Sketch, draw, paint and illustrate with this list of art apps for iPad.
With the iPad 3′s high-resolution screen, there’s never been a better time to start developing your digital art skills. The range of art apps available for the iPad means there’s something for both experienced artists and those who are exercising their creative muscles for the first time. Whether you’re a painter, illustrator, designer, or prefer to stick to pencils, you’re sure to find something to keep you busy in this list of art apps for iPad.
ArtStudio for iPad – $2.99
ArtStudio is a professional artist’s tool that is also suitable for beginners. With sterling reviews and high rankings in Apple’s paid apps lists, the app provides a wide range of artist’s tools. These include the ability to vary the canvas size, a choice of different brushes, the ability to simulate varied brush pressure, as well as various blending modes and filters. Artists-in-training can benefit from the app’s drawing lessons, before showing off their work using the video output features.
iDraw – $8.99
If vector-based illustration and drawing is more your style, iDraw is a versatile app that enables you to create everything from illustrations to floor plans, and much more. Giving professionals the ability to create designs even when away from their computer, iDraw comes with many features designed to help you create skilled works of art. The app’s features include tools like dimension lines, boolean path combinations, and multi-color gradients. With DropBox integration, and the ability to export your art in JPEG, PNG, PDF, and SVG formats, iDraw is one of the most advance illustration apps available in the app store.
Brushes – $7.99
The Brushes app is designed specifically for iPad painting. It contains 19 different brushes, five blend modes, and you can create up to six layers, which can be reordered and merged at any point. Import and edit photos, display your finished pieces using the iPad’s TV output, and share your pictures directly with photo-sharing website Flickr. To see how far you’ve come, Brushes includes an in-app playback of your painting process.
SketchBook Pro – $4.99
SketchBook Pro combines painting and drawing features to provide a professional-standard art app. Whatever standard you are, you can turn your iPad into a digital sketchbook using the app, and access the same paint engine that’s available on the desktop version. The app comes with over 60 different brushes, and you have the option to purchase a further 90 paid in-app brushes once you’ve downloaded SketchBook. With color wheels, a range of effects, blend modes and the ability to create and customize layers, the app is cheaper than Brushes and provides a cost-effective way for artists and amateurs to create detailed, impressive digital paintings and drawings in a variety of styles.
Procreate – $4.99
Procreate is one of the fastest painting apps available, thanks to its paint engine, which has been purpose-built for iPad. The app has a range of studio-grade features, with over 45 brushes, and 25 customizable settings for every brush. Using Procreate, you can create simple pencil drawings, abstract art, watercolors, and lifelike digital illustrations. With a highly sensitive brush strokes, the app not only provides high-quality artistic tools, but is also designed to keep artists in their creative flow. It showcases the features you use the most, and, if you need to take a break, brings you back to the exact place you left off painting when you return.
Hannah is a freelance writer from London, UK. Having completed a degree in English, she discovered a passion for all things digital, and enjoys nothing more than writing about online communication, marketing and anything Apple-related. When she's not researching the latest app releases or ogling new gadgets, Hannah enjoys writing about personal development, yoga, and exploring the world. | Google Plus
