Overview of the game Art Academy: Atelier - the artist in each of us

There are games in which the player needs a fast reaction speed, there are other games where you need to wiggle gyrations, and there is a very rare category of games that awakens in people a sense of beauty and develops their hidden potential. Have you ever dreamed of learning how to draw? No? Do not scribble doodles on the fields of a notebook, but draw really, as artists do, with knowledge, a sense of form, lighting and choosing the right color. New game Art Academy: Atelier for the Nintendo Wii U gaming console is just such useful entertainment.

A series of games of Art Academy was invented and developed by the London studio Headstrong Games, and the Japanese company Nintendo was the publisher. Not surprisingly, these games became exclusive first for pocket consoles Nintendo DS and 3DS, and now for Wii U. It is important to note that to implement the developers' plans, a game platform with a stylus for imitation of various art tools was required. But here, the Nintendo handhelds, as well as Wii U's gamepad, equipped with a screen, came in handy.

The game allows all wishing in an easy and unobtrusive form to master the basic skills of the fine arts. In this animated teacher named Vince, who received the name in honor of the artist Vincent Van Gogh, will give you valuable advice. He will tell you about the history of the emergence of fine art, explain various artistic techniques and simply cheer in the process of drawing.

At the very beginning you can choose one of the modes that the game offers you. For example, classes for artists are divided into introductory, advanced, as well as a course on individual art instruments. Of course, if you do not know how to draw yet, then you should try to start with the basics. But if you feel confident about yourself, you can skip simple lessons and immediately start improving your skills with the help of professional training. The game in total includes 11 lessons, as well as 14 hands-on classes for mastering various techniques and tools.

I was pleased with the game's attention to detail. For example, in the settings you can choose which of your main hands. I'm left-handed, so I started drawing with my left hand, and if all the main menus were on the right, it would be wildly inconvenient for me. And here - poked in the appropriate button and the necessary tools will always be at hand.

The first basic lesson was an uncomplicated still-life. I was offered to draw a plain tomato. Vince immediately told me a bit about the history of this genre, and also noted that still lifes have enjoyed great popularity among famous artists. In general, such historical references are very useful for those people who constantly strive to develop their erudition.

Step by step Vince explained to me how to use the grid to accurately transfer the tomato image from the photo to my canvas, then he explained in what order the drawing should be done. First a thin rough contour, then the main shading in red. And then comes the turn of applying light and dark shades to give the tomato volume. Do not forget about the shadow that the vegetable (or berry, if you so please) throws to the surface. Vince even explained to me exactly how the glare of light falls on the surface of objects.

That's what I got in the end. I specially created a series of images so that you could see through what transformations they passed. Of course, before Van Gogh, I'm infinitely far away, but for a man who started drawing with a game console twenty minutes ago - it's quite good, will not you agree? I will not hide, I have to draw by the nature of my activity, but more often in graphic editors, since I develop mobile software. To hold pastel chalks or brushes in my life I've only had a couple of times, so this game is a real discovery for me.

You will be able to find out what is the artistic technique "sfumato", which Leonardo da Vinci used, drawing his "Mona Lisa". Recognize the secrets of the "impasto" technique, when the paint is applied to the canvas layer by layer, and the individual strokes are so large that their volume structure on the surface of the picture is visible. Despite the fact that I was always interested in painting, the game still opened for me unfamiliar terms such as "alla prima", when the artist wants to finish the work in one approach as quickly as possible.

If you already feel sufficiently savvy in the visual arts, you can try your hand at creating unique paintings, instead of drawing at the behest of your virtual mentor. At the very beginning, you can choose the type and color of the canvas, they differ in the rough texture and grain, which directly affects how this surface is covered with paint.

If you need inspiration, you can take advantage of a local collection of quality photographs taken by professional photographers from different countries. If you do not want to copy other people's work, just start with a blank canvas and create your own masterpiece.

A set of drawing tools available to you includes various pencils that are mixed in a very convenient palette of paint, pastel crayons and even charcoal. Also you have access to auxiliary tools like shading, eraser and others.

The process of drawing is created by developers as realistically as possible. Paint smears mix with each other, creating new shades. The texture of each stroke depends on the direction in which you carried the brush, which only adds to your work of authenticity and special charm. If you need to draw some small detail, you can enlarge the separate area of ​​the canvas and focus on it.

Every artist in the depths of his soul dreams of recognition. You can share your work in the social network Nintendo Miiverse, where your paintings will be evaluated by other owners of the game Art Academy: Atelier. The whole process of drawing the game neatly stored in a special file, which can then be turned into video and shown to friends or published on your YouTube channel. All created canvases are exhibited in a virtual gallery, through which you can move from the first person to admire your achievements.

I will not give marks to this game, as it is difficult to call it a traditional game. But also for a specialized application Art Academy: Atelier does not pull. This is an interactive course for beginning artists, where in a playful and very entertaining form you will be able to comprehend the wisdom of the fine arts and expand your horizons. This game can well serve as a starting point for you to open your talent and create your own hands a masterpiece that will be enjoyed by your friends and acquaintances. I strongly recommend Art Academy: Atelier to all those who want to learn how to draw. This is, perhaps, the easiest way to realize your dream.

The article is based on materials https://hi-news.ru/games/obzor-igry-art-academy-atelier-xudozhnik-v-kazhdom-iz-nas.html.