So I stumbled across this awesome downloadable program on Nintendo's downloadable DSWare service. It's a beautiful little thing called "Art Academy". Currently there are two downloable titles, First Semester and Second Semester.

I downloaded the First Semester and gave it a go. It REALLY imitates drawing in a very lifelike fashion and allows you to select multiple kinds of pencils (hard/medium/soft), as well as a wonderful watercolor painting utility to switch to after you're done with the pencil work where you can adjust the amount of paint and water to use to make some amazing effects.

The "game" basically teaches you how to draw and paint, starting with very simple pencil and shading techniques and progressing further to advanced uses.

It starts you out learning the pencils and teaches you how to draw a circle, then it has you add a stem and some shading and turn it into an apple. I messed around a little more and added a little tree trunk and some grass just because;

The next lesson shows you the paints and has you tool around with brushstrokes. It has you make a basic looking sunset, but I ended up clearing it out and making a wave crashing into a ship

Some other lessons have you drawing trees and a pear

In addition to the lessons, there is a cool Free Paint mode where you can use all the tools and draw whatever you want.

Check this out, I was doodling around on it yesterday and drew Naruto for my wife (well, a more grownup version of Naruto, which AudaciousKevin says looks more like Naruto's dad anyways. LoL)

Aaaaand another. Here is Trunks from DragonBall Z which I drew this afternoon here at work

That's really cool. Nice drawings too!

Here's another one I just did this afternoon during downtime at work. It's Piccolo from DBZ (yes, I like DBZ as you can tell. LoL)

The shading on the left eye was bothering me, I fixed it, but for some reason when I upload it it's sideways. LoL

Here is a self portrait I drew of myself yesterday. Meh.... messed up drawing my nose!

saw this at the store, gonna have to get the missus a ds just for this game.