Design and Evaluation of Intuitive Operation of Digital Brushes for Children

Abstract

Computer graphics allow easy changes and modifications and feature drawing tools with special effects Because they provide various platforms of creative space they can also help children who lack confidence in artistic creation to increase their learning motivation This study adopted the concept of intuitive operation to design the operational actions of a digital brush and so as to enhance the willingness and fun of using digital drawing by children Based on the behavioral characteristics of traditional drawing it developed intuitive actions exclusive for the cognition of children so that they would find it easier and happier to use a computer for drawing This study considered children (in the final grade of elementary school) as its subjects First it conducted a preliminary experiment to confirm the intuitive actions after conversion and designed the feasibility of using a digital brush to control the drawing function In terms of the intuitive operation it combined the observational results from the usage of traditional drawing tools for children and the brainstorming results of designers on the actions of brushes and discussed with the children’s art teachers and then corrected the combination results into a practical scheme With respect to the connection between drawing functions and intuitive actions designers were asked to fill out the questionnaire to conclude the desired intuitive action portfolio Next the study invited 13 children to use the digital brushes for intuitive operations and to click the touch pens and lastly conducted performance evaluation and subjective assessment The study found the following results 1) In the part of operation time performance the “thickness” function showed significance and the tilt action was better than turning As for the “color” function sliding was better than rotation 2) In the part of input performance the brush function (pressing) color function (sliding) can make children achieve relatively high usage performance in the process of drawing followed by the performance of brush function (pressing) thickness function (angle tilting) color function (rotating); 3) In the aspect of raising drawing richness the digital brush’s intuitive operation was better than an icon click stylus; 4) The subjective satisfaction of children showed that the interestingness and continuance intention of the intuitive operation of the digital brush were higher than that of icon click stylus This study further discovered the following 1) The tilt and sliding action can be applied to reduce the function control time; 2) The pressing and sliding action can be used to achieve better input performance of intuitive operation; and 3) Larger gesture features in the design can greatly improve the joy in the drawing process

Date of Award	2017 Jul 14
Original language	English
Supervisor	Fong-Gong Wu (Supervisor)