Technologies
Best iPad Drawing Apps to Try in 2023
Find your inner digital artist with Procreate’s blank canvas, creative coloring books and everything in between.
Of all my favorite hobbies, drawing digitally certainly tops the charts. Stretching my skillset with digital art on my iPad gives me the chance to explore different artistic figures, forms and styles, and create art without having to haul out all the supplies for a more traditional medium. So getting to experiment around to find the best drawing apps for iPad users looking to dive into the digital art world has been a blast.
I use a third-gen iPad Air and a first-gen Apple Pencil. But regardless of your iOS device, ultimately the best drawing app for iPad art is one that supports you in being creative and expressing yourself. So whether you can draw a symmetrical face or have more of a Jackson Pollock flair for splatters, you and digital artists across the globe will be sure to find the perfect app among our picks of the best iPad drawing apps.
Read more: Best iPad for 2023
Procreate
The Procreate iPad drawing app — a CNET Editors’ Choice pick for 2022 — costs $13 to download, but its suite of art tools and creative features make it well worth the money. The digital illustration app is accessible whether you’re a design professional, a seasoned digital artist or a beginner to the world of digital illustration. I’ve been using Procreate for a couple years and there are still features I’m finding out about that improve my artwork (check out all of the best Procreate tips I’ve found so far).
Procreate lets you customize gesture controls so the app is ultimately personalized to you. No matter what level of artist you are, Procreate’s features like Quickshape, blend mode, layering, alpha locks and clipping masks can add a new level of professionalism to your art.
There’s a lot going on in this app, so I wouldn’t download it if you’re just looking for a place to doodle. For quick reference in the app, check out the official Procreate Handbook.
Autodesk Sketchbook
The Autodesk Sketchbook app is free, but is surprisingly packed with art tools that aren’t blocked by paywalls. You can use the free version for seven days and then you’ll be asked to make an Autodesk ID, which is also free. It’s a little less intimidating than Procreate when you’re starting off your digital art journey. When you download the sketch app, it’ll give you a quick tutorial of where all the basic tools are.
Autodesk has an extensive, well-organized brush library, and with its customizable brushes, it’s easy to adjust settings like brush size, opacity and pressure. Even with a typical learning curve of a new drawing app, the toolbar is pretty easy to figure out. I also liked that, even when extensively zoomed in, the app didn’t lose its «drawing» feel by letting you see the pixels in your stroke.
One of my favorite parts of Sketchbook is the focus on making the transition from paper to screen easy. You might’ve done cool sketching in a notebook, and with Autodesk, you don’t have to redraw the sketch in the app. Your camera doubles as a scanner so you can import your art. The image imports with a transparent background so you can immediately get to work in the app.
Art Set 4
Art Set 4 is one of the more basic, realistic drawing apps. It’s free to download, but most of its tools are unlocked through the Premium Pro features, which cost $10. This app would be best if you’re brand-new to digital illustration — it feels similar to having physical tools and paper in front of you. I love its user interface. If you’re overwhelmed by the idea of going into a more complex app like Procreate or Autodesk, the Art Set 4 drawing tool is a good one to get started with. It’s also fun if you just want to doodle.
Something I really like about Art Set 4 is the ease with which even the free tools work together in a piece. It’s also nice that you can swap between multicolored paper styles like canvas and the rough surface of heavyweight, cold press sheets for watercolor. You can choose burlap styles, cardboard and grids without messing up a drawing you’ve already done.
When you explore the app, any items that require Premium Pro will be locked. If you tap on a locked item, Art Set will ask if you want to upgrade and unlock everything. Premium gives you full access to over 150 brushes, 3D paint, fluid watercolor, the ability to layer and use masks, enable a «wet canvas,» drawing guides like symmetry, shapes, filling and dozens of other ways to customize your workspace.
Shelby Brown/CNET
Not everything you create in an art app has to be a massive endeavor that ends with a masterpiece. Having fun is the most important part. Simply coloring can make for a creative and relaxing afternoon. Lake is a free ASMR art app packed with coloring book sheets — in all different styles — from artists all over the world.
The app’s audio element is particularly cool. For example, if you do digital painting with the paint brush, you’ll hear quiet brush sounds. If you choose the spray paint tool, you’ll hear a ball bearing rattling like it would if you shook a paint can. You can turn the ASMR off in settings.
Another thing I liked was the option to stay in the lines and add more color for shading and effects. It gives you more room to be creative instead of just tapping and filling (though you can do that if you want). Also, the artist for each coloring page puts together an optional palette for you to use if you’re not sure about colors.
You can stay on the app’s dashboard and pick from free daily images or explore All Art in the toolbar. Lake sorts the coloring pages into artist collections, kids, abstract, animal, cities, feminist, portraits, mandalas for relaxation and satisfying symmetrical images.
On Lake’s free tier, you get nine free coloring pages per day. If you subscribe to premium — $10 a month, or $40 annually — you’ll get access to all the coloring pages, more color variations in the wheel and the option to use a blank canvas.
More art apps to check out
ShadowDraw: Learn How to Draw: ShadowDraw is a helpful free app (with in-app purchases and subscription plans for premium content) if you’re struggling with proportions or drawing specific things like faces, bodies or animals.
Drawing Pad: The Drawing Pad app is a good simple app for those in the market for a casual doodling app. It has a free version with ads (which can be a little annoying if you’re in the middle of a piece), or you can upgrade to premium for $7 a month or $30 annually.
For more on drawing, check out these five online drawing classes you can take right now. If an iPad isn’t your drawing tablet of choice, read our list of top tablets for 2023.
More iPad advice
- Best Laptops, Desktops and Tablets for Graphic Design and Creatives in 2023
- The 30 Best iPad Games You Need to Play
- The Best Apple iPad Apps of All Time
Technologies
Repair Your Electronics at Home With This Rare Black Friday Discount on the iFixit Pro Tech Go Toolkit
This toolkit rarely goes on sale, so take advantage of this opportunity to snag it for only $40.
While Black Friday is an excellent time to replace old smartphones or broken laptops at a discount, not everyone is looking to splurge on new tech right now. If you’re shopping on a budget, or simply like the devices that you have and aren’t ready for an upgrade, investing in an electronics repair kit may be a wise option. We’ve spotted a discount on the iFixit Pro Tech Go tech toolkit, bringing its price down to just $40. But don’t delay, Black Friday is in its final hours and this kit rarely goes on sale.
The iFixit Pro Tech Go kit can be used to open up and repair a wide range of electronics, including smartphones, laptops, gaming consoles, and smart home devices for DIY repairs like battery or screen replacements. The kit has a 32-bit Moray driver kit, an opening tool, a suction handle, a jimmy, a spudger and angled tweezer to carefully open your devices.
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Repairing your own tech can save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars. It also reduces e-waste by helping your devices last longer rather than throwing them away over minor issue. As of this year, all 50 states have introduced right-to-repair legislation designed to give people a legal right to fix their own tech, and several states have already signed it into law.
You can check out more deals from iFixIt now on Amazon. Plus, for other budget buys, check out our roundup of the best Black Friday deals under $100.
MOBILE DEALS OF THE WEEK
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$749 (save $250)
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Why this deal matters
This is a record low price on a repair kit that rarely goes on sale. While we did see a modest discount on the iFixit Pro Tech Go toolkit during Amazon Prime Day in July, it was not marked down for October Prime Day or other sales such as Memorial Day or Labor Day. As such, it’s fairly unlikely that we’ll see it go on sale again this season, so this might be your last chance to get the toolkit for only $40.
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Technologies
Don’t Say Goodbye to Black Friday Yet. These Rare Apple Discounts Are Still Going Strong
Technologies
What a Ban Would Actually Mean for DJI Drone Owners and Holiday Shoppers
What’s the secret to a very un-merry shopping season? A brand new, unusable drone.
With Thanksgiving wrapped up and the Black Friday shopping sales here, if a DJI drone is on your holiday wish list, you might want to hit «buy» immediately. The company has issued a stark warning: Its drones could be banned from sale in the US, and the deadline is looming.
The Federal Communications Commission voted 3-0 at the end of October to «close loopholes» that allow tech deemed a «national security risk» to be sold in the US. In plain English, the US government is clearing the path to give DJI the same treatment it gave Chinese phone-maker Huawei, effectively banning its products from the American market.
The US government has deemed DJI, which is based in China, a security risk. It’s also considering a separate ban on TP-Link routers.
DJI is already sounding the alarm, posting on Instagram that a «deadline that could decide DJI’s fate in the US is just 43 days away» (now 19 days away). The company is warning that without an audit, its products could face an «automatic ban.» The US government has long labeled the Chinese drone maker a security risk, and it looks like the hammer might finally be coming down right before the holidays.
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The vote isn’t the end of the road, however. Future bans would need to target specific products and would require a period of public consultation. But it appears the groundwork is being set for the FCC to block sales of future and some existing DJI drones from US shores, as well as products that use DJI technology.
The government has called for a DJI audit by the end of the year, but if that doesn’t happen, DJI drone products could be banned for sale by default under a national security law.
DJI asks for a security audit before any ban
A representative for DJI told CNET that while the FCC vote references a rule change that doesn’t currently apply to DJI specifically, the National Defense Authorization Act deadline in December would put Chinese companies like it on the FCC’s ban list, «without any evidence of wrongdoing or the right to appeal.»
Adam Welsh, head of global policy at DJI, said the company has repeatedly said it would be open to audit, but that «more than 10 months have now passed with no sign that the process has begun.»
«The US government has every right to strengthen national security measures, but this must go hand in hand with due process, fairness, and transparency,» Welsh said.
Welsh said DJI is urging the government to start the audit process or grant an extension.
Will DJI drone owners need to give them up?
Because the ban would apply to new sales, not drones that have already been sold, a DJI drone you already own would still be legal to use — at least under current rules.
Government agencies, however, are prohibited from purchasing or using drones from Chinese companies, including DJI.
DJI’s drones consistently rank high in their product category. In January, they dominated CNET’s list of best drones for 2025. But some of the company’s newest products, such as the DJI Mavic 4 Pro, haven’t been available for sale in the United States.
Even DJI products that are not yet banned may be hard to find. The website UAV Coach has posted a guide to the bans and reports that, due to inventory issues, most DJI drone models are sold out at retailers regardless of future FCC action.
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