Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Can Gaming Become Applied To Help Art Students?

By Robert Sutter


On the surface, one would imagine that gaming - in and of itself - is actually a form of art. It's not hard to see why, as there is a sense of creative direction put into place and I am sure that many would be able to agree with such a point. However, is it possible that video games can actually help those who want to get into certain types of art, drawing and painting included? As past experiences have shown us, I have to believe that this is very much the case.

There have been a number of video games that have helped those with penchants for art and I believe one of the earliest examples was, "Mario Paint." Released for the Super Nintendo back in 1992, it was one of the first video games which, I recall, came with a mouse and pad not unlike a computer. Basically, the game ran the gamut from digital drawing to animation. It also included a simple musical tool, which only helped to make it the perfect art introduction for gamers at that time.

Nintendo would not end its artistic pursuits there, though, as the more recent series entitled "Art Academy" indicated. Basically, this series was not so much a collection of mini-games as it was a number of applications for those who had the desire to cut their teeth as far as art was concerned. Each game possessed lessons for users to follow but they were presented in an easy fashion. Nintendo was able to make sure that the game was approachable for anyone, which is vital when given the broad nature of gaming today.

In fact, companies outside of Nintendo have decided to take a shot at tackling the subject of art as well. One of the more prominent examples of this is the uDraw gaming tablet, which not only promoted gaming but artistry as well. With well-known franchises like SpongeBob SquarePants and Marvel having released their own games compatible with the uDraw, it was clear that the focus was more on allowing children to become acclimated to this endeavor. It was an interesting device, to put it mildly.

I do not think that anyone can argue with the fact that video games and conventional art can come together. The examples mentioned before are just a few to consider and I do not think that anyone can argue with such a point, either. With titles like "Art Academy" being reasonably well-known in gaming today, perhaps you have given one or a few of these titles an attempt. For those who have not, perhaps they can prove more useful for your artistic endeavors than you could have imagined.




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