[OS X TeX] Figure (tikz?) question

[David Craig]

Apologies in advance for the non-TeXShop-specific question.

I need to create computer-produced versions of these two figures:

<http://web.lemoyne.edu/~craigda/Images/Research/paths.pdf>
<http://web.lemoyne.edu/~craigda/Images/Research/spinfoamlqc-1M.pdf>

My graphics-program skills are adequate, not awesome, and these will be painful.  Before I go down that route, though, these figures seem to me to be likely candidates for one of the TeX drawing programs.   I’m not familiar with these at all beyond being vaguely familiar with their existence (e.g. tikz) and having seen some figures produced with them.

I’m on a pretty short timeline.   I’m asking for advice, really.   Is going to be possible to create these figures in a reasonable amount of time starting from very little knowledge?   If so, which should I use?   tikz?   What’s the best way (resource, that is) to get up to speed?

Thanks,
David Craig