Do you have a story to tell, but don’t have the skills or equipment to bring it to life? don’t worry, your phone can help you! There are many great apps that can make the process of illustrating your children’s book easier.
The following is a list of the top 10 apps for book illustration. there’s sure to be an app on this list that suits your needs, whether you’re a seasoned artist or just starting out!
You are reading: Apps for illustrating children’s books
The Top 10 Book Illustration Apps
I’ve separated the applications into two sections; the best book illustration apps for beginners and the best book illustration apps for professional designers.
best book illustration apps for beginners
The following apps are perfect for beginners looking to enter the digital world. these drawing apps are easy to use and learn. What’s even better is that they all have a lot of great resources available for newbies, as well as great communities to offer support.
1. procreate
Those who have never used a design or illustration app before may find this app a bit intimidating.
While it can be helpful to experiment with all the different features and tools, to get the most out of this app and develop proficiency, check out the procreate community page.
Artists of any skill level can find many tutorials and qualified artists to help them. Don’t forget to use the animation feature – it really brings your work to life.
best used for:
You can create different types of artwork with procreate because it’s so customizable. Authors and publishers have used it to create smooth, textured illustrations for coloring books, graphic novels, manga, character art, and much more. possible illustrations include:
- botanicals,
- lettering projects,
- hard edge tattoo motifs,
- cartoon illustrations,
- and much more.
price:
$9.99 one-time purchase
perfect for:
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beginner
supported platforms:
ios devices
2. adobe illustrator drawing
Adobe Illustrator Draw is intended for graphic designers who are already a part of the Adobe family. CC Libraries makes it easy to open Illustrator files created in Adobe Illustrator Draw on the iPad.
Despite its beautiful design and simple interface, the learning curve for those unfamiliar with design software can be quite steep. however, on the plus side, the app’s tutorial platform makes it easy to engage with the community, regardless of the user’s experience level.
best used for:
Illustrator Draw is Adobe’s popular vector-based drawing program optimized for touch screens. You can draw on the android screen using a variety of tools, just like you can with the desktop version. there are all the tools you could ask for in a good drawing app in this app.
price:
ipads or android device users with adobe id can access it for free.
perfect for:
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beginner
supported platforms:
- ios
- android
3. adobe photoshop sketch
Adobe Photoshop Sketch is a tried and true drawing application. As with other Adobe products, Photoshop Sketch features a clean and simple interface. Using the brush panel on the left and minimal design tools on the right, you can create a large digital canvas.
For editors/authors who want to add a digital component to their work, this app offers clear and simple tools that allow them to focus on what they do best: create!
main features:
- designed to be used as part of the adobe family of applications. you must have an adobe id to use it.
- a photoshop style layout with brushes, but with pressure sensitivity.
price:
ipads or iphones users with adobe id can access it for free
perfect for:
intermediate to expert level
supported platforms:
- ios
- android used to be available and then it became cool adobe which sadly is not available for android.
4. pixelmator pro
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Despite its designation as more of an “image editor”, this app has all the makings to be a top contender for the best digital illustration app.
pixelmator pro gives you the ability to enhance text with different vector graphics, clipping masks, layered effects, and color adjustments.
With this app, artists can make their wildest graphic design and photography dreams come true. With some additional graphic tools available, Pixelmator Pro is similar to Lightroom and Photoshop for photo editing.
best used for:
you can use pixelmator pro to paint digital paintings, edit photos, create layouts, create illustrations, and get creative in any way you can imagine.
price:
$4.99
perfect for:
beginner to intermediate
supported platforms:
ios device
5. fresh from adobe
adobe cool includes dynamic brushes that span the screen, stunning vector graphics, and 3d blending effects. What’s even better is that you can easily export your artwork to Photoshop to work on it with more powerful tools.
plus, if simplicity is the goal, fresco’s streamlined approach gives you the ability to get your ideas across without getting bogged down with other tools.
best used for:
a simple and optimized drawing and painting application for beginners.
price:
free for mobile devices
perfect for:
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beginner
supported platforms:
- ios
- osx
- windows
6. inspire pro
inspire pro is a great introduction to digital drawing. the simple layout is easy to navigate and offers many great tools for creating. This app is a candidate for one of the best drawing apps in the app store due to its fast rendering times.
best used for:
drawing and painting: offers the fundamentals of digital drawing. it’s not as robust as other drawing apps.
price:
$9.99 one-time purchase
perfect for:
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beginner
supported platforms:
- ios devices
7. vectorizer
In many illustration apps, the user interface leaves a lot to be desired. Similar to Adobe Illustrator, many of its functions are hidden under complex submenus.
however, vectornator’s intuitive user interface dramatically reduces the learning curve for designers just starting out with vector drawing. we also offer tutorials and templates to help you.
what it does:
you can use vectornator for mac, iphone and ipad to create vector graphics. vectornator combines all the vector tools, advanced features, and functions you need to design graphics in one high-performance, intuitive environment.
price:
free
perfect for:
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beginner
supported platforms:
ios
8. montage
Assembly is often described as a “mobile vector design” tool. It comes with a graphic designer or illustrator’s dream set of tools and has beautiful shape packs that make it easy to use.
An intuitive user interface maximizes canvas space for easy creation. Plus, there’s a growing community of creatives using this app, making help available all over the web. As if that wasn’t enough, there are also fun tutorials to help you get started within the app.
best used for:
vector graphics and illustrative work with shapes. so think of anything from children’s books, coloring books, or even some activity books to graphic novels or character art.
price:
basic assembly is free
there is also a subscription fee of $29.99/year for the pro version
perfect for:
beginner to intermediate
supported platforms:
ios device available in app store
best book illustration apps for professional designers
The following apps are a bit more robust and can be easily integrated into an established career path. If you’ve never dabbled in design or illustration before, the learning curve can be a bit steep, but once you get the hang of it, the rewards can be immense.
9. affinity designer
affinity designer is comparable to the adobe design platform. There seems to be no limit to what can be created with its robust design. It has a huge library of tutorials and a growing community of creatives who use it to improve their creative process.
The app and the desktop version are one-time purchases, so it’s no wonder this app has attracted the attention of many who are looking for the best digital drawing program available.
best used:
As an extension to the affinity designer desktop, this illustration application can be used to create both vector and pixel graphics (you can switch between the two). the app was designed for both digital and print designs.
price:
A one-time purchase of $20.00 for the mobile app ($50.00 for the desktop app) does not require a subscription.
perfect for:
intermediate to advanced
supported platforms:
- ios
- android
10. autodesk sketchbook
this is the app to use if technical drawings and fine details are your passions. Autodesk Sketchbook’s scanning capabilities bring drawing into the digital age.
This handy little tool has been integrated into the workflow of many editors, architects, industrial designers, and other professionals.
best used for:
to create finely detailed technical drawings or illustrations.
price:
With an Autodesk ID, the software is free for individual use; multiple licenses are $85/year
perfect for:
intermediate to expert
supported platforms:
ios or android devices
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