Metal Gear Art Studio lets fans create artwork with a digital drawing board

Konami's Metal Gear Art Studio launched today, bringing a digital workspace where users can create drawings inspired by concept artist Yoji Shinkawa's artwork for Hideo Kojima's stealth action series, according to the official website.

On the website, artists can reserve a canvas and draw using "the same tools that Yoji Shinkawa favors," according to a press release from Konami. Viewers can also browse galleries, watch the art being created in real time and send messages to the artists as they draw. When completed, they can share their creations through email or social networks like Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest. Konami is also sponsoring a series of contests themed around characters, mechs and vehicles from the Metal Gear series. The contests begin this week with Raiden artwork.

Platinum Games' Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, a spin-off within Kojima's Metal Gear universe, is set for release on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 Feb. 19. Last week, conference organizers announced that Kojima would return to GDC this year, where he will discuss building the Fox Engine, a graphical engine that will power future Metal Gear games.