As technology advances worldwide, educational institutions continue to utilize concepts of digital learning in many curricular areas. However, areas such as art bring unique challenges when utilizing digital instruments. Because the visual arts include a wide-ranging variety of inspired skills and techniques, art educators are laboriously tasked with translating traditional kinesthetic artmaking into digital learning directives. For students with limited art experience or knowledge, this conversion can prove quite arduous. The problem addressed in this study was some visual arts teachers are being asked to teach art techniques and concepts using digital tools without (a) clear support for viability of cultivating foundational techniques and concepts traditionally taught using physical tools (i.e., paints, brushes, water) nor (b) a complete understanding of students' ability to transfer knowledge and application techniques and concepts between digital and physical tools when the foundational content is taught using digital tools (Sakr, 2019). The purpose of this qualitative, instrumental collective case study was to examine how students experience learning and applying arts techniques and concepts using digital and physical tools, specifically regarding their perceptions of how well their learning transfers between the two tools when using and applying techniques and concepts from the mediums of watercolor and oil pastels. High school students (N=16) enrolled in two introductory digital design classes completed a digital versus physical art unit that included group lessons, individual projects and critiques, and personal written and informal interviews which were analyzed using content and thematic analysis procedures to reveal common themes. In context of how easily students reported their ability to transfer knowledge from one project to the next, 10 participants represented themselves as near transfer learners and six as far transfer learners. Of the 16 total participants, eight students preferred the digital tools, five preferred physical tools, and three had no preference. The ease of use and cleanliness of the digital tools were the primary reasoning behind the prevalence of preference for digital tools. The problem addressed in this study was some visual arts teachers are being asked to teach art techniques and concepts using digital tools without (a) clear support for viability of cultivating foundational techniques and concepts traditionally taught using physical tools (i.e., paints, brushes, water) nor (b) a complete understanding of students' ability to transfer knowledge and application techniques and concepts between digital and physical tools when the foundational content is taught using digital tools (Sakr, 2019). Further research addressing the problem is suggested to address limitations regarding student demographics and art mediums used. Continued investigation of the implementation of digital tools in contrast to physical tools could provide a wider body of literature for art educators regarding whether physical tools are necessary to learn basic art concepts and techniques in the current digital age. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]