Technology changes by leaps and bounds these days, and the tools it offers to students in fine arts can be truly breathtaking. While paint and drawing pencils are still a substantial portion of the art world, and a drum or guitar can create beautiful music, today’s technology offers substantial additional opportunities for creative expression.

Here are a few suggestions for utilizing technology in fine arts.

One of the greatest benefits of technology for homeschoolers is that it can bring a master artist into a home, even if the parents are not artistic or musical at all! Through online classes and videos, your student is able to learn even though he is miles away from the teacher. From visual arts to music lessons, you can find a multitude of fine arts lessons that your child can view on a computer or tablet. Just run a search on YouTube or in your app store, and you can find tons of free lessons and tutorials that your child can use.

Students can use a stylus and software such as Adobe Illustrator or Corel PaintShop Pro to create fantastic artwork. New high-resolution cameras have changed photography. Programs like Photoshop or Photoshop Elements can allow your student to turn a photo into a work of art. And with 3-D printers becoming more affordable, students can even use technology to create sculptures!

Over the past several years, technology has revolutionized the music world. Electric instruments can make a range of sounds that weren’t possible a few years ago. Students can record themselves singing, then overlay various instruments to create a composition they have created entirely on their own. Add a video camera, and students can make their own music videos to share with the world.

With apps for their cell phone or a digital video camera, students can create their own movies. Check out iMovie or PowerDirector Mobile. With filters and options galore, a student can use digital movie apps to edit their videos into full-feature films. Have your student act out a scene from a literature book or history lesson. Even better, have him grab a few friends, create a script, and try his hand at creating movie magic.

With the opportunities for technology use in the fine arts, your student has options that can take her further than anyone has gone before. Who knows, the next great technological revolution in the arts might just come from her!