This week I’m reviewing iPastels. iPastels is a free app that simulates the experience of drawing with (oil or chalk) pastels without the dust and mess of traditional materials. The app also includes layering capability. This allows you to make more complex drawings by adjusting transparency, being able to erase items separately, and to draw on/trace from a reference photograph.
Intended Use: The app is intended for making art.
Target Audience: The app is listed as being appropriate for ages 4 and up. The app can be navigated independently by users age 12 and up due to the size, language, and complexity of the menus.
Usability: There is slight learning curve with this app due to the wide range of options and customization for each tool. On the main menu, each material and tool is depicted by an icon. The drop-down menus, however, are text-based which makes them less user-friendly for younger children. There is an in-app manual which provides more detailed written information about all of the tools and controls. The tools are somewhat pressure sensitive (tested on a phone with digits, not a stylus).
Cost: The app is free, however, there are in-app upgrades that can be purchased for $4.99 (e.g. wider range of paper colors, etc.). If you are considering this app for a school or on a device which restricts in-app purchases, you can download the iPastels School/Office Edition for $4.99 instead.
Technical Requirements: Available on iOS (iPad, iPhone, and Mac)
Pro’s: The app is powerful in terms of customizing tools for drawing and simulating the blendability of pastels. The layering function allows for precise control that I haven’t seen in many other free drawing apps. The number of lays, however, is restricted in the free version.
Con’s: The app’s text is available in English language only. The drawing area is fairly small on the phone and would require using a stylus for detail work. Alternatively, the app could be used on an iPad. Purchase is required to unlock some of the additional features including paper textures, photo tracing mode, eyedropper tool, unlimited layers, and geometry/shapes.
Is it worth it? The app has a lot of powerful features but would be most worth it for iPad or Mac users due to the limited screen size of most phones. There are plenty of robust tools for casual or beginner users on the free version. The paid version would be best for serious or advanced users.
Screenshot from the iPastels app on iPhone.