​

If you are from the Nintendo DS Homebrew era, you may remember a hidden gem among the homebrew available for that line of consoles: Colors! A painting homebrew that even being at a "beta" stage, it let you do profesional-like paintings with ease and very accesible tools on the go. Among all the features it had, three of the most important that made it shine were:​

• Real time replays (the later so-called time lapses) for each painting, you could watch the entire sequence on how it was made from scratch, even letting you to pause at certain points in case you wanted to fix something.​
• The use for an unused feature of the Nintendo DS: presure-sensitive touches, making it feel like you were painting with real brushes; however, this was only available for the "Fat" and Lite models, as the later released DSi models touchscreen lacked a presure sensitive sensor for unknown reasons.​
• You could upload and share your paintings online to share with the comunity, including the replay data, so everyone was able to see and replay the entire process of the painting, it was (and is) something worth to be seen.​

Because of this, it became so popular that later it got ported to several systems with touch inputs, such as the iPhone, the Nintendo 3DS (With 3D layers support) and even the PSVita.

It was long expected that a WiiU version could come soon, as the Gamepad was a perfect fit for it, but words were never said about that. So as the Nintendo Switch launched, many people from the Colors! lineup community immediately asked Jens Anderson, the developer, if there were plans for a port for the new Nintendo console as it had touch support, but according to him, there were some reasons that could hold him back to do so:

"Many people have asked me to bring Colors! to Nintendo Switch. However, I didn’t really want to do that, unless I could make a better version than Colors! 3D. Without a pen, I would have to rely on finger-painting which is not something I think is very fun. [...]

[...]"A little bit over a year ago, an inventor friend of mine in Hong Kong contacted me. When I saw the pressure-sensitive pen that he was working on, I realized that this would be perfect for the Nintendo Switch. Together we developed the Colors SonarPen that comes bundled with Colors Live. This way we can give you real pressure-sensitivity, a responsive way to control thickness and transparency of each stroke with just the amount of pressure applied."

So after all his ideas came together, he realized that his beolved painting app had potential on the Nintendo Switch, and released a Kickstarter campaing to fund his new project, now known as "Colors l!ve".

[...]"Making Colors! has been an incredible journey. From my first experiments with the Nintendo DS hardware, to founding my studio in San Francisco, and most importantly, to every day see all the amazing things that YOU create in it.

Now we are finally taking Colors Live to the Nintendo Switch. By launching on Kickstarter, we can crowd-fund what we need to manufacture the first batch of the Colors SonarPen and finish the development of Colors Live. In fact, some of you will be able to test the Colors Live prototype as soon as the campaign ends!

If you are as excited as I am about this, I hope you will consider backing the campaign and sharing it with your friends. Help us make this project as good as it can be, and I think it will be truly special!"

​

One of the main features by becoming a kickstarter backer, is the oportunity to get the "Sonar Pen" bundled with the game download code, a seemingly temporary "exclusive", set to be shipped before the game releases. Is still yet to be confirmed if non-backers will get the opportunity to order this peripheral later or if it will be available at official retail stores.

​

What is pretty interesting on the "Sonar Pen", is that it uses the headphone port to work, some specs are detailed below:

​

"Colors SonarPen is a pressure-sensitive, responsive stylus and the best way to experience painting with the Colors Live. It was created in cooperation with GreenBulb, who have produced versions of the SonarPen since their first Kickstarter 2018.

It features Pressure-Sensitivity - natural painting feeling and fully customizable for stroke thickness, opacity or both - Palm rejection - comfortably rest your hand on the screen while painting - and Shortcut button for easy access of your favorite brush or tool.

No battery or Bluetooth pairing needed! The Colors SonarPen plugs into the headphone jack of your Nintendo Switch. It weights 0.74 oz / 21 gr, have a cable length of 19.67 in / 0.5 m and comes with a 1 year limited warranty."

Also, the app will get a full game, named "Colors Quest":

"Colors Quest is a single-player game-mode, where you paint something new every day, using a set theme and various rules. By using crowd-sourcing, I've managed to create something that works for every skill-level and that rewards you for improving over time. My hope is that this mode will be a great inspiration for you!"

​

According to the kickstarter page, the estimated release date frame has been set between 2020/2021 to cover all regions.

"Colors Live comes exclusively to the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch Lite as a Digital Download code for the Nintendo eShop in America, Europe and Australia (summer 2020) and in Japan (fall/winter 2020)."

Source​

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[JuanMena]

Colors! is literally the first ever digital painting software I've ever had the luck to use.
I remember getting offers to expose my Colors! painting in art galleries around the world.

I used to have 600+ paintings on that site, but I got an arrow to the knee and deleted my whole gallery.
Each week, Colors! helds a painting contest. From time to time, they'd give away stuff like Nintendo Wii U consoles, Styluses, 3DS Consoles, and what not.
I never won a console, but I did won a Stylus (which broke 1 year later for heavy use) and well... the Gallery was truly something else in the early Nintendo DS homebrew days. Like, the artists using Colors! were among the best I've ever seen.

Nowadays, with the popularity of the 3DS and Colors! 3D, the gallery went from Awesome to DeviantArt clone.

If you can, go to check Munin and madwurmz.com galleries.
I met both "personally" and I have very good memories chatting with both.

It's amazing how far Mr. Jens has gone with this software. From the very humble begginings on piracy devices, to a fully Nintendo Licensed software.
I'd be excited about this, but I don't have a Nintendo Switch, and I already own a Wacom Tablet + Autodesk Sketchbook.
Most of my Sketchbook brushes are meant to resemble the brushes that Colors! comes with.

 

[DSoryu]

Colors! is literally the first ever digital painting software I've ever had the luck to use.
I remember getting offers to expose my Colors! painting in art galleries around the world.

I used to have 600+ paintings on that site, but I got an arrow to the knee and deleted my whole gallery.
Each week, Colors! helds a painting contest. From time to time, they'd give away stuff like Nintendo Wii U consoles, Styluses, 3DS Consoles, and what not.
I never won a console, but I did won a Stylus (which broke 1 year later for heavy use) and well... the Gallery was truly something else in the early Nintendo DS homebrew days. Like, the artists using Colors! were among the best I've ever seen.

Nowadays, with the popularity of the 3DS and Colors! 3D, the gallery went from Awesome to DeviantArt clone.

If you can, go to check Munin and madwurmz.com galleries.
I met both "personally" and I have very good memories chatting with both.

It's amazing how far Mr. Jens has gone with this software. From the very humble begginings on piracy devices, to a fully Nintendo Licensed software.
I'd be excited about this, but I don't have a Nintendo Switch, and I already own a Wacom Tablet + Autodesk Sketchbook.
Most of my Sketchbook brushes are meant to resemble the brushes that Colors! comes with.

That's amazing! I've seen tons of paintings since the DS era to the 3DS, and yes, the galleries back then were quite unique, you could find tons od scenery, photorealistic wonders that really shone. Then, it became a meme board (shame on me, I were part of that with a painting).

I still remember the first painting that got me traped into Colors!, because I saw the timelapse on youtube, is this one:



Tough very simple, the main thing that got me interested was that replay feature.

I only managed to make some drawings and trash, and some other things that are still on my gallery haha, here's the link for the laughs:

https://www.colorslive.com/artist/Dartz150

 

[JuanMena]

That's amazing! I've seen tons of paintings since the DS era to the 3DS, and yes, the galleries back then were quite unique, you could find tons od scenery, photorealistic wonders that really shone.

I still remember the first painting that got me traped into Colors!, I saw the timelapse on youtube, is this one:



tough very simple, the main thing that got me interested was that replay feature.

I only managed to make some drawings and trash, and some other things that are still on my gallery haha, here's the link for the laughs:

https://www.colorslive.com/artist/Dartz150

Aaaaah!
I remember that Ash painting you have there!
Never knew you where Mexican when I first encountered your Gallery, never followed you though.
I used to be a Featured Artist on the Colors! Gallery. Made me feel special.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

And yes, the thing that also drew me into Colors! (pun intended) is the Playback feature. I've been pitching that idea to Autodesk Sketchbook.

 

[DSoryu]

Aaaaah!
I remember that Ash painting you have there!
Never knew you where Mexican when I first encountered your Gallery, never followed you though.
I used to be a Featured Artist on the Colors! Gallery. Made me feel special.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

And yes, the thing that also drew me into Colors! (pun intended) is the Playback feature. I've been pitching that idea to Autodesk Sketchbook.

Hahaha yes lol, my top ranked painting on my gallery:

I may have seen your gallery pretty often actually, as one of the main uses I gave to Colors! was to watch replays from featured artists again and again, or to show to my family just to amaze them.

Antoher thing I really liked specifically on the 3D version, was the clever use of the 3D effect some artists pulled off, even though the painting only supported 2D layers, somehow they managed to create an optical ilussion were some objects looked like they had volume.

 

[Jayro]

Cool, but how do we buy the sonar pen?

 

[JuanMena]

Cool, but how do we buy the sonar pen?

Until Mr.Jens decides it's time to release the Colors! version for Switch you'll be able to buy the Sonar Pen.
OR
You can actually support the project on its patreon page and you'll literally get a copy of Colors! for Windows, Nintendo Switch (when it comes) and your Sonar Pen.

 

[MaxiBash]

Exiting! I'm kind of surprised that a homebrew application made it all the way to the Switch. Nintendo wasn't too happy with flashcarts and homebrew to begin with in 2005, and nothing has changed since then

 

[Deleted User]

THIS IS THE BEST FUCKING THING I'VE EVER SEEN IT HAS CHANGED MY LIFE FOREVER

 

[DSoryu]

Exiting! I'm kind of surprised that a homebrew application made it all the way to the Switch. Nintendo wasn't too happy with flashcarts and homebrew to begin with in 2005, and nothing has changed since then

You might be even more surprised by knowing that many devs start messing around with consoles using unauthorized devices, as dev kits are not afordable to them, and some games and apps are birth in this form.

 

[Deleted User]

Do yourself a favor, Buy Corel Draw Painter on PC or Mac and a Wacom Tablet if you want to draw

 

[banjo2]

That's really cool!

 

[64bitmodels]

Do yourself a favor, Buy Corel Draw Painter on PC or Mac and a Wacom Tablet if you want to draw

or Clip Studio Paint

 

[gudenau]

The way that appears to work is kinda amusing and Nintendo can't do much about the hardware side.

Let's hope the software gets approved.

 

[DSoryu]

Do yourself a favor, Buy Corel Draw Painter on PC or Mac and a Wacom Tablet if you want to draw

or Clip Studio Paint

Yeah, those are better solutions for artists and producers, but this app, since its roots, was aimed for amateurs, casuals or just artists who want to spend their free time doodling or something, also, this has been way cheaper (except if you don't own a switch) in the platforms it has been released on.
As stated, back in the day one of the marvels this had was the time-lapse feature, and many artists started their career with this.

 

[Deleted member 383179]

According to the kisckstarter page,

Can't wait to see this release, I used to use the 3DS version often.

 

[DSoryu]

Can't wait to see this release, I used to use the 3DS version often.

Thanks mate. Also, I just noticed this got frontpaged

I used this for years in the Nintendo DS when I was young, had a lot of fun with it.

 

[zoogie]

It's not often you see homebrew and commercial software shown side-by-side like that in a press release image, pretty cool imo.

 

[CMDreamer]

Where were I all this past years that didn't knew this existed!?

Let's start the research.

 

[64bitmodels]

if i were good at art maybe this would have some use to me lol