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The best cartoon apps for iPad

(Image credit: Kilito Chan via Getty Images)

Getting ane of the all-time drawing apps for iPad can accept your digital fine art to a whole new level. We've tried out and rounded upward some of the best gratuitous or inexpensive drawing apps out there, jam-packed full of tools and features that assist you to get creative.

The brilliant thing nigh the iPad is that you can create wherever you go, and when you partner the iPad with some of these amazing cartoon apps and the Apple Pencil, the creative possibilities are endless. If you're not sure which iPad to get, our iPad generations guide explains the unlike types bachelor, while our Apple Pencil vs Apple tree Pencil 2 characteristic explains which stylus to use with which model.

We've tested and gathered drawing apps suited to everyone, from beginners to pros, so we're bound to have exactly what you lot're looking for to kick off your side by side projection. And one time you've chosen your app of selection, why not check out our how to draw tutorials?

If you tin't observe what you're looking for in this roundup below, and then why non take a look at our list of the best iPad Pro apps? Or if y'all'd rather piece of work on your digital art on a desktop, then make sure you check out the all-time digital art software.

The best drawing apps for iPad

01. Procreate

Procreate is not bad for drawing, and has new 3D tools (Paradigm credit: Savage)

• Download Procreate from the App Store for $9.99/£8.99

If you're a digital artist, then you've probably already heard of Procreate – and for a expert reason. Nosotros've always been fans of Procreate'due south speed and power but when we tested Procreate 5.2, nosotros were particularly impressed by its new 3D painting capabilities (including compatibility with Zbrush, Blendr and the like, and a defended lighting tab). Detect out more about the latest features (similar increased layers, stroke stabilisation and Page Aid) in our Procreate 5.2 review.

More than generally, one of Procreates biggest selling points is its versatile and intuitive colour picker. It's easy-to-utilise and allows y'all to create your ain colour libraries, so y'all never have to lose an verbal shade again. The app as a whole is incredibly sleek with its fast and responsive zoom, blending options, swift disengage functionality and the ability to add text to your projects. There are also easy admission sliders that help you to adjust the size of your castor and opacity as you lot work.

02. Illustrator

Illustrator on the iPad has plenty to offer artists (Image credit: Ben Brady)

• Download Illustrator for iPad, free, with in-app purchases

Illustrator for the iPad is incredibly popular amidst the digital art community. The app takes the best of the Adobe Illustrator software and reimagines it for iPad users and, although information technology doesn't have all the features of the desktop version, our Illustrator for iPad review plant it works incredibly well every bit a standalone slice of kit (nosotros tested a full version of Illustrator for iPad on the 11-inch iPad Pro (M1, 2021), using an Apple tree Pencil 2).

The app is free with in-app purchases, just it yet has features like radial, grid and mirror repeat. In terms of iPad-specific features, we especially loved the optimisation for Apple Pencil and the power to apply the iPad'southward camera to create instant palettes.

Ane of the other brilliant things about the Illustrator app is that you can seamlessly send files to and from the Illustrator software on your desktop (check out the all-time Adobe deals if y'all don't have it).

03. Photoshop for iPad

If you like drawing in Photoshop, y'all can at present have the same (well, almost) feel on iPad (Image credit: Matt Smith)

• Download Photoshop for iPad, free with in-app purchases

If you're a creative, and then you'll definitely have heard of Photoshop, and you may well be using the app, too. We definitely had some reservations most the slimmed downwards app in our Photoshop for iPad review equally there are quite a few features missing. Don't worry though, we're sure they'll be added eventually – we've already seen the add-on of the Curves and the Subject Select tools.

Despite a few missing tools, for most drawing purposes it's very similar. And much like the Illustrator app, yous can seamlessly transfer files between the software and the app. The app is free as function of your Artistic Cloud subscription, and then information technology'southward definitely worth the download. (If you haven't subscribed to Adobe Creative Cloud, then bank check out some of the latest deals below).

04. Inspire Pro

One of the best cartoon apps for iPad, Inspire Pro offers a fluid and natural cartoon experience (Image credit: Inspire Pro)

• Download Inspire Pro for $nine.99/£9.99

Inspire Pro sports one of the fastest and most realistic rendering engines on the App Shop. What does that hateful for creatives, you lot ask? Well, you get a fluid and natural drawing experience on the iPad.

The app has a vast library of brushes, including oil paint, airbrushes, spray paint, pencils, crayons, markers, chalk, charcoal, pastels and paint splatters, as well as a variety of loftier-quality tools that you can customise as you wish. Got an Apple Pencil and an iPad Pro? Well, you lot'll love Inspire Pro's power to react instantly to applied force per unit area, tilt bending and orientation that gives users some other level of creative command.

05. Adobe Fresco

A leader among cartoon apps for iPad, the new Adobe Fresco offers a buttery smooth user experience (Image credit: Phil Galloway)

• Download Adobe Fresco for free (in-app purchases)

Fresco is another iPad app from Adobe's roster. Fresco supposedly is the digital equivalent of the traditional analogue drawing materials. When nosotros tested information technology (run across our Adobe Fresco review), we felt it's similar Adobe's answer to Procreate (see in a higher place), but it'southward function of the Adobe Creative Cloud subscription.

With the likes of the highly-anticipated Live Brushes that arrange to a multifariousness of drawing styles (though we did feel they were a impact limited), Fresco gives users a sleek and smooth drawing experience. Fresco may not have text or animation options, but information technology is withal ane of the best digital art apps bachelor. Nosotros especially liked its fantastic option of pixel brushes, its smooth running and ability to alloy brushes.

06. Analogousness Designer for iPad

Analogousness Designer is a powerful app for creating a range of fine art (Image credit: Time to come)

• Download Affinity Designer for $ix.99/£ix.99

Built from the same back end as its award-winning desktop version, Affinity Designer for iPad is a vector drawing program that'due south fully optimised for iOS, including Touch controls and Apple Pencil back up. Our testing appreciated the fact it can back up huge multi-artboard canvases with as many layers equally you could perhaps want, and you can zoom to over i one thousand thousand per cent.  We too loved the UI – find out more in our Analogousness Designer for iPad review.

Analogousness Designer supports both CMYK and RGB, and has a full Pantone library in the colour swatch panel, significant information technology's platonic for creating both digital and printed art. Y'all can export to a range of formats, including JPG, PNG, PDF and SVG, and there are over 100 brushes available, in styles including paints, pencils, inks, pastels and gouaches. In short, this is one of the few drawing apps for iPad that's squarely targeted at the professional market.

07. ArtRage

ArtRage is an incredibly flexible painting program (Epitome credit: David Cousens)

• Download ArtRage for $ii.99/£2.99

Artrage is all nigh allowing artists to create fine art on the iPad in a hands-on, realistic manner. You can pigment directly onto the screen or apply a glob of paint with 1 tool and smear information technology effectually with some other. At that place'southward a variety of canvas presets and paper options, plus a wide array of brushes, pencils, crayons, rollers, and pastels.

When we tested Artrage (see our Artrage five review here), nosotros loved the dedicated watercolour brush choice, and its easy-to-navigate UI. Nosotros institute it mega-like shooting fish in a barrel to change brush sizes, bring up the colour picker, work with layers and alloy/smudge different elements together, and we honey the simple-to-navigate UI.

Artrage Vitae has since been released so at that place is even more to love, including larger tools and canvases, a cloner tool, and real colour blending.

08. iPastels

iPastels lets you lot create some realistic pastel artwork (Image credit: iPastels)

• Download iPastels for free (in-app purchases)

No digital application and tablet screen will requite you the existent experience of working with pastels and charcoal, but drawing apps for iPad are not looking to replace feel – they are designed to mimic the effect, and that is what iPastels does so well. Plus, you don't become messy fingers.

It is impressive how well the app replicates some aspects of pastel drawing, including soft pastels, oil pastels, pastel pencils, and realistic colour blending using your finger on the screen merely like you would on paper. One downside is that you have to finish cartoon when yous desire to arrange the size and pressure of your tool, but there are plus sides – including the ability to correct mistakes quickly and only.

For that reason and more, iPastels is a nifty app to use if you lot want to try out compositions before kickoff a real painting – or just for a bit of fun. It has Apple Pencil back up, and the upgrade to Pro features costs $4.99/£4.99.

09. MediBang Paint for iPad

MediBang Paint for iPad is jam-packed total of handy cartoon tools (Image credit: Future)

• Download MediBang for free (in-app purchases)

If you lot're new to digital art and so after a brilliant-just-bones drawing app for your iPad, look no further than MediBang Paint for iPad. When nosotros reviewed it, nosotros found Medibang to be an easy-to-use program with similar features to Photoshop, including layers, with the ability to add together styles and a handy brush editor. In fact, MediBang is full of brilliant drawing and painting tools – then much then that it's difficult to believe it's costless. Come across our Medibang review here.

Compatible with iOS eleven and above, if you want to create professional person-looking artwork but you are on a upkeep, this is the iPad drawing app for you lot.

ten. Zen Castor 2

Zen Brush 2 has a lovely ink dispersion outcome (Image credit: Rob Redman)

• Download Zen Brush 2 for $2.99/£ii.99

Zen Brush 2 is ane of the cartoon apps for iPad that emulates the experience of drawing with traditional Japanese calligraphy brushes. Our testing establish information technology has a smooth and fluent drawing engine, and although our Zen Brush review describes its limited features, we besides know it is par for the course with such a narrow usage and that's okay.

Zen Castor 2 has a gallery feature that enables yous to save your work in progress, also as a lovely ink dispersion effect to give your drawings an added feeling of depth. There's back up for pressure-sensitive styluses, including Apple Pencil, and best of all y'all're no longer restricted to black ink –  you tin can use scarlet ink besides.

eleven. Concepts

Concepts is a niggling-known app that is a big hit with pros

• Download Concepts for free (in-app purchases)

Created specifically for professionals, Concepts is an advanced sketching and pattern app. It features infinite canvas and organic brushes, a fluid and responsive vector drawing engine, and intuitive precision tools, all tailored for a natural-feeling drawing experience. Whether you're an architect, product designer, illustrator or visual thinker, you lot can explore, iterate and share your designs anywhere you lot get.

Concepts is compatible with iOS 12.four and after, and supports the iPad Pro (2018) and second-generation Apple tree Pencil. Double-tap tool switching is supported, plus you tin customise how the double-tap manifests itself.

12. Artstudio Pro

Artstudio Pro offers lots of drawing options and an active community (Prototype credit: Artstudio Pro)

• Download Artstudio Pro for $xiv.99/£14.99

Artstudio Pro for iPad is the successor to ArtStudio – a legacy version of which is still available for $4.99/£4.99. The new version has been optimised for Apple tree Pencil, and claims to be v-10 times faster than ArtStudio.

There are new and improved tools, which include 27 blending modes, over 100 born brushes and the ability to import all types of formats, including ABL brushes. There are likewise various different canvas sizes and options that include layers, layer masks, filters and furnishings. With an active community and plenty of features to play around with, we retrieve this is a great selection for artists.

13. Comic Draw

Comic Draw is specifically designed for cartoon comics and graphic novels (Prototype credit: ComicDraw)

• Download Comic Draw for free (in-app purchases)

While some painting and drawing apps encompass a wide range of abilities and creative disciplines, Comic Draw is single-minded in its purpose. Comic artists are its target, and in those terms it is a highly effective tool. The app features a tool that enables you to lay out the panels on your page, guides to assist y'all keep a perfect perspective and layers to enable yous to build your drawings.

You'll also find a digital sketchpad for experimenting with your concepts, and an inking and colouring interface to help you lot finish your blueprint with various brushes. Comic Depict provides a lettering suite fabricated up of different typefaces, balloons and pattern tools to add the all-important words, and you can add as many pages as you want to make everything from a comic strip to a total-length volume. There'southward a free trial available before yous buy (for $9.99/£9.99).

fourteen. Assembly

Baffled past Béziers? Assembly makes it easy to create vector art (Image credit: Assembly)

• Download Assembly for gratuitous (in-app purchases)

Assembly is a great mode to create detailed vector drawings, icons, logos, scenes and characters without all that fiddly mucking virtually with vectors and Bézier curves. Rather than painstakingly drawing everything out yourself, you can choose from an enormous choice of ready-made shapes and stick them together to create your vector masterpiece.

You lot tin layer, stack and position shapes all the same yous desire with this entry on our drawing apps for iPad list, and even create your own building blocks by cutting out, combining and intersecting existing shapes. If yous need to prototype in a bustle, information technology's an ideal tool for getting professional results fast.

fifteen. Prune Studio Paint Ex

Prune Studio Pigment Ex brings the feel of traditional drawing to the digital space (Image credit: Clip Studio)

• Download Clip Studio Paint Ex for free (in-app purchases)

Some other total-featured desktop paint app that's now on the iPad, Prune Studio Paint Ex is great for cartoon comics and manga, and it tin also exist used to create whatever kind of digital art. Information technology's as well 1 of the few cartoon apps for iPad that brings the feel of traditional drawing to the digital space, making this the perfect app for creating your illustrations and sketches while on the go.

This app comes packed with drawing tools such as pencils, markers, calligraphy pens and air brushes. And because the drawing engine works so well with the Apple Pencil, you'll have a full range of pressure-sensitive dynamics to get your linework perfect. Some other bonus is when you sign up for Clip Studio Pigment EX subscription, y'all get three months complimentary. Check out our list of the best Clip Studio Paint tutorials hither.

16. Graphic

Graphic is packed with tools to take your digital art to the next level (Image credit: Graphic)

• Download Graphic for $eight.99/£viii.99

Offer a desktop-class standard of vector drawing, Graphic boasts variable-width brush strokes and pressure level-sensitive back up for the Apple Pencil. This easy-to-use addition to our drawing apps for iPad guide is uniform with both the Mac and iPhone versions via iCloud and Dropbox, enabling you to save your masterpieces on the get for straightforward editing across devices afterwards down the line.

17. Autodesk Sketchbook

Artists of whatsoever skill level can create digital art with SketchBook (Image credit: Autodesk Sketchbook sketchbook.com)

• Download SketchBook for gratuitous

SketchBook by Autodesk is one of the near popular drawing apps for iPad amidst digital artists. Every bit you'd expect from Autodesk, SketchBook has all the swagger of a pro-grade painting program, but with an feel designed for those looking to create art on the iPad (see our Sketchbook 4.0 for Android review if you have an Android device).

There's a broad range of digital pencils, pens, markers, and airbrushes to choose from, all accessed via a simple simply intuitive UI that enables you to pivot your favourite toolbars to the screen. It's flexible and fast, too, enabling yous to work with layers, transparency options, annotations and advanced blend modes. With Dropbox integration plus the ability to import and export Photoshop-friendly files, it's an ideal iPad art app for working on the move.

18. Art Gear up 4

Art Set four has an easy to use interface and hyper-existent tools (Epitome credit: Art Fix four)

• Download Fine art Set 4 for free (with in-app purchases)

Art Set 4 has an like shooting fish in a barrel to use interface and hyper-real tools for cartoon and painting, so for example yous tin actually see your watercolour paint menstruation and run as you apply it. Oil paint, watercolours, oil pastel, pencil, biro pen, marker, wax crayon and a few others are included for costless, while an in-app purchase unlocks more than than 150 brushes and farther features.

twenty. Brushes Redux

The Brushes app is free and open source (Image credit: Apple)

• Download Brushes Redux for costless

Legendary creative person David Hockney has been spotted using the Brushes app when creating art on the iPad. It'due south an oldie but a goodie, designed specifically for Apple's tablet and now with the 'Redux' suffix – and it's gratuitous and open-source.

Using a basic toolbar at the bottom of the screen, you tin bring up a colour wheel/picker, work with layers and switch between diverse brushes. Best of all, perhaps, Brushes is fast and responsive to the touch and so it's easy to work speedily. A useful feature is the ability to record each castor stroke, enabling y'all to play back exactly how y'all created each piece of iPad art via the Brushes viewer.

21. SketchClub

Create absurd digital fine art with Sketch Club'due south great toolset (Image credit: Sketch Art Club)

• Download Sketch Society for $3.99/£3.49

Sketch Club has a great set of tools for creating cute digital fine art, which is why it's a valuable addition to our drawing apps for iPad listing. The app has a unique prepare of flexible digital brushes (and more can be made), pens, vector tools, one-time school pixel art, and fun procedural tools.

Sketch Club has an uncluttered user interface, with lots of settings to customise the app to your own unique preferences. A particularly great characteristic of this app is the integrated online community. Here y'all tin upload your sketches to let others charge per unit and comment on your piece of work, as well equally enter daily challenges and fun weekly competitions.

Related articles:

• iPad generations: the complete iPad model list
• Best iPad Pro apps: Make your Apple Pencil shine
• Apple tree Pencil alternatives: The best styluses from a range of acme companies

Rosie Hilder is Creative Bloq's Acting Editor. After beginning her career in journalism in Argentina – where her blogging prowess led her to become Deputy Editor of Time Out Buenos Aires – she moved back to the Britain and joined Future Plc in 2016. Since then, she's worked as Operations Editor on fine art and blueprint magazines, including Computer Arts, 3D World and Paint & Depict, and got the 'Apple tree bug' when working on US title, Mac|Life. In 2018, she left the world of impress backside and moved to Artistic Bloq, where she at present takes care of the daily management of the site, including growing the site's accomplish through trying to delight the Google Gods, getting involved in events, such as judging the Brand Impact Awards, and helping make certain our content serves ours readers as best it tin. Her interests lie in branding and illustration, tech and sexism, and enough more than in-between.

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