Computer art facts for kids

Computer art is a type of art where computers are used to help create or show the artwork. This can include many different things, like pictures, sounds, animations, and videos. It can also be video games, websites, or even special programs called algorithms that make art.

Today, many traditional art forms, like painting, are also using digital tools. This means the difference between old art and new computer art is not always clear. For example, an artist might mix traditional painting with computer-made art. Because technology and software are always changing, computer art is always changing too!

What is Computer Art?

Computer art is a broad term for any art made with computers. It's not just about drawing on a screen. Computers can help artists in many ways. They can create images, sounds, and even interactive experiences.

How Computers Help Artists

Computers can be powerful tools for artists. They allow artists to:

• Create detailed digital paintings.
• Design 3D models and animations.
• Make music and sound effects.
• Develop video games and interactive websites.
• Use special programs to generate unique patterns or designs.

Different Kinds of Computer Art

Computer art comes in many forms. Some common types include:

• Digital painting: Artists use software and digital brushes to create images, much like traditional painting.
• Generative art: A computer program creates the artwork based on rules set by the artist.
• Net art: Art that uses the internet as its main platform.
• Video art: Art made using video technology, often shown on screens or projections.
• Interactive art: Art that viewers can interact with, often using sensors or touchscreens.

The History of Computer Art

Computer art started to appear in the middle of the 20th century. Early artists used large, complex computers to create simple drawings.

• In the 1960s, artists like Desmond Paul Henry used special machines to draw pictures.
• As computers became more powerful and easier to use, more artists began to experiment with them.
• The rise of personal computers in the 1980s and the internet in the 1990s made computer art much more popular and accessible.

Images for kids

• 

  Desmond Paul Henry, Picture by Drawing Machine 1, c. 1962. This is an early example of art made with a machine.

• 

  A computer-generated fractal landscape. Fractals are complex patterns made by repeating simple rules.

• 

  A robotic brush head painting on a canvas. This shows how robots can also be used to create art.

See also

In Spanish: Arte computacional para niños