Collaborative creations
6th January, 2007I am fascinated by the increasing availability of free collaborative design tools. If you haven’t already played with ArtPad you should check it out. This is a free online painting resource that is really easy to use and while the tools are fairly basic, Artpad has 2 really interesting features:
Record and replay (time-based artwork)
Artpad records and replays all your painting actions which means that you:
• have unlimited “undos” if you make a mistake
• can take risks and experiment to see what happens ranging backwards and forwards through your image to check out the bits you really like
• can wake-up your paintings which become a performance where every stroke/action/gesture has a new significance.
Sharing and collaborating (visual conversations)
Because Artpad is web based you can share your images with someone else. There are a number of ways of doing this. You could:
• submit them to the artpad gallery
• e-mail them to a friend
• work together on a single image
After using ArtPad a few times you begin to ask some very different questions about static artwork:
• what if you could replay your favourite pictures to remember how you created them?
• what about replaying famous pictures to see how other artists have created them?
• how does a static image change if you can view it emerging/evolving/growing over time?
• would you paint it differently if you knew someone was going to watch it evolve?
I think the collaborative aspect is the most exciting aspect of this tool, prompting groups to contribute/continue/enhance any image and send it back (sort of ‘wiki-by numbers’) creating the potential for an intriguing collaborative experience. Even though these are simple tools they change the way in which we can create and view images.
Even if you didn’t want to use Artpad online, it points the way to some new ways of working which it would be possible to explore offline:
• dynamic records of images building (using screen shots and an animation package)
• collaborative image creation (using a common art package and an e-mail account)
The key is being alert to the way digital imaging changes the way we create pictures and to look for opportunities to explore and understand how this might be used by young people to liberate their ideas. Typically it was a 15 year old who introduced me to Artpad mailing me this image he had created.
Futurelab is always looking for ideas. Find out how you can 
Bob Harrison
Ben Williamson
Dan Sutch
Richard Sandford
Leon Cych
Martin Owen
Sarah Grier
Tim Reader
January 6th, 2007 at 8:54 pm
Your 15 year old friend was breaking the terms & conditions. It states quite clearly that it is only for over 18s. Shame because it’s a really fun thing to play with, ah well…
January 11th, 2007 at 9:04 pm
I am aware of this and find it quite worrying. I might be wrong but I’m fairly sure the age restriction is not there to protect children but to protect the site owners and avoid the possibility of any litigation. If there was a real risk here to young people there should surely be a trap/warning as you enter the site.
I do not know any kids (or many adults other than those in loco parenti) that search for and read T&Cs. The net effect of lazy litigation catch-alls like this is to deter educators from using and engaging with these resources in a controlled space, distancing grown-ups and young people even further.
I tried to feature ArtPad on a Teachers TV resource review and the lawyers (not the resource providers) were not prepared to modify the T&Cs to include under adult supervision – ho hum?
January 14th, 2007 at 5:56 pm
[...] Great fun for all – including the children http://artpad.art.com/artpad/painter/ also from Flux I am fascinated by the increasing availability of free collaborative design tools. If you haven’t already played with ArtPad you should check it out. This is a free online painting resource that is really easy to use and while the tools are fairly basic, Artpad has 2 really interesting features: Sunday, October 16, 2005 3:59 PM miketemple123 Filed under: ICT information, Early Years, Graphics/Art [...]
April 9th, 2009 at 10:21 am
[...] This is a free online painting resource that is really easy to use and while the tools are fairly basic, Artpad has 2 really interesting features: [...]