OK, I was there

Linux for artist has been in the works for years. You have to ask, what's an artist and how much Linux do you need. The results are often a DVD full of stuff artist can use. Think of the movie 'the matrix' when they are loading up from the weapons racks. It's a funny effect to see racks stream off into the distance when they are just going to grab the stuff in front. Linux is like that, choice out the wahzoo. In the net search game when you say artist, you get recording artist. Then in the artist Linux you get audio stuff and some movie editing stuff. When it all said and done the visual graphic stuff is ad..........oops ran out of disc space.

Linux for artist projects try to accommodate various kinds of artist. Then there is that dilemma, live-cd/dvd or installed. If you install you can add/remove the applications you want/don't want. If you use the live-cd/dvd you take what you get. Being a visual artist mainly and foremost I want to see the standard Linux apps, Blender, GIMP, Inkscape and My Paint. After that other tools I might use. Some of the AV oriented Linux distros have some of the graphical stuff but not all of the main ones. Not a problem if I install the whole thing. If I live-cd we have a problem. Usually the standard graphic stuff included are not tweaked with extras but stock, off the shelf.

So look at the many, download and burn. If you can remaster one you like according to your taste, that is the best. My vote for the best out the box Linux for Artist is PureDyne. The size puts it on a DVD but it's a hair over a gig. This will fit on a modest flash drive. The Swiss Army Knife motif is cool, just enough to be useful but no over kill. Believe me I wanted a Swiss Army Knife in the Cub Scouts, my dad got me a knife with twice the hardware, twice the size and half the price. Hiking with that thing banging in your pocket and the other kids saying where's your tool kit.........

PureDyne is cool, no fancy and distracting eyecandy. XFCE desktop for chose it and do it get to work on the fly action. It sees your network and hooks you up, if you need it. PureDyne presents a stable environment with 'enough', wither live-cd or installed. I'm still puttsing around but it looks good so far.