Best Drawing Apps for iPad: Top Tools for Creative Artists

What better time than summer to explore new hobbies and get creative with your artistic expression with the best drawing apps for ipad’s. Whether you’re a beginner looking to dabble in digital art or a more advanced artist seeking more precise tools, there are a variety of applications designed to cater to your creative needs and enhance your digital art skills. Here is a look at some of the best apps and tools designed to assist and inspire you throughout your artistic journey.

 

Procreate: Versatility for Professionals and Beginners

Procreate is a must-have, highly-favored digital art app available across all Apple devices. Renowned for its intuitive interface and powerful features, Procreate keeps artists in mind, offering a comprehensive suite of tools and advanced features that cater to both beginners and professionals. Artists can choose from an array of digital brushes, textures, and blending modes that allow for intricate and detailed work.

The app is also capable of creating high-resolution canvases, perfect for professionals looking to print out their masterpieces. The versatility of the app also allows beginners to explore their artistic expression with included inspiration from easy-to-follow tutorials and many other resources. Additionally, its animation assist makes it easy for beginners to try new mediums for their projects, making the app particularly useful in experimenting with new styles.

All of Procreate’s many features are available to its users for a low, one-time purchase fee, making it a great, cost-effective solution for aspiring artists at any level of expertise.

Key Features:

• Extensive Brush Library: Procreate boasts over 130 brushes, ranging from pencils and inks to textures and charcoals. You can also create and import custom brushes to suit your style.
• Advanced Layer System: With the ability to create and manage multiple layers, Procreate allows for complex compositions and non-destructive editing.
• Animation Assist: This feature enables artists to create frame-by-frame animations, adding a dynamic element to their artwork.
• QuickShape: Draw perfect shapes with ease by holding your pen down after drawing a line to convert it into a smooth, geometric shape.

 

Sketchbook: Versatility and Customization for Everyone

Available on both iOS and Android devices, Sketchbook is a top-rated drawing application used by many aspiring artists for its versatility and customizability. Its features allow users to create anything from quick sketches to fully-finished masterpieces. Artists love Sketchbook for its professional-grade feature set and its highly customizable tools. Many options are available when choosing brush types, stroke tools, guides and rulers, and blend modes. Additionally, its developers designed the application’s interface to be clean and free of obstruction so artists can fully immerse themselves in their drawings.

Sketchbook is available at no cost to users, making it accessible to everyone, with the option to upgrade to a premium bundle for those who would like more customization options, a variety of alternatives for importing and exporting color pallets and gradients, and different layering options. There is so much to explore within Sketchbook, and it is readily available to Victra customers across most devices.

Key Features:

• Professional-Grade Tools: SketchBook offers a variety of drawing tools, including pencils, markers and airbrushes.
• Predictive Stroke: This feature helps smooth out lines and correct shapes, making it easier to achieve a polished look.
• Unlimited Layers: Artists can work with multiple layers and blending modes to create complex compositions.
• Customizable Brushes: Tailor your brushes to your specific needs, and save them for future use.

 

Adobe Fresco: Taking Your Digital Art to the Next Level

Designed for aspiring artists looking to enhance their digital art skills, Adobe Fresco is a free drawing and painting application built for iPad and Apple Pencil compatibility to allow artists to easily create digital masterpieces. Fresco also seamlessly integrates with other Adobe Creative Cloud apps, like Photoshop and Illustrator, allowing for importing, exporting, and transferring of files.

Adobe Fresco is an excellent option for professional artists as it offers a variety of advanced features, such as vector and raster brushes, which are perfect for detailed illustrations and scalable designs. Similarly, artists starting their artistic pathway can quickly learn with Fresco as it offers an approachable interface with guided tutorials and a simple layout.

Adobe Fresco is available at no additional cost with the option to upgrade to premium packages for ambitious artists seeking more advanced features. Whether you are just starting or looking to improve your digital art skills, Adobe Fresco is a suitable option for Victra customers looking to grow their creativity.

Key Features:

• Live Brushes: Adobe Fresco’s Live Brushes simulate real-life media like watercolors and oils, providing a realistic painting experience.
• Vector and Raster Brushes: The app combines both vector and raster brushes, allowing for versatile creations that can be scaled without losing quality.
• Integration with Adobe Creative Cloud: Easily export your work to Photoshop or Illustrator for further editing and creation.

 

Clip Studio Paint: A Tool for Both Illustration and Comic Creation

Available on iOS, Android and Windows devices, Clip Studio Paint is a popular drawing and painting app, especially favored by comic and manga artists for its specialized tools and features. Whether you’re creating intricate illustrations or detailed comic panels, Clip Studio Paint has everything you need.

Key Features:

• Comic Creation Tools: With features like panel layouts, speech bubbles, and 3D models, Clip Studio Paint simplifies the comic creation process.
• Extensive Brush Collection: Choose from thousands of brushes, or create your own to achieve the desired effect.
• Vector Layers: Work with vector layers for precise line work and easy adjustments.
• Animation Capabilities: Create animations and bring your characters to life with frame-by-frame editing.

 

Affinity Designer: Robust Vector Graphic Design

A great choice for artists and designers who need precision and flexibility in their work, Affinity Designer is a professional-grade vector graphics app available on iOS and Windows. Affinity Designer is known for its performance, even with large files, and offers a range of tools that cater to both vector and raster workflows. Its edit-friendly workspace makes it easy to correct any small mistakes, making creating art as stress-free as ever.

Key Features:

• Dual Environment: Switch between vector and raster workspaces within the same project for a seamless workflow.
• Advanced Grid and Snapping: Create precise designs with customizable grids and snapping options.
• Non-Destructive Editing: Apply adjustments and effects without permanently altering your original image.

 

ArtRage: A Natural Painting Experience

Aimed at providing a fascinatingly realistic painting experience, ArtRage is a painting app available on iOS and Android. It’s perfect for artists who enjoy traditional media but want the convenience of a digital platform. ArtRage’s natural tools and intuitive interface make it accessible to beginners while offering enough depth for experienced artists.

Key Features:

• Realistic Tools: Simulate real-world tools like oil paints, watercolors, and pastels.
• Texture and Canvas Settings: Customize your canvas with various textures and settings to enhance your painting experience.
• Layers and Blending Modes: Work with layers and blending modes to create complex compositions.
• Reference Images: Import reference images to assist with your artwork.

 

Apple iPad mini with Apple Pencil: A Favorite for All Aspiring Artists

Beyond digital apps, the Apple iPad mini and Apple Pencil are undoubtedly a crowd-favorite amongst aspiring artists and those who simply enjoy sketching recreationally. The Apple iPad mini features a stunning 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display with True Tone, P3 wide color and ultralow reflectivity for vivid colors and sharp text, making it a favorite among professional artists.

Likewise, the Apple Pencil is loved by artists of all levels of experience due to its exceptional precision, tilt sensitivity and low latency. Novice artists can confidently express their artistry using the Apple iPad mini and Apple Pencil. The iPad Pro’s touch interface is incredibly intuitive for beginners, facilitating the novice artist’s user experience while creating their first piece of digital artwork. Additionally, using the Apple Pencil feels as accurate as using a pen and paper. Most users say that the Apple Pencil feels like an extension of their hand.

The Apple iPad mini is also used for many tasks unrelated to drawing. However, its versatility is a key reason so many artists seek to purchase it as it is unquestionably an excellent option for aspiring artists seeking to begin or advance their creative journey. The Apple iPad mini is available for purchase at Victra locations.

Whether you are looking to take your professional artwork to the next level or just commencing your creative journey, these apps and tools will help you along the way. From both the advanced and beginner-friendly capabilities of ProCreate and Sketchbook to the user-friendly interfaces of smart devices like the Apple iPad mini and the Apple Pencil, there is something for everyone. With so many options available through Victra, your endless, creative opportunities are right at your fingertips. Happy drawing!