So recently I finally got round to purchasing a Wii U, and going through my creative runt Art Academy seemed to be a perfect fit to get me on my feet.
The game is based in the countryside of England in Vince's cottage, and in the peace and quite recluse we begin our training into the grand tradition of producing artwork.
Starting with the groundwork
Art academy atelier starts you off with the bear basics of an artist, and builds a develops your skills with a wide range of tools and techniques. Lessons start from Beginner - Advanced and go step-by-step with instructions, and even the inclusion of lessons specific for each tool. And with the inclusion of the "Free Paint" mode, one can take whatever creative risks they want to produce a masterpiece in the making.
However I feel the game falls short in terms of how the tools work in terms of pressure, naturally the Wii U gamepad isn't designed to be a pressure sensitive drawing table; but I found myself frustrated and certain points where I'd be producing something using the same techniques as Vince's, and having it look drastically different. Perhaps it's just my artist ability? eh-
Share it with the world, or with the family
Players are able to post and share the artwork online with the support of Miiverse, creating a wonderful platform for feedback for buddying new artists and allows players to be inspired by the artwork of others. There's also a "Gallery" feature, in which allows the player to mount and display their artwork in Vince's cottage; kind of like a privite view gallery exhibition, which is great in displaying your progress throughout the game and give the player pride and confidence in their work.
If any other users on the Wii U play Art Academy Atelier they can also display their work here, allowing family or friends to compare and comment on each other's works in one place.
Verdict
Personally I went into this game not expecting much, however I was pleasantly surprised. Having played the previous games years back now, the tools and deliever of lessons have improved greatly; however it still needs a bit more work.