It’s no secret that technology is an increasing part of our daily lives. This is especially true for artists. Of course, for artists it’s a welcomed thing since exploring new mediums is a crucial part of growing as an artist. This is true whether you are just starting out or have years of experience. And now with the ever-growing demand for digital art, there is an ever increasing large variety of tools available. Which one is best?
We did the work for you in sifting through the myriad of different drawing apps and narrowed it down to the 7 best drawing apps of 2019. In no particular order, we have listed them below.
Procreate
Platform: iOS
Pros:
Procreate has a ton of features and it is suitable for artists of all levels. Some of the main features include 136 brushes with customizable settings for every brush, ultra-high-def 4K canvases, up to 128 layers, 250 levels of undo and redo, special effects and drawing guides. Feature-packed app for an iPad and Apple Pencil combination.
Cons:
Only available for iPad or iPhone. It doesn’t have animation tools and there is no free version to sample the app.
Tayasui Sketches
Platform: Android & iOS
Pros:
Tayasui Sketches is known for having the most realistic brushes and a sensation that mimics the feel of a pen and paint on paper. Other features include unlimited layers, patterns, gradient, color mix and a variety of gesture controls. Despite all these features, the user interface and app functions still retain a clean look.
Cons:
Slightly lacking in customization of brush tools and colors.
ArtRage
Platform: Android & iOS
Pros:
ArtRage was designed to focus on Art, not navigating a mass of tool settings. Where this app particularly excels is in the unique way it handles traditional tools. The colours mix not only looks like paint but also behaves like paint. While interacting with the canvas there is a visible impasto thickness, smooth flowing brushstrokes, and grainy texture. The kind of texture that you have to create in other software with layer overlays comes completely naturally with every stroke in ArtRage.
Cons:
A little awkward when it comes to adjusting brush sizes.
Art in a Sec
Platform: Web
Pros:
Art in a Sec is a brand-new way to create original art with the help of artificial intelligence. It produces visually stunning artworks from your already existing photos or drawings. This is for someone who is looking to simply pick an art style, upload a photo and let the AI do the rest. There is nothing else quite like it.
Cons:
The AI does all the work.
ArtFlow
Platform: Android
Pros:
ArtFlow aims to turn your real sketchbook into a digital workspace. Some features include palm rejection to prevent accidental zooming, smudge tool, gradient fill, 10 layer filters, custom brushes from imported images, and all kinds of other stuff.
Cons:
Lacking in layers and unlimited undo can be problematic.
SketchBook
Platform: Android and iOS
Pros:
SketchBook offers an uncluttered workspace with quick access to your tools. SketchBook offers a wide range of features such as 190 brushes that you can customize, predictive stroke assistive technology that will make your lines smooth and straight. Furthermore, SketchBook can also transform your paper-based line drawings into digital form.
Cons:
Some quick how-to demos within the program would be helpful.
MediBang
Platform: Any device
Pros:
MediBang is very popular for creating comic art and manga. It sports many features like customizable brushes, pressure sensitivity, layer control, and tutorials.
Cons:
Advertisements pop up when opening the app.
In summary
As artists, it’s important to find the optimal way to express our creativity. An approach we often take is to narrow it down based on which features are most important for our workflow and which cons are an absolute dealbreaker.
In truth, any one of these apps is a great tool for an artist. The most important thing, as always, is to enjoy the process.