PAINT BY THE CAPITAL CHILDREN'S MUSEUM Disk 800/XL/XE Atari DX5048

Description

"Paint" By
Capital Children's Museum for
Atari 8-bit Computer Program Disk & Manual.
New in the box on Disk with extensive instruction manual. DX5048
PAINT
by The Capital Children's Museum
ATARI, Inc.
48K Disk .95
by Arthur Leyenberger
Atari is clearly trying to get its act together. The recent introduction of
Atariwriter,
a quality word processor with the features most users want and need, was the first sign. Next came
Family Finances,
a combination of cash flow analysis and budget planner in an easy-to-use format. Now we have
Paint.
Developed by the Capital Children's Museum in Washington, D.C. and originally published by Reston,
Paint
has been repackaged in Atari's familiar silver, black and white format, and is now an official Atari product.
Paint
is difficult to describe because it will be many things to many people. To say it is a graphics program would be accurate but an understatement. To call it an electronic canvas would be closer to the point.
Paint
is an outlet for artistic expression that will let someone of any age go as far as they want to.
The program is simple to operate and lets the budding artist draw on the screen, using the joystick as a brush. Lines and shapes may easily be created. Areas of the screen can be colored in, patterns and textures put anywhere and colors mixed together. Also, brush speeds and widths can be varied, and mistakes erased.
Paint
includes three separate programs. "Artshow" automatically displays in succession images that have already been created. This particular program is accessed by both keyboard and joystick. The keyboard is used only to initially select this option and then for pausing the pictures. The joystick is used for selecting the screens to be shown and the order in which they will appear. The procedure is very simple, and the anticipation of the "Show" makes it fun.
The second program included is called "Simple Paint." This program provides four different brushes and four different colors. Its capabilities are not as extensive as the main program, but it is probably better suited for younger children. It is so easy to use, a youngster can be "up and doodling" in no time. This rapid involvement with the program is likely to get and maintain the child's interest.
The third and main program is "Super Paint." There are over 24 different commands, requested by either a 1-letter keyboard input or through a menu selection via the joystick. There are built-in functions for drawing lines, circles and rectangles. Pure colors or textured patterns may be used to fill in any enclosed portion of the screen. Two levels of "zoom" magnification are also available.
When "Super Paint" is accessed, the bottom portion of the screen contains 10 paint-pots. There are 9 textures and colors plus the one background color. The individual paint-pot colors may be chosen by either joystick manipulation or keyboard entry. Once the desired color is chosen, the joystick is used as a painter would use a brush. There are nine different brush types and nine brush widths, for a total of 181 combinations of brushstrokes. The speed of the brush may also be selected to allow the "video artist" to become accustomed to the eye-hand coordination required to perform delicate maneuvers, such as writing in script.
Paint
comes with a 175-page manual that discusses everything from computer art to the basics of computing. The manual itself could be an ideal stand-alone text for art, philosophy or even computer science classes. In addition to the specifics on how to use the paint program, there are sections on: suggestions for creative projects, a brief history of art down through the ages, diverse examples of computer art created by professional artists using a variety of computers, computer imaging, and even a tutorial on how computers work. A glossary and bibliography are also included. The book is written in a lighthearted first person style, clearly presented and enjoyable.
As I said at the beginning of this review, it is difficult to describe
Paint
because of its flexibility and extensive features. Perhaps the best description is that
Paint
is
Paint.
In any case, the product is an excellent value. The best part of all is that, unlike the kind of paints I used when I was a child, there is no mess to clean up.
Requires an Atari 8-bit Computer(400/800/XL/XE) with 810/1050 or compatible Disk Drive.
Estimated shipping weight is 2 pounds.
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