Self-isolation is getting more and more boring, so I pass the days for childhood hobbies. The recent interest in origami has led to the idea of drawing. But I'm new to this business, so I can't do without help. As usual, I searched for it in mobile applications. Here are the best drawing apps to help you upgrade your skills. Of course, you shouldn't expect that you will magically learn how to paint in just a day or a week. Art takes time..
How to Draw
Don't immediately rush to paint sophisticated landscapes and portraits. Start with something easier, like the simplest drawings. This application has all the basic nature: food, animals, birds, clothes, etc., it appears right on the home screen as soon as you open the application. Just choose what you want to portray.
Then you can draw element by element, switching with arrows. There is also a built-in set of tools, although I advise you to work with paints and pencils on paper rather than sliding your fingers across the screen. Favorite works can be marked and added to a separate folder..
There is a banner ad at the bottom of the screen. Currently, it cannot be removed even for money, but advertising does not interfere with slowly drawing your sketch, and I am sure that children will also be more interested in pictures of Pokemon and Ben 10 characters.
Available for Android / iPhone ..
Sketch AR
A completely unique application that teaches you how to draw using augmented reality and machine learning. The virtual drawing is projected onto any surface - an album or a wall - and can be copied step by step.
Naturally, the paper may accidentally move and you will most likely want to take a new sheet of paper to start over. But don't worry: using the four calibration marks, the app will re-arrange the drawing according to the movement, so the result will not be affected. Plus, Sketch AR can be reconfigured if you're left-handed.
The content is divided into courses - for beginners, portraits and lessons (animals, birds, objects). True, only a small part is available free of charge. All courses can be opened for $ 5.5 per month. But if you want to make full use of all the functionality of the application, purchase an annual subscription for $ 22 for a special "quarantine" promotion.
Available for Android / iPhone .
Drawing Painting
Over the past few years, I've tested over a thousand applications for a variety of tasks to share on this blog. And now there is always an application with a not very good interface, but with wonderful content that you cannot miss it in any way. Drawing and Painting is one of those.
There are whole deposits of excellent instructions and a sea of information for artists, from beginners to professionals: videos, pictures, articles, even a built-in music player , so that nothing distracts from work. There are lessons in pencil and oil drawing, anime and graffiti. There is even a section with biographies of famous artists and articles on the history of painting.
All in all, a great app. But, as already mentioned, the interface does not shine, and moreover, advertisements pop up every now and then. There are no subscriptions or paid versions, so you have to scroll through it or carefully ignore it.
Available for Android .
Sketch a Day
No instruction will be helpful if you don't practice it every day. Therefore, it is very important to paint every day and make it a habit. This application will inspire you to draw by suggesting a new task every day. It is shown on the main screen, and next to it - the work of users. You can become part of a community with over 20,000 registered users. In the community, you can get advice from colleagues or give it yourself.
But everything is not limited to daily practice. You can learn in Sketch a Day, there is a special educational section for this. You can upgrade new techniques, get advice, learn from the experience of other artists. Articles in the section come across different, from "Introduction to the theory of color" to quite detailed ones like "The terminology of references in the visual arts."
There is a minimum of advertising here, you can remove it for $ 2.5. Although I advise you to buy a Gold subscription for $ 5.5. it has the ability to chat with participants.
Available for Android / iPhone .
ShadowDraw
Drawing with this app is a breeze if you have an iPad Pro and Apple Pencil. ShadowDraw is specially designed to work with this stylus and uses the interactive copying method. Launch the application, choose the lesson you like and they will show you step by step exactly what movements your hand should perform.
In the latest version, the lessons were divided into levels of difficulty. The images themselves are by artists working with brands like DC Comics, Marvel, Disney and. etc. Each next drawing will open only after you complete the previous one.
The app is free, but the iPad and Apple Pencil, if you don't have one, will cost a pretty penny. But if it comes to buying, then believe me - learn to draw instantly.
Available for iPad only .
Adobe Sketch / Fresco
If you've worked with Photoshop, Sketch is the mobile version of this professional graphics editor. Here you can overlay images in multiple layers . There are 24 brushes with the ability to customize hue, size, opacity and much more.
If that's not enough, brushes can be imported directly from Photoshop. In addition, there are many canvas sizes: landscapes, portraits, and web illustrations. There are also canvases for printing very large formats with a resolution of up to 8K.
Users who are already using other Adobe products can submit their designs directly to Photoshop or Illustrator. That is, you are unlimited by one application. Please note that the mobile application is free, while for the desktop you will have to buy a license.
Effective July 19, 2021, Adobe Photoshop Sketch will no longer be available for download on Google Play and the Apple App Store. If you already have this app installed, you can continue using it until January 10, 2022. Try Adobe Fresco for free (available on iOS only). Adobe.com .
Youtube
YouTube is a great way to learn anything. Any video can be slowed down or paused, and the amount of content is truly endless. The channel RapidFireArt very simple tutorials for those who are just starting out. Alternatively, check out Schaefer's Beginner Artist Playlist .
For those interested in landscapes, the best place to start is BABAs art . Another option is Circle Line Art School , where new lessons are posted every week, mainly in architecture design and perspective. Well, I'm also a huge fan of hyper-realistic paintings, which are now everywhere in trend. On this topic, you can contact the channel Art By Ali Haider's .