Gadgets: Immersive Digital Painting

Ok, normally I don't share ART supplies on my blog - I try to stick to sewing gadgets with a little craft thrown in here and there.  But this was an awesome experience.  I got to try out the new immersive Microsoft Digital Painting program. 

The program works on a touch screen - you can use your finger or a brush (and probably a stylus on a pad, although that wasn't available to me at the time).  I mostly painted with a brush and it was as responsive as a real paintbrush on canvas.  The paint went on with brush strokes; it was pressure sensitive, so you could do hard or light strokes; and you had a toolbox of brush styles & sizes to use.  

This is going to be an awesome tool for schools to teach kids about art in the short time they have alloted to art classes - there's no set-up or clean-up, and no supply fees.  Kids will get to experience painting and drawing without being exposed to toxic chemicals (have you ever looked at the msds sheet for oil paints?).  Teachers will have time to explain techniques without having to waste time with material handling.  AND museums will get to expose people to art even thought they don't have a designated studio space... The possibilities are endless.

The program is not available for sale yet, but it is being debuted at the Museum of Modern Art in New York until August in their Materials Lab.