Iris and Silvia became interested in computer painting about three years ago because their parents bought two Apple Power Books G3 on which Claris Works, a writing, drawing and painting program, was installed.

Iris began first, nearly three years ago, and mainly painted pictures for her relatives’ birthdays; they were sometimes representational, though mostly abstract. Silvia, who wanted to be her sister’s equal, began painting at the computer when she was three. Because she couldn’t read yet, her father showed her how to open the painting program.
Both girls learned to use the program on their own by playing with it. They paint whenever they feel like it and whatever comes into their heads. Their works almost never have titles. Iris mainly paints pictures for special occasions, while Silvia asks several times a week: “Can I paint on the computer?”