In today’s always-connected digital age, with notifications andelectronic distractionsaplenty, there’s real value to be hadin winding down, unplugging, and de-stressing. For many, the act of doodling or sketching is an immensely relaxing activity, and I concur.
Thankfully, when it comes to theiPhone, there are a wide selection of purpose-built drawing applications to choose from on the iOS App Store. Even with the relatively small screen of a mobile handset, developers have been able to craft intuitive drawing experiences without clutter or unnecessary overhead.
Here are five drawing apps that I personally rely on for coloring, doodling, and sketching while on-the-go or while unwinding before bed. While there are many other high-profile options out there – includingProcreate PocketandAdobe Fresco– this list focuses on apps that promote a distinct sense of tranquility.
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1Zen Color
Make drawing a zenful experience
Zen Color - Color By Number
Zen Color is an app with a novel numbers-based approach to drawing, with relaxing music, a tranquil aesthetic, and tons of picture options to choose from.
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ASMR in coloring book form
Lake: Coloring Book for Adults
A superbly relaxing coloring app that provides tons of canvases and genres to choose from, all packaged within an elegant interface.
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3Whiteboard
A stripped-back canvas for tranquility
Whiteboard: just draw together
Whiteboard is a minimalistic drawing application with a simple canvas, an approachable set of tools, and native support for Apple iMessage.
Whiteboard is purpose-built to provide a clean and minimalistic drawing experience on mobile. By stripping away any and all clutter, the app makes full use of the relatively small screen estate characteristic of smartphones. All the essentials are here, including a full rainbow of color choices, undo and redo buttons, and various marker sizes. You can also shake to erase, print directly to AIrPrint-enabled printers, and send collaborative Whiteboard messages via iMessage. Whiteboard is a free app with no ads, but there’s also an optional Creator Kit subscription available. This unlocks SharePlay drawing, an infinite board feature, and early access to experimental features.
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4Sketchbook
Sketchbook®
Sketchbook® is a full-featured drawing app with loads of customization options on offer, a wide selection of tools to choose from, and an unobtrusive interface.
Sketchbook is an excellent drawing app choice if you’re looking for a smart balance between simplicity and powerful features. Sketching, painting, and doodling are intuitive with a clean and distraction-free canvas, and there are numerous brush types and drawing elements to choose from. The basic app experience is free without ads, and an optional Premium Bundle can be purchased via a one-time payment. This premium addition adds an import function, layer grouping, export to PDF, and more.
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A drawing app that ties into Evernote
Paper: Sketch, Draw & Create
Made by the same team behind Evernote, Paper is a drawing app that lets you build and organize journals, sketch out ideas, and more.
Made by the same team behind the popular Evernote note-taking application, Paper is a sketchpad that can be used for sketch-based journaling. Journals can be organized and synced across devices, and there are a multitude of creative tools on offer, including mood boards, storyboards, and drawing implements. The app makes use of a gesture-based UI in order to reduce navigational clutter, and there’s a peaceful look and feel to the entire interface. Paper is free to get started with, and there’s an optional subscription-based Pro tier available for unlocking advanced brushes, scanning features, and other sketching tools.
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