An artist is the one who knows everything about his own field. The one who loves his field and the tools required to make it even more elegant. Any artist, designer or any other person must know about the tools through which they can create a masterpiece.
Drawing tools are the most important tool for any artist or designer or the one addicted to drawing. There is an escalation in the use of drawing software. Still, it is an astonishing fact that artists are not aware of the best drawing tools that would help them to create the masterpiece of their work. There are 20 Best Drawing Software for 2023.
In the digital age, drawing is no longer limited to paper and pencil. Drawing software has revolutionized the way artists, designers, and hobbyists create visual art. But what exactly is drawing software?
How does one begin using it, and what benefits does it offer? Is it safe, and most importantly, is it free? This comprehensive guide will provide you with detailed answers to these questions and more.
What is Drawing Software?
Drawing software is a digital platform that allows users to create, edit, and manipulate visual artwork on a computer or other electronic devices.
These programs offer various tools and features that replicate the functions of traditional art supplies such as brushes, pens, erasers, and color palettes. Popular drawing software includes Adobe Photoshop, CorelDRAW, and Autodesk SketchBook.
20 Best Drawing Software for 2023
1. Adobe Photoshop CC
This drawing software helps the editors to transform the photo the way he wants. It is the design app that enhances, crops, retouches & adds effect to photos, creates 3D artwork and videos.
If you will buy Adobe Creative Cloud membership you will get 20+ creative apps including Adobe Photoshop CC. The price of the creative cloud starts from $9 per month.It includes Photoshop, InDesign, Premiere Pro, Illustrator, Adobe XD, Acrobat DC.
Photoshop
Photoshop is page design software used to edit, composite & create beautiful images, graphics & arts.
Key features –
It is having improved foreground blurring after the update for 2023.
- It is an Object selection tool.
- It has enhanced transforms warp.
- It is having Improved properties panel
- Presets in Photoshop is easier and better organized.
- It has New gradients, patterns, swatches, layers, styles & shapes.
- Price range
- Photoshop single range amounts to $27.62 per month.
The price of Photography (20GB) having Lightroom, Light rooms classic & Photoshop is $13.14 per month.
Adobe InDesign
Adobe InDesign is page design software used to design & publish layouts for print & digital.
Key features –
● It has Faster launch times & performance has also improved
● It keeps the content up to date & share assets across the projects using Adobe experience manager
● It Import SVG files into Indesign projects.
● It has a design with variable fonts.
Price range:
Adobe InDesign single range – $27.62 per month
Premiere Pro
Premiere Pro is video editing software for film, TV & the web. It helps in crafting footage into polished films & videos.
key features –
● It provides the Auto reframe facility which helps in keeping the content in frame.
● It Helps in selecting color grading easily & accurately.
● It provides Dial down background noise & reverb with new sliders in the Essential sound Panel.
● It also provides end to end VR 180
Price range – Adobe Premiere Pro – $27.62 per month.
Illustrator
Illustrator is graphic software for creating web & mobile graphics to logos, icons, book illustrations, product packaging and Bills board.
Key features –
- It turns simple shapes & colours into elegant & attractive logos, icons & graphics at any size.
- It helps in creating typographic designs.
- It aslo creates free hand drawing or trace & recolour graphics.
Adobe XD
It helps to create designs for websites, mobile apps, voice interfaces, games & more.
Key features –
● There’s no more duplicating efforts or merging changes.
● It create design elements to reuse.
● It also create animations between elements.
● It helps in sharing designs for review
Price range –
Price for XD – 676 rupees per month per user.
Price for XD for team – 1555 rupees per month per user.
Acrobat DC
It is a PDF solution. It helps in creating, editing and used to sign PDFs
Key features –
● It helps in creating PDFs more easily
● It helps in editing PDFs
● It also helps in signing PDFs easily and more efficiently.
Price range:
Acrobat standard DC – 879 per month Acrobat Pro DC – 1014 per month
Adobe Experience Cloud
It is the collection of best-in-class solutions for marketing, analytics, advertising, and commerce. It helps in meeting the customer expectations through their experience and helps in delivering great work immediately.
Adobe Document Cloud
It is having the feature to get every ounce of potential out of PDFs from any device. It is the most secured app for getting e signatures from apps including Microsoft office. It helps in creating, getting agreements legally signed.
2. CorelDraw
It is the graphic design software which includes professional vector illustration, layout & photo editing tools. It is useful in completing important design projects. It is used to create unique illustration, signage, logos & more.
It is useful for getting feedback from viewers and collaborating with clients & colleagues. It is also used by engineering, manufacturing and construction firms.
Key features –
● It has all the tools for screen printing, embroidery, direct to garment printing or apparel.
● It creates artwork for a variety of print outputs, signage.
● It creates parts illustrations, diagrams, schematics and other intricate visuals.
● It is used in advertising & publishing to small businesses producing in house marketing materials.
● Flexible & affordable purchasing.
● Over 30 years of Windows expertise.
● Integrated applications.
3. Affinity Designer
It is a vector graphics editor developed by serif for macOS, iOS, and Microsoft Windows. It helps in bringing the vision of life with the Ultimate graphic designs and illustrations app. Due to the Lockdown.
Affinity Designer offers 90 days free trial of all the Mac and Windows versions of the whole Affinity suite and also offers a 50% discount for users who would prefer to buy and keep the apps including iPads versions.
Price range of Affinity Publisher –
MacOs – Rs 1949 (50% off)
Windows – Rs 1949 (50% off)
Price range of Affinity Photos –
MacOs – Rs 1949 (50% off)
Windows – Rs 1949(50% off)
iPads – Rs 799(50% off)
Price range of Affinity Designer –
MacOs – Rs 1949
Windows – Rs 1949
iPads – Rs 799
Price range of Affinity workbooks – Rs 3,399
Price range of Affinity Designer workbooks – Rs 3,399
4. DrawPlus
It is drawing software used for graphic editing and animation. The artists having interest in animations can use this type of software. For increasing their effeciency and would be even more interesting to them. It is a free window platform app to change the way of drawing.
5. Clip Studio Paint
It is also known as Kurisuta in Japan. It is the family of software applications for macOs, Microsoft Windows, and iOS / iPadOs, developed by Japanese Graphics Software Company – Celsys. It has Clip Studio Paint Pro which is used for character l, concept, art and illustrations and Clip Studio Paint Ex which is used for manga, comics and animation.
Key features –
● Designed for drawing and painting which feels like natural brushes.
● Free trial for reimagined drawing experience.
● Capture every detail.
● Thousands of customizable brushes.
Price range –
Clip Studio Paint Pro –
Window / Mac OS
One time purchase – US $49.99
Monthly usage plan – US $0.99/month
Clip Studio Paint Ex
Window/ Mac OS
One time purchase – US $219
Monthly usage plan – US $2.49/month
6. Krita
It is a professional and open source painting software and it is freely available. It is made by the artists that want to provide affordable art tools for everyone. It is optimised for frequent, prolonged and focused use.
It includes illustrations, concept art, matte paintings, textures, comics and animations. It basically supports the actual needs, workflow, open standards,operates with other applications.
7. MediBang Paint Pro
It is also free digital painting and comic creation software which is available for PCs and Mac. It includes illustrations and everything which is used to make comics.
Key features –
● It has Various Brushes such as G Pen, Mapping Pen, Watercolor brushes, etc.
● It has light weight and artist feels free while using it.
● It has Layers which can be used freely.
● It also provides Snap guides.
● It has Easy comic panel creation
● Artists can aslo manage their comic page.
● Drawing and other works of users can be saved using the cloud
● It also offers free pre made tones and background.
● Users can also Collaborate with others and share their works.
8. Procreate
Procreate is drawing software which helps in creating beautiful sketches, inspiring painting and artists can do anything as he wants. It is designed for artists using iPads and catering to artists from beginners to professionals. It is available at $9.99.
Key features –
● It helps in creating typography which helps the user in arranging everything smoothly and users can also import fonts
● It has a range of handcrafted brushes which helps in creating sketches, making shades.
● It can be used smoothly with Apple Pencil devices.
● It also provides natural drawing experience.
9. Autodesk Sketchbook
It is used for creative starts with an idea. It is used for quick conceptual sketches to fully finish artwork, sketching. It is fast and powerful creative sketching tools which is an invaluable part of any creative process. Even the fully featured version of SketchBook is free for everyone
Key features –
● User can draw without distraction
● Drawing engine that can handle a 100 mpx canvas and Matson the zoom in feeling of traditional drawing.
● It converts paper into digital in a snap
● It provides facility of Scan Sketching
● It is available on all devices
● It is fast and response quickly
● It Refines sketche into illustrated art.
● It is a familiar tool in a digital space
● Use traditional rulers and ellipse guides for precise lines.
● It is PSD compatible on all devices.
10. YouiDraw Drawing
It is a powerful vector graphic design solution software. It is useful for beginners or any experience designer. It provides everything one needs to express their style and creativity
Key features –
● It has high quality vector graphics, headings, icons, logos, website elements.
● It provides hundreds of templates and styles
● It can be used with various other graphics, text editor and design programs.
● It work with dozens of customizable brushes, paper textures.
11. Paint Tool SAI
It is a lightweight raster graphics editor and painting software for Microsoft Windows. It is developed and published by Systemax Software and the first alpha version was released on October 13, 2006.
It can be used freely upto 31 days as the trial period and afterward if someone wants to continue the facilities then he has to purchase the software license.
Key features –
● It is Fully digitizer support
● It has Anti – aliased paintings
● It has Easy and stable operations
● Digital art becomes more enjoyable and comfortable.
12. Rebelle
It is paint software that creates realistic watercolor, acrylic, wet and dry media artwork, using real world color blending, wet diffusion and drying.
It is basically for those who want some changes in their work, the way they draw and for those who want to update their skill and changes as per the need. Artists can download free papers color set
Key features-
● It has wonderful Painting speed
● Users can use available creative tools to enhance their performance.
● It helps in comparing real water and rebelle water colors and also provides realistic techniques
● It provides Watercolor visual settings to users.
● Drop engine
● Acrylic Impasto Depth
● It has Transparency locking, ruler tool, perspective tool
● It has full screen mode
13. Art Rage
It is a digital artist’s studio with a range of tools which look and work like real things. It creates delicate watercolor strokes that react to canvas texture. Art range gives the feeling to the artists that they are working with the real things.
It provides expressive oils, watercolors, sketchpad for showing their talent to shade and sheet if papers too. Artists or users of the software can blend thick oils, sketch with pencils and can do any creative thing they want to. It even helps the user to learn how to paint, draw or how to do inking with the oils, pencils, own.
Artists can read the manuals if required and they can contact them if they still have issues using it. It is the perfect creative tool for everyone whether it’s beginners or kids or adults or professionals.
Key features –
● It has Complementary Color System
● Users can enjoy depth in the custom Brush
● It has new Oil Paint Features
● All the actions and brush strokes are recorded.
● Sketch with pencils and shade with the edge of the tip
● It creates natural colour gradients
Price range –
It is available for $79
14. My brushes Paint for Mac
It is a drawing tool which allows the user to customise their brusher and draw smoothly with a wide variety of tablets
Key features –
● It records every brush stroke and actions of users.
● It has good hardware compatibility.
● It has unlimited layers and digital paint brushes.
● Users can avail automatic sharing facility.
● It has unlimited size canvas.
● Users can make oil painting, water color painting, paint brush painting.
Price range –
It is available for free trial and can have it at $29.99.
15. Epic Pen
It is a desktop software used to draw, write and highlight notes. It is used in video conferences, online meetings and presentations stand out by highlighting information directly on screen in real time.
It is basically a brilliant support tool for animators, graphic designers, 3D Artists.
Key features –
● It annotate teaching materials in a fun and engaging new way.
● Easily sketch over 3D, Animation and creative studios.
● It helps in making the presentation more effective and efficient.
16. Flame Painter
It is a Painting software where the artists can paint with life like particle brushes. It’s groundbreaking Particle System.
Open a whole new world of possibilities and provides a broad range of organic tools.
It is available at $89.99 and refund policies are also available for 30 days
Key features –
● It helps the users to create dynamic compositions.
● It gives real effect to photos.
● It helps the user to customise his brush.
● Vector images can be imported in SVG format.
● The user can change the shape, textures and behaviour of brush.
17. ChemDoodle
It is a chemical drawing and publishing software which contains thousands of chemistry features. It helps the user to produce the highest quality graphics and save hours of work.
Key features-
● It represents chemical reactions, help to design chemistry related graphics.
● It also helps in working on Stereochemistry, implicit hydrogens and ring finding.
● It also helps in calculating bond distances, boiling point and molecular formula.
● It is also compatible with Adobe tools and MS office.
18. Painstrom Studio
It is a professional digital painting software. It is used to quickly adjust the brushes suitable for painting style.
Key features –
● It provides stroke post correction parameters.
● It has Custom panels and perspective dynamic interface.
● It has various brush settings and users can customise their brush as per their need.
● It has individual hotkeys for any brushes.
● It provides full controlled mask brush.
● It has advanced symmetry tools.
19. My Paint
It is an open source raster graphics editor for artists. It is freely available for Microsoft Windows, macOS, and Unix-like operating systems.
It has a custom procedural brush engine optimized for use with pressure – sensitive graphics tablets.
Key features –
● It provides pressure – sensitive graphics tablet support.
● The users can manage the layers and provides simple interface.
● It has gamut masking Color wheel
● It provides unlimited canvas, python 3 support.
● It has Symmetry modes.
● It also provides integrated bug reporting
20. Mischief
It is the drawing software which puts a canvas at the fingertips of artists and can be used for sketching, drawing and painting.
It is available for Microsoft’s Windows operating system and for Apple’s Mac OS X. It also provides support for keyboard shortcuts. Some samples are also provided for ready made drawings.
It is available as a free and as a paid version Mischief Free provides access to essential drawing tools. The paid version is free to try for 15 days and provides access to the full Mischief experience.
Key features –
● It is available for Windows and Mac OS X
● Installing this software is an effortless task.
● It is very easy to use and user can smoothly customise their brushes.
● ART sample files are also available for download.
● Online Gallery Show can be done.
How Do I Start Drawing?
Step-by-Step Guide
- Select a Software: Choose a drawing software based on your needs, skill level, and budget.
- Hardware Requirements: Make sure your device meets the software’s hardware requirements for optimal performance.
- Installation: Download and install the software, following the provider’s guidelines.
- Interface Familiarization: Spend some time getting to know the user interface, toolbars, and menus.
- Begin Drawing: Start creating your artwork using the tools and features provided. Most software allows you to use layers, adjust opacity, and employ various brush types.
Benefits of Drawing Software
- Versatility: Create anything from simple sketches to intricate digital paintings and illustrations.
- Convenience: Make seamless changes and adjustments without the need for erasers or redoing parts of your artwork.
- Eco-Friendly: Digital drawing is paperless and thus more environmentally friendly.
- Accessibility: Access your artwork from anywhere, as many platforms offer cloud storage.
- Cost-Effectiveness: Over the long term, digital drawing can be more cost-effective than continually buying art supplies.
Is Drawing Software Safe?
Reputable drawing software from established providers is generally safe to use. Most platforms incorporate security features to protect your data and artwork. However, it’s essential to download the software from official websites or authorized retailers to avoid malware or phishing scams.
Is Drawing Software Free?
While many drawing software options come with a price tag, there are several free alternatives available. Software like Krita and GIMP offer a robust set of features and are entirely free to use. However, paid software usually provides more advanced tools, customer support, and frequent updates.
Conclusion
There are 20 drawing software that must be known to all artists, designers or any other person who wants to create a masterpiece. Though it is an astonishing fact that artists are not aware of the best drawing tools that would help them to create the masterpiece of their work. But these information helps to recognise which software is needed for which kind of task and which could be affordable to the artists.
Drawing software has opened up new horizons for artistic expression, offering a versatile and convenient platform for creators. Whether you’re a professional artist or someone looking to explore their creative side, digital drawing can be a rewarding experience.
As with any software, it’s crucial to consider factors like safety and cost before diving in, but once those boxes are checked, the digital canvas is yours to fill.
