and, as suggested elsewhere ( Collie et al., 2017 ), art therapists might be surprised at how quickly they start to feel comfortable with technology that they have had a chance to try out.

As suggested previously, the review confirmed that the perception of digital technology in art therapy realm is dominated by ambivalence and tendencies to pull toward and against, which seems an appropriate attitude on encountering something which we do not yet fully understand. Both an increasing interest in the opportunities that digital technology potentially brings, as well as cautiousness around implementation have been apparent in the literature examined. Nevertheless, a common recognition seems to prevail that, given the likely permanency of digital technology in all aspects of our lives, understanding its benefits and potential harm in therapy situations is indeed essential to reduce risks and increase the therapeutic relevance of digital tools ( Kapitan, 2007 ; Asawa, 2009 ; Orr, 2012 ; Kaimal et al., 2016 ).

In addition to the increased research need, the importance of specialist training for art therapists has been commonly advocated ( Orr, 2006 , 2012 ; Kapitan, 2007 ; Kuleba, 2008 ; Carlton, 2014 ; Kaimal et al., 2016 ). A call has also been made for development of new ethical guidelines for art therapists, which would provide an appropriate framework, aligned with practice needs and with practical considerations ( Alders et al., 2011 ; Evans, 2012 ). This need for robust guidance, which would help ensure client safety and increase therapists’ confidence in working with technology, has been highlighted more recently by the changing global health situation (COVID-19 pandemic), in which art therapists found themselves transitioning to online practice with unprecedented speed and often against own preference. It is a striking realization that in a survey conducted only 15 years ago none of the respondents reported that they had conducted online art therapy ( Peterson, 2006 ). McNiff’s prediction from over two decades ago that distance art therapy would grow ( McNiff, 1999 ) has, however, become reality, if only too suddenly for some.

This review has synthesized the challenges and benefits of working with clients online, as reported in literature, and any solutions proposed by the authors. It is clear that distance art therapy differs from the usual face-to-face situation on many levels and requires adaptations on both art therapists’ and clients’ side. The relatively novel way of working therapeutically demands more effort and time initially (e.g., for learning of procedures and devices), but has the potential to become less burdensome practically in the long term (e.g., saving the need to travel to sessions). More importantly, it demands skilful and perhaps more active facilitation from art therapists in order to create a safe enough container for clients in virtual space ( Collie et al., 2017 ). It is recognized that this might be harder to achieve in online therapy and compensations might need to be made for the lack of physical presence and limited non-verbal expressions ( Chilton et al., 2009 ). It has been suggested that semi-anonymity that online contact allows might be both restricting and facilitating for the development of therapeutic relationship and emotional connection ( Collie et al., 2017 ; Levy et al., 2018 ). The responsibility for successful outcomes does not lie entirely with art therapists, and clients might similarly be expected to take on a more active role in their own treatment for a distant art therapy to be beneficial. There is a potential for this increased engagement to promote community integration and to feel empowering for the client ( Orr, 2012 ; Levy et al., 2018 ; Spooner et al., 2019 ). The pace of technological advancements also means that certain technical limitations mentioned in the literature may already be overcome, for example observations by some that a computer is not conducive to group therapy ( Kuleba, 2008 ).

As indicated at the beginning of our work, opportunities and limitations of digital technology in art therapy extend beyond telehealth and remote connectivity. The use of digital arts media presents entirely new challenges for the profession and, arguably, entirely new possibilities with potentially profound impacts on practice. There are polarized opinions and ideas around the therapeutic value and risks of incorporating digital arts media in art therapy sessions.

It has been indicated that digital media provide more security to experiment and offer more freedom of expression due to endless modifications and manipulation of artwork being possible, as well as an option to not leave a trace of one’s creative experimentation if one wish ( Canter, 1987 ; Collie and Čubranić, 1999 ; McLeod, 1999 ; Parker-Bell, 1999 ; Peterson et al., 2005 ; Edmunds, 2012 ; Orr, 2016 ). A notion that making digital art may be less intimidating than working with traditional art materials has been widely discussed in literature ( Weinberg, 1985 ; Hartwich and Brandecker, 1997 ; Collie and Čubranić, 1999 ; McLeod, 1999 ; Thong, 2007 ; Evans, 2012 ; Orr, 2012 ; Kaimal et al., 2016 ). However, it is worth noting that the potentially freeing and playful novelty of digital arts media might not have the same effect nowadays and an observation made in 1999 that people feel less self-conscious due to not having expectations about how a digital image should look like ( Collie and Čubranić, 1999 ) is already likely to be redundant. Similarly, propositions that interaction with digital art making tools gives a sense of mastery and independence ( Canter, 1989 ; Edmunds, 2012 ; Orr, 2012 ) might naturally become less relevant with increased use and familiarity.

Nevertheless, the therapeutic potential of making changes to artwork, recording, sharing and revisiting the process of creation, and allowing both the artwork and the process evolve over time, cannot be underestimated ( Hartwich and Brandecker, 1997 ; McLeod, 1999 ; McNiff, 1999 ; Evans, 2012 ; Orr, 2016 ). Interaction between the person and the electronic device used for art making is potentially therapeutically powerful. It has been suggested that artmaking process becomes a mirror of this relationship ( Hartwich and Brandecker, 1997 ) but also that a computer is simply a mediator in the relationship developing between the client and the therapist ( Orr, 2010 ) or that it can support and provide a transactional space between them ( Gussak and Nyce, 1999 ). The role of the machine in the development of the therapeutic process remains unclear and it will be important to investigate how it affects (or fits within?) the triangular relationship between the client, the therapist and the art.

Probably the most prominent accusation against digital art making tools is their “synthetic” nature, lacking sensual and tactile qualities of traditional arts media, often considered therapeutic in themselves ( Kuleba, 2008 ; Klorer, 2009 ; Potash, 2009 ; Carlton, 2014 ; Orr, 2016 ; Garner, 2017 ). Suggestions have been made that this seemingly distant and nontactile nature of digital arts media might result in clients disconnecting not only from sensory experience but also from relationships and the “real world” in the present moment ( Klorer, 2009 ; Potash, 2009 ). This perception of the isolating, impersonal and even dehumanizing character of digital technology, as well as coldness associated with computers, have been widely discussed by art therapy researchers and practitioners ( Gussak and Nyce, 1999 ; McLeod, 1999 ; Collie and Čubranić, 2002 ; Collie et al., 2006 ; Orr, 2006 ; Kuleba, 2008 ). However, some have observed that constant technological advances gradually lead to the cold digital media becoming more integrated with human interactions, senses and emotions, in increasingly intuitive and responsive way ( Orr, 2012 ). Touchscreen sensitivity, for example, allows for pressure to be incorporated in digital art making, mimicking physical art materials, an important quality which was not previously available for art created with a computer mouse, as noted by McNiff two decades ago ( McNiff, 1999 ). Despite some issues which are unlikely to be resolved, it is probably safe to say that with technology generally becoming more human-oriented we may expect an increasing relevance of digital art making tools for art therapy.

An entirely new art medium which is now available within virtual reality environments presents its own unique concerns and prospects ( Kaimal et al., 2020 ), including creative opportunities reaching beyond material world, but also risks of further disconnection from the real tactile experience. Here also some of the previously expresses preconceptions might be challenged, for example another observation made by McNiff that “computer art will never replace the three-dimensional presence of the actual thing being made” ( McNiff, 2000 , p. 97). It remains debatable of course whether virtual presence is at all comparable to physical experience, but it might be that an opportunity to print out a virtually created artwork using a 3D printer makes the distinction less obvious.

A substantial attention is dedicated in literature to speculation on groups of clients who might benefit most from working with digital arts media. It has been suggested that although this is primarily an individual matter and not necessarily defined by age, contradictory to stereotype ( Asawa, 2009 ), children and young people might be particularly responsive to digital artmaking ( Alders et al., 2011 ; Carlton, 2014 ). Reports on successful practice with hospitalized children highlight the benefit of adaptations enabled by technology to compensate for physical and emotional challenges ( Thong, 2007 ; Malchiodi and Johnson, 2013 ). Digital arts media offer a sterile art making environment ( Malchiodi and Johnson, 2013 ; Orr, 2016 ) and can be used by patients who might not be able to hold art materials but might be able to interact with space or make art on a tablet device using tiny gestures ( McNiff, 1999 ; Hallas and Cleaves, 2017 ). It has been also demonstrated that the previously mentioned lack of sensory input might be therapeutically beneficial for clients with developmental disabilities and those with olfactory and tactile sensitivities ( Darewych et al., 2015 ). It has been proposed that digital art making tools might be in fact an ideal medium for clients easily overwhelmed by tactile sensations ( Alders et al., 2011 ), allowing them to sustain a safer and longer art making experience ( Edmunds, 2012 ).

Some art therapy practitioners and researchers have long made a proposition that technology-enhanced therapy, whether in form of online delivery or adoption of digital arts media for art making, may actually be the best form of therapy for certain clients and not a mere substitute for more traditional ways of working ( Collie and Čubranić, 1999 ; McNiff, 1999 ; Parker-Bell, 1999 ; Evans, 2012 ). Others have pointed out to contradictory beliefs of some art therapy practitioners, focusing more on potential risks and worrying that technology would “remove what art therapy holds sacred, which is the art.” ( Asawa, 2009 , p. 64). Between the two polarizing perspectives might be most commonly advocated one, that digital technology is not a replacement for traditional arts media or long established ways of working, but rather an added value, a new quality, expanding and not limiting the profession ( McLeod, 1999 ; McNiff, 1999 ; Orr, 2006 ; Choe, 2014 ).

While flexibility and adaptability have been cited as qualities shared by art therapists that could support them in the predicted continued integration of technology in therapy ( Spooner et al., 2019 ), a question remains whether art therapy profession would accept technology as a true creative and therapeutic medium ( McNiff, 1999 ; Peterson, 2006 ; Austin, 2009 ). Over three decades ago, it was suggested that the answer might depend on art therapists’ innate curiosity as artists to investigate the new medium ( Canter, 1989 ) and, more recently, that the potential of technology in art therapy is only limited by practitioners’ creativity and imagination ( McLeod, 1999 ; McNiff, 1999 ; Peterson, 2010 ). It has been already proposed that art therapy profession, to remain relevant, might need to “move beyond historically validated media” and also to new contexts ( Kapitan, 2007 , p. 51).

Future Research

Given the growing interest in digital technology within art therapy world and the current global health crisis (COVID-19 pandemic) which forced therapists to move their practice online, we expect and would welcome a rise in research in the area. While we already have some understanding of art therapists’ perspective, more research to explore clients’ experiences is clearly needed. This research need must not, however, compromise on clients’ safety and ethical ways of working with technology in art therapy sessions and should observe (and help develop) guidelines from professional associations for the discipline ( Zubala and Hackett, 2020 ). Once new ways of working are established, these need to be reflected in art therapists’ education and research could contribute to identifying the needs for training.

Rise in online art therapy practice could be observed on a large scale in the previous months (second trimester of 2020) and new interventions have been developed with impacts already captured in research which was in press at the time of writing of this review (e.g., Gomez Carlier et al., 2020 ; Newland et al., 2020 ). It is important that these accounts of sudden changes in practice are recorded and examined for any lessons to be learned for a longer-term approach to how art therapy might contribute to mitigating the psychological impacts of the pandemic, which are likely yet to emerge ( Miller and McDonald, 2020 ; Titov et al., 2020 ; Wind et al., 2020 ; Zubala and Hackett, 2020 ). The research to follow must acknowledge the extraordinary circumstances under which art therapy has adopted online mode of working, often not by choice but due to demands of the situation and clients’ or employers’ expectations. This fact alone and combined with other factors may have huge implications for practice and we hope that these are captured sensitively in forthcoming research.

Regardless of the mode of delivery, there remains a lot to learn in terms of the emotional and interpersonal implications of digital artmaking for the development of the therapeutic relationship. Previous research encouragingly indicates that therapeutic alliance in verbal psychotherapies can be successfully recreated in an online setting ( Sucala et al., 2012 ). In art therapy case, however, potential impact of technology is not limited to client-therapist relationship but extends to the essence of the triangular relationship including also the artwork. Understanding the impacts of digital tools on the dynamics of this triangular relationship and their place within it seems fundamental to increasing art therapists’ confidence in introducing digital arts media in sessions.

Limitations

This review attempted to capture research findings from diverse literature for a holistic understanding of the topic ( Whittemore and Knafl, 2005 ) and we recognize that such approach brings some inevitable challenges which we were able to address partially.

Firstly, the heterogeneous character of included studies and breadth of perspectives adopted by the authors meant that the synthesis relied vastly on our own interpretation of the findings due to no specific guidance on such syntheses available. Neither meta-analysis nor meta-synthesis could be performed and instead a method not dissimilar to thematic analysis was employed for identifying key themes often present across the literature examined. It might be that such approach could have missed some of the findings potentially best captured via another methodology. Additionally, inclusion of papers focusing on art therapists’ views and opinions mean that findings are based on both the anticipated and the actual practice-based experiences.

Secondly, we acknowledge that PhD theses, dissertations and book chapters were deliberately excluded from the review due to limited resources and also due to expected further complexities arising from an attempt to synthesize insights from these data sources. The searches have, however, identified substantial volume of material on the subject published in books and available as unpublished doctoral theses and masters dissertations and it would have been valuable to examine these also, perhaps in a more narrative type of review or as part of more specific sub-topic explorations. Similarly, only articles presenting empirical findings were included which means that a number of important opinion papers have not been formally a part of this review. Instead, recognizing the contribution of these authors to the overall conversation, we refer to their work in the extended discussion section. We are also aware that strict inclusion criteria meant that some contemporary uses of digital technology in art therapy such as digital photography, computer animation or digital storytelling, are not discussed here. Peer-reviewed papers in these areas seem sparse despite comprehensive practice-based literature available (e.g., Loewenthal, 2013 ; Malchiodi, 2018 ). Therefore, while it was not our intention to exclude these widely used techniques, we acknowledge that this review might not be a complete representation of practice, now commonly adopting many other imaginative uses of digital technology.

Thirdly, we chose not to undertake a formal quality assessment of the studies included, which might have enabled a fairer weight to be allocated to findings, currently considered and presented as being of equal value. An informal quality assessment has been, however, included and we decided that a more formal analysis would not match the complexity of the topic and the nature of the very early exploratory studies, meaning that useful insights might be lost with a standardized form of assessment applied. With progress in research in the area and more methodologically coherent groupings of studies possible, we expect that future syntheses would be able to perform more formalized quality assessments, particularly on studies that report on client experiences.

This review offers an integrative synthesis of research undertaken to date on the use of digital technology in art therapy, including both online connectivity allowing distance delivery as well as digital artmaking within therapy sessions. The complex characteristics and methodologies of included papers resulted in diverse findings which were integrated to identify key themes in the growing debate on the role of digital technology in art therapy. Potential benefits and challenges were identified, including impacts on the therapy process and the therapeutic relationship. It may be safely concluded that the use of technology in art therapy presents both immense opportunities and serious risks that need to be considered by practitioners, professional associations, and the clients themselves. It is important that early research in the area strives to examine both in order to help art therapists make an informed choice when deciding on whether to incorporate digital technologies in their practice.

We would like to invite the art therapy community worldwide to expand this conversation and to explore together, safely but with curiosity and openness, the expanse of the digital world which, if nothing else, deserves our consideration of its relationship to art therapy. We propose that we approach this exploration with acknowledgment of its importance for the continued relevance of art therapy ( Kapitan, 2007 ) but also reflecting that “art therapy is eclectic and not reducible to a single set of algorithms” ( Gussak and Nyce, 1999 , p. 194). It might be a demanding but a fascinating journey.

Author Contributions

AZ conceptualized, planned, and undertook the review, analyzed the data, and wrote the first draft of the manuscript. NK and SH revised the work critically and contributed to edits. All authors contributed to and approved the final version of the manuscript.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Acknowledgments

AZ would like to thank co-authors, Catriona MacInnes, Simon Reekie, Gill Houlsby, and other art therapists, conversations with whom helped shape the thinking about this research.

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Orr, P. (2012). Technology use in art therapy practice: 2004 and 2011 comparison. Arts Psychother. 39, 234–238. doi: 10.1016/j.aip.2012.03.010

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Peterson, B. C. (2006). Art Therapists’ Adoption and Diffusion of Computer and Digital Imagery Technology. Ph.D. thesis, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL.

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Keywords : art therapy, digital technology, remote delivery, digital arts media, telehealth, online therapy, integrative review

Citation: Zubala A, Kennell N and Hackett S (2021) Art Therapy in the Digital World: An Integrative Review of Current Practice and Future Directions. Front. Psychol. 12:595536. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.600070

Received: 01 September 2020; Accepted: 12 March 2021; Published: 08 April 2021.

Reviewed by:

Copyright © 2021 Zubala, Kennell and Hackett. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) . The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

*Correspondence: Ania Zubala, [email protected]

Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

10 Digital Art Projects That Will Spark Student Creativity

Isn’t it amazing that even though our students have grown up with technology, there’s still so much to learn? Of course, creativity should always be at the forefront, but technology can play a powerful supporting role. Allowing your students to explore their artistic and technological sides at the same time can open a world of possibilities.

Check out these 10 digital art projects that will combine traditional artmaking and technology skills to bring out your students’ creativity!

1. snapchat geo filter.

It’s no secret students are enamored with social media, so why not use it as a teaching tool? If you’re looking for a project that focuses on design and typography, try creating Snapchat Geo Filters for your community.

Community filters cost nothing to create! You or your students can directly submit your designs to Snapchat for approval. You can find the specific requirements here. This project is also a great way to introduce Project-Based Learning concepts because your students’ filters will impact the community around them. Plus, when one of your students’ designs does get chosen, they will be so excited!

2. Personal Logo Designs

This is a great project to combine printmaking and digital design. Have your students create monoprinted backgrounds directly on copy paper. Students can then create a personal logo by using an editing program like Photoshop. After their designs are created, you can run the monoprints directly through the copy machine, and the logo will print onto the paper. For more details on this project, check out this lesson plan .

Are you looking for detailed information about how to get started with Photoshop in your art room? Be sure to check out the Discovering the Basics of Photoshop Learning Pack! You’ll gain the confidence to introduce basic tools and processes to get your students making art!

3. Temporary Tattoos

There’s something about temporary tattoos that excites every age group. Why not try letting students design their own? Using printable tattoo paper , create digital designs using an inkjet printer. This is a fun way to explore technology, and your students will get to wear their designs!

4. Mosaic Portraits

If you use Photoshop, you know there are countless features to the program. It’s always exciting to show your students a new technique. Creating digital mosaic portraits is a great way to put a new spin on the historical process. Follow along with this video to learn how.

5. Space Galaxies

If you’re looking for a project to explore several new techniques both digitally and traditionally, this is the project for you! Using a medium like watercolor, chalk or oil pastels, students can explore painting or drawing techniques to create galaxy-inspired backgrounds. If you’re looking for instructions, you can check out a step-by-step process for creating a watercolor galaxy in this Learning Pack .

When finished, artworks can be photographed and altered in any digital editing program. Students can even explore 3D editing features to create life-like planets and objects.

6. Makey Makey Sculptures

Computer Science skills are in high demand, and they can even be incorporated into the art room. The Makey Makey device is an easy way to teach your students coding skills while bringing artwork to life. Using this device is an excellent extension of a sculpture project. Students can record sound effects, music, and other information to create an interactive piece. To see a sculpture come to life with the Makey Makey check out this video .

7. Animated GIFs

Animating is an engaging process, and there’s no better way to introduce students then by creating GIFs! If you’re looking for a way to get started, check out the animation work by artist Jen Stark. This will inspire your students to create geometric, color changing animations. Use this step-by-step guide to get started.

8. Light Paintings

If you’ve never tried light painting with your students, you need to! Simply gather up anything that emits light. Glow sticks, laser pointers, phone lights, and Christmas lights work well as light sources. This technique can be done with DSLR cameras using long exposure settings. However, it can also be done on an iPad, smart phone or tablet. Download a long exposure app to create light trailing images. As a bonus, students can digitally edit their photos to create new images.

9. Photoshop Your Teacher

Having a sense of humor in the classroom makes the learning environment that much more fun. After my students have learned some basic Photoshop techniques , I give them the chance to show me what they know by altering a picture of me. This can be a fun process for your students because they have the opportunity create some silly images with your permission. Just remind your students it must stay school appropriate, but you will laugh at your students’ creativity and ideas.

10. Gradient Landscapes

If you’ve ever introduced your students to the gradient tool in Photoshop, you know they’ll start using it for everything. Try introducing the gradient tool by creating a landscape image made entirely of gradients. This is an excellent way for students to practice creating foreground, middle ground, and background while practicing the use of the marquee and lasso tools to select defined areas.

If you’ve been stuck on ways to introduce digital artmaking to your students, try one of these projects. Many of these projects go beyond the computer screen and allow students to think creatively and critically. As you introduce your students to the world of technology and art, you’ll start to see the amazing things they can discover.

What are your favorite digital art projects to teach?

How does technology influence your art room?

Magazine articles and podcasts are opinions of professional education contributors and do not necessarily represent the position of the Art of Education University (AOEU) or its academic offerings. Contributors use terms in the way they are most often talked about in the scope of their educational experiences.

Abby Schukei

Abby Schukei, a middle school art educator and AOEU’s Social Media Manager, is a former AOEU Writer. She focuses on creating meaningful experiences for her students through technology integration, innovation, and creativity.

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Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Digital art'

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Holder, John Frans Patrick. "Immersive, digital, expressive, art." Thesis, University of East London, 2011. http://roar.uel.ac.uk/3137/.

Bergman, John. "IMMERSIVE GALLERY OF DIGITAL ART." Thesis, KTH, Arkitektur, 2018. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-223228.

Kavanaugh, Anya. "Effectiveness of Digital Response Art." Digital Commons at Loyola Marymount University and Loyola Law School, 2020. https://digitalcommons.lmu.edu/etd/905.

Jones, Benjamin David. "Digital butterflies of the backstreets : participatory art and the digital divide." Thesis, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/10443/3063.

Edström, Jesper, and Nicky Ristic. "Digital art recommendation system : A personalized virtual tour of digital collections." Thesis, Uppsala universitet, Institutionen för informationsteknologi, 2021. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-449497.

Casbarro, Shaun M. "Experimental digital printing methods." Virtual Press, 2003. http://liblink.bsu.edu/uhtbin/catkey/1265100.

Christiansen, Lauren. "Redefining exhibition in the digital age /." This body of writing is available online with supplemental images, 2010. http://exhibitioninthedigitalage.tumblr.com/.

DE, VINCENTIS Stefania. "Il museo di arte antica in una prospettiva digitale. Progetti di Digital Art History tra teoria e applicazione all'interno dei luoghi della cultura." Doctoral thesis, Università degli studi di Ferrara, 2020. http://hdl.handle.net/11392/2478840.

Milton-Smith, Melissa. "A conversation on globalisation and digital art." University of Western Australia. Communication Studies Discipline Group, 2008. http://theses.library.uwa.edu.au/adt-WU2009.0057.

Konstantelos, Leonidas. "Digital art in digital libraries : a study of user-oriented information retrieval." Thesis, University of Glasgow, 2009. http://theses.gla.ac.uk/1333/.

Minnie, Heinrich. "Homunculi of the Digital City." Master's thesis, Faculty of Humanities, 2021. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/32863.

Heron, Julie. "The art of homecoming." Thesis, University of Ballarat, 2002. http://researchonline.federation.edu.au/vital/access/HandleResolver/1959.17/43455.

Heron, Julie. "The art of homecoming." University of Ballarat, 2002. http://archimedes.ballarat.edu.au:8080/vital/access/HandleResolver/1959.17/14603.

Sheridan, Jennifer Gayle. "Digital live art : mediating wittingness in playful arenas." Thesis, Lancaster University, 2006. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.442720.

Lotz, Felix. "A conversation between Art Nouveau and Digital design." Thesis, KTH, Arkitektur, 2016. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-193091.

Lilas, Zilvinas. "The work of art in the digital era." The Ohio State University, 1996. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1327337143.

Lam, Yui-yim Margaret. "Realm of media art." Hong Kong : University of Hong Kong, 1999. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record.jsp?B25947382.

Chan, Ching-yan Janet, and 陳靜昕. "On digital aesthetics: scrutinizing aestheticstudies in the digital era." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2004. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B30681893.

Andersen, Evan. "An analysis of the art image interchange cycle within fine art museums /." Online version of thesis, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/1850/11981.

Turner, Rhys. "Etherscapes massless, elastic, technology and control /." Connect to full text, 2004. http://hdl.handle.net/2123/1100.

Choe, Nancy Sunjin. "An Exploration of the Qualities and Features of Digital Art Media in Art Therapy." Digital Commons at Loyola Marymount University and Loyola Law School, 2013. https://digitalcommons.lmu.edu/etd/19.

Chan, Ching-yan Janet. "On digital aesthetics scrutinizing aesthetic studies in the digital era /." Click to view the E-thesis via HKUTO, 2004. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record/B30681893.

McBurnie, Jonathan. "Collisions: drawing in the digital age." Thesis, The University of Sydney, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/2123/13133.

Waelder, Laso Pau. "Selling and collecting art in the network society: Interactions among contemporary art new media and the art market." Doctoral thesis, Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/10803/399029.

Johnson, Mia. "Digital art on the World Wide Web, 1996-1997." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 1997. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk3/ftp04/nq25074.pdf.

Sniadecki, John Paul. "Digital Jianghu: Independent Documentary in a Beijing Art Village." Thesis, Harvard University, 2013. http://dissertations.umi.com/gsas.harvard:10971.

Hancock, Mary T. "Cultivating Territories and Historicity: The Digital Art of Skawennati." University of Cincinnati / OhioLINK, 2014. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1396530332.

Clifford, Alison. "Articulating the interstitial : interpretive responses in digital art practice." Thesis, Glasgow School of Art, 2014. http://radar.gsa.ac.uk/3716/.

Paquette, Andrew John. "The development of proficiency among undergraduate digital art students." Thesis, King's College London (University of London), 2018. https://kclpure.kcl.ac.uk/portal/en/theses/the-development-of-proficiency-among-undergraduate-digital-art-students(1eecb985-b369-4207-aaa0-80383188c0aa).html.

Calderone, Ursula University of Ballarat. "I hope that I have got some art." University of Ballarat, 2008. http://archimedes.ballarat.edu.au:8080/vital/access/HandleResolver/1959.17/12783.

Calderone, Ursula. "I hope that I have got some art." Thesis, University of Ballarat, 2008. http://researchonline.federation.edu.au/vital/access/HandleResolver/1959.17/54811.

Calderone, Ursula. "I hope that I have got some art." University of Ballarat, 2008. http://archimedes.ballarat.edu.au:8080/vital/access/HandleResolver/1959.17/14619.

Geiger, William. "The art educator's role in technology education." Online version, 2009. http://www.uwstout.edu/lib/thesis/2009/2009geigerw.pdf.

Hartley, Julian Alex. "Museums and the digital public space : researching digital engagement practice at the Whitworth Art Gallery." Thesis, University of Manchester, 2015. https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/en/theses/museums-and-the-digital-public-space-researching-digital-engagement-practiceat-the-whitworth-art-gallery(8eebb8f4-b0b5-4e40-a419-50be3c2e6e9a).html.

Boivie, Joakim. "Digital Wanderlust : Med digital materia som följeslagare i skapandet." Thesis, Blekinge Tekniska Högskola, Institutionen för teknik och estetik, 2017. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:bth-14703.

Yen, Koon-wai Michael. "Urban channel for electronic media and arts." Hong Kong : University of Hong Kong, 1996. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record.jsp?B25951397.

Salisbury, Brian. "OF GODS, BEASTS AND MEN: DIGITAL SCULPTURE." Master's thesis, Orlando, Fla. : University of Central Florida, 2009. http://purl.fcla.edu/fcla/etd/CFE0002587.

Hermosilla, Abby L. "Virtual Elsewhere/s: Decolonizing Cyberspace in Skawennati's Digital Territories." Kent State University / OhioLINK, 2021. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1619431752147577.

Clinnin, Kaitlin Marie. "Beyond Binary Digital Embodiment." Thesis, Virginia Tech, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/32341.

Meintjes, Anthony Arthur. ""From digital to darkroom"." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2001. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007418.

Marner, Anders. "Digital media embedded in Swedish art education : a case study." Umeå universitet, Institutionen för estetiska ämnen i lärarutbildningen, 2013. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-71559.

Partin-Harding, Melissa C. "Innovative Teaching Strategies: Teaching Art Photography In The Digital World." Bowling Green State University / OhioLINK, 2011. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1308282675.

Suliman, Helen-Joy. "Framing the digital the viewing environment for web specific art work /." Access electronically, 2004. http://ro.uow.edu.au/theses/234.

Gasparetto, Débora Aita. "Arte digital no Brasil e as (re)configurações no sistema da arte." reponame:Biblioteca Digital de Teses e Dissertações da UFRGS, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/10183/150958.

Haute, Lucile. "Performer dans les environnements mixtes : Actualisation de l'espace programmé." Thesis, Saint-Etienne, 2014. http://www.theses.fr/2014STET2197/document.

Kruger, Leanne. "Metapolis : virtual reality vs. real virtuality in a digital art pavillion." Diss., University of Pretoria, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/2263/29982.

Hempson, Garth Jake. "The naturally imperfect form : investigations of the application of digital sculpting methods - extracted art : incorporating and translating ‘found art’ into the medium of digital sculpture." Thesis, Queensland University of Technology, 2012. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/60246/1/Garth_Hempson_Thesis.pdf.

Agyeman, Cynthia A. "Artists' Perception of the Use of Digital Media in Painting." Ohio University / OhioLINK, 2015. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1443101832.

Ferreira, Daniel Peixoto. "Expressividade procedural: narrativas e jogos digitais." Universidade de São Paulo, 2016. http://www.teses.usp.br/teses/disponiveis/27/27159/tde-22092016-141634/.

Santos, Pedro Miguel Baptista dos. "Industrias criativas: o papel da escola na formação dos artistas digitais." Master's thesis, Universidade de Évora, 2021. http://hdl.handle.net/10174/30135.

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180 Art Research Topics To Wake Your Inner Creator Up

We know, finding great art research topics can be a pretty difficult thing to do nowadays. Your classmates are all scouring the Internet in search of easy – but interesting – topics. The last thing you want is to pick a topic that has already been chosen. You want to be original. You want your professor to notice the effort you’ve put into finding the perfect topic. This is why you should take a look at our list of art research topics. All of them are original and interesting. And, best of all, the list is updated and new topics are added periodically.

Writing a Proper Art Research Paper

Writing a research paper on a topic in painting, sculpture, literature, architecture, cinema, music, or theater can be tricky if you don’t have much experience. To come to your aid, we have included a short list of tips that should help you write the best possible art research paper as quickly as possible:

Obviously, you need to find an engaging topic for your paper Spend some time on crafting the thesis statement (it’s very important) Only use information from authoritative sources that you can check Make sure all citations and references are properly formatted It pays to start your writing project with an outline Stay organized and follow the outline until you finish the paper Don’t forget to edit your work and then proofread it thoroughly Finally, don’t forget that you can get professional academic writing help, if necessary

In this blog post, we will help you with a list of 180 original art research topics for your next paper. The topics, organized in 20 categories, can be found below and are 100% free. Furthermore, if you have more important things to do, rather than going through that long and boring process, you can pay someone to write a paper and feel free to spend your time as you wish.

Brand New Art Topics for Research Papers

Below, you can find our brand new art topics for research papers. All of these topics have been recently added and we think that all of them should work great in 2023:

• Compare 2 major themes of art
• Discuss the adversity theme in art
• Is digital 3D motion graphic design an art?
• Discuss artistic styles in modern art
• An in-depth look at digital art
• Social media in 2023 art
• Talk about the popularity of art fairs
• Should you become an art historian?
• Peculiarities of abstract art of the 21st century
• Talk about Cubism influences in art
• What is mixed media art?

Artist Research Paper Ideas

Would you like to talk about artists? No problem, we’ve got an entire list of artist research paper ideas for you right here. Choose the best one and start writing in minutes:

• The life and work of Jean-Michel Basquiat
• The importance of Peter Doig’s work
• Modern paintings by Christopher Wool
• Influences in Rudolf Stingel’s art
• An in-depth look at Salvador Dali’s work
• The neo-Pop movement (Yoshitomo Nara)
• Richard Prince’s use of mass-media images in art
• The instability of life in Zeng Fanzhi’s paintings
• The life and work of Frida Kahlo
• Andy Warhol’s rise in popularity
• Discuss the themes in Vincent van Gogh’s work
• The importance of Jackson Pollock for modern art

Art History Research Paper Topics

If you want to talk about art history, you will be thrilled to learn that we are offering a list of art history research paper topics for free. Check out the latest version of the topics list:

• Imagery and symbolism in Carlo Crivelli’s work
• Talk about evolution and devolution in Willem de Kooning’s work
• An in-depth look at Chinese art
• The 3 most important architecture themes
• Talk about the portrayal of war in contemporary art
• The most important literary works of the 20th century
• European art during Medieval times
• The importance of prehistoric art in Mesopotamia

Art Topics to Write About in High School

Are you looking for some art topics to write about in high school? Don’t worry about it; we’ve got your back. We have a whole list of topics dedicated to high school students right here:

• Talk about the use of symbols in Egyptian art
• Discuss Mayan architecture
• An in-depth look at Chinese ancient paintings
• Light in Claude Monet’s work
• Talk about the peculiarities of Romanticism
• Discuss the Surrealism movement
• The importance of the Sistine Chapel paintings
• A closer look at the Harlem Renaissance

Most Interesting Art Topics

We know you want to write a paper on something interesting. After all, you probably want to impress your professor, don’t you? Here are our most interesting art topics:

• Discuss peculiarities of Iranian cinema movies
• Talk about Hindi architecture
• Best Chinese novels ever written
• Artistic similarities between the US and Canada
• Talk about a famous painter in the United Kingdom
• The ascendance motif in Raphael’s work
• Talk about feminism in contemporary art
• Japanese motifs in Claude Monet’s paintings

Advanced Art Topics

We are most certain that your professor will appreciate the effort if you choose to write your paper on a more complex topic. Here are some advanced art topics you could try:

• The emergence of urban street art
• Cubism in Pablo Picasso paintings
• The life and works of Louise Bourgeois
• Talk about the influence of the paranormal on art
• An in-depth look at Aztec religious art
• Talk about a primeval music instrument of your choice
• Talk about sculpture in Ancient Rome
• Discuss the use of art for propaganda means

Fun Art Topic Ideas

Who said writing a research paper about art can’t be fun? It all depends on the topic you choose. To help you out, we have compiled a list of fun art topic ideas. Check it out below:

• Depictions of extraterrestrials in art
• Using art during the war
• 3 most creative uses of paintings
• Talk about the emergence of NFT art
• Interesting traits of the Bauhaus movement
• Sculptures that make you laugh
• Interesting depictions of the human anatomy
• The most famous graffiti in the United States

Art Topics Good for College Students

Of course we have many art topics that are good for college students. Our experts have recently finished updating the list of ideas, so go ahead and choose the one you like the most:

• Analyze the Surrealism period
• Postmodernism in 2023 art
• The life and work of Auguste Renoir
• Talk about French caricatures
• The benefits of art therapy
• Hitler and his contribution to arts
• War dances in the Maori society

Controversial Art Topics to Write About

M any students find writing a research paper challenging. There are many controversial topics in art that you can talk about in a research paper. Take a look at some of the most controversial art topics to write about and take your pick:

• Discuss The Last Judgement by Michelangelo
• The controversies surrounding Marcel Duchamp
• Graffiti: vandalism or art?
• Why is art so controversial?
• What makes a drawing a piece of art?
• Architecture: art or utility? 

Easy Topics for Art Papers

If you want to spend as little time as possible writing the research paper, you need an easier topic. Fortunately for you, our experts have compiled a list of easy topics for art papers right here:

• Types of Chinese jewelry
• Analyze art in South Korea
• The first recorded music instrument
• Discuss a novel of your choice
• Talk about Venetian carnival masks
• The life and works of Giuseppe Verdi
• Compare and contrast 3 war dances
• American Indian art over the years
• An in-depth look at totem masks
• Art in sub-Saharan Africa
• Talk about art in North Korea

Modern/Contemporary Art History Topics

Yes, we really do have a list of the best modern/contemporary art history topics. As usual, you can choose any of our topics and even reword it without giving us any credit. Take your pick:

• Talk about 5 artistic styles in modern art
• Talk about activism and art
• Discuss the role of political cartoons
• The role of digital art in 2023
• Is printmaking really an art?
• Discuss the theme of identity politics
• Political critique through the use of art
• Most interesting works of contemporary art

Ancient Art Topics

Do you want to talk about ancient art? It’s not a simple subject, but we’re certain you will manage just fine. Check out our latest list of ancient art topics and select the one you like the most:

• Analyze the El Castillo Cave Paintings
• Ancient art in India
• An in-depth look at the Diepkloof Eggshell Engravings
• Ancient art in Persia
• Why is ancient art so important?
• Ancient art in China
• What makes ancient art unique?

Ideas for an Art Research Project

Did your teacher ask you to come up with an idea for an art research project? Don’t worry about it too much because we have plenty of ideas for an art research project right here:

• Research 3 Kpop artists and their work
• Uncover signs of prehistoric art in your area
• Make a rain painting on your own
• Design a Zen garden in your backyard
• Make a 3D sculpture on your computer
• Make a wall mural for your school
• Experiment with pin art
• Experiment with sand art

Fine Arts Research Paper Topics

If you would prefer to write about the fine arts, you have definitely arrived at the right place. We have a long list of interesting fine arts research paper topics below:

• Is drawing a form of art?
• An in-depth analysis of the Mona Lisa
• The Girls with a Pearl Earring painting
• An in-depth analysis of Venus of Willendorf
• A closer look at the Terracotta Army
• Discuss a piece of abstract architecture
• A closer look at the Burj Khalifa architecture
• Discuss Ode to a Nightingale by John Keats

Renaissance Art Topics

Did you know that our Renaissance art topics have been used by more than 500 students to date? This is a clear indication that our ideas are some of the best on the Web:

• Talk about the Linear perspective in Renaissance art
• Discuss the altarpieces found in Renaissance art
• An in-depth look at anatomy in Renaissance art
• Discuss the Fresco cycles
• Talk about the peculiarities of the landscape
• Influences of Realism in Renaissance art
• Analyze the use of light in Renaissance art
• Discuss the humanism theme
• Talk about the individualism theme in Renaissance art

The Best Baroque Art Topics

We can assure you that you teacher will greatly appreciate it if you choose one of these Baroque topics. Remember, this is the place where you can find the best Baroque art topics:

• Discuss the Grandeur theme in Baroque art
• An in-depth look at the sensuous richness theme
• Talk about the importance of religious paintings
• Talk about the emotional exuberance theme
• Allegories in Baroque art
• The life and works of Annibale Carracci
• The life and works of Nicolas Poussin

Art Debate Topics

Are you planning an art debate? If you are, you most definitely need some great art debate topics to choose from. Talk to your team and propose them any of these awesome ideas:

• Do artists need talent to sculpt?
• The best painter in the world today
• Can graffiti be considered a form of art?
• The best sculpture ever made
• Can we consider dance a form of art?
• The best painting ever made
• Should we study arts in school?
• The best literary work ever written
• Why is Banksy’s work so controversial?
• The best singer of all time
• How can photographs be considered works of art?

Artist Biography Topics

Our experts have put together a list of the most intriguing artist biography topics for you. You should be able to find more than enough information about each artist on the Internet:

• Talk about the life of Michael Jackson
• Discuss the works of Leonardo da Vinci
• Discuss the importance of Elvis Presley’s work
• The life and works of Rembrandt
• The importance of Ernest Hemingway’s masterpieces
• The importance of Michelangelo’s paintings
• Talk about the life of Vincent van Gogh
• Auguste Rodin’s sculptures
• The life and works of Donatello
• The life and works of Leo Tolstoy
• Discuss Jane Austen’s literary works

Art Therapy Topics

Choosing one of our captivating art therapy topics will definitely get your research paper noticed. This is a field that has been growing in popularity for years. Check out our latest ideas:

• The importance of photography in art therapy
• Reducing pain through art therapy
• Art therapy for PTST patients
• Art therapy against the stress of the modern world
• Improving the quality of life through art therapy
• Positive health effects of finger painting
• The effects of art therapy on 3 mental health disorders
• The effects of art therapy on autism
• Art therapy and psychotherapy
• The job of an art therapist
• Benefits of art therapy for mental health

Art Epochs Paper Topics

If you want to write your paper on one of the many art epochs, you could give our art epochs paper topics a try. You should find plenty of great ideas in the list below:

• The legacy of the Romanesque period
• The importance of the Romanticism movement
• Talk about the Mannerism movement
• Discuss The New Objectivity movement
• Pop-art in the 21st century
• An in-depth look at abstract impressionism
• The importance of the Gothic Era
• Talk about the Classicist movement
• Peculiarities of Cubism art
• What is Futurism in art?
• Discuss the great artists of the Baroque era
• Interesting facts about the Rococo period
• The Art Nouveau era

Paper Writing Service You Can Rely On

Our affordable experts are ready to spring into action and help you write an exceptional art research paper in no time (in as little as 3 hours). Yes, we really are as fast and trustworthy as people say. Just take a look at our stellar reviews and see for yourself. We are the research paper writing service you need if you want to buy research papers. Every student can get the help he requires in minutes, even during the night and during holidays. Our reliable ENL writers can write you a custom art paper for any class. And remember, all of our essays are 100% written from scratch. This means that all our work is completely original (a plagiarism report will be sent to you for free with every paper). What are you waiting for? Contact us with a “ do my research paper ” request and get  a paper on art online from our team of experienced writers and editors and get the top grade you deserve!

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A List of Unique Art Research Paper Topics

Art is an exciting field of study, and research in this area is fun to do. We have identified the different areas and the possible topics you can research on. Art is a broad area of study but choosing a topic is not as difficult as you think. With the right guide, you can find interesting topics for your thesis. We have some tips to get you on the right path. We also provide you with some tips on how to choose a research topic in the arts.

How to Choose the Right Art Topic

Choosing a project topic in arts requires careful thought. To make things easier for you, we have noted some areas to consider before picking a research topic.

·         Consider Your Interest

Art is a field of study that emphasizes creativity. It is a field that will require you to bring your creativity to bear. What happens if you search your mind and nothing comes out?

This problem can happen if you do not have an interest in the area. Even if you can come up with something, the ideas will not flow if you write about your area of interest.

There are areas of difficulty in every research, but you will be more inclined to find working solutions if it is your area of interest. If you are working on your area of study, you will be better attuned to the research. It also helps the overall look of your research. Your enthusiasm is essential in every project work.

·         Access to Material

Before you decide to take on a topic for research in arts, you should consider the availability of materials and your access to them. Materials may be available, but you may not have access to them.

Essential questions to ask are, are there materials on this topic? Have books been published in this area? Are there articles online on this topic? You may also want to check if your school library has materials on the topic.

Then you have to ask if you have access to these materials. Can you download the material online? Or read them online? Are the books available for sale? If you answer yes, then you are good to go.

·         Identify a Gap

Research is called so because someone else has researched that area before. So, what you are doing is a “re-search.” However, previous research could not have covered every aspect of that field or topic. Therefore, you have to identify that gap and fill it.

Without proper research, you will not come up with a viable topic. In academics, you do not have to repeat what someone has done already.

Expert Consulting for Art Research Paper Topics

Looking to excel in your art research paper? Our professional dissertation consultant is here to support you. With their expertise in the field of art, they can provide personalized guidance and advice on selecting engaging topics, conducting thorough research, and crafting a compelling art research paper. Benefit from the knowledge and experience of our dissertation consultants to enhance the quality and impact of your work. Contact us today to unlock the full potential of your art research paper with our expert consulting services.

Modern Art Topics

• Themes in 21 st century paintings
• Themes in 20 th century paintings
• The new media and arts
• Filmography in the 21 st century
• Emerging forms in modern arts
• Modern art as a viable tool for activism
• Impact of technology on modern arts
• Themes in modern poetry
• What is the influence of feminism on modern art?
• Gendered roles in modern arts

Media Art History Research Paper Topics

• Art development and the media
• Dynamics of art produced using the media
• Globalization, digital art, and emerging discusses
• Globalization, electronic art, and activism
• Literature and the new media
• Poetic rendition in the new media
• The impact of digital technologies on art
• Advertising in the 21 st century
• Filmic art in the 21 st century
• Computer games as art

Pop Art Research Paper Topics

• Comic books as tools for social criticism
• Advertising and sublimation: a study of the human psyche
• Pop art as a platform for activism
• Popular pop artists in the 21 st century
• Thematic and stylistic trends in pop art
• Technology and ethics in pop art
• Pop art as high and low art
• Pop art as an economy booster
• Principles of pop art
• Interaction and connection between pop art and other art forms

Visual Art Research Topics

• Painting as pedagogy
• Sculpture in the modern age
• The creative works of popular artists
• Aesthetics of painting: a study of an artist’s creations
• A comparison of style of different artists
• Trends in photography in different generations
• Impact of technology on visual art
• Socioeconomic impact of animation
• Impact of visual art on culture
• Visual art and feminism

Art Therapy Research Paper Topics

• The interworking of therapy and art
• The use of art for therapeutic effects
• Technological approaches to art therapy
• The use of virtual reality in art therapy
• Theories of art therapy
• Dance therapy for the treatment of anxiety
• Color therapy for children with learning disabilities
• Music as therapy for depression
• The evolution of art therapy

Art History Research Paper Topics

• Impact of the industrial revolution on art
• Themes and styles of painting in the 20 th and 21 st centuries
• Aesthetics and styles in Francisco de Goya’s works
• The place of art in human civilization
• A comparison of the work of two prominent painters
• Themes and styles of music in the 20 th and 21 st centuries
• Influence of ancient philosophers on art
• The aesthetics and style of Michelangelo’s works
• The place of erotica in the arts
• History of paintings in different cultures

Ancient Art History Research Paper Topics

• Art forms and styles in Greece
• Compare the artworks of different artists
• Biblical motives in the works of Leonardo da Vinci
• Early African arts and history
• The history behind early roman arts
• Chinese arts and lifestyle before the 21 st century
• Ancient Egyptian arts and lifestyle
• History of the pyramid of Egypt
• The contribution of the Greek theatre to dramatic arts
• Early arts and religion

Classical Greek Art Research Paper Topic

Classical Greek art-related topics for a research paper is an intelligent choice. There are several areas you can focus on including:

• The different styles of Greeks pottery
• Myths in classical Greek sculpture
• Aesthetics and style of Greek architecture
• Compare the works of legendary sculptors
• Impact of religion on Greek artworks
• Compare ancient Greek art with the present
• The influence of science in Greek arts
• Styles of Phidias sculptor
• Imagery and symbolism in classical Greek arts
• Relationship between classical Greek arts and Greece lifestyle

Renaissance Art Topics

• A comparison of renaissance art in different parts of Europe
• What was the influence of renaissance art on man’s worldview?
• How is renaissance art different from those of the medieval age?
• What are the aesthetics of the art of the time?
• How is the nobility of man portrayed in the art forms of the age?
• How was the renaissance a revival of classical Roman and Greek art?
• What are the forms and styles of renaissance art?
• History, evolution, and preservation of renaissance arts
• How do the renaissance arts portray humanism and individualism?
• What are the theories of renaissance art?

20th Century Research Paper Topics Art History

• Specific museum and its art collection
• Harlem renaissance as a springboard for art activism
• Aesthetics and styles of Pablo Picasso’s arts
• Influence of Jackson Pollock’s arts
• Influence of religion and science on the 20 th century arts
• Compare earlier art styles with those of the 20 th century
• Artistic movements in the 20 th century
• Political cartoons and their influence in 20 th century politics
• Influence of earlier art style on 20 th art styles
• The prominent art movement of the 20 th century

Great Thai Art Topic for a Research Paper

• The culture and artistic heritage of Thailand
• Influence of religion on Thai arts
• Representation of Thai social life in Thai arts
• Folk heritage of Thailand
• Aesthetic and stylistic import of Thai arts
• Ancient and prehistoric art forms
• A diachronic study of Thai arts from prehistoric times to the present
• Signs and symbols in Thai arts
• The influence of globalization on contemporary Thai arts
• Messages in line, color, and space in Thai art.

Medieval Art History Research Paper Topics

• Aesthetics and style of Raphael’s paintings
• Religious and non-religious art forms that originated from the time
• The evolution and sustenance of art forms
• Compare the artworks of Michelangelo and Raphael
• History of renaissance arts
• Symbols and motif in medieval paintings
• Religious motifs in Leonardo de Vinci’s paintings
• Aesthetics and styles of Byzantine art style
• Evolution of early Christian arts,
• Elements of Gothic arts

Mexican Revolutionary Art Research Paper Topics

• Impact of the Mexican revolution on Mexican lifestyle
• History and effects of revolutionary arts
• Compare the artworks of Frida Kahlo, Diego, Rivera
• Surrealism in Mexican arts
• Mural paintings during the Mexican revolution
• The place of arts in Mexican revolution
• Different phases of the Mexican revolution and the artworks created during that time
• Impact of the Mexican revolution on people’s perception of art
• Compare Mexican revolutionary arts with those created after the revolution
• Aesthetics and style of David Alfaro Siqueiros’s artworks

Argumentative Art Topics

Some art research paper topics in these areas include:

• The most significant artwork in the 20th century
• Is graffiti art or vandalism?
• Which city has the most remarkable art history and why?
• The relevance of medieval art in contemporary times
• How has the museum preserved art culture and enthusiasm
• Modern pop culture does not measure up to earlier times. Argue for or against
• Do ethics limit art?
• Has technology limited creativity in art?
• Is the role of the artist in society relevant?
• Do cartoons fuel or mediate in political issues?

Good South East Asia Art Topics for a Research Paper

• Asia is a place of high artistic creations. Discuss
• Compare ancient and contemporary Asian arts
• History of calligraphy arts in East Asia
• What is the philosophy behind ancient artistic creations of different ages?
• The evolution of Bollywood
• How does Chinese circus art reflect the Chinese tradition?
• Jewelry styles and meaning in India
• Aesthetics and styles in Japanese calligraphy art
• Religious relevance of art in south India
• The evolution of pop culture in India

Researches in art are not difficult if taken the right way. With this guide, picking an area of study and identifying the gap is not tedious. We have helped you out in this regard with the information provided above.

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Four state-of-the-art AI search engines for histopathology images may not be ready for clinical use

by University of California, Los Angeles

Four proposed state-of-the art image search engines for automating search and retrieval of digital histopathology slides were found to be of inadequate performance for routine clinical care, new research suggests.

The performance of the artificial intelligence algorithms to power the histopathology image databases was worse than expected, with some having less than 50% accuracy, which is not suitable for clinical practice , said Dr. Helen Shang, a third-year internal medicine resident and incoming hematology-oncology fellow at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.

"Currently, there are many AI algorithms being developed for medical tasks but there are fewer efforts directed on rigorous, external validations," said Shang, who co-led the study with Dr. Mohammad Sadegh Nasr of the University of Texas at Arlington. "The field has also yet to standardize how AI algorithms should be best tested prior to clinical adoption."

The paper is published in the journal NEJM AI .

As it now stands, pathologists manually search and retrieve histopathology images, which is very time consuming. As a result, there has been growing interest in developing automated search and retrieval systems for the digitized cancer images.

The researchers designed a series of experiments to evaluate the accuracy of search engine results on tissue and subtype retrieval tasks on real-world UCLA cases and larger, unseen datasets. The four engines examined are Yottixel, SISH, RetCCL, HSHR. Each takes a different approach toward indexing, database generation, ranking and retrieval of images.

Overall, the researchers found inconsistent results across the four algorithms—for instance, Yottixel performed best on breast tissue , while RetCCL had the highest performance on brain tissue . They also found that a group of pathologists found search engine results to be of low to average quality with several visible errors.

The researchers are devising new guidelines to standardize the clinical validation of AI tools, Shang said. They are also developing new algorithms that leverage a variety of different data types to develop more reliable and accurate predictions.

"Our studies show that despite amazing progress in artificial intelligence over the past decade, significant improvements are still needed prior to widespread uptake in medicine," Shang said. "These improvements are essential in order to avoid doing patients harm while maximizing the benefits of artificial intelligence to society."

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