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iPad/iPhone Art Production app thread

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G

Gazunta

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If you're looking to create paintings, draw comics, quickly jot down a sketch, edit photos or invent the latest hilarious GAF meme, chances are that the tool you need is
appStore.gif


Here's a few of my favourite apps to start, and if anyone else feels like adding their favourite apps into the thread it'd be greatly appreciated. All of these apps are available on both iPad and iPhone, but I found using the iPhone for image creation was almost useless.

Sketchbook Pro

sketchbook-pro-ipad-application.jpg


Based on Autodesk's PC painting program, Sketchbook Pro is the high standard of iOS art creation programs. It's a complex beast to master, but I found it worth the effort. Among its features are a plethora of brushes to select from, very friendly layer transform tools, quick access to opacity and brush size changes and the ability to export directly to Flickr, Facebook or as a proper .PSD with layers intact. I've made a few comics with it, and really love creating soft backgrounds with its soft brushes set to low opacity.

Edit 8 May 2011: This app has recently received an update with some UI improvements, the ability to edit larger resolution images on the ipad 2, some more user preference customizations and, awesomely, the ability to connect to your Dropbox account for saving / loading. Yeah, I would be pretty happy with if I could only have one art app on my iPad.

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/pc/item?siteID=123112&id=13872203&preview=1
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sketchbook-pro/id364253478?mt=8

Brushes

iPhone.png
iPad.png


Brushes has gained fame for being very easy to use, (and used for New Yorker covers)with a very uncomplicated user interface that allows you to get drawing something decent within minutes. However, this simplicity comes at a cost to depth, and after a week or two I found myself wanting more options to play with. Ironically, it's the simple set of brushes in this app that made me prefer Autodesk's offering over time. Brushes features a very cool 'playback' feature that lets you watch your drawings being made from scratch in a time lapse video style. You can also export these playbacks using a free Mac app. Unfortunately there's no PC program - I really wish you could export the playbacks from the app itself. I did a comic or two with Brushes, but probably won't again now I know my way around Sketchbook Pro.

http://www.brushesapp.com/
http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/steve-sprang/id288230267

Art Studio (iPad only)

Thanks to Sh0k for introducing this to me. Art Studio is a very versatile production app that features what is, to me at least, the best user interface among the ones I've tried. One of the things I like most about it is that you have the ability to change between no UI, minimal UI and a slightly more obtrusive UI that allows me to switch gears a lot easier than in other apps. (note: I think[/] Sketchbook Pro's new UI changes allow for this too, I have yet to really use it.) To be honest since I've been introduced to this it's become my default art production app - the multiple layers, robust handling of multiple image formats including PSD and the fact I actually LIKE having a bit of screen real estate devoted to the UI has made it a good Photoshop substitute in my eyes.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/artstudio-for-ipad-draw-paint/id364017607?mt=8#

Photoshop Express

iphone.jpg
ipad.jpg


Unlike the desktop version of Photoshop, Express doesn't allow you to draw directly onto your imported image. This is strictly for post effects, fancy borders, etc. Simple tools like crop, rotate, and saturation / tint / contrast adjustments allow for quick edits with fine control. Post effects available are Sketch, Soft Focus and Sharpen which work as basic versions of the desktop version. And if you're a ten year old girl
or overgrown manchild
you can add fancy borders and rainbows to your image. While it doesn't replace the need for a 'real' Photoshop, it's a very quick, clean and user friendly way to do quick edits on the move. And it's free, so yay.

http://mobile.photoshop.com/
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=331975235&mt=8

Adobe Ideas

30344.jpg


This isn't really an art production application - more of a 'quick napkin sketch' kit. Simple tools for pen, erase, rotate and move are pretty much all you have to work with before you email the image out. If that sounds like a complaint - it's not. It's just not meant for that kind of hardcore image creation, at least to me. Some people have managed to make some pretty impressive things with it, but the UI takes up way too much space for me to use it beyond the basics of getting something out really quickly. And to its credit, Ideas is the fastest way of drawing I've seen on the system. The app is free, and they've just added layers support as a paid upgrade, and promise more in the future, so watch this space.

http://blogs.adobe.com/adobeideas/
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/adobe-ideas/id364617858?mt=8

Styluses (Stylii?)

This isn't an app, but I would be remiss to not talk about what is basically a necessity to create digital art for the iPad. The main player in this market is the Ten One Design Pogo Stylus.

21K8sPWrIZL._SL500_AA300_.jpg


I bought one a few weeks back and like it. Just for reference, I do most of my drawing with a Wacom pen, so the biggest differences between using them and a Pogo is that there's no pressure sensitivity on the iPad, so opacity / line thickness has to be controlled by menus, and I'm so used to just turning the pen around to go into erase mode, which obviously the iPad doesn't support either. I also noticed that it takes a bit to get used to how hard you have to press the stylus onto the screen. There are apparently a ton of other types of stylus on the market, offering a smoother feel and smaller point of contact with the screen, and I plan to try them out over the next few months.

So, what say you, GAF? I really want to use my iPad more to draw on. I love my Wacom to bits, but hate having to be tied to a desktop to use it or balance it and my hot netbook with a tiny screen on my lap. So if you know of a good art production app, please do share!

(Apologies to Fusebox, whose iPad/iPhone Music Production app thread I shamelessly stole formatting and intro text from)
 
I bought brushes a few weeks ago and it didn't occur to me beforehand that drawing something competent with your fingers is almost impossible. I'll be eying that stylus, looks pretty nifty.
 
I gotta say my Pogo stylus is weird. You need a lot more pressure than I thought you would to make it work correctly. I guess once you get use to how it works it becomes a lot better.
 
I liked this aspect of the iPad when I first got it. Unfortunately I fucking suck at drawing, and no fancy apps or styli will fix that. Oh well.
 
Wow, Sh0k, thanks for the recommendation of ArtStudio. I've been playing with it over my lunch break
instead of actually, you know, making a comic damnit
and the features are astounding. I'll explore it more and update the OP tonight or tomorrow!
 
I got ArtStudio back when the iPad came out. It started out pretty good. But they steadily added a ton of features and now its really robust. I usually import a picture into it and draw over it. The zoom features are perfect for getting those accurate strokes. Plus the layers are really well done. Theres even a feature that teaches you how to draw. I have a non artist friend who picks up the iPad when she's drunk and makes the funniest pictures.
 
thanks for this thread!

would you recommend getting an ipad for using as a sketchbook? im thinking of just doing some standard stuff like maybe t-shirts or logo designs.

im concerned about ipad being a multi touch surface (i saw one guy wearing a glove?), also is the screen sensitive to touch ie how hard u press? I've never used a tablet before so does this affect how one draws and what is it like on other tablets?
 
It's really sensitive with any skin contact (or anything capacitive) which is why one would wear a glove. If you can draw with your hand off the surface you'd be ok too.

The main issue is that, at least with styluses, they all have some fat or otherwise awkward tip. I'm somewhat used to it, but I could see it as a major sticking point, it just depends on the individual. I'm hoping the next iPad addresses this somehow cause it'd be a huge deal (along with better hardware specs).

So going to your original question, yeah it works fine as a sketchbook, with the caveat of whether you can get used to the input. It'd be a massively overpriced sketchbook of course, but it'll work.
 
thanks - so what type of tablets do people in the graphics industry normally use?

would i be better off buying some other type of tablet?

i think the ipad price is decent and the other thing is other tablets i could see as being pretty heavy.
 
so i did some searching around - the 12" wacom tablets are about $1500 (in Aussie dollars), double the ipad price, so I think ipad is probably the way to go despite some shortcomings :)
 
Popstar said:
I was thinking of ordering a Stylus Sock. Anyone tried one?
Click to expand...
what the -- lol

drawing apps. I have sketchbook pro, inspire pro, and art studio.The other apps have customizable brushes, but overall I still prefer sketchbook pro.

for stylus: I have Dagi, Targus, and griffin. Dagi is junk. Targus and Griffin might be alike, but its the tip of the pen that differentiates them. Griffin has more firmer tip so u don't have to press real hard on the pen.
 
It looks like (if you do it right) you end up with a flexible tip that'll just flatten out once you put the tip down, whatever the angle.
 
Witchfinder General said:
Blegh. Another slide down the scale of mediocrity. Yeah, this is a great way to teach a generation of kids how to draw. Sigh.
Click to expand...

Who's teaching kids to draw with these apps? Wow.
 
japtor said:
It looks like (if you do it right) you end up with a flexible tip that'll just flatten out once you put the tip down, whatever the angle.
Click to expand...
just spent 2hrs trying to create one. fail.
 
I just released an art inspiration app called Art Bomb!

It's a drawing toy with a retro video game styled interface that allows you to blow up your drawings to generate new ideas. It definitely isn't for finished works, but is used more as a scratch pad to brainstorm.

art-bomb-screenshot-side-by-side.png


You can check out a video of it in action here.

iTunes link
iPad version iTunes link

I've got a few promo codes I can give out, PM me if you're interested.
 
I don't know why, but I have many of the art related apps, yet I don't often draw. I think it was always because I thought I wanted to.

I have:

Sketchbook pro
Brushes
artStudio
Inspire pro
Procreate
adobe ideas
Photoshop express
Ink pad
Photo forge


At the moment, I like sketchbook and brushes. I deleted art studio and inspire pro. Procreate has a nice interface, but it's a bit abstract and have to push buttons to figure out what they do.
 
Yeah the Wacom one looks like...any other capacitive one. I saw someone mention that it looked like the "second gen Acase" one on Amazon, and that seems like a step back going by some of the reviews.
 
yeah I have it.

One of the main reason I bought was for the brush which has good customization, but I just went back to Sketchbook Pro. Especially with the recent update. its the best imo (more brush customization, 6+ layers, new palette shortcut)
 
I love Adobe Ideas. It's lightweight and with the addition of layers becomes a great little app. Great vector rendering and all for free...or .99 for layers enhanced version.

5695223259_02ac744649_z.jpg
5695223293_b7613c9747_z.jpg
 
For people looking for stylus
giga said:
12 touchscreen stylus roundup: http://www.macworld.com/article/156560/2011/05/touchscreen_stylus_roundup.html

Each of these styluses has its pluses and minuses, but for specific uses, some stand above the rest. I found the Wacom Bamboo Stylus to be my favorite writing/drawing hybrid, while for all-around usage (writing, drawing, and navigation), the Kuel H10 excels. The AluPen was my favorite for focused sketching, while the Virtuoso Touch Stylus & Pen was the best touchscreen-writing tool. Finally, the NomadBrush, while not at the top of my list for all-purpose sketching, still merits a mention for the most interesting implementation of a touch-sensitive stylus I've seen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fk7c_tdxvp8
Click to expand...
 
I got Procreate a while back when it was free and I really enjoy it. Probably not as good as Sketchbook but the UI is pretty intuitive.

I also use a rooCase stylus that I got off Amazon- $10 and probably the best for the price.
 
I made this throwaway piece of garbage Deviantart would be ashamed of in Brushes on my iPad. It's the only thing I've used the app for apart from the AusGAF 2.0 20,000 post banner. I am not talented, but I'm an incessant doodler.

2vsor5g.jpg


Same file, just I've turned off different layers. Man it's a great app.

EDIT: Oh, and I doodle stuff on the iPhone Brushes app all the time. It's mostly pictures of boobs.
 
not art exactly, but i'm using the app zen brush to practice writing kanji. it's a simple ink brush painting universal app.

2dkfs6e.jpg


i'm using a stylus that looks identical to the griffin one a bunch of people are mentioning - you can see where it falls down for small strokes, but otherwise it's a pretty nice experience. the slower your stroke, the thicker the ink.
 
Ugh, all these great apps makes it so hard for me to NOT get an iPad despite the fact I seriously despise iTunes or at least it's bloated incarnation.

Fuckin A.
 
bathala said:
yeah I have it.

One of the main reason I bought was for the brush which has good customization, but I just went back to Sketchbook Pro. Especially with the recent update. its the best imo (more brush customization, 6+ layers, new palette shortcut)
Click to expand...
And the update gave it the option for a higher resolution canvas finally.
Woz said:
Bow about the cosmonaut?

http://studioneat.com/cosmo/
Click to expand...
Heh, in the actual use part of the video you can see a chromed ring next to the tip, it looks like for the mockup they may have just made a shell around a Boxwave style stylus.
Angelus Errare said:
Ugh, all these great apps makes it so hard for me to NOT get an iPad despite the fact I seriously despise iTunes or at least it's bloated incarnation.

Fuckin A.
Click to expand...
Get it activated in store, never use iTunes.

...although then you'll have no backups, or able able to update the OS (at least until they implement computerless updating).
 
japtor said:
And the update gave it the option for a higher resolution canvas finally.

Heh, in the actual use part of the video you can see a chromed ring next to the tip, it looks like for the mockup they may have just made a shell around a Boxwave style stylus.

Get it activated in store, never use iTunes.

...although then you'll have no backups, or able able to update the OS (at least until they implement computerless updating).
Click to expand...

Yeah see that second part is just so archaic and....dumb. I mean Apple does realize that we have the internet right? Ugh. Depressing.
 
Despite having the artistic talents of a beached squid, I'm really tempted to pick up 'Brushes'.

Witchfinder General said:
Blegh. Another slide down the scale of mediocrity. Yeah, this is a great way to teach a generation of kids how to draw. Sigh.
Click to expand...
I don't see the problem at all, it's just a different medium. That New Yorker cover looks great.
 
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