The digital life for the young

MANILA, Philippines - These days, it is hard to keep young people away from the computer. Gone are the days when they look forward to swimming or ballet lessons during the summer.

First Academy for Computer Arts, the country’s first and oldest school for digital arts and 3D animation, offers summer classes and workshops for computer-savvy kids who are also interested in graphics; Manga, which are Japanese comic drawings; and 3D.

First Academy career counselor and marketing head Ciel Cena Luy says the courses are for children who are at least eight years old, although they will admit younger kids depending on their computer proficiency. A good command of the mouse is also a pre-requisite.

“The summer courses are a big hit with the young ones and even their parents, who see that the workshops help the children focus in terms of having a goal and completing it. The courses also hone the creativity of children,” Luy says.

The students develop the skill that they can make it out into a career in the future and show their newly acquired digital art skills to their family and friends.

Luy explains that the courses and workshops are easy to learn, fun and creative.

“The children can use the things they learn in their school projects. They also develop their creativity in forming different artworks and they can make money out of it by getting job works for others because for 12 days or even less, they are already certified digital artists,” she adds.

For example, the project for Junior Digital Photography is “A Day in the Life,” which should be composed of still images presented to the instructor in a CD and printed 8 x 10 images complete with captions and setting used.

Luy points out children also learn how to organize files, write their own captions and conceptualize stories, and raise their artistic ability to a different level from their peers.

Junior Digital Arts is the mini-version of First Academy’s popular program for adults. Here, children are taught basic techniques in computer illustration used in designing and creating multi-media projects.

Sketching and Caricature for Beginners is the perfect start-up lesson for those who have no background in drawing. Luy says in this workshop, kids will learn the basic principles of drawing using real-world subjects and objects, portraiture and caricature techniques.

In Manga Illustration, students will study the art of Japanese drawing, conceptualize, create, present, and submit their own comics from cover to pages, including characters, background setting and layout, while Digital Manga Comics will teach them how to develop their personal manga-style comic strips using various animated and graphic art applications.

Digital Illustration will enable students to understand what vector art and graphics are and how these are created and applied.

“In this workshop, children will learn how to conceptualize, design, and create their own vector artwork using basic illustrator techniques,” says Luy.

Digital Painting is a short workshop that teaches basic techniques in digital painting using Photoshop while incorporating fundamental concepts such as color, light, shade, and creativity.

Junior Digital Photography will teach students how to use the camera and understand the nature of light.

In Junior 3D Modeling, children will learn all about 3D, modeling a cartoon house, creating a walkthrough-style animation, and seeing the different angles of the cartoon house. At the end of the course, each student is required to present and submit a 3D walkthrough, cartoon house model.

Other courses are Digital Album-Making and Digital Scrapbooking.

Parents can also share the digital life with their children. Luy says parents can take Digital Scrapbook, Digital Illustration, Digital Painting and Digital-Making Album with their kids.

“Together, children and parents can compile their summer photos for more stories and fun,” she adds.

For more information, call 8982724 to 28 or go to www.firstacademy.net. Interested parents can call First Academy for inquiries and reservations about the free three-hour interactive workshop for them to see if their children have the interest and talent to be a digital artist.