Digital Art Research Articles

DESIGNING VISUAL SYMBOLS IN DIGITAL CULTURE

Designing visual symbols is crucial in the ever-changing world of digital culture for communication, identity building, and cultural expression. With an eye toward the aesthetic, functional, and semiotic aspects, this article delves into the methods and principles of making effective visual symbols in digital settings. The study delves into a wide array of digital symbols, including emojis, logos, icons for user interfaces, and digital art, to uncover how these visual components communicate meaning, impact user behavior, and aid in forming online identities and communities. Recognizing digital spaces' multicultural and global character, the research highlights the significance of cultural sensitivity and contextual knowledge throughout the design phase. Additionally, it delves into how technological innovations, including augmented reality and vector graphics, have influenced the development of visual symbols. The adaptability of symbols in response to user interactions and cultural trends may be shown in case studies from various digital platforms and social media networks. The results stress the importance of designers balancing originality and clarity in creating visually appealing and universally understandable symbols. At the end of the paper, we suggest ways to make symbols that may change with digital culture and appeal to different audiences by using iterative design processes and user feedback.

DIVAS for Social Justice: Building Resilience in Youth Through STEAM

DIVAS (Digital Interactive Visual Arts Sciences) for Social Justice is a STEAM-based grassroots organization that has created positive youth-led multimedia projects for the past 17 years in communities of color. The organization uses digital media and emerging technologies in the development of youth voices to tell the stories of their communities. We demonstrate how youth creating multimedia content around issues facing a community can be a vehicle for leadership development and resilience. We explore three programs: Gentrification Through the Eyes of Youth: A multimedia exhibition led by youth, ages 7-14, to address solutions to gentrification in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood. Laurelton.nyc: The launch of the neighborhood website to share positive stories of Southeast Queens and increase digital literacy. Forward, A Social Justice Makerspace for All: A makerspace focused on participatory action to design a community space that can lead to economic opportunities for the greater community.

Practice and Research on Blockchain Technology Empowering Digital Art Economy

Blockchain technology, with its characteristics of decentralization, security, transparency, and traceability, brings new opportunities and challenges to the development of the digital economy and the digital art economy. Based on existing literature research, this paper deeply analyzes the core concepts and working principles of blockchain technology and explains its dual role in the digital economy and digital art economy from a theoretical perspective. On this basis, this paper conducts an empirical study on the application of blockchain technology in the digital economy and digital art economy through typical cases and explores future development trends of blockchain technology in this field.

Teaching art via digital technology for the elderly applying with inclusive design: A review

Art studies and activities for older adults have received significantly less attention as a result of prohibitively expensive materials that are unfit for commercial use, and research utilizing digital technology to investigate artistic activities for older adults is extremely limited. The purpose of this article is to analyze and review recent research in these fields to summarize the current trends. The literature review comprised 108 articles from databases that included Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar. The papers were subjected to a thorough examination by the VOSviewer program and researchers, who utilized content analysis to classify them into four themes: 1) inclusive design; 2) accessibility; 3) digital art therapy and 4) digital technology environments. Further investigation and development are necessary to propose a novel approach to instructing senior-level art utilizing cutting-edge technologies, which could be enhanced by the findings of this review article.

Prediction of aggressive tendencies from facial dimension and ratios: A Study on undergraduate students of Northeastern Nigeria

Facial dimensions and ratios are important anthropometric parameters which have been used over the years to define and predict some physical and social characteristics notably among human behaviour like aggression. However, there is a paucity of data regarding this link among the African population, particularly in Northeastern Nigeria where high cases of insurgency, banditry and some aggressive related criminalities are reported daily. The study aimed to determine how linear facial dimensions or ratios can specifically predict a self-reported form of aggression (physical, verbal, anger and hostility) among undergraduate students. A cross-sectional study design was adopted whereby a total of 400 (200 male and 200 female) adult undergraduate students aged between 16 to 30 years were randomly selected. A 2D facial images were used to determine facial biometrics (four linear facial dimensions ((n-sn, sn-gn, go-go and zy-gy) and five facial ratios {upper facial weight/lower facial height (UFW/LFH), upper facial weight/lower facial weight (UFW/LFW), upper facial weight/upper facial height (UFWUFH) and upper facial height/facial height (UFH/FH) and facial weight to height ratio (fWHR) - lower derived from the measured linear dimensions using a Sony digital camera DSC w380 and art face 3 software. Buss and Perry's aggression questionnaire was adopted, and scores for each aggression scale were recorded. Data analysis was done using IBM SPSS software version 22 and Cronbach’s alpha for each scale above 0.70. Pearson’s correlation analysis was used to determine the relationship of facial biometrics with aggressive tendencies. The study observed that lower facial height (sn-gn) significantly correlates with verbal aggression and anger irrespective of sex. Facial height (FH) also correlates with verbal aggression in both sexes, while fWHR correlates significantly with anger (AN) irrespective of sex. More so, lower facial height to facial height ratio (LFH/FH) correlates significantly with verbal aggression (VA) and anger (AN) irrespective of sex but correlates with the same in males only. Similarly, upper facial weight to lower facial height (UFW/LFH) correlates significantly with verbal aggression and anger irrespective of sex and with anger only in males. Stepwise multiple linear regression equations were formed for the parameters which showed a positive correlation with aggression and consequently UFW/LFH and UFW/LFW were the best predictors of aggressive tendencies (P = 0.01). Conclusively, facial characteristics are indicators of one’s mood and can weakly predict aggressive tendencies in an individual and may be useful to predict suitable partners in marriage, friendship, or recruitment exercise.

Analysis of the Role of Augmented Reality in Bringing Works of Art to Digital Spaces

Augmented Reality (AR) has become increasingly popular in the art world as a medium for bringing traditional works of art into the digital space. This research aims to analyze the role played by AR technology in the process of transforming works of art from the physical environment into the digital domain. This approach pays attention to the technical aspects, aesthetics and cultural impact of applying AR in digital art exhibitions. This research method involves literature analysis, case studies of various art exhibitions that use AR, and interviews with artists, curators, and exhibition visitors. Qualitative data was analyzed thematically to identify emerging patterns and trends in the use of AR in artistic contexts. The research results show that AR has great potential to enrich the visitor experience in digital art exhibitions by providing interactive and contextual layers that cannot be accessed through conventional mediums. Additionally, AR can also act as a tool to convey additional narratives, broaden the interpretation of works of art, and increase visitor participation in the creative process. The research also identified several technical and conceptual challenges associated with the use of AR in art, including issues of technological sustainability, accessibility, and artwork integrity. Nonetheless, overall, this research highlights the great potential of AR in bringing works of art into digital spaces and provides valuable insights for the future development of digital art exhibitions.

'We are all bringing, like a unique sort of perspective': The core elements of a strengths-based digital arts mentoring program for autistic adolescents from the perspective of their mentors.

While the adoption of strengths-based approaches to supporting autistic adolescents is growing in popularity, the application of this approach to a digital arts mentoring program has yet to be explored. This study reports on the core elements contributing to the success of a community digital arts mentoring program for autistic adolescents from the mentors' perspective. This paper presents an in-depth exploration of mentors' experiences, comprising a component of a broader line of research investigating a digital arts mentoring program for autistic adolescents emphasising positive youth development. The digital arts mentoring program spanned 20 weeks across two Australian school terms and was attended by two groups of autistic adolescents (N = 18) aged between 11 and 17 years. A qualitative approach was utilised in exploring the perspective of their mentors (N = 6). Qualitative data were collected at the end of each school term for each group with the mentors using an interpretive phenomenological approach and Colaizzi's seven-step analysis method. Thirteen individual interviews were conducted with six mentors. This research was conducted with a disability arts provider to provide a digital arts mentoring program to autistic adolescents. The mentors employed have lived experience with disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and anxiety. Five primary themes emerged from the data: positive connections, mentor knowledge and experience, mentoring approaches, autism education, program organisation, resources and environment. Subthemes underpinned the primary themes related to positive connections (three subthemes), mentoring approaches (four subthemes) and program organisation, resources and environment (three subthemes). The findings suggest that prior experience, sufficient training, a supportive environment and a flexible and adaptable approach were essential for success. Understanding the core elements of a strengths-based digitalarts program in occupational therapy provides a comprehensive framework for utilising clients' inherent strengths and creativity as therapeutic tool, creating an empowering environment, fostering meaningful outcomes for clients.

Leveraging Conditional Generative Adversarial Networks (cGANs) for enhanced artistic creation: Exploring quality improvement and content control through conditional inputs

Conditional Generative Adversarial Networks (cGANs) have revolutionized digital art by enabling the creation of high-quality, artistically coherent images guided by conditional inputs. This paper examines key factors influencing the performance of cGANs, including the quality of training data, network architecture improvements, and loss function optimization. We introduce a mathematical model to quantify training data quality, emphasizing dataset diversity, data augmentation, and cleaning. Network architectural enhancements such as residual connections, attention mechanisms, and progressive growing are explored for their impact on image quality. Additionally, we discuss the integration of conditional inputs, such as labels and textual descriptions, for precise content control. Challenges in balancing realism with artistic expression, managing mode collapse, and interpreting conditional inputs are also addressed. This study provides a comprehensive framework for enhancing cGAN-generated artworks, offering insights into applications in personalized art generation, art restoration, and collaborative art projects.

Between Сrypto Art and Copyright: NFT Tokens as Tools for Confirming the Authenticity of Art Objects

The symbiosis of blockchain technology with human creativity has given rise to what we now call crypto art, marking a new frontier in digital artistic expression. This development has profoundly altered our understanding of digital artifacts and ownership in this domain. Once easily accessible to all, digital art poses a unique challenge in the realm of collecting: how does one collect something that can be effortlessly replicated and shared? This paper explores the role of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) as authentication mechanisms and proof of authorship for digital artworks. Initially designed for decentralized financial transactions, blockchain technology has become instrumental in validating authorship and enabling the monetization of digital artworks through NFTs. Although digital artists now benefit from the validation of their work as legitimate investment assets through NFT technology, challenges persist due to the absence of copyright verification during token creation. For example, many artists have discovered their creations being used by third parties to mint tokens without their consent. The study demonstrates the transformative impact of NFTs on the digital art landscape while addressing the ongoing challenges and the imperative for enhanced copyright protection mechanisms.

A New Paradigm for Contemporary Film and Television Characters Design in the Context of Artificial Intelligence

This paper delves into the evolution of Artificial Intelligence Generated Content (AIGC) within the realm of contemporary digital art, and scrutinizes its implications on artistic modalities and production. It delineates the genesis and progression of AIGC technology, offering an analysis of its extensive applications on the design of cinematic character. The paper acknowledges the latent capabilities of AIGC in the domain of character design, and highlighting the significance of the fusion of AI technology and humanities in the realm of artistic production. In conclusion, delineates the prospective opportunities and risks associated with the future application of AIGC technology in the field of character design and offer a critical analysis of its implications for the creative industry, which is maintaining a reverent and contemplative stance towards traditional art while pursuing of technological innovation.

Transformation of Beauty in Digital Fine Arts Aesthetics: An Artpreneur Perspective

The evolving nature of beauty in digital fine arts aesthetics signifies profound shifts within contemporary social and cultural contexts. Technological advancements have enabled artists to explore new mediums, creating works that reflect and respond to current societal issues. This study examines the paradigm shift in digital fine arts, focusing on the interpretation and manifestation of beauty in digital creations. It explores the interplay between digital aesthetics and societal realities, providing insights into the transformation of beauty in the digital age. An interdisciplinary approach is utilized, incorporating textual analysis of relevant literature, participatory observation at art exhibitions and online platforms, and a comprehensive literature review. These methods trace the evolution of beauty in digital fine arts and analyze how artists incorporate visual, auditory, and interactive elements. The research demonstrates that technological progress has significantly impacted the creation and perception of beauty in fine arts. This transformation includes broader definitions of aesthetics, integrating multisensory experiences and community participation. Digital fine arts now serve as a dynamic medium that reflects diverse social, political, and cultural themes. The transformation of beauty in this field underscores the complex relationships among art, technology, and society. Digital artworks provide innovative aesthetic experiences and mirror contemporary social dynamics. Despite concerns regarding the authenticity and preservation of digital art, its role in expanding artistic expression and fostering innovation is undeniable

Neophenomenological strategies in techno-images. Towards the post-metaphysical ontology

The article deals with the deconstruction of “metaphysics of presence”, based on the subject-object duality, in a postsecular/mystical approach. Post-metaphysical ontology, that is described here as negative ontology, needs a neophenomenological tool to be revealed. Characterized by a “wave” structure, beyond the “hard presence”, it can’t be defined as “being” or “non-being”. It is rather a kind of perpetual motion, determined by the trajectory of “photons of light”. This recognition seems to find an appropriate manifestation in a contemporary techno-culture. In the field of media technology (analog film or digital new media art), the negative ontology may be experienced by strategies of neophenomenology, in which “sus- pension” (epoché) gesture would concerns first the “ground” itself, then the aesthetics and narration, constituted by the cognitive/rational act of counsciousness. In other words, the visuality of the techno-image may be a tool of liberation of the perception from a cognitive/rational paradigm, which is closed to experience of what is the Other / the apophatic, wave Reality as it is. What should be underlined, in this proposal neophenomenology is not only the epistemology; the virtual image is directly related to negative ontology. An intuitive, mystical transformation of vision, proposed here, that denudes the discourse of representation, allows us to immerse into pure/“naked” Seeing and pure/“naked” Being. Exemplary materials to the outlined issues are films by Béla Tarr and video installations by Bill Viola.

Embedding textile capacitive sensing into smart wearables as a versatile solution for human motion capturing

This work presents a novel and versatile approach to employ textile capacitive sensing as an effective solution for capturing human body movement through fashionable and everyday-life garments. Conductive textile patches are utilized for sensing the movement, working without the need for strain or direct body contact, wherefore the patches can sense only from their deformation within the garment. This principle allows the sensing area to be decoupled from the wearer’s body for improved wearing comfort and more pleasant integration. We demonstrate our technology based on multiple prototypes which have been developed by an interdisciplinary team of electrical engineers, computer scientists, digital artists, and smart fashion designers through several iterations to seamlessly incorporate the technology of capacitive sensing with corresponding design considerations into textile materials. The resulting accumulation of textile capacitive sensing wearables showcases the versatile application possibilities of our technology from single-joint angle measurements towards multi-joint body part tracking.

DIMENSI ASET WAKAF SENI KANDUNGAN MEDIA DIGITAL

Waqf management institutions in Malaysia provide various options for Muslims to endow waqf, including in the form of artistic assets. However, the waqf of digital media content art has not yet been clearly defined in its dimensions as an asset. Therefore, the objective of this study is to analyse the dimensions of artistic waqf from the perspective of digital media content. This qualitative study employs a systematic literature review (SLR) research design, where, through the screening process, 6 articles were used as the basis for analysis using ATLAS.ti. The study found that the waqf assets of digital media content art have five dimensions, namely (1) asset value, (2) content, (3) content format, (4) ownership, and (5) asset longevity. In conclusion, clarifying the definition of the dimensions of artistic waqf in digital media content is essential to provide significant benefits in attracting public interest in endowing their artistic assets and subsequently enhancing the nation's waqf fund.

9NFTMANIA: Catalyzing Innovation and Community in NFT Culture and the Metaverse

9NFTMANIA is a pivotal platform in the enhancement of NFT culture, providing a comprehensive ecosystem for artists and collectors. It promotes digital art through global exposure and community engagement, offering virtual galleries, auctions, and educational resources. The platform supports financial growth for artists by facilitating direct sales and enabling royalties from secondary transactions. Additionally, 9NFTMANIA integrates NFTs into broader digital economies, including gaming and virtual real estate, contributing to their wider acceptance and utility. Through these initiatives, 9NFTMANIA fosters a vibrant, accessible, and profitable NFT culture, significantly advancing the digital art landscape.

Effectiveness of labels in digital art experience: psychophysiological and behavioral evidence.

Nowadays museums make large use of digital materials (e.g., virtual tours) to attract visitors. Therefore, it is worthwhile investigating which variables affect the engagement with art outside the museum, and whether digital reproductions of artworks are as effective as museum originals in producing a satisfying aesthetic experience. Here we tested the effectiveness of introducing additional informative materials on the artistic enjoyment of contemporary paintings presented on a computer screen. Naïve observers were exposed to essential and descriptive labels before viewing artworks. We flanked traditional measurement methods - viewing times and questionnaires, with biometric parameters - pupil responses, eye movements, heart rate, and electrodermal activity. The results were then compared to our previous museum study that adopted the same experimental paradigm. Our behavioral and psychophysiological data lead to a complex pattern of results. As found in the museum setting, providing detailed descriptions decreases complexity, evokes more positive sensations, and induces pupil dilation but does not enhance aesthetic appreciation. These results suggested that informative labels improve understanding and emotions but have a limited impact on the hedonic evaluation of artworks in both contexts. However, other results do not mirror those found in the museum; in the laboratory setting, participants spend a similar amount of time, have a comparable gaze behavior, and their electrodermal activity and heart rate do not change when viewing artworks with different types of labels. The main difference between the lab and museum settings is the shorter time spent viewing digital reproductions vs. real paintings, although subjective ratings (e.g., liking, interest) are comparable. Overall, this study indicates that the environmental context does impact the aesthetic experience; although, some beneficial effects of introducing additional relevant content in labels accompanying artworks can also be acquainted through digital media outside of the museum.

Interaction of Digital Art, Space and Memory: The Case of Alkazar Movie Theater

The pursuit of new art formed by the integration of digital technologies with art is used in many areas of architecture, such as facades, surfaces, showcases, and interiors. The use of art together with the technological infrastructure, especially on interior surfaces, has enabled artists to develop their limits of creativity. In this sense, one dimension of creativity is the designs made through the memory of space. This study focused on how digital artworks produced through the memory of space are applied in the Alkazar Movie Theater in Beyoğlu, Istanbul and their effect on the user. At the point of transferring social memory, Refik Anadol’s work titled Alkazar Dream, renowned for its visualization of memory through digital art, has been effective. The study examined how this interaction was achieved, using a descriptive-analytical and qualitative data analysis method. As a result of the study, the effect of experiencing space and social memory through digital art on the user was revealed. It was found that the interaction of the user with digital art as a viewer and participant is an effective method for the preservation and transfer of social memory into the future.

Digital Transformation in the Arts Field: Creating New Collaborations in the Digital Arts World

Digital transformation has become a major catalyst in changing the way artists create and collaborate in the art world. This article examines how technological advances, including artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and blockchain, are creating new collaborative opportunities for artists. These technologies not only expand the mediums and methods of artistic expression but also introduce new ways for artists to interact and collaborate, both locally and globally. Through analysis of various case studies and interviews with artists, this article reveals the significant impact of digitalization on the creative process and distribution of works of art. In addition, this article also highlights the challenges faced in adopting digital technology, including copyright issues, data security, and changing art market dynamics. In doing so, this article provides a comprehensive view of how digital transformation is driving collaboration and innovation in the arts world, as well as its implications for the future of the arts industry.

Exploration of Constructing a Team of Interdisciplinary Talents for Participatory Qinqiang in the New Era

The inheritance and dissemination of traditional Qinqiang in the new era is facing the innovation of technology and the great changes in creative concepts. Combining the principles of communication, focusing on the construction of talent teams for the development of Qinqiang, changing people's stereotypical prejudices about the dissemination and inheritance of traditional opera art, changing the mimetic environment of its dissemination, creating a unique immersive viewing habit with a sense of atmosphere, retaining old audiences, and attracting new audiences. Taking the social factors of art development in the new era as an opportunity, focusing on the factors related to the development of Qinqiang, focusing on the technical means as the factor of communication, stimulating the audience's aesthetic interest in all aspects and dimensions, combining the new path of digital art inheritance and communication, and enriching the construction of a new generation of composite talents in Qinqiang.

Augmented Reality Empowered Responsible Tourism: Leveraging Social Media Applications for Generation Z Tourists in the Yogyakarta

This research delves into the integration of augmented reality (AR) technology through Instagram filters to enhance responsible tourism practices. With a specific focus on Generation Z tourists in the Yogyakarta Special District, we recognize the importance of collective action in shaping the future of tourism. Despite the government's continuous efforts, responsible tourism implementation faces challenges, leading to cultural and environmental issues due to the increasing number of tourists. Leveraging the preferences and influence of Generation Z, this study proposes the application of AR through Instagram filters as a solution to engage and educate tourists on responsible tourism principles. The methodology involves the construction of AR system models and Instagram filter user interfaces, followed by observation and interviews with Generation Z users. The results indicate that AR filters can effectively convey information about cultural and historical assets, facilitate digital map navigation, and encourage Generation Z tourists to actively contribute to responsible tourism practices. This research underscores the significance of embracing innovative technologies to foster responsible tourism in the Yogyakarta Special District and emphasizes the collaborative nature of this endeavor, requiring the active participation of the government, tourists, and digital artists for sustainable tourism development.