3 Free Doodling Apps for iPad - Unleash Your Creativity
The iPad as a Digital Sketchpad: Exploring Free Doodling Apps
Similar to the experience offered by e-reader applications such as Kindle for iPad and Apple’s iBooks, the iPad functions as a nearly ideal platform for digital artwork and casual sketching. Even individuals without formal artistic training can find practical benefits in downloading one of the several complimentary doodling software applications available for the iPad.
I have investigated a selection of these apps, evaluating them based on their user-friendliness, the features they provide, and the quality – specifically the smoothness – of their brushes and associated tools.
Draw For iPad [iTunes link]
Draw is straightforward in its design and functionality, and stands out as one of the most effective free doodling applications I tested. A uniquely beneficial feature of Draw is the inclusion of undo and redo buttons directly within its menu bar.
My examination of both free and paid sketching apps for the iPad revealed that many lack these essential editing functions. Without them, correcting a mistake often necessitates clearing the entire canvas and beginning anew.
Beyond its core drawing capabilities, Draw incorporates simple game templates, including Tic-tac-toe, an ABC word game, and a dot-connecting activity.
The drawing functionality itself features nine distinct color pencils, with smooth line brushes and readily accessible pencils maintained in the menu bar.
Draw allows you to save your creations to the Saved Images folder within the iPad’s Photo app. Sketches can also be shared via email, Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth. Notably, the app also enables direct posting of sketches to your Twitter account.
While the stroke size of the pencils cannot be adjusted and vector art capabilities are absent, Draw effectively fulfills its purpose as a simple, free sketchpad.
Draw it! FREE [iTunes link]
For users seeking an application as uncomplicated and direct as Draw, Draw It presents a viable option. It lacks some of the advanced features found in Draw, but it does allow for customization of brush size and color.
The app also permits changing the background color or incorporating a photograph from your Photos library.
Draw it offers export options including email and saving sketches to your Saved Images folder. Unfortunately, it lacks an undo button. The advertised “shake to erase” function proved unreliable during testing. Shaking the iPad requires considerably more effort than shaking an iPhone or iPod touch, rendering the feature impractical.
In essence, Draw It is a streamlined and straightforward application, though not particularly feature-rich.
Adobe Ideas 1.0 [iTunes link]
Given Adobe’s reputation, a free iPad application from the company warrants immediate attention.
Adobe Ideas provides similar tools to those found in the other apps, but its brushes produce noticeably smoother strokes. While lines may initially appear jagged during drawing, they refine and smooth out upon lifting your finger from the screen.
Adobe Ideas includes a move tool that shifts the entire canvas, providing additional workspace rather than manipulating individual elements.
The app supports layering of drawings, mirroring the functionality found in Adobe Photoshop, and allows importing a photo as a background layer.
An eraser tool is included, but there is no option to delete or clear the entire canvas. Like the other applications, projects can be saved within the app or shared via email. However, direct posting to Twitter or Facebook is not supported.
This represents the initial release of the application, and further feature additions are anticipated. Currently, it serves as a valuable free drawing tool, well-suited to the iPad’s screen size.
These are the free sketchpad applications available for the iPad. Several paid options exist, ranging in price from $.99 to $7.99. For general use, the aforementioned free apps are adequate for quick notes, doodling, and allowing children to explore their creativity. These apps proved relatively stable during testing, with no crashes encountered.
Please share your preferred application in the comments below.
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