Abstract:

The article examines the issue of developing artistic and project-based competence in future designers through the lens of fostering creativity and visual thinking. It substantiates that these qualities serve as the foundation of professional training for design specialists in the context of ongoing transformations in education, culture, and the creative economy. The study emphasizes that creativity is a fundamental personal quality of a designer, enabling innovative thinking, the generation of original ideas, and the creation of new forms and images, which are crucial in the context of artistic and design activities. Visual thinking, in turn, is defined as the ability to perceive, analyze, and transform visual information, compositions, and concepts holistically, forming the basis of a designer’s vision and allowing future professionals to carry out artistic and project-based tasks effectively.

The research analyzes scholarly approaches to understanding the concepts of «creativity», «visual thinking», and «artistic and project-based competence» within the framework of design education. The study outlines methodological tools that contribute to the development of these qualities among design students, including the use of project-based, studio-based, interactive, and visual-communication technologies, the implementation of design thinking, idea visualization, digital creative platforms, and interdisciplinary integration of artistic, technical, and humanitiesbased knowledge.

It is argued that the effective formation of artistic and project-based competence is not only the result of technical and aesthetic training but also the deep development of imaginative, associative, spatial, and critical thinking in future designers. This process is only possible with systemic pedagogical support for the development of students’ creative potential. The conclusion highlights the need to improve the content of educational programs in accordance with contemporary challenges—digitalization, interdisciplinarity, and the growing role of creative industries. Future research perspectives include the development of effective pedagogical models for fostering designers’ creative and visual potential in the educational process.

Keywords: design, artistic and design competence, creativity, visual thinking, digitization, transformation in education, pedagogical strategies, professional training.

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