Besides creating art and working on their skills, artists need exploration and inspiration. Not only that, a little ease of making art and new tools to try would spice up their practice. This is why we have curated a list of the best applications for artists so that they can breathe some fresh, creative energy into their lives and get motivated. After culling through many popular apps, we have selected the best apps for artists and others who are looking for new ways to embrace creativity.  

Here are the best apps for artists

1. Brushes(Free)

This mobile painting app comes with all types of digital brushes which you can use through a stylus on your iPad or tablet. It makes your gadget (mobile or tablet) like a palette and allows you to channel your favourite painting or artist whenever you feel like.

2. Adobe

Adobe is very popular and considered as one of the best apps for artists, as it offers a vast range of software:

  • Adobe Capture CC- people who love to work with real-world images can take a picture and superimpose it with art, vectors, patterns and whatnot.
  • Adobe Illustrator Draw-an illustrator software for artists who work with vectors.
  • Adobe Photoshop Mix- performs photo editing and compositing conveniently.
  • Adobe Photoshop Sketch- offers the convenience of the full range of brushes, effects, filters and more in an app form.

3. Loop(Paid)

 With the help of Loop, you can create sketches in one of three colours – black, red or blue – and perform a variety of functions, like duplicating a frame, importing media to trace over, and erasing a frame. This creates a looped animation compressed into a GIF that you can easily share on your social media.  

4. Artsy

 Pegged as " the art world in your pocket & quot; Artsy is the pandora of all kinds of art, classic or contemporary. You can explore the images, collections and playlists of art and search by artist or keywords. That way you can simply find new art and artists in a few clicks, without any charges.  

5. Procreate Pocket (Paid)

Procreate Pocket gives an innovative experience to the users with over 135 preset brushes that allow you to create masterpieces on your phone, using tools that mimic art materials. You can also swap out brushes, undo rogue marks, develop custom colour palettes, and switch between layers of canvas, and so much more.

6. Google Arts & Culture

Available for free, this app for artists comes with exclusive features- Art Selfie and Pocket Gallery, which employ technology like artificial intelligence, augmented reality and face recognition and lets you browse museum collections or take virtual tours on your phone.

Ranging from an enticing digital drawing experience to social media tailored for artists, these best apps for artists cover all aspects of art, from creating and sharing your art to discovering the work of other artists, from peers to art historical masters. Artists, whether beginners or pros, need to equip themselves with relevant tools and technology that can help them boost their skills and career, become an extension of their existing skillset. And these creative apps do just that.


Originally published  December 25, 2020