10 Apps to Turn Your iPad Into a Bad-Ass Drawing Tablet 2023
iPad drawing apps are a dime a dozen. A million range from the remarkable (such as Paper by FiftyThree) to the downright terrible. What if you want to get some real work done on an iPad? In my view, to turn my iPad into a professional drawing tablet, I need an app to do one of two things:
- Allow me to work directly in Photoshop or Illustrator – I almost don’t even want a new app if we’re talking real work. Let me use the iPad’s fantastic technology and UX to draw with the professional tools I already use, just like a Wacom tablet.
- Give me vector or 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, and nine yards.
If you’re interested in creating mixed media art with your iPad, we have a great step-by-step guide,
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 ensure your money is well-spent. I used to be an AirDisplay man, but AstroPad is the new app to beat in this category.
AstroPad
Use iPad As Drawing Tablet For PC; AstroPad is the newest entry into this category and, in my experience, easily the best. It allows you to draw in Photoshop or Illustrator on your Mac, with incredible custom shortcuts and almost no lag. This app offers the best quality graphics, costing $24.99. One of the best parts about AstroPad is that it uses up-to-date LIQUID technology that ensures you never lose the quality of the image you’re working with. Astropad also offers a student price for interested buyers and a free trial.
AirDisplay
From the company Avatron comes AirDisplay, a great iPad app choice for any artist looking for an effective mirroring app. It offers the chance to mirror what you see on your tablet on up to 4 monitors at once. The app works using a wireless Internet connection, removing annoying cords or USB cables and making for a comfortable and convenient drawing experience. Right now, AirDisplay is available for Apple devices, Android devices, and those that run Windows and can be purchased for $14.99.
AirStylus
Avatron also makes Airstylus—an extension of AirDisplay that offers the ability to use their mirroring techniques on iPads, iPhones, and the Galaxy Note. The program allows artists to draw on their tablets via a stylus. Since it is very pressure sensitive, it’s perfect for work that requires precise lines and delicate, minute details. The stylus links wirelessly to your display, so there are no clunky cords to deal with. While Avatron has announced that they’re moving away from AirStylus shortly, older versions of the AirStylus app are available in the App Store for the iPad for $14.99.
SplashTop Remote
SplashTop remote is one of the most popular apps that allow users to control their computers from afar. The app offers the ability to control your computer from your iPad and allows users to access things like videos, music, and more from their computer. Users can use their favorite art and drawing software from their computer via their iPad with SplashTop, which makes it a good choice for artists interested in convenience or moving around away from a desktop while they work. This app is offered for free when using your computer’s local network, but if “Anywhere Access” is purchased, it will only cost users $16.99 annually.
iDisplay
iDisplay is accessible on Mac OS X and Windows and is a popular app that allows people to use their iPad as a second display. This app has it all for someone looking to draw via a table and offers more screen space because it can be connected to several wireless devices simultaneously. It’s also easily customizable when used with different devices.
Drawing Apps
Now for the pretty impressive drawing tools.
Procreate
Procreate has quickly become a favorite for illustrators and letterers worldwide. 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.
Since Procreate allows you to use custom brushes, many independent designers at Creative Market have created textured brush sets that will make your illustration workflow much easier:
iDraw
iDraw is one of the best vector drawing apps on the market, and it combines the convenience of an iPad with the power of a desktop. It has a pen tool, layers, boolean commands, grids, snapping, effects, and everything you could want. The app is easy to understand and is consistently top-rated by all users. It’s simple to share edit designs between devices (like Mac and iPad). The app has vital functions, like core text editing, Photoshop import and export, and an In-Place Color Picker.
InkPad
One great free vector drawing app for the iPad is InkPad, designed to work specifically on the device. It comes highly recommended by those who use it for its ease of text, images, gradient fills, etc. Its selection of tools is close to that of Illustrator, and it is easy to use, even for beginners. If you’re looking for a powerful drawing tool and the lowest price possible, you can’t get better than this.
Intaglio Sketchpad
For a vector artist looking for something straightforward that functions well, check out Intaglio Sketchpad, a tablet drawing app created by Purgatory Design. The app has a complete set of drawing tools and utilizes multi-touch technology.
TouchDraw
Eleven works have created TouchDraw, which has all of the standard options of the 2D Vector drawing app and more. The app has most of the features of a desktop vector drawing app, and it can be used in conjunction with TouchDraw for Mac. TouchDraw has been rated as one of the best vector apps available and is priced at only $8.99.
iDesign
iDesign is one of the most popular vector apps on the market today and allows you to create 2D vector drawings on the iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch. The interface of iDesign is simple to use and offers a vast selection of advanced, in-depth features. Some of these features include a full-screen board view, so your image isn’t obscured, and offset handles for moving the screen, so your finger never gets in the way of what you’re trying to see. iDesign can be downloaded from the app store for $7.99.
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 an excellent resource for illustrators and designers. Check out this add-on to create bright schemes wherever you are.
Author’s Opinion regarding the Use of iPad As Drawing Tablet For PC
The Use of iPad As a Drawing Tablet For PC has compelling features while considering the security purpose; priority is very high. No VPN or RDP is required for the said purpose. In some cases, the emulator also works fine, and middleware software also has a vital role in smooth functioning. Therefore, the author recommended using an iPad As a Drawing Tablet For PC for personal Use and has no issue regarding the installation on PC (Windows and Mac). I hope you also use it without any trouble; if you have any issues, please mention them in the email, and we will provide you with proper solutions. Please like and share with others; we made a lot of effort while collecting the software for your download.