Page 28 - DP-2-1

Design+ Digital art illustration and design in Zimbabwe

2. Materials and methods drawing, graphic design, or related fields; (iii) the
participant should have at least 5 years of experience as an
This study adopted a qualitative research approach to gain instructor. The focus group discussions included students
insights into digital art illustration from the Zimbabwean from one university’s Faculty of Art and Design and one
perspective. Denzin and Lincoln defined qualitative polytechnic college at a local university. The decision to
45
research as a study in which data and findings are not focus on final-year students at the university was motivated
purely statistical but are instead naturalistic in nature. by the fact that these students had completed an internship
According to Maxwell, qualitative research methodology period of at least 8 months, gaining practical experience in
46
comprises four key aspects: Building connections with the various areas of specialties such as fashion design, graphic
subjects, sampling the subjects, data collection, and data design, product design, and fine art. At this institution, all
analysis. Each of these aspects significantly impacts the students in the faculty take the same modules in drawing
value and validity of the study’s findings.
and graphic design, thus ensuring a shared appreciation
Decision-making regarding digital art illustration from for both traditional and digital illustration. For the
the artist’s perspective can be understood through TAM. polytechnic focus group students, students in their 2 year
nd
TAM proposes that perceived utility and perceived ease of the Higher National Diploma in Creative Arts program
of use are the two main criteria influencing technology were selected.
adoption and use. Perceived usefulness refers to the artist’s
belief that using a digital platform will improve their 2.2. Research data collection
artwork, while perceived ease of use relates to the amount All interviews and focus group discussions were conducted
of effort the artist is willing to invest in using the platform. between November and December 2023. Invitations to the
A positive relationship between these two principles of artists were extended only after initial engagements at art
TAM is expected to lead to greater adoption of digital art exhibitions, where informal discussions on global general
platforms by artists. Scholars 47-49 argued that TAM’s static art movements were held. These interactions allowed the
nature and individual-centric focus do not adequately researchers to build trust and establish relationships with the
account for the complexities of modern technological artists, ultimately leading to the creation of a social media
environments, such as those found in the metaverse and group for ongoing discussions related to art and design in
VR, which demand a more dynamic approach. Despite Zimbabwe. Interviews were scheduled at times convenient
50
49
Ajibade’s criticism that TAM primarily focuses on for all participants and lasted up to 1 h. Field notes were
personal perceptions and overlooks broader social and taken during the interviews and were subsequently used
cultural influences on technology adoption, this study in the data analysis process. The interviews focused
found the TAM model to be applicable, as digital art serves on various topics, including digital art, technological
as a form of self-expression. advancements, user experience, digital art consumption,
as well as the challenges and opportunities faced by digital
2.1. Participant selection artists. The interview questions were open-ended and
A total of 10 in-depth interviews were conducted, involving semi-structured, enabling participants to provide detailed
five lecturers and five practicing artists. Two focus group feedback, thus resulting in rich information. A summary
discussions were also held, each with a group of 10 students of the participants is provided in Table 1, where each
enrolled in a graphics module at a local university. The participant is assigned a code, along with a brief overview
artists were selected based on the information gathered at of their experience. To ensure data saturation, the selection
an art exhibition event held at the National Art Gallery of criteria for participants were strictly enforced, ensuring
Zimbabwe. The criteria for selecting the artist participants that all interviewees were knowledgeable about digital art
were as follows: (i) the participant should have curated an illustration.
art exhibition showcasing their works at an established
gallery, either locally or regionally; (ii) the participant 2.3. Analysis and results
should have been a practicing artist for at least 5 years; and The study employed the grounded theory to code, analyze,
(iii) the participant should have some level of appreciation and organize the data, leading to new insights into digital
for digital art. The study also sought to sample lecturers or art illustration. As digital art illustration is a new and
51
instructors from institutions of higher learning, based on emerging field with the potential to transform the art and
the following criteria: (i) the participant should be a teacher design landscape, grounded theory was chosen to identify
at a university, polytechnic, or college associated with the underlying patterns and structures contributing to its
higher education; (ii) the participant should have taught emergence and growth. The data analysis process began
or currently teach courses or modules such as illustration, with data collection, followed by open coding, axial

Volume 2 Issue 1 (2025) 5 doi: 10.36922/dp.4342