Game Of The Week: Art Academy (DS)

If you've ever wanted to paint or draw like a pro, then this new game could be just what you are looking for. Art Academy on the Nintendo DS teaches you how to draw and paint via step-by-step tutorials.

With the help of your tutor, "Vince" (in relation to the Impressionist artist Vincent Van Gogh, we think), you will soon be making  artistic masterpieces of your very own.

As some of you may already know, Art Academy (DS) has been adapted from the popular DSiWare titles Art Academy: First Semester and the sequel Art Academy: Second Semester and utilises elements from both semesters.

Essentially, Art Academy transforms your DS into a fully workable canvas. You can choose from different thicknesses of pencils and paint brushes, and a pallette of ten paints from which you can devise your own shades and tones.

All these art materials behave exactly as they would on a real canvas. For example, when the 'water' tool is added to your paint it will visibly thin it down.

Unlike other drawing and paint games such as Paint By DS, Art Academy is a fun, educational tool and allows you to create your own works of art from scratch rather than just colouring in designs by other artists.

The game contains ten in-depth lessons, which covers Art theory and gives practical tips in how to construct a particular picture or image. Learn how to shade items correctly to create the illusion of depth, or how to create perspective within a painting amongst other things.

Many of the lessons are based on the works of actual artists such as Albrecht Dürer, John Constable or Leonardo Di Vinci.

The Free Paint Mode allows players to paint or draw any image that their heart desires. However, For the less adventurous artists amongst you there are over 50 images for you to get your initial ideas from. If you are using a DSi or DSi XL console you can also take photos and store them as images within this mode as well.

In Art Academy you can also store up to eighty of your favourite creations on the game cartridge itself and show them to your family and friends.  The game also contains a Downloadable Demo so that you can encourage other people with a Nintendo DS system to get interested in Art.

Art Academy UK Trailer

In conclusion, this realistic tool has a lot to offer for art enthusiasts and amatures alike. The varied painting and drawing styles are very interesting and the lessons are both fun and easy to understand.

If you like art and wish to improve your skills or if you just want to have some creative fun, then this is definitely the game for you. Overall rating 9/10.