Artstudio Pro

An app of all trades

- Adam Banks

Some iPad art apps are dedicated painting apps, others are photo editors with painting tools. Artstudio Pro is both.

The Adjust and Filters menus are reminiscent of Photoshop, there’s a Layers palette, and the toolbox includes image editing essentials, such as Lasso, Clone Stamp, Sharpen, Dodge, and Burn. Tap the paintbrush icon, though, and – once you’ve figured out you can access the Brush Editor from the brush tip preview (bottom left) – you have a full range of inks, pencils, chalks and paints, which can be supplemented by importing brushes in Adobe’s ABR and TPL formats.

The slider icon at the top right of the Brush Editor gives detailed control over the look and behaviour of each brush, including dynamic response to pressure when using an Apple Pencil, or to velocity when painting with your finger. Whichever you choose, the results are expressive and impressive.