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10 Apps to Turn Your iPad Into a Bad Ass Drawing Tablet
Do you do professional design work on-the-go? Here are some outstanding apps to really turn your iPad into a professional drawing tablet.
Creative Market
March 31, 2021 · 7 min read
- Allow me to work directly in Photoshop or Illustrator – If we’re talking real work, then I almost don’t even want a new app. Let me use the iPad’s awesome technology and UX to draw with the professional tools I already use, just like a Wacom tablet.
- Give me vector or give me death – If a professional drawing app wants to live solely on the iPad, that’s fine, but it has to churn out vector art that I can export to Illustrator. This means a Pen Tool, editable shapes, boolean commands, the whole nine yards.
Great Mirroring Apps
First up are the mirroring apps. There are quite a few of these to choose from, but they tend to get pricey so you want to make sure your money is well-spent. I used to be an AirDisplay man, but AstroPad is definitely the new app to beat in this category.AstroPad


AirDisplay


AirStylus


SplashTop Remote


iDisplay


Drawing Apps
Now for the drawing tools, which are actually pretty impressive.Procreate
Procreate has quickly become a favorite for illustrators and letterers all around the world. The app allows you to sketch and draw hyper-realistic artwork on the go, with a suite of tools that features digital brushes, an advanced layer system, and multi-touch gestures. You can export layered PSD files and even time-lapse videos directly from the app.

iDraw


InkPad


Intaglio Sketchpad


TouchDraw


iDesign


Update: Adobe Capture CC
Adobe released a new app to create brushes from your iPad in late 2014. Head here to read our step by step guide.Tell Us Your Workflow
Do you do professional drawing work on your iPad? Tell us about your workflow. Do you use a mirroring app like Astropad, a vector drawing app like iDraw, or something else? Leave a comment and let us know.Other Cool Add-Ons for Your Ipad
Creating color palettes as you go can be a great resource for illustrators and all kinds of designers. Check out this add-on to create bright schemes wherever you are.Products Seen In This Post:


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