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Table of Contents
Best Apps For Illustration
- The Best Drawing and Painting App for Android: ibis Paint X
If you are looking for an application on Android phone that allows you to create digital paintings, ibis Paint X is the place to start.
Featuring stroke stabilization, rulers, and clipping masks, this is a superb tool for artists keen on illustration.
Ibis Paint X features over 300 brushes along with unlimited layers, each with individual parameters. When you’re done, you can share your creations from this Android painting app online with other users.
Two premium options are available: remove ads and a Prime membership. Membership adds advanced features such as new fonts and filters, so it’s worth considering. You should also check out the ibis Paint X YouTube channel for tutorial videos.
Download: ibis Paint X (Free, in-app purchases available)
- Adobe Illustrator Draw
Well-known creative productivity software developer Adobe offers a free sketching app called Adobe Illustrator Draw. This portable version of the popular vector graphics application provides a simple interface, intuitive gesture mechanics, and comprehensive feature list.
With easy-to-use brush tools for vector art-based illustration, resulting images are crisp and clear. For flexible productivity, you can seamlessly transfer sketches or finished products into the main Adobe Illustrator to continue working. From layering to sketching to painting, this Android drawing app has it all.
Download: Adobe Illustrator Draw (Free)
- ArtFlow
With everything ArtFlow has to offer, you won’t believe it’s free. Packing multiple brushes and in-app features available at the click of an icon, Artflow is one of the best Android sketch apps. Use it to just play around, or create serious art.
The free option only allows you to save art as either a JPEG or PNG. The Pro version, however, allow PSD format exports, so you can continue working on your desktop.
Download: ArtFlow (Free, premium version available)
- MediBang Paint
Want to learn how to make digital art on your phone? MediBang Paint is one of the best drawing apps for Android, with a UI that feels familiar thanks to similarity to the Adobe suite.
Because this app is both free and feature-packed, you’ll find plenty of online resources to help you start.
Download: MediBang Paint (Free, in-app purchase available)
- Infinite Painter
Infinite Painter is an instant fan favorite. It’s so simple: all you see by default is a handful of tools (brush, smudge, brush size, color, and brush opacity).
All additional tools are one button away, and Infinite Painter makes great use of that single button. It’s minimal, but packs enough features in its free version to create truly impressive, professional work.
That’s why Infinite Painter is one of the best Android drawing apps.
Drawing apps
You can draw in Photoshop, but it wasn’t created with illustration or comics in mind. It takes time and effort to customize the pen and brush tools, and features like pen pressure are turned off by default. However, if you are looking for a highly-customizable program, Photoshop CC will work well for you. An update in 2017 added a stabilization function to the pen and brush settings.
Since it was initially software for photo processing, it is quite good at adjusting colors. It also supports CMYK, the go-to format used for printed works. Since Paint Tool SAI does not support CMYK, the two software are often used together.
Photoshop CC is suited for intermediate users, so we recommend it if you know what you want to create and are happy to customize your software. Another similar software, Photoshop Elements, has limited functions but can draw digital illustrations without any problems and costs less than US$100.
Developer: Adobe Systems Co., Ltd.
Support: For some issues, the Adobe support team can be contacted via their official contact form or a chat feature. Although the official website has a community forum for asking and answering questions, these topics are mainly related to design and photo processing. There is not much information on illustration and comics.
There are also many books and online websites that introduce Adobe Photoshop, but again, there is little information specializing in illustration and comics.
Trial version:
Download the full-feature seven-day trial version from the Free Trial Download page.
Note: To use all the features, you must obtain an Adobe ID and register for the trial version.
How to purchase:
You can buy Photoshop CC from the official website and other digital software purchasing sites.
Price:
Creative Cloud Photography Plan: $9.99/month
Photoshop CC is a monthly subscription service.
When purchasing from the official website, Adobe accepts payments through credit card, PayPal, and wire transfer. You can pay with cash if you load it onto a prepaid debit card, available separately from many retailers.
Conclusion
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