Water and Stone Conference

Creating a Digital Art Toolkit

Friday June 2, 2023 1:00-4:00 PM EST (virtual)

3 CE Hours

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With the plethora of new technologies available, how do you choose the best tools for your clients? This course will introduce the SPIRAL framework for evaluating apps for therapeutic use. Participants will use their devices to practice digital art and add new apps to their toolkit

1. Participants will be able to define the SPIRAL acronym for evaluating the suitability of art apps for a given client population.

2. Participants will be able to identify at least five apps which are suitable for the client population in their area of practice.

3. Participants will be able to demonstrate proficiency with one or more art making apps through the creation of a digital art work.

4. Participants will be able to apply the SPIRAL framework to evaluate at least one app.

Weekly App Review: Scratchify

Sample image made using the Scartchify app.

This week I’m reviewing the Scratchify app, another app by linkedPIXEL the makers of Scribblify. Scratchify immitates the look of scratch art, a subtractive drawing technique that utilizes a sharpened stylus to scratch away a think layer of dark paint (or pigment) to reveal a lighter color underneath. By carefully scratching away parts of the surface, the artist can create high contrast images.

Intended Use: The app is intended for making art.

Target Audience: The app is listed as appropriate for ages four and up.

Usability: The interface is simple to use and primarily text based. Users are prompted to answer the questions, “What’s worrying you?” They are then prompted to type their response and put it in the worry box. The user reports this process until they have addressed all of their hypothetical worries. Once all of the worries are in the box, the user is prompted burn the box. The app then plays a brief animation of the box of fire.

Cost: The app is free with advertisements. There are in-app purchases of gems which can be exchanged for additional brushes, shapes, backgrounds, etc. The pack of 250 gems ($4.99) removes advertisements.

Technical Requirements: Available for iOS and Android.

Pro’s:

• The app creates bright images with a lot of contrast. This is could be engaging for younger users. It may also be helpful for users who have partial vision loss.

• Users can free draw or use symmetrical drawing tools and stamps. This makes art making more approachable for those who may be insecure about their drawing skills or have motor impairments.

• This tool could be a useful introduction to traditional scratch art in art therapy or classroom settings. Alternatively, this could be a tool for clients to use in between sessions if they do not have access to art materials or a space to work with them.

• Unlike traditional scratch art, users can undo mistakes with the touch of a button.

• The app removes the need to use a sharp tool for drawing. This addresses a safety concern for clients who are at risk for violence, self-harm, or are being seen in secure facilities.

• Users can save their work and continue their pieces later.

Con’s:

• In the free version, users have to watch an advertisement before they can save their work. The frequent ads detract from the overall experience.

• The drawing area is very small on the phone version. It would be best used on a tablet to increase the available drawing space.

• If the app accidentally closes before the work is saved, the progress made on the image will be lost.

Is it worth it? The free version of app is worth trying for personal use. The bright colors are engaging and the interface is simple enough for beginner users. The option to use premade shapes and symmetrical tools makes art making approachable for those who are not confident in their drawing abilities or have physical limitations. In order to use this with clients I would recommend upgrading to the paid version and using it on a tablet.

Weekly App Review: WorryBox

Screenshots from the WorryBox app.

This week I’m reviewing the WorryBox app. Everyone has anxious thoughts or worries from time to time. The feeling of worry can be useful if it prevents us from doing things that are dangerous or motivates us to solve problems. Unfortunately, worries can sometimes become overwhelming or keep us from enjoying life. When you notice your thoughts becoming a series of “what if’s” about things that haven’t happened, worst-case scenarios, or over which you have little or no control (e.g. what if I say something embarrassing, what if the train is late, etc.), what we call hypothetical worries, it can be helpful to set aside worry time to acknowledge these thoughts and let them go. WorryBox is an app that helps users with worry time.

Intended Use: The app is intended for relaxation.

Target Audience: The app is listed as appropriate for ages four and up. It can be used by anyone who can write basic sentences (ages approximately 6 and up independently).

Usability: The interface is simple to use and primarily text based. Users are prompted to answer the questions, “What’s worrying you?” They are then prompted to type their response and put it in the worry box. The user reports this process until they have addressed all of their hypothetical worries. Once all of the worries are in the box, the user is prompted burn the box. The app then plays a brief animation of the box of fire.

Cost: The app is free.

Technical Requirements: Available for iOS.

Pro’s:

• The app is free and easy to use.

• There are no advertisements or in-app purchases.

• It can be a helpful tool to deal with hypothetical worries.

Con’s:

• The app is text based and only available in English.

Is it worth it? The app could be a useful tool for dealing with worrisome thoughts in conjunction with therapy. Specifically, users might need psychoeducation about the difference between practical worries and hypothetical worries as it usually best to deal with the two types in different ways. Problem-solving is generally the best strategy for practical worries as it addresses the problem directly, naturally eliminating the worry. Avoiding the discomfort of practical worries can make things worse by prolonging the problem and leading to an accumulation of unfinished tasks which can become overwhelming.

Weekly App Review: Doodle Drawing Pad

Doodle made with the Doodle Drawing Pad app.

This week I’m reviewing the Doodle Drawing Pad app. There are many simple drawing app on the market but what sets this one apart is the ability to narrate and screen-record within the app (rather than using separate tools). This could be a valuable feature for art therapists and art therapy researchers as it will allow for stroke by stroke recording of the client’s creative process as well as their verbal comments.

Intended Use: The app is intended for art and productivity.

Target Audience: Both apps are listed as appropriate for ages four and up.

Screen shot showing the tools in the Doodle Drawing Pad app.

Usability: The interface is primarily visual and there are minimal text labels. Users can choose from pen, marker, and pencil tools in a variety of colors. Simply draw with a finger to make curved lines or use the ruler tool for assistance drawing straight lines. The selection tool allows users to move portions of their drawing around the screen. There are also tools to undo mistakes (e.g. an eraser tool to selectively remove portions of the drawing and a garbage can to start over).

Cost: The app is free.

Technical Requirements: Available for iOS.

Pro’s:

• The app is free and easy to use. This can be especially useful for beginners or during research as the user can learn to use the app relatively quickly.

• Users can selects colors from a preset palette or choose their own from the entire spectrum.

• Users can choose to record their process through the screen only or include voice narration.

• The selection tool could be used to create cut outs for animation during the screen recording process. For example, a client might draw a character then use the selection tool to move the character around the screen while telling a story.

Con’s:

Playback (sped up x4) of the drawing process on Doodle Drawing Pad app.

• If your phone is in Dark mode, the drawing and screen recording process will have a black background but drawings exported to the camera roll will have a white background. This means that the finished product might not look like what the user sees when they are creating it. The work around for this is to switch your phone to Light mode.

• Once the app is closed, the drawing space is cleared. This means that the drawing must be completed in a single session. It also means that if the app closes unexpectedly during the drawing process, that the drawing is lost and the user will need to start all over again.

• Users have to remember to press the record option before they begin drawing. It doesn’t happen automatically.

• The types of tools and customizations for those tools are limited. While this is good for beginners, it may not be robust enough for more experienced artists who appreciate a greater degree of control.

Is it worth it? While there are more robust drawing programs available (e.g. Procreate, Krita, etc.) this could be a valuable tool for beginners and researchers. Having a record of the art making process as well as the processing allows the therapist to review the session as many times as needed. It also creates opportunities to review the footage with the client if needed.

One of the critiques other reviewers have made is that this app is essentially a duplicate of the native Notes app on the iOS system. In my opinion, this is a fair critique. The Notes app actually has more tools available (e.g. ink pen, brush marker), supports switching between light and dark mode within the app, and allows the user to save and revisit their drawings within the app. In order to make recordings, however, the user would need to use the operating systems record function (outside of the app). The familiar interface might actually be a benefit to new clients as they may already know how to use the app and have access to it outside of sessions.

Weekly App Review:

This week I’m reviewing Smiling Mind, a mindfulness and meditation app. The premise of the app is that approximately ten minutes per day of mindfulness exercises can help reduce anxiety and stress while promoting greater health and wellness. There are specialized programs within the app for youth, adults, classrooms, families, and workplaces.

Intended Use: The app is intended for relaxation and wellness.

Target Audience: The app is listed as appropriate for users age four and up. The kids program is for children ages three to twelve, the youth program is for adolescents between 13 and 18 years of age, and the family program is designed for the whole family to listen together.

Usability: The interface is easy to navigate with text and supporting graphics. Users start with a well-being check-in, selecting their age group, and selecting the area they want to focus on (e.g. sleep, mindfulness, sports, school, stress management, relaxation, etc.). The app automatically keeps track of the user’s progress in the program so they can develop their skills in a logical progression. Users can also set up reminders to use the app at certain times of the day.

Cost: Free, there are premium programs available for the workplace (requires contact with the developers).

Technical Requirements: Available for iOS and Android.

Pro’s:

• The app is free and there are no ads or in-app purchases.

• Users can select light or dark mode. Users may prefer dark mode if they are using the app for help with sleep.

• The app supports both guided and unguided meditation. It focuses on brief meditation (under ten minutes) which can be easily incorporated into a busy day which is good for beginners. There is also a section of extended meditations (15 to 45 minutes).

• Although the app is in English there are meditations available in Arabic as well as native Australian languages (Dari, Kriol, Ngaanyatjarra, and Pitjantjatjara).

Con’s:

• The library of meditations is more limited than some of the other apps on the market.

• The meditations are audio only whereas other apps offer a video or other visualization on the screen. Depending on how you meditate, this may not necessarily be a negative.

Is it worth it? This is a great app for developing mindfulness practices. Unlike many apps that are on the market now, this one is free and appropriate for both children and adults.

Weekly App Review: Finch

Screenshot from the Finch app showing some of the features of the app including goals, mindfulness activities, quizzes, and reflections.

Happy New Year and welcome to 2023! A new year means a new opportunity to reflect and develop better habits. This week I’m reviewing Finch, a habit tracking and wellness app, which might help you with your resolutions.

If you grew up in the 1990’s or early 2000’s you might be familiar with Tamagotchi (a handheld video game which required users to take care of a digital pet). The Finch app uses the idea of the tamagotchi and applies it to self-care activities. Users help their pet gain energy by setting goals, completing mindfulness activities, tracking their emotions, and developing healthy habits. Your pet grows and develops a unique personality by going on adventures and interacting with the user. The developers based Finch on research about the benefits of writing about stressful events (Baikie & Wilhelm, 2005; Koopman et al, 2005; Krpan et al., 2013; Ullrich & Lutgendorf, 2002), putting feelings into words (Lieberman et al, 2007), counting blessings (Froh et al, 2008), and writing to-do lists (Scullin et al, 2018).

Intended Use: The app is intended for health and wellness.

Target Audience: The app is listed as being appropriate for ages four and up. The interface is animated and cute which would be welcomed by children, however, most of the prompts require literacy skills (both reading and writing). The coping strategies are appropriate for all ages but actually geared towards older teens/adults.

Usability: The interface is straightforward to use. The welcome screen features an emotional check-in and motivational quote. Users can select a journey (group of habits and goals to cultivate) such as feeling more adventurous, having a tidy space and tidy mind, staying connected with friends, improving sleeping, getting more physically active, appreciating the moments in life, or even just surviving the day. Each day, the app will give the user a set of goals to complete for the day. Completing goals give your digital pet energy to go out on adventures and in-game currency to purchase outfits and decorations.

Cost: The app is free to use. Users can upgrade to Finch Plus for $5.99 per month or $39.99 per year. There is a seven day free trial for Plus. The Plus version includes access to more outfits, decorations, longer meditation/grounding activities, more control over goals, and access to all trend data (free version stores one week at a time).

Technical Requirements: Available for iOS and Android.

Pro’s:

• The app is simple to use and adds a game-like element to habit tracking and self-care. Users can choose to set reminders/notifications for check-in’s and goals as frequently as they choose. If you cannot finish a goal on a given day, you can set a reminder to do it later. Gamifying self-care can help a person be more accountable (even if its just to an animated bird) and something to look forward to.

• The app provides positive modeling for building empathy and compassion to one’s self by giving users supportive and encouraging language to use with their digital pet.

• The graphics are well-rendered and visually appealing.

• Users also have access to several helpful grounding and mindfulness tools which can be accessed through the first-aid section. This is useful to users who may be using the app to help support existing mental health treatment by reinforcing coping strategies learned in therapy.

• The only advertising in the app is for the subscription option and this is only an occasional reminder (not obtrusive).

Con’s:

• Some users might find the cartoonish style of the app to be childish.

• The app is only available in English.

Is it worth it? I have been using the free version of app for the past several months and have found it be a positive addition to my routine. As I’ve been using the app I appreciate the prompts to reflect on things I’m grateful for, express worries I’m concerned about, and vent frustrations to be helpful in appreciating what is going well and letting go of (or at least not dwelling on) things that are bothering me. I get so busy with work that I find it helpful to have gentle reminders to do small things around the home to keep my space (and mind) tidy so they don’t pile up. It doesn’t hurt to get a little encouragement for doing it too. I think that the app is definitely worth trying. I’m happy with the free version so far (I don’t really need access to all of the outfits for my little finch, Sunshine). The Plus version is worth considering, however, as this is a solid app and it supports the developers to continue maintaining/improving the app and making it free for other users.

Weekly App Review: Spooky Edition Part II

As we continue to celebrate the spooky season, let us remember some of the apps that are no longer with us. We can all enjoy a few chills as they haunt us with their memories.

Effusio: Effusio was a website developed as an art therapy tool. It allowed users to create a mood board and journal with all of their entries saved in a portfolio. When you opened the app you would be prompted to type a word describing how you feel then adjust the font, color, and background color of that word. This word was then pinned to a virtual cork board. You could then draw or add premade images (a house, tree, or different people) to the image to embellish it further. Users had the option to write a brief journal at the entry at the end for processing. When the site was still active I used it during my thesis research with children in an after school program. If future website or app developers were to create a similar tool in the future the features worth building upon are the emotional check-in (though I would probably use pre-written words or faces to assist younger users in selecting emotions) and the portfolio.

Auryn Ink: Auryn Ink was an app that simulated the process of painting with watercolor. Some of the strengths of the app were working wet-in-wet, ability to lift color with water, glazing effects, control over drying time, and custom color pallet. Admittedly, though, I was not a huge fan of this app because I didn’t find it intuitive to use. Some alternative to Auryn Ink include Procreate, Artrage, and Tayasui Sketches.

Bellish: Bellish was an app and website that allowed users to develop knitting patterns for projects with various stitches, sizes, and yarn weights. The app was a good introduction to pattern making for beginning knitters and those who are not fans of figuring out sizing and math. If you are sitll looking for patterns online you can try Ravelry.

Weekly App Review: Spooky Edition

This week I’m doing something a little different. To celebrate Halloween I’m going to be highlighting some apps/software that have shuffled off this mortal coil. That’s right, this week we will be haunted by apps from the, admittedly, not so distant past.

PicassoHead: I used this website as one of the tools in my master’s thesis research. It allowed users to collage abstract shapes and facial features into Picasso-like portraits. From an art therapy perspective it supported art making by making portraiture approachable. Clients who were not confident in their drawing abilities could still make expressive portraits by selecting the size, position, and color of all of the elements of the face.

Hero Machine: I used to use this website with child and teens in an evening community center program. It allowed the user to collage their own super heroes and super villains from pre-made parts. The characters were completely customizable from the facial features, hair, armor, and sidekicks to backgrounds, logos, and colors. With the teens I had them color their images in online and with younger children we printed out the images and colored them by hand. From an art therapy perspective these images allowed clients to think about their strengths and weaknesses, create aspirational or realistic versions of themselves, and develop narratives, all at a safe projective distance (through a character). Like other collage techniques, the user did not have to confident in their ability to draw in order to make a satisfying art product. The theme of super heroes/villains also appealed to youth interested in comic books, video games, and graphic novels. Despite the hard work of developer Jeff Hebert, Hero Machine is no longer operational due to the discontinuation of Adobe Flash.

Flying Colors demonstration video

Flying Colors: Flying Colors is a software program by Magic Mouse productions. I used it as part of my thesis work with children in an afterschool program. It is essentially a digital sandtray that allows the user to select different stamps/objects and place them on pre-made or hand drawn backgrounds. It added in animations and sound effects, options for symmetrical drawing, paring down the number of tools based on age-level, and the ability to play back the artistic process which made it for for kids and useful for art therapists interested in their clients’ creative process. Magic Mouse no longer offers the CD-ROM of this software (if you can even find something to play it on), however, you can find a link to download the demo version to your computer on the Wayback Machine.

Weekly App Review: Relaxing Medusa

This week I’m reviewing Relaxing Medusa, an app that markets itself as “anti-stress art therapy.” The app allows the user to generate animated clouds/swirls of color in response to the movements of their finger on the screen. The patterns are hypnotic and relaxing but that does not mean that it is art therapy. People have been using art for relaxation, celebration, expression, and healing for centuries before art therapy was formalized as a profession. The art therapy profession does not own the artistic process. That said, the term art therapy refers to the use of the creative process within the context of a therapeutic relationship. This app is not, in and of itself, art therapy. I don’t want to sound like a broken record but I think it’s important for consumers to know what they are and are not getting, even with a free app. This review will consider Relaxing Medusa as a possible tool for independent relaxation/expression or within a therapeutic relationship.

Intended Use: The app is intended for entertainment or relaxation.

Target Audience: The app is listed as being appropriate for ages four and up. The adjustment sliders rely on reading text, however, young children or people with limited literacy could experiment with the sliders and still enjoy the process.

Usability: The interface is very simple. The user simple touches the screen (e.g. taps, drags, draws, etc.) and random colorful designs appear. There are options to adjust the sliders

Users can tap the “i” icon for basic instructions for the functions of the app.

Cost: The app is free.

Technical Requirements: Available for iOS.

Pro’s: The app is very simple to use which may be enjoyable for younger children, people with low energy, or who may not be family with technology. It is a way to experience the soothing properties of paint swirling with less mess than conventional materials. This may make it a suitable relaxation tool in places where infection control (e.g. medical setting) is paramount, rented/shared spaces, or spaces with limited access to running water for handwashing/cleaning tools. Users may find the images as an interesting starting point for collage, drawing, painting, or video using other apps or with conventional materials.

Con’s: The app creates images that are ephemeral. You can use the in-app screen capture tool, however, the images vanish fairly quickly so the captures tend to be faded. The tool also leaves a watermark (see the sample above). There is a workaround, however. You can use the phone’s native screen capture or screen record functions to capture still and video images of your work. Clients who are prone to seizures or migraines induced by flashing lights will want to steer clear of this app.

Is it worth it? The app is an enjoyable tool for distraction or generating abstract images/videos to use in other projects. I don’t imagine engaging with it for more than a few minutes at a time. There are other apps with greater functionality.

Weekly App Review: Blackout Bard

This week I’m reviewing Blackout Bard. Blackout poetry is a form of found poetry that uses existing text (poems, prose, textbooks, etc.) as the basis for new works with new meanings. The writer will redact (black out) selected words or phrases from the original work to develop a new poem. These pages can be further embellished with drawings, photos, or collage elements. For a tutorial on using this technique check out this video by ZArt. The Blackout Bard app takes the concept of blackout poetry and applies it into a digital format.

Sample blackout poem created with the app.

Intended Use: The app is intended for art and creative writing.

Target Audience: The app is listed as being appropriate for ages four and up. Due to the reliance on text, the app is best suited for users who are able to read/write at a fourth grade level or higher.

Usability: The interface utilizes a touch screen but is prone to selecting and unselecting the same text unintentionally. In some forms of blackout poetry all but a few words are blacked out, whereas in other forms all of the words remain visible and the words of the poem are circled/highlighted. In this app, users is only allowed to black out/highlight eight consecutive words at a a time before a break is required. This may necessitate thinking in inverse depending on how much of the original text the user wants to obscure.

Users can tap the “i” icon for basic instructions for the functions of the app.

Cost: The app is free. There are options for in-app purchases for $0.99 (admittedly, I could not find where to make these purchases on the iPhone version or what you get exactly).

Technical Requirements: Available for iOS and Android.

Pro’s: The app comes preloaded with a variety of literary excerpts to start with. Users can also paste text from other sources. The app comes preloaded with a limited a palette of premade colors but users can also mix their own custom colors. Although there is no drawing that can be done directly in the app, users can import photographs from their device to use as a background for their text. There are also several background textures to choose from. The user can experiment with various blackout settings from highlights and redacting to patterns. You can save your pieces and continue working on them at a later time. Finished pieces can be exported as a JPEG or PDF for printing or exporting to other apps.

Con’s: The interface is not immediately intuitive and requires some experimentation to get used to. The user cannot draw on the text in the app directly. The user would need to use the annotate tools native to their phone, import the image into another app, or print their work and illustrate the piece by hand. The app is only available in English, however, you can copy/paste or manually enter text from other languages (including special characters).

The advertising for the app is somewhat problematic. On the App store the app is listed as Blackout Bard: Blackout Poetry with the tag line Art Therapy by Erasing Words. While it is true that there are art therapists (and poetry therapists, expressive arts therapists, and other mental health professionals) who use blackout poetry as a technique with their clients, the app itself is not the same as art therapy. What is missing from the app is a key component of art therapy which is the use of the creative process within the context of a psychotherapeutic relationship. While it may seem obvious that an app is not the same as therapy, the surge of telehealth therapy, self-help apps, adult coloring books, etc. the waters surrounding art therapy have been muddied which can lead some members of the public to be unclear about what services they may be receiving.

Is it worth it? The app is a decent introduction to blackout poetry. It has limitations with respect to adding free-hand visuals (e.g. doodles, sketches, illustrations) but these can be worked around. There are sufficient tools in the free version of this app for personal or clinical use, however, you may have a more robust experience of blackout poetry by working on paper.

Weekly App Review: Zen Brush

This week I’m reviewing Zen Brush (version 2 and 3). Zen Brush is an app that approximates the look and feel of East Asian brush painting. The app allows the user to draw/paint with their finger or a stylus in both wet and dry applications. The app is pressure sensitive which allows for expressive brush strokes.

Intended Use: The app is intended for making art.

Target Audience: The app is listed as being appropriate for ages four and up. Version 2 can be used independently by children five and up. Version 3 can be used independently by children eight and up. Younger children may be able to engage with the app with support from a trusted adult. Based on the visual layout and content, the app is appealing for adults and simple enough to be used by people who are new to technology.

Usability: The interface is easy to navigate with a touch screen and does not rely heavily on text. The app allows users to draw/paint with a simple palette of colors on virtual papers of different colors and textures, or use a photograph from the camera roll as a guide. Version 3 also allows the user to apply a grid while painting and remove it when they are finished.

Cost: Zen Brush 2 is $2.99 and Zen Brush 3 is $4.99.

Technical Requirements: Available for iOS and Android.

Pro’s: Both versions of the app are pressure sensitive and can be used with a finger or stylus. This supports direct engagement with the drawing (almost like finger painting) or the precision and reflective distance of using a tool. The apps also allow the user to use both dry and wet brushes, select different colors/textures of paper, and export finished images to the device’s photo library. Version 3 offers the option to work in a variety of colors (versus black and red in version 2). Other features that are unique to version 3 include a water brush (to selectively wet the paper), layers for grids, guides, and tracing, and unique three dimensional substrates such a lantern, kokeshi, and fan. While the substrate is three dimensional, the drawing/painting on it will not warp to wrap around the object.

Both versions of the app are available in English and Japanese. The updated version is also available in Korean, Simplified Chinese, and Traditional Chinese.

Con’s: Some users may find the limited color palette of version two to be too narrow for their expressive purposes. The drawing space is fairly small on the phone version and is better suited for use with a tablet (however, this is con is fairly universal across many drawing/painting apps for the phone).

Is it worth it? This app is worth your time and money if you want a simple app. The limited choices can foster creativity in that the user is challenged to use the available tools in novel ways (e.g. problem solving). Teachers may find this a useful tool to enhance their art history, geography, social studies, creative writing, or other interdisciplinary units. Art therapists may find that this tool is affirming of their clients’ cultural background.

Weekly App Review: Sculpty

This week I’m reviewing Sculpty. Sculpty is an augmented reality app that allows users to create virtual sculptures and place them in augmented reality. If you are not familiar with the concept of augmented reality, it is where objects that reside in the real world (e.g. your environment) are enhanced by computer-generated graphics, sounds, etc. (e.g. digital media). You may have encountered this type of technology before if you, or your children, have played games like Pokemon Go, or used shopping apps that allow you to preview how furniture or other items will look in your space before you buy them. Augmented reality art apps allow users to generate content and see it in their space through a device like their phone or tablet. Artists like Mel Chin have even used augmented reality to create art in museums and public spaces, including New York’s Times Square.

Screen shot of an augmented reality sculpture created with the Sculpty app.

Sculptures in the Sculpty app are made from three-dimensional models of geometric forms (e.g. cubes, spheres, cones, etc.) that the user decorates by selecting a color, drawing a design, or uploading a photograph to act as a skin for the form. The forms can then be scaled to different sizes and arranged to make a sculpture. Users can then take screen shots or screen recording of their work as stand alone art images and videos or incorporate them into other art projects (digitally in other apps or by hand).

Intended Use: The app is intended for making art.

Target Audience: The app is listed as being appropriate for ages four and up, however, the complexity of the interfaces and concept of augmented reality are more appropriate for teens and adults.

Usability: There is a bit of a learning curve to the user interface. There is a draw mode in which the user assembles their forms. There is a texture maker which allows users to draw or upload a photograph to decorate their sculpture. There there is a grab (placement) mode in which the user can place completed sculptures into augmented reality.

Cost: The app is free to download and there are no ads.

Technical Requirements: Available for iOS.

Pro’s: Once you understand the tools available, the app is fairly simple to use. There is also an undo button in case the user makes a mistake. Users can customize solid colors by adjusting a hexadecimal slider, develop simple drawings to use as a texture, or import their own textures from photographs saved on their device. Versions of these textures are saved for future use. Scaling forms is intuitive as the user simply pinches the screen (similar to zoom functions in other apps). The sculptures can also be rotated within the space so they can be viewed from multiple angles.

Con’s: The main drawback to this app is that there is no in-app recording mechanism. You will have to use the phone’s native screen capture functions instead (how to do that here). Another drawback is that there is not a way to erase textures from the library. This means that you may have quite a few to sort through if you use the app regularly. This also poses a potential problem if you are using a shared device as students/clients could see each other’s textures.

Is it worth it? The app is a good introduction to virtual sculpture for teens and adults. With the support of the screen recording function native to iOS devices users can create videos that bring their digital creations into the therapy/classroom space, their community, or other adventures into the world. The app may not be appropriate for younger users or in situations where privacy between users is critical.

Weekly App Review: Draw & Tell

Screen shot from Draw & Tell app

This week I’m reviewing Draw & Tell. Draw & Tell is an art and story telling app developed by Duck Duck Moose, a design team that now collaborates with the nonprofit educational organization Khan Academy. The app allows the user to draw or color an image then narrate and animate their work to make a story.

Intended Use: The app is intended for making art.

Target Audience: The app is listed as being appropriate for ages four and up and the creators recommend it for ages three to nine. The bright colors and simple interface make it appropriate for young children (under ten) to use by themselves. Care givers can also support even younger children by working together.

Usability: The interface is easy to navigate with a touch screen and does not rely heavily on text. The app allows users to draw and paint with a wide range of colors on a blank canvas, a patterned background, or a photograph from the camera roll. There are also premade stickers which can be placed on top of the drawing and moved around while recording a story.

Cost: The app is free to download and there are no ads.

Technical Requirements: Available for iOS.

Pro’s: The app is easy to use and engaging for younger children. There are sound effects and music which help keep the user engaged in their art making (these can be turned off from the home screen). After making a piece of art, the user can record their voice to tell a story. During the recording process, they can move stickers around on the page to create an animation. Saved pictures can be organized into groups which allow the user to tell a story with multiple scenes. Completed works can be saved to the camera roll then easily shared through email or text.

Con’s: The user has limited ability to customize the drawing tools in the app. The main difference between each of the tools (paint, colored pencil, and crayon) is the width of rather than the texture of the tool. It is helpful to have a fine, medium, and thick brush, however, they are all solid colors. There are many bright colors available but the user cannot blend or mix their colors within the app.

Is it worth it? This app is worth your time if you have or work with young children. It may be a natural fit for art therapy as the app can support both art making and age-appropriate processing whether that is labeling, telling a story, or making an artist statement. It has features which support the creation of both simple and complex narratives. I imagine that expressive arts therapists can incorporate music (played during the recording phase). The app may also be a beneficial tool if you work with families (e.g. parent/caregiver and child can use the app together to facilitate art and story telling to improve their relationship, send greetings to family members who may live far away, etc.).

The app is not appropriate for older children or most adults as the interface is purposefully juvenile. Older children may reject it as “babyish” and adults may feel infantilized. Krita, ArtRage, Procreate, and Art Set are affordable alternatives for more sophisticated drawings. Visionn, Just a Line, or Stop Motion Studio are more age-appropriate video apps for adolescents and adults.

Weekly App Review: BeFunky

This week I’m reviewing two apps and one website by the developer BeFunky Inc. The Be Funky app can be used to edit photographs from the user’s camera roll or make simple collages (arrangements of two to nine photographs). The Visionn app allows the user to record videos and take pictures with different artistic filters applied. The user can also apply filters to photos that are already on the camera roll. The BeFunky website is a suite that includes photo editing, digital collage, and graphic design functions.

Intended Use: The apps are intended for making art.

Video created with the Visionn app.

Target Audience: The apps are listed as being appropriate for ages four and up. The Visionn app is the simplest of the three and could be independently used by users age seven and up. The BeFunky app can be used by users age ten and up. The BeFunky web suite can be used by users age twelve and up.

Usability:

• The Visionn app is easy to use, simply swipe the screen to change filters. The other functions can be changed by pressing icons on the screen (camera for photo and video for video). The center button is the camera shutter/record button.

• The BeFunky app is both a visual and text-based app. Users can preview changes before applying them to their photographs and adjust the intensity of the effect.

• The BeFunky web suite combines visual and text-based menus. Each filter or change is adjustable and a preview is available. The sheer number of options may be somewhat overwhelming for some users.

Cost:

• The BeFunky app is free to download.

• The Visionn app is $1.99.

• Many of the BeFunky web tools can be accessed for free online. A subscription is required to access to all of the premium features at BeFunky.com ($9.99 per month or $59.98 per year).

Technical Requirements:

• Visionn requires an iOS smart device.

• The BeFunky app requires an iOS or Android smart device.

• The web version of BeFunky can be accessed on any computer.

Pro’s: The apps from BeFunky are relatively easy to use and can create striking effects quickly. The interfaces do not display distracting advertisements. Images and videos created using the smart device apps do not overwrite original files so there is no risk of losing original works. This allows users to experiment with different techniques and make different versions of an artwork safely. The BeFunky photo editor allows for a limited amount of layering. Specifically, users can add text and shapes to their photos which they can edit and move around. This is not the same as other apps including the Adobe Suite, Krita, or GIMP which allow multiple layers of photographs, brushwork, masks, and other adjustment layers with advanced blending options.

*Update: 1/22/2023 Another positive attribute of the app is that it easily integrates with Google Drive. Users can open a photograph in Google Drive, edit it in BeFunky, then save their work back into the drive.

Con’s:

• The Visionn app limits the length of live capture videos to four minutes. You can work around this, however, by post-processing videos from your camera roll (there is no length restriction for this). You also cannot adjust the effects (increase or decrease their intensity). What you see is what you get.

• The collages in the BeFunky app are essentially photo arrays rather than images that you cut out and assemble back together. This is not unique to BeFunky, however, most of the available apps for “collage” function in this way as of this writing.

• The free version of the BeFunky web suite allows access to all of the tools, however, premium tools will leave a watermark on your image. The number of free tools is quite limited (all tools with a blue/green dot are considered premium). As mentioned earlier, the ability to layer is limited to text and shapes.

Is it worth it?

• The Visionn app is worth your money if you plan to use it for taking artistic videos. If you are planning on using it for still photographs only you might be better served with other apps.

• The BeFunky app is worth while as a basic photo editor. It is easy to use and allows users to create localized changes (e.g. touch-ups, burning, dodging, etc.), traditional photographic adjustments (e.g. brightness, contrast, focus), and artistic effects.

• The BeFunky web suite may be a suitable alternative to other, more expensive, subscription-based photo editing and graphic design programs (e.g. Canva is $119.99 per year and the Adobe Creative Suite is $9.99-$54.99 per month depending on which package you choose). If you do not need to use layering to achieve your artistic vision this may be a less costly and more user friendly option for you.

Sample image before edits in BeFunky.

Sample image after edits in BeFunky.

Weekly App Review: Be Safe

Screenshot from Be Safe app.

This week, in recognition of Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, I’m reviewing Be Safe. Be Safe is an app that allows users to input a safety plan into their phone or tablet for use in the event of a crisis. A safety plan is a list of possible situations or scenarios which might make a person more vulnerable to suicidal thoughts, signs or symptoms that they are not feeling well and need additional support, coping strategies, and the contact information for friends, family, mental health providers, and crisis hotlines who may be able to help before or during an emergency. The purpose of the plan is help reduce the risk that a person will act on their thoughts/plan about suicide or self-harm by giving them concrete steps to take until their thoughts subside. This is based on the idea that suicide risk can increase and decrease over a relatively short period of time. If a person can recognize that their risk is increasing, they can take steps to help themselves and connect to support before they are in danger of acting on their feelings.

There is more than one way to make a safety plan including the Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) and Stanley Brown Safety Plan. No app is a substitute for mental health treatment, however, safety planning apps can be a useful tool for people who experience suicidal thoughts, overwhelming emotions, or psychiatric symptoms.

For more information about navigating a mental health crisis, please look through NAMI’s online guide (available in English and Spanish). If you have an immediate crisis please call 988.

Intended Use: The app is intended for developing a Stanley Brown safety plan in the context of mental health treatment.

Target Audience: The app is intended for people who experience suicidal ideation, overwhelming emotions, or psychiatric symptoms. It is listed as being appropriate for ages 4 and up. The interface is entirely text based, however, so children younger than 12 may struggle to use the app independently. Younger users may need a trusted adult (e.g. parent, therapist, guardian, counselor, etc.) to help input the information.

Usability: The interface is easy to use. It provides prompts for users to enter information for each section of the safety plan. This allows users to develop a safety plan with the support of a therapist, counselor, or other mental health professional. People who are already familiar with a safety plan can create or update a safety plan independently or with peer support. Users can access their emergency contacts and crisis hotline numbers directly from the app.

Cost: The app is free to download and there are no ads.

Technical Requirements: Available on iOS.

Pro’s: The app is easy to use and provides prompts for each section of a safety plan. Users can customize their safety plan by writing in their own coping strategies which may be unique to them. Once contacts are added to the app they can be called directly from the app. Crisis hotline numbers are also preprogrammed into the app. Users can also email copies of their plan to members of their support system. It does not cost anything and is add free.

Con’s: The app is text based and requires the user to type their responses. There are no check boxes/suggested items so users who struggle to find appropriate coping strategies may not be able to use the app independently. The app is also only available in English.

Is it worth it? This app is worth your time if you or a loved one experience suicidal ideation, overwhelming emotions, or psychiatric symptoms. It can be a useful tool to support a potentially life-saving intervention. The benefit of having a digital version of the plan in your phone is that you (most likely) will always have it with you in case of emergency.

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Weekly App Review: This is Sand

This week I’m reviewing This is Sand. This is Sand is an art app developed by Beige Elephant. The app allows the user to make virtual sand art on their computer screen, phone, or tablet. Although the tools are simple, their application is only limited by your imagination. It is approachable to people regardless of their perceived level of artistic skill. The app can be used both for art making and for relaxation.

Intended Use: The app is intended for relaxation and making art.

Target Audience: The app is listed as being appropriate for ages 9 and up. The extremely simple interface makes if appropriate for most children to use independently. Younger children can also learn to use the app. In my graduate training I’ve used this app with children as young as six.

Digital painting made with This is Sand app for iPhone.

Usability: The interface is easy to navigate with a touch screen. The app allows users to draw and paint on a blank canvas or on top of an imported photo. Stickers also add an element of collage.

Cost: Free to download with no ads. There are options for in-app purchases for additional tools including My Colors (save your favorite colors in a palette), Color Shifter (random color picker), Color Picker (select a color with your camera), Photo Sand (create sand art from photos), and HD Sand. The tools are $0.99 for one or $1.99 for all five.

Technical Requirements: Available on the web, iOS, and Android.

Pro’s: The app is easy to use, relaxing, and engaging for ages and levels of ability. The app is available in multiple languages (to describe some of the tools) but literacy is not required to navigate the interface effectively. Users can make beautiful blends of color easily. Images in this app often look like mountainous landscapes but with practice you can make other types of images. There is also the option to listen to the sound of falling sand as you work. This can be turned off if you have sensory aversions, prefer to listen to other audio while working, or are using this in a group setting.

Con’s: The app is not geared towards making highly detailed drawings. The user also cannot undo mistakes. If you are using the web-based version of This is Sand, your drawing will be lost if your connection is disrupted (you also cannot save it and resume working on it at a later time, you have to screenshot whatever you completed). If you are using this app in a therapeutic setting you will have to coach clients about not posting finished pieces to the public gallery in order to keep finished pieces private.

Is it worth it? This app is worth your time if you want a simple tool for art making or relaxation. You might use the images as a jumping off point for works rendered in traditional art media or as layers in digital collages. The tools available for purchase are not necessary for making art, however, they open up possibilities for using the app in other ways. For example, you can use the Color Picker tool to make artwork inspired by the colors of your surroundings. Want a new palette? Go on an adventure to another room, around the block, or someplace farther away. With the Photo Sand tool you can make abstract artwork based on photographs. These could be family or vacation pictures, photographs of your artwork, digital images made in other apps, or screenshots of artwork you have found online. The possibilities are endless.

Those who are not interested in art making could also use the app as a creative meditation tool. Instead of thinking about making an image, the user can simply focus on the sound and visuals of the falling sand. The screen filling is a natural timer for the practice (e.g. when the screen is full, your meditation time is finished). The user could select colors at random or select a color which represents a mood, intention, chakra, etc. to focus their session.

Weekly App Review: iPastels

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.

Weekly App Review: Drawing with Carl

This image was created with the Drawing with Carl app using the spray paint, water color, crayon, and scroll brushes in symmetry mode as well as monster eyes and mouth stickers. In the app, the mouth is animated and giggles.

This week I’m reviewing Drawing with Carl. Drawing with Carl is an art app for children developed by Tayasui (the makers of Sketches). The app allows the user to draw and paint with digital tools including pencil, marker, stamps, water color, paint/pattern roller, and spray can. A mirror mode allows the user to create symmetrical drawings. This features is great for faces and mandalas. There are also stickers with animations and sounds which bring your drawing to life. Users can even import and draw on their own photographs.

Intended Use: The app is intended for making art.

Target Audience: The app is listed as being appropriate for ages 4 and up and geared for children ages 6-8 to use independently. Younger children may enjoy using the app with a caregiver or therapist.

Usability: The interface is easy to navigate with a touch screen. The app allows users to draw and paint on a blank canvas or on top of an imported photo. Stickers also add an element of collage.

Cost: $1.99

Technical Requirements: Available on iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

Pro’s: The app is easy to use, engaging, fun, supports creative expression, and available in multiple languages. The optional monster stickers add an element of sound and amplify the silliness which make it more entertaining for the user.

Con’s: Although the app could be enjoyable for kids and kids at heart, the look of the app skews on the juvenile side. Older children and adults may find the app infantilizing. The simple tools would not offer enough control and precision for more detailed drawings. The app is currently only available for iOS.

Is it worth it? This app is worth your time and money if you are working with younger children. It would not be worth it if you are working with older children or most adults.

Weekly App Review: Weird Cuts

This week I’m reviewing Weird Cuts. Weird Cuts is a free app created by Zach Lieberman and Molmol Kuo with the support of Google Arts & Culture. It allows users to collage photographic elements into augmented reality. There are two modes of working: cutout and collage. In cutout mode, users collect a variety of collage pieces by taking photographs that are cut into different shapes. This is akin to using scissors to cut out images from magazines or photographs in traditional collage. In collage mode, users then arrange their pieces into three-dimensional space. This correlates to gluing or pasting down images onto a conventional collage substrate. The resulting work is a digital collage in augmented reality which can be exported to the device in video format.

Intended Use: The app is intended for making art.

Target Audience: The app is listed as being appropriate for ages 4 and up. Younger children may require the support of an adult to learn how to use the app at first but can navigate it independently after that.

Usability: The interface is easy to navigate with a touch screen. The app allows users to create short videos which can be saved to the device directly. A limited number of “cuts” are stored in the app.

Cost: The app is free and there are no advertisements.

Technical Requirements: Available on iOS or Android smart devices.

Pro’s: The app is easy to use, engaging, fun, supports creative expression, and is free of charge. The app pre-cuts images so this can make collage accessible to people who cannot use scissors safely (due to dexterity issues, risk of self-harm, etc.). Since users need to create collage pieces from images in their environment it may encourage them to create new items to photograph (such as drawings, paintings, sculptures, etc.) or explore their the outside world.

Con’s: The app allows for only short video clips to be recorded. If you have a longer project in mind you would have to make multiple clips and stitch them together in another app (e.g. iMovie).

Is it worth it? This app is worth your time and attention. It can be used to make stand-alone video clips or incorporated into larger video or multi-media projects. The app could be used for either entertainment or therapeutic purposes.

Video made with Weird Cuts

Weekly App Review: How We Feel

Screenshot from How We Feel app.

There are so many apps for digital art making and mental health support. How do you make sense of them all? How do you keep track of them all? Look no further! Check out my blog each week to find a review of an app that you may want to use as a client, a parent, or a provider. I’ll break down the intended use, target audience, usability, cost, technical requirements, pro’s, con’s, and whether, in my opinion, the app is worth your time and money.

This week I’m reviewing How We Feel. How We Feel is a free app that helps users to identify and track emotions as well as other important metrics such as sleep and hours of exercise. The app also provides mini lessons about coping strategies including meditation and positive affirmations. The app was developed by The How We Feel Project in partnership with Dr. Marc Brackett, Dr. Robin Stern, and Dr. Zorana Pringle of the Yale University Center for Emotional Intelligence. Users of the app can choose to keep all of their data confidential or share de-identified data to help advance research in emotional wellbeing and mental health.

Intended Use:

• To expand vocabulary to accurately identify and describe the user’s feelings.

• To track emotions over time with the goal of finding and understanding patterns.

• To increase the user’s range of healthy coping strategies.

Target Audience: The app is listed as being appropriate for ages 4 and up. Younger children may require the support of an adult to understand all of the vocabulary used in the app. Users 12 and up should be able to use the app independently.

Usability: The interface is easy to navigate and the primary tool (an emotional check in) is the first option on the home screen. Users can set up push notifications to remind them to check in a specified number of times throughout the day. After several days, users can look at their data represented visually to help them quickly discover patterns that contribute to positive or negative mood.

Cost: The app is free and there are no advertisements.

Technical Requirements: Available on iOS or Android smart devices.

Pro’s: The app is easy to use, offers research-based coping strategies, helps users identify nuances of emotions, and is free of charge.

Con’s: The app may be difficult to use for younger children (under age 10-12) or people with intellectual disabilities. The app is currently available in English language only.

Is it worth it? This app is worth your time and attention. It can be used as a self-help tool or in combination with mental health treatment.