Pupil participates in digital arts course

Year 11 pupil Mandy Xiao was selected to participate in Ignite Imaginations’ Art and Culture Ambassadors programme, after a competitive application process. Last weekend she took part in ‘When Art Goes Digital’, a two day course exploring how artists have shifted their practice to digital methods and mediums during the pandemic. 

During the course, Mandy made two pieces of digital art both based on interactive digital media like Snapchat and video games. We are incredibly impressed with her commitment to art and design beyond the classroom, and are excited to see what she does next with her passion and talent. 

Mandy said:,”I enjoyed the course a lot because during the two days I learned how artists and designers worked during the pandemic and how they have combined their design with digital tools in order to make it virtual. For example, there was a costume designer who told us that she learned how to make face filters for her characters. During the pandemic the theatre needed to make the shows virtual, so the actors used face filters instead of real face painting and makeup. There were also other activities like designing our own Snapchat filter, making our own pixel video game and playing an online escape room. The organisers of the course and the instructors that led the sessions are all great and I learned a lot from the course. It also helped me to determine that I really want to be a fashion designer in the future, and I’m looking forward to combining digital tools with my designs as well.”

Ignite Imaginations is an arts organisation that connects communities in Sheffield through creative workshops. From visual arts to theatre to poetry to film, Ignite Imaginations runs a series of programmes and events that allow people from all walks of life to try something new and meet like-minded people. You can find out more about them on their website.