Creating digital art on a mobile device has never been easier thanks to innovative drawing apps that provide professional-level tools right on your smartphone or tablet. Whether you‘re a hobbyist wanting to sketch for fun or a serious artist needing advanced features like layers and blending modes, there‘s an app that fits your needs.
This article explores 11 of the top-rated drawing apps for Android and iOS, outlining their standout features and capabilities. We‘ll look at both free and paid options suitable for everyone from beginners to expert illustrators.
Key Features to Look for in Drawing Apps
When evaluating drawing apps, keep an eye out for these helpful capabilities:
- Layers – Allow you to work on separate elements without affecting the whole piece
- Import/export – Let you open and save files in different formats like JPG, PNG, PSD etc.
- Drawing tools – Offer things like pencils, pens, brushes, fill bucket, eraser etc.
- Undo/redo – Enable easy correction of mistakes
- Custom brushes – Let you create brushes with specific characteristics
- Blend modes – Help blend colors and textures in creative ways
- Rulers and symmetry – Assist with proportion and perspective
- Cloud saving – Enable working across multiple devices
Advanced artists may also want features like customizable canvas textures, recording timelapse videos of drawing progress, onion skinning for animation, and support for stylus pressure sensitivity.
Now let’s explore some leading options for digital artistry on both major mobile platforms.
Adobe Illustrator Draw
One of the most powerful mobile drawing apps available, Adobe Illustrator Draw provides professional-grade vector illustration tools plus integration with other Creative Cloud apps.
Standout features include:
- Vector drawing with multi-touch support
- Layers, blend modes and other advanced capabilities
- Cloud syncing between desktop and mobile apps
- Variety of customizable drawing tools like pens, pencils and paintbrushes
- Simple user interface optimized for mobile
With the ability to start Illustrator projects on mobile then open them up later for refinement on desktop, this app facilitates seamless cross-device workflows.
Illustrator Draw is free to download with an optional Creative Cloud subscription for $9.99/month. Available on both iOS and Android.
Artflow
Offering natural painting tools rivaling desktop applications, Artflow makes digital illustration feel real. The Android-exclusive app provides a blank infinite canvas plus customizable brushes with pressure, tilt and angle sensitivity for emulating real-world art materials.
Other useful features include:
- Over 100 realistic brushes with texture and blending effects
- Layers for constructing detailed scenes
- Symmetry mode, perspective guides and other drawing assists
- Record timelapses of artwork
- Import images to trace
- Export PSD files with layers intact
Artflow offers a free trial version with watermarks plus paid subscriptions from $3.99 per month. It’s currently only available on Android.
Ibis Paint
Ibis Paint aims to provide a comprehensive drawing solution accessible to hobbyists and professionals alike. The user-friendly app packs an abundance of handy tools into an interface focused on usability.
Notable features of Ibis Paint encompass:
- Over 300 brushes for varied art styles
- Multiple layer support
- Vector tools for precision outlines
- Text function with artistic fonts
- Record and export timelapse videos
- Cloud backup of all creations
- Community of artists for sharing tips and inspiration
A top pick for both beginning and experienced illustrators, Ibis Paint is free with optional subscriptions. Get it on iOS and Android.
Adobe Fresco
Adobe’s next-gen painting app brings traditional art styles like oils and watercolors into the digital realm. Made specifically for latest-generation styluses and touchscreens, Adobe Fresco mimics the behavior of real-world brushes with features like color mixing, wet edges and interactive canvas textures.
Additional capabilities include:
- Live brushes that interact with canvas
- Wide range of natural brushes, oils, watercolors etc.
- Precisely blend and smudge colors
- Layer tools for compositing work
- Great for next-gen stylus devices like Apple Pencil
Fresco helps artists expand their creative possibilities through innovative digital brushes. The app is free to start then $9.99 per month for full access as part of Creative Cloud. Available now on iOS.
Sketchbook
Offering an authentic drawing experience, Autodesk’s Sketchbook provides tons of customizable brushes, rulers, guides and other aids for illustration and conception design. Clean interface and intuitive tools make it simple to start a new project fast.
Useful design features include:
- Over 140 brush types with advanced customization
- Intuitive user interface
- Layer tools, blend modes and symmetry functions
- Perspective, prediction and guides for precise drawing
- Record timelapse videos of work in progress
Sketchbook facilitates both professional workflows and hobbyist creativity through versatile sketching tools. The app is free to download on both iOS and Android.
MediBang Paint
Providing professional-quality art tools for free, MediBang Paint makes digital painting accessible to everyone. The easy-to-grasp app packs tons of capabilities like hundreds of brushes, myriad backgrounds and pre-made comic panels – great for manga/graphic novel creation!
Other useful elements include:
- Intuitive tools for fast artwork creation
- Advanced features like rulers, correction tools and tone curves
- Huge library of free backgrounds and materials
- Built-in community for sharing creations and gathering feedback
- Cloud saving enables working across multiple devices
MediBang Paint removes cost barriers for aspiring digital painters, providing pro-level tools totally free. Download it now on iOS and Android.
Infinite Painter
Offering one of the most advanced brush engines on mobile, Infinite Painter provides a delightfully natural painting experience. The app emulates real-world art materials through detailed brush textures, color blending and great stylus support.
Some prominent features include:
- 160+ brushed with extensive customization options
- Layer support for constructing complex scenes
- Symmetry functions, perspective guides and other drawing assists
- Mimics real paper with custom textures
- Work with photo reference layers
- Export full resolution images
Infinite Painter costs $7.99 after a free trial, but provides one of the most realistic digital painting experiences on smartphones and tablets. Get this iOS and Android app for masterful mobile illustration.
Concepts
Tailored specifically for professional illustrators, Concepts focuses on technically-advanced tools for precision drawing plus great workflow enhancements. The fast 64-bit drawing engine handles complex vector designs with ease.
Notable capabilities include:
- Advanced vector drawing tools
- Infinite, zoomable canvas
- Work with ultra-large illustrations
- Customizable pens, markers and brushes
- Palettes for easily capturing and using colors
- Layer management for complex scenes
- iCloud syncing between iOS devices
Concepts delivers outstanding vector drawing tools focused on the needs of architects, engineers, illustrators and other specialists. This iOS and Android app costs $9.99.
Adobe Photoshop Sketch
Providing intuitive sketching tools tailored for touchscreens and styluses, Adobe Photoshop Sketch streamlines early concept art creation. Natural brushes, layers and blend modes help ideas flow into beautiful compositions.
Key features of this mobile drawing app include:
- Expressive drawing tools emulating pencils, pens and markers
- Familiar Photoshop features like layers, shapes and blend modes
- Work with photo layers and backgrounds
- Easy color picking from images and palettes
- Share to cloud services like Creative Cloud Libraries
- Import Sketch files into Photoshop on desktop for refinement
Helping you translate ideas into protective artwork with ease, Photoshop Sketch streamlines preliminary concept illustration. Download now on iOS and Android.
Tayasui Sketches
Providing a welcoming environment for learning digital art, Tayasui Sketches offers a cleanly-designed interface paired with versatile drawing tools suitable for many styles. Fun tutorials help beginners grasp essential techniques too.
Some notable elements of this app include:
- 100+ brush presets plus ability to import custom brushes
- Layers for constructing complex scenes
- Intuitive user interface with guided tutorials
- Draw over imported photos
- Share creations on social media
- Records timelapse videos
Tayasui Sketches removes friction from understanding digital illustration, helping artists focus creativity. This popular iOS app with a 4.8-star rating provides a free version plus paid Pro option for $8.99.
ArtRage
Simulating painting in the physical world, ArtRage offers realistic color mixing, blending and canvas textures. The classic toolkit of oils, watercolors, ink pens and more gives traditional artists a familiar but digital medium.
Notable features include:
- Realistic tools like watercolor, marker pens, oil paint etc.
- Canvas textures providing paper grain, reflections etc.
- Customizable brushes, colors and settings
- Import photos or start with empty canvas
- Intuitive interface focused on simulating physical painting
ArtRage makes digital illustration feel natural through expertly-crafted real media tools tailored to touchscreens. Available on both iOS and Android for $4.99 after a free trial.
Best Free Drawing App: Autodesk SketchBook
For artists seeking full-featured drawing tools at no cost, Autodesk’s Sketchbook delivers an abundance of advanced illustration capabilities without spending a dime. Easy to use yet extremely capable, Sketchbook provides over 140 brush types, layers, perspective guides, importing images and much more.
Plus, by logging in with an Autodesk account, you unlock additional features like cloud syncing for accessing work across multiple devices.
With sophisticated tools rivaling paid apps, excellent user reviews and completely free access, Sketchbook is a superb choice for hobbyist illustrators and aspiring pros alike.
Choosing the Best Drawing App For You
When selecting a drawing app, consider your individual needs and skill level. Beginners often benefit most from user-friendly apps focused on usability like Tayasui Sketches. Intermediate users gain great value from versatile all-rounders like Sketchbook and Ibis Paint offering lots of illustration aids. Experts require advanced tools like infinite canvas, layers, blend modes etc. found in apps like Adobe Illustrator Draw and Artflow.
Also factor in specialization – some apps excel at oil painting effects, others at conception sketching workflows or precise vector illustration. Think about your preferred art medium and tools.
Price equally plays a role. Splurging on a sophisticated app like Adobe Fresco may give professionals an edge through cutting-edge digital brushes. But many users happily create with free yet powerful options like Sketchbook or MediBang Paint. Fortunately even paid apps frequently offer free trials to test drive before committing.
The bottom line is finding an art app aligning with your creative goals, technical needs and budget. With outstanding options now spanning mobile devices, the possibilities for making digital art continue expanding. Whether doodling for fun or illustrating the next great comic book, drawing apps place creative power directly in your hands!
