If you are an artist, chances are that you work with digital art programs, such as PhotoShop or Gimp, on your computer. What about when you want to take your art with you and a hefty laptop is just too much to carry? What about having the ability to draw on your screen to mimic the actual art process? If that is what you want then it is time to move to your tablet with one of these digital painting apps you should know.
First up, let’s start with the iPad and then move to Android.
iPad Digital Painting Apps
Pixelmator is a very powerful app for artists of all kinds. Whether you want to edit photos you already own, create graphic designs for work, or make beautiful digital painting from scratch this app can help you do it. It’s got everything you would find on a full desktop editing program, plus a little extra. That little extra is that you can use the Apple pencil to draw on the screen to mimic what you would do on paper or canvas. You can’t do that with your computer program.
This app is very simple compared to the last one, but it has some features that make it worthy. It is definitely a good starter app because the interface is easy to use. You won’t need tutorial to understand all the different bells and whistles. Art Set contains a digital plethora of art supplies for you. From paint, pencils, oil pastels, and watercolors, you can pick and choose your favorite medium with ease. Try out something new and get the hang of the difference in technique. It is digital so you aren’t wasting money in the art store for a medium you don’t like to use.
Procreate is another app with full features like you find on a desktop program. The reason it deserves to be on this list is because it has these neat sliders that let you control your brush size or color opacity while you work. You don’t have to stop what you are doing to change anything and disrupt your flow. You can also create custom brushes, something many other apps don’t let you do.
This is yet another full featured digital art app like those on the desktop, but with that little twist that takes it above the rest. With Sketch Club you can join the community and post your art online for other artists to see. You can critique work and get critiques about your work from others. The site also offers fun challenges for you to try to help your art grow.
If you are already used to working with Adobe Photoshop on your computer, then it makes sense to use it on your tablet. You are already used to the tools and interface so there isn’t much of a learning curve. Adobe Photoshop Sketch also lets you easily move your work from computer to tablet to phone with ease.
Digital Painting Apps for Android
Sketcher Pro is a simple digital art app. It has all the major features that you would want to make your own art including brushes, pencils, etc. It doesn’t have any of those extra bells and whistles that traditional PC apps have, but it still deserves a place on list. It is great for hobbyists or people who just need something simple. What makes it stand out though is that you can order prints of your artwork right from the app.
Clover Paint is the be all and end all of mobile digital painting apps. It has everything you could possible want on a desktop program but now it is available on a tablet. You can also use a stylus to draw right on the screen like you would on paper. This app has it all, but it also has a sharp learning curve. It is highly recommended to try the free Lite version before taking the plunge into the full version. Make use of the many tutorial available by the company and by fans of the app.
Sketchbook is already a big name in the digital art industry with its desktop program, but now you can have that powerful program on your tablet. There are two versions to choose from. The first is the free version that limits you to 10 brushes and only three layers, but it is a good start to try out the app before you purchase the pro version which has over 100 brushes and 18 layers. Both options include the ability to zoom up to 2500 percent for really detailed work.
This app is one that sits on the middle between too easy and too difficult to use. It is easy enough for kids to use to learn to draw but has enough features that expert artists will use it just as much as kids. If you are left handed, the app will adjust to make working easier for you. Like the last options, this app has a free version with limited features to try out before unlocking the full version with all the features.
For another simple choice that has all the major features with an easy interface you might enjoy LayerPaint. It has layers, different brushes, and the ability to export files with transparency that you can open in Photoshop on your desktop when you need those extra features that LayerPaint doesn’t provide. It is on this list because of the simplicity for artists that just want to work on their tablet without too much trouble and then move to a bigger program later.
Whether you are using an Android tablet or iPad, you will find a great art app that works for you. This list introduced you to all the digital painting apps you should know. Now it is up to you to try them all out and decide which one (or which ones) bring out the best in your art.
