Pixelmator
Best drawing programs and apps for digital painting
List of the best apps
1.Pixelmator
Paid: $29.99Pixelmator is a tool wherein you can touch up photos or create your digital artworks from scratch using its wide range of tools, brushes, and effects. This is a great iPad alternative to Photoshop.
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I'm a photo editor and digital painter from way back and wanted to find an app I could use on my iPad. Pixelmator has turned out to be a pretty good choice for my needs. I really like the way it easily opens my images through iCloud. Working with the layering and masking tools is fairly intuitive. There are some limitations when the size of the image gets to be too big for the iPad to handle, but for those bigger projects, I would prefer to use my laptop anyway.
Moreby Daniel Dean
I need a software to temporarily work in an old Mac which I borrowed after my previous laptop brokedown. I must say Pixelmator is among the very few drawing programs to work in that laptop smoothly compared to newer software during that time. I survived my projects becayse of this. More
by Jose Douglas
This is a very good concept, but lacks certain features. I really enjoyed touching up my pictures; however, when I went to add a text box to my pictures, the app doesn't allow for it. But with that being said, it does an amazing job touching up pictures More
by Steven Bell
If you are looking for an app to draw with this seems like a great option. Or at the very least it is worth checking out.
by Scott Richards
Drawing on the computer is hard for me - I use a mouse, and I don't have a tablet or anything of that sort. Pixelmator happened to be a perfect solution to my issues, just downloaded it on my ipad and I was ready to go! More
2.Procreate
Paid: $9.99 with in-app purchasesProcreate is a professional drawing app designed for mobile devices. Its wide range of brushes and tools, advanced layering system and finishing effects ensures a natural and fluid painting experience.
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by Teresa Murray
Whoa there, I must say this one is a good steal for every professional digital artist. I swear, the resolution is very high definition that you could really differentiate the hues in an artwork. It also features dual-texture brushes which makes it even more unique and the best part is it autosaves your work so you'll never get to re-do everything from the top again. I am trying time-lapse feature this weekend.
Moreby Rachel Crawford
I just love the versatility of this app when it comes to making my digital drawings. Being an app, this made my work a lot mroe portable and quick.
by Jessica Sandoval
Great digital drawing app. Easy to use and the graphics turn out beautifully.
by Yu Qiao
I really like using this app. It's very easy to choose what brush strokes you want to use, and the color swatches are easy to choose from as well. The app feels fast and responsive when I'm drawing. More
by Randy Hanson
Procreate has changed the way I work with digital media, and made it a lot simpler than what I'm used to with photoshop. It still has everything I love from prior experiences in digital media! More
3.Inkscape
Free downloadInkscape is an illustration tool for users who needs to draw or create vectorial images. With its drawing tools and file format compatibilities, it can give help to users to create texts and bezier and spiro curves.
- Website:https://inkscape.org/release/0.92.4/gnulinux/
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by Jason Martinez
While I agree with the other comment that it doesn't provide much tool for animation, I like the freehand feature and the calligraphy tool that comes with it. Also, it supports PNG file which is very useful for tarpaulin prints. I own a tarpaulin-printing shop so this is a good software for me.
Moreby Sai Chavan
Inkscape for me is the best free drawing software. I'm a marketing student and I use this all the time to create my deck themes. It's so easy to use IMO. More
by Frank May
Free and open source, so always updating and improving. Inkscape can do illustrations, vector graphics, charts, logos, paintings and more. Free and runs on almost every operating system imaginable. More
by Dylan Nichols
If you need a digital app to help you draw this is an option that you should look into. At the very least it looks decent enough to work for most people. More
by Wayne Nichols
I sometimes have a need to use basic vector graphics for flyers and website illustrations, and Inkscape fits the bill. While it does not directly do animation, which I also need on an occasional basis, it is easy to install plug-ins or export graphics to other programs to animate them. More
4.MyPaint
Free download- Website:Not Available
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by Thomas Hughes
This is a great piece of software if you are a digital artist or just interested in the topic as a hobby. Not only is it free and open source, but it has features that are usually available on products that cost in the triple digits. The documentation is very clear and easy to understand to get yourself started painting right away. I really cannot say enough good things about MyPaint. It is a great solution for any of your digital painting needs. You have to give it a shot yourself and its free, so you really have nothing to lose. More
by Joyce Andrews
MyPaint is a pretty decent free drawing software for my sketches which I transfer later on to PS.
by William Bishop
Fun app and program to play around with. I like the features it has for drawing and painting.
by Russell Ruiz
easy to use software and it is also very useful for artists
by Raymond Olson
I am a wacom tablet user and I think this works well for me. The interface is very minimalist when you are on full screen mode because you will be left with only your drawing tool. I love that charcoal-like brush and tools are also available in this app.
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5.SketchBook
Free downloadSketchbook, also known as Autodesk SketchBook is a drawing and sketching mobile app offering numerous useful tools for a realistic drawing experience. Its full set of features have been made available for free with the last update.
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by Alexander Peters
As an architecture student in a university, this Autodesk Sketchbook made creating on-the-go visual art on my tablet easier than ever. It was filled with art supplies that gave me total control of how I could draw without having to get out a physical sketchbook. I especially liked the ability to scan in my sketches using my devices such as my camera.
Moreby Jack Wells
A friend wanted to start getting into digital painting and I did some research and found Autodesk Sketchbook. After I suggested this to him, he said it was an easy transition from paper to digital. More
by Wayne Richards
Works great for my needs, it's got a good selection of brushes and tools. Being able to use it on my phone is also useful sometimes.
by Esteban Contreras
What an amazing program. This transformed my paper doodles into digital drawings in the time it takes to snap a finger!
by Larry Harrison
Turns all my sketches into digital copies almost instantly! Sketching has never been so easy.
6.Krita
Free download- Website:https://krita.org/
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Category:Graphic & Design
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by Amit Patel
Krita is free and open source, so it is constantly being updated and improved by members of the community. I must say it has a genuinely unbelievable amount of features for absolutely no charge - brush stabilizers, customized brushes and more. An essential for digital artists.
Moreby John Bates
Krita is a good application for basic digital editing or painting, but it is not intended to be a replacement for photoshop. Most photoshop programs will have more features than Krita. More
by Paul Harrison
I was happily surprised to find a full-featured program that is focused on creating art, rather than editing photos. The new addition of frame-by-frame animation is a major plus. I plan to use Krita extensively on my websites. More
7.Animation Desk
with in-app purchases- Website:http://www.kdanmobile.com/en/animation-desk
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Category:Art & Design
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by Chiao Shan Lo null
Animation Desk is my first choice. I like its high-quality brushes and colored onion skinning features. They are very helpful for my painting.
8.Artweaver
Paid: $39.17 Varies by plan- Website:https://www.artweaver.de/en
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by Jeffrey Hamilton
I got bored with MS Paint and I Wanted something thats a bit more in depth. I did and I researched Artweaver. Using your own creativity and imagination, this tool helps turn your mind into your canvas. It claims to be a full-packed painting tool and i think its core strength is their set of realistic pre-defined brushes.
Moreby Marilyn Collins
This program is very enjoyable. I am not the best painter, however, this program makes me feel like I can paint beautiful pictures.
by Linda Robinson
Artweaver is an okay digital program, but it lacks a lot of options that other apps do have.
by Scott Kim
Oh this looks really cool! I'm going to download this and try it. Even has realistic brushes to paint with.
by Kelly Diaz
I tried out Artweaver to draw and it doesn't work well. The controls are super janky.
9.Gimp
Free downloadGIMP or GNU Image Manipulation Program is an illustrative digital freeware which serves as a photo-retouching program, image compositor, and image authoring. This program was created in 1996.
- Website:https://www.gimp.org
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by Mildred Cole
I've tried quite a few different programs for my digital painting and drawing. All of the free programs I have tried are missing key elements and the paid for programs are so pricey. Finally I found exactly what I was looking for in Gimp. This program has everything I need to create amazing works of art. Best part, the interface is customizable, and it's free. But i dont think this app specializzes in painting. More
by Olivia Little
I have been using GIMP for years and I love it. It can be hard to navigate at first but it's easy to get used to. I love items that are free but let you do so much, and this is one of those. More
by Albert Munoz
A great alternative to Photoshop, Gimp is easy to use and fun to explore. Takes a little while to get use to, but once you do the possibilities are endless. More
by Justin Hopkins
GIMP has a lot of the same functionalities of Photoshop. It's a great free program for digital drawing and painting. It is simple to download and use, and has tools for basic to advanced use. More
10.Pixia
Free downloadPixia is the English version of a famous Japanese free painting and retouch software for full-color graphic, with masks and layer functions. This program also allows users to customize their own brush tips for desired effects.
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by Will Gu
This program is pretty good for free software, but there is a lot that it isn't capable of. I reminds me of drawing on the computer in the late 90's. If you're looking for an older look I'd recommend it. It's sort of like a cross between earlier versions of Photoshop and Microsoft Paint. It has basic gradient mixing tools, textures, and transparecny adjustments. Good for newbies.
Moreby Louis Patterson
Pretty good program with plenty of features. Its not the best out there but it does the job well.
by Craig Wilson
This is a very interesting choice and not what I thought it would be but still overall good choice. Better than expected.
11.CorelDRAW
Paid: $669 Free trial availableCorelDRAW is an illustration tool compatible to both Windows and Mac computers that helps users in designing either for print or web. The software also enables users to edit photos, layout multi-page designs, and more.
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by Kathleen Reed
Well, I am never into paid applications or software, however for tools that involve my passion and my work (I am a vector illustrator in an advertising agency), I am more than willing to pay for the cost. For the price of $499, you can never go wrong as it goes with different tools like RAW photo editor, CorelDRAW vector illustrator (my fave), and high quality clip iamges.
Moreby Melissa Cook
I'm really into drawing animes so after trying out several digital art programs out there, I settled to Corel draw for my drawings and cartooning. It's just so easy to navigate, user friendly and intuitive yet I can product really good quality drawings here. More
by Austin Guerrero
Most people just think that the only company selling creative programs is Adobe but those of us that have been around for long enough remember Corel, and Corel Draw is as good as ever. Don't take my word for it, download the free trial and try it out for yourself, I did and was impressed with how good Graphics Suite 2017 is. More
by Benjamín Barragán
Corel Draw has helped me make a new start into the world of digital painting. As a novice, its easy to use and I'm not feeling overwhelmed by everything that is in the other programs out there. More
by Amanda Hart
I don't really think of this as a digital painting app. It's more just for drawing and sketches. There are much more feature rich apps out there for painting. I'll skip this one and keep looking. More
12.Painter
Paid: $429Painter is a complete solution for professional graphics designers and artists looking for realistic results. This software offers a wide range of progressive drawing tools, natural brushes, making it a great complement to Adobe Photoshop.
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by Philip Walters
I've always wanted to get into digital art, but honestly had no way of being able to do it. All the programs I had used were hard to figure out and you had to pay for the software and the add ons. I found Painter 2017, and used it and within a week I was HOOKED! I enjoy the program because it offers so much more than just the standard, there are added add ons already and for the cost, it's so worth it! More
by Kyle Murray
I have a convertible laptop which I use more as a tablet than a laptop. No wonder, because I draw my digital painting designs on the go. Painter makes it easy for me to do drawings on my tablet so I really prefeer using this. More
by Marilyn Rivera
They have the latest version of tthe software on their website. This app is not free (that is the sad part) however I got what I paid for. I aam slowly transitioning from traditional art to digital ones and this software really helps me cope. As an ilustrator, I need to keep up with the trends in photography, graphics design, and painting, and I always get them through this. Thanks devs!
Moreby Shaurya Verma
If you are looking for an app that has a wide range of capabilities, it looks like this would fit your needs. The things people are doing with Painter 2017 are jaw dropping! Definitely check it out. More
by Joseph Richardson
This looks like a great product for amazing digital art however its very expensive, anyone I know would not be able to afford such a expensive product, a lot of america these days is poor. More
by Samuel Washington
Painter 2017 is just amazing! The possibilities are endless! Painting on a computer? I never imagined this was even possible, awesome!
13.Clip Studio Paint
with in-app purchases- Website:Not Available
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by José Angel Herrera
Decent program at $90 but if you don't get it at that nice sale price then its definitely not worth $300. There are a ton of free programs and less legitimate means of getting a program you need to accomplish your goals without plunking down the price of a console for software. However, they offer a software that allows user to paint using natural watercolors. If you wanna try it out, it has the same price. More
by Ye Wu
Clip Studio Paint was very engaging and helped me to draw.
by Chirag Mehra
I wasn't particularly impressed with the features here. I don't really see much improvement over the tools I was already using. Looks sleek, though.
14.Leonardo
Paid: $79Leonardo is a useful tool specially designed for those who love to paint! It's an easy-to-use application that lets you paint lines, shapes, and much more!
- Website:https://www.getleonardo.com/
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by Henning Tegen
Leonardo is a new drawing program for Windows that works exceptionally well on the Surface and similar PC tablets. It has an infinite canvas, it's super fast, have great line tools, brushes and layers. More
by Carl Hasselskog
Leonardo works amazing on my Surface! It's so fast and I love the infinite canvas! I like that it also has some tutorials readily available on the website if you are a beginner like me. However, i am taking forever to learn the perspective tool. Ugh, smebody teach me pls hehe
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15.Photoshop CS6
Paid: $29.99 Varies by planPhotoshop CS6, added new creative design tools and provided a redesigned interface with a focus on enhanced performance. This program is compatible with a computer, laptop, smartphone, and tablet devices.
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by William McDonald
Photoshop is expensive, but it's one of the best program out there, well, at least for photo manipulation and post-processing and adding textures and layers to your photos. I havent tried it on working on my digital paintings tho, I nthink i will need a vector illustrator software for those. The improvements to the magic fill tools are amazing. It does most of the work for you! It takes a while to learn but once you get the hang of it you can do a lot of really amazing things.
Moreby Chan Jiang
this is a great software to have and it is also easy to use
by Henry Duncan
Photoshop is a great program for drawing. You can transfer different things on your pictures and even erase things off. Very fun program.
by Jason Stephens