Digital imaging is a process that allows artists to manipulate visual information with the help of the electronic technology. This medium may speed up the development of any artistic creation but foremost permits the artist to explore multitudes of new venues in the field of art while delivering high quality technical rendition in whatever style or format he/she chooses to investigate.

The idea of this experiment came about at the occasion of a Holiday greeting cards workshop organized by IPOLA a Non Profit Organization that helps preserve and teach the original languages of the Western Hemisphere.

The goal was to help children express their creative talent without being impeded by their physical or material limitations in the handling of art materials: pencil, brush, color, medium etc.

It was decided it would be appropriate to stimulate the children’s creative imagination within the framework of significant symbols of the Native American culture which surrounds the Southwest cultural environment.

Ten Native American designs were selected from a catalog “North American Indian Designs” by Eva Wilson and ten ideograms representing symbols used by ancient local cultures were chosen from a publication by Mallory“ North American Indian Ideographs”.

Participants were invited to combine and rearrange the motifs and build personal and meaningful stories that would relate to the Holiday's season in the fashion inspired by native cultures of the past.

Designs and Ideograms were presented to the children in black and white to encourage them to express their emotions and personalize the artwork they selected with their own color scheme and combination of hues.

Thirteen participants, age 4 to 12 spent an average of 30 to 45 minutes per work. The software used was Photoshop on an Apple Power PC.

Jean Constant. 12-1997