From Canvas to Console: Top 10 Games About Art

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Ignacio Weil

Gaming - February 8th 2025, 15:00 GMT+1

Cropped About — About this gallery:

For this list, we focused on games that dive headfirst into the world of paintings and works of art. That’s why we only included games where painting isn’t just some random level mechanic, but the very foundation of the entire plot – like, the whole “this is why the game exists” kind of deal.

Think we missed a game about the art of painting? Shout it out in the comments!

Cropped Art Sqool — 10. Art Sqool (2019)

Embark on a whimsical journey through the vibrant world of *Art Sqool*. In this delightfully unconventional game, you assume the role of Froshmin, an eager art student guided by a quirky AI professor who seems to have questionable credentials – think "robot that once glanced at a Picasso." Armed with your digital paintbrush, you're tasked with completing imaginative assignments like "draw something that feels like the number 5" (whatever that means). The campus is an open-world fever dream filled with floating islands, peculiar creatures, and colors that may or may not exist in the visible spectrum. The best part? Your art is graded by an algorithm that seems just as confused as you are. It’s not about creating masterpieces – it’s about embracing the joy of creation without worrying about critics. Who needs validation when you have floating squiggles? | © Julian Glander

9. Layers of Fear (2016)

*Layers of Fear* isn’t just a game; it’s an emotional rollercoaster painted entirely in shades of “why is the wallpaper moving?” You play as a once-great painter whose sanity is hanging on by the thinnest of brush bristles. Your mission? To complete your magnum opus while navigating a Victorian mansion that rearranges itself like a haunted IKEA showroom. Every creaky floorboard, distorted painting, and cryptic whisper adds to the atmosphere of dread, making you question whether the real horror is supernatural… or just your own brain. It’s an immersive, spine-chilling dive into the dark side of artistic obsession. Prepare for jump scares – and emotional damage. | © Bloober Team

8. Last Day of June (2017)

*Last Day of June* is like playing inside a beautiful, heart-wrenching painting – except that painting is gently tearing your feelings apart. This narrative-driven adventure tells the story of Carl and June, a couple blissfully in love until tragedy strikes. The game lets you revisit the moments leading up to that fateful day, tinkering with time in an attempt to change the outcome. Think “Groundhog Day,” but with more tears and fewer groundhogs. The art style is like a storybook come to life, with soft, dreamlike visuals that somehow make it even more emotional. Add a hauntingly beautiful soundtrack, and you’ve got the perfect recipe for sobbing quietly in the dark. | © Ovosonico

Please Touch The Artwork — 7. Please, Touch The Artwork (2022)

*Please, Touch The Artwork* is basically every museum’s worst nightmare – and your inner rebel’s dream come true. In this clever, minimalist puzzle game, you’re not just encouraged to touch the art – you’re required to. Inspired by the works of abstract painter Piet Mondrian, the game turns iconic geometric masterpieces into interactive challenges where you manipulate lines, colors, and shapes to solve puzzles. It’s like playing Sudoku but with more existential reflection and fewer numbers. The soothing jazz soundtrack and satisfying clicks make it the perfect game for unwinding… or pretending you’re an avant-garde art critic in a beret. | © Thomas Waterzooi

6. Eastshade (2019)

Imagine if *The Elder Scrolls* took an art class, ditched the swords, and just vibed. That’s *Eastshade* in a nutshell. You play as a traveling painter in a breathtaking open world filled with talking animals, scenic landscapes, and zero threat of sudden dragon attacks. Instead of fighting monsters, your quests involve capturing the natural beauty around you on canvas. Need to cross a river? Paint a picture for someone, and boom – they’ll build you a raft. The game is a serene, meditative experience that lets you slow down, breathe, and appreciate the art in everyday moments. It’s like a digital cup of chamomile tea with a splash of creativity. | © Eastshade Studios

Behind the Frame — 5. Behind The Frame: The Finest Scenery (2021)

*Behind The Frame: The Finest Scenery* is basically like stepping into a Studio Ghibli film, but instead of magical forest creatures, you’re hanging out with a paintbrush and your feelings. You play as an aspiring artist working on her masterpiece in a sun-drenched apartment that’s somehow more aesthetic than anything on Instagram. As you paint, you’ll uncover a gentle, bittersweet story told through beautiful hand-drawn animations and soft piano melodies that’ll make your heart do that little “aww” flutter. It’s a cozy, meditative experience where every brushstroke feels like a warm hug… with just a sprinkle of artistic mystery to keep you guessing. | © Silver Lining Studio

Cropped Such Art — 4. SuchArt: Genius Artist Simulator (2021)

Ever wanted to be an artistic genius with zero cleanup? *SuchArt: Genius Artist Simulator* is your chance to live the dream – no paint-stained clothes required. You’re an artist in the futuristic year of 2130, with your very own space studio (because apparently, even in the future, starving artists exist… just in zero gravity). Armed with a toolkit of brushes, rollers, and even ketchup bottles (don’t ask), you’ll create masterpieces – or abstract disasters – and sell them to eccentric clients who somehow *love* everything you make. The game’s physics are hilariously chaotic, letting you fling paint like a caffeinated Jackson Pollock. Is it art? Who cares! It’s fun. | © Voolgi

Cropped Passpartout The Starving Artist — 3. Passpartout: Starving Artist (2017)

*Passpartout: Starving Artist* answers the age-old question: What if you were a French painter with a baguette obsession, trying to make it big in the cutthroat world of art? You wield your brush (and questionable artistic talent) to create works that appeal to snooty critics, hipsters, and the occasional mime. The gameplay is simple – you paint with basic tools and try to sell your creations to fund your wine and bread addiction. But the real magic is in the absurd reactions from art buyers, who’ll either hail you as the next Picasso or dismiss your masterpiece as “childish squiggles.” It’s chaotic, charming, and the perfect satire of the art world. | © Flamebait Games

Chicory A Colorful Tale — 2. Chicory: A Colorful Tale (2021)

What if you could literally color the world with your imagination? *Chicory: A Colorful Tale* lets you do just that – armed with a magical paintbrush, you’re tasked with restoring color to a black-and-white world after the previous wielder mysteriously vanishes. But this isn’t just a coloring book come to life; it’s an emotional journey wrapped in adorable art and surprisingly deep themes about self-doubt, creativity, and the pressure to be “good enough.” The puzzles are clever, the characters are charming (they’re all animals, because why not?), and the game gently reminds you that it’s okay to color outside the lines – literally and metaphorically. | © Finji

1. Four Last Things (2017) (And Honestly, All of Joe Richardson’s Games)

*Four Last Things* is what happens when Monty Python crashes an art history class. This irreverent point-and-click adventure game is stitched together entirely from Renaissance paintings, which sounds cultured until you realize those paintings are now part of fart jokes and absurd philosophical debates. You play as a hapless pilgrim trying to commit the seven deadly sins before getting into heaven because, well… logic. The humor is delightfully crude, the puzzles are hilariously bizarre, and the whole thing feels like a medieval fever dream with surprisingly sharp wit. Honestly, all of Joe Richardson’s games (*The Procession to Calvary* and *Death of the Reprobate* included) are like this – proof that classical art and nonsense humor are a match made in heaven… or maybe purgatory. | © Joe Richardson

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Art isn’t just confined to dusty galleries and framed canvases – it’s alive, dynamic, and, in some cases, hiding in your favorite video games. From brushstrokes to button mashing, the world of gaming has given us some truly creative experiences that explore the lives of painters, the magic of creation, and the emotional chaos that often comes with being an artist.

Whether you’re into surreal adventures, emotionally charged narratives, or just like the idea of pretending you can paint without the mess of actual paint, this list is for you. We’ve gathered the top 10 games where art isn’t just a backdrop – it’s the main character. So grab your virtual paintbrush, get ready to unleash your inner creative genius, and let’s dive into the colorful world where canvas meets console.