New Art Academy - 3DS (DS)

Being an artist isn’t simply a case of picking up some pencils and doodling on a piece of paper. Well, it is, but there’s a certain level of skill involved as well. You have to know all about dimensions, perspective, colour, light sources and a whole lot more if you want to be taken seriously. And while practice makes perfect, focusing on a piece of paper isn’t necessarily going to teach you a lot.

This is where Nintendo comes in, with its New Art Academy software for the 3DS handheld. The successor to the original Art Academy on Nintendo DS, this version comes complete with 32 new lessons along with various tools such as scratch pads, colour wheels and blending.

Both Introductory and Advanced lessons are included in the software, offering step-by-step guides on how to tackle a comprehensive range of art conundrums. Some of the reference images are displayed as 3D videos too, adding some depth to your tutoring. And additional tutorials will be made available by way of regular updates via Nintendo Network.

You can also use online connectivity to share your creations (and even custom tutorials) with friends and randoms around the world. Use Nintendo Letter Box or SpotPass to trade notes and images with others.