Working closely with the Tate we  devised a game which was not only fun but taught the children about the restoration process. Upon users choosing a painting from the gallery, they are then took to the restoration room where using a number of tools and equipment they can get to work restoring. There are five mini games which reflect the true processes restorers go through when restoring a painting; removing Dust, removing any grime, removing the old varnish, filling in any cracks, and painting over the filled cracks.  The game will give you a score based on how well you’ve restored the painting, and at the end of the game you can compare the Before and After image of the painting to see the difference you’ve made.

We gained inside information directly from The Tates restoration team in the processes they go through and the tools and techniques they use. This included using using saliva and a cotton bud to remove grime from a painting! The game integrates in to the current Tate Kids website allowing users to upload their restored paintings and see other people’s work.

It has been fun working on this project, we have successfully combined 2D (using flash to add effects) the and 3D elements into the game (the art gallery and the restoration room was modelled in 3D to create the right mood and lighting).

AlphaNumeric is designed to test your ability to think logically under pressure; it is an enjoyable way to give your brain a little mental exercise.