So you want to learn how to draw on your iPad, but you aren’t sure where to start. Today we’re going to walk you through the basics of drawing on your iPad. Think of it as iPad drawing 101.

To start drawing on your iPad, you’ll need two tools:

  • An Apple Pencil
  • An App that supports drawing

OK, so there are some intense professional apps out there that are designed for illustrators. We don’t think these are a great place to start because they tend to have quite a learning curve and can feel overwhelming for beginners.

At the beginning of your digital art journey, it’s important to start with something easy to use so that you are able to engage with it and play with it – starting with something complex can be overwhelming and keep you from putting in the time to actually learn how to create digital artwork. Which would be a shame because, honestly, it’s a really, really cool creative outlet, and it doesn’t have to be intimidating.

Learning a new artform as an adult can be difficult because we’re not used to starting at the very beginning – and we’re surrounded by polished looking pieces of art that seem really accessible. It’s easy to forget that each of those artists had a journey that got them to where they are…

OK, so today we’re going to use the Pigment app to demonstrate some of the basics of digital coloring. Starting with coloring pages is a great way to learn digital art skills because the outlines allow you to focus on building your coloring abilities.

Here are some basic steps to start your digital drawing journey:

  • Pick something accessible. You can go to the Editor’s Choice called “Starting Simple,” and use one of the pre-selected drawings.
  • Experiment with the tools. What happens when you push harder on your stylus? What happens when you drag it while you’re in tap-to-fill mode?
  • Play with colors. Use the color wheel to explore color options. Use one of Pigment’s preset color palettes to create a vibe, or create your own color palette.
  • Play with tools. How do different opacities look?  When is it useful to have a big brush size or a tiny one?
  • Discover the joy of zoom for intricate details! (in real life, this looks like shoving your head up close to your canvas)
  • Use the eraser tool to clean up stray colors.
  • Use your non-digital art knowledge to inform your choice of lighting and colors – the same principles apply: you’ll need to shade and blend to create realistic effects. Think about where shadows and highlights fall. Add visual interest in certain areas to draw the eye of the viewer.

Really, the best way to learn is to explore! Play and practice until you get a good sense of how the tools work and the basics of color theory and shading. When you’re ready, there are a TON of tutorials to help you level up. Go back to Editor’s Choice and click the tutorial section. Check out the different skills you’re interested in learning.

And that’s it! You’re on your way to freehand mode, grayscale images, and beyond. Oh, and without any paintbrushes to clean. 

How to start drawing on an iPad

It’s possible to make really stunning, realistic, and nuanced art with your iPad and Apple Pencil, but when you are learning how to draw on the iPad, it can feel overwhelming. There are so many things you can do, it can be hard to just get started. 

As a beginner digital artist, it’s important to find an app that’s designed to ease you into the artistic experience. Pigment is great for this because it has a simple interface and its tools are easy to use. 

To start, we recommend exploring Pigment’s different tools to get a feel for them. Play around with brushes, opacities, and sizes to see various effects.

How to get started with digital art

There are a few different ways to get started with digital art. The good news? You’re already doing one of them! That’s right, starting your digital art journey with a bit of research is a great way to ease into the world of artistic creation. 

A great way to research how to start drawing and painting digitally is Youtube. Find youtubers who are teaching art and subscribe to their channels. Side note: Pigment’s digital art tutorials are pretty awesome, if we do say so ourselves.

Once you’ve watched a few tutorials, grab your iPad and download an app that makes sense for you. There are lots of digital art creation apps like Procreate, but many of them aren’t intuitive and as a result, not great for beginners. Pigment Coloring is an awesome option for beginners because it has different modes – freehand allows you to color anywhere you want, but auto helps you stay within lines. 

Pigment Coloring App is also great for beginners because it’s got a ton of tutorials on Youtube that you can follow. 

iPad Tutorials for Beginners

Check out Pixite’s playlist on Youtube for a variety of iPad digital art tutorials. The Pigment App playlist on Youtube is one of the quickest and easiest ways to explore digital painting as a beginner.

Breanne Pirie, Pigment’s official colorist, walks through the steps of shading and creating really beautiful pieces of digital art. Check out Breanne’s journey from beginner to professional colorist – it’s inspiring to see where she started and where she ended up. She credits the Pigment app as the supportive platform she needed to grow her digital coloring skills.

Learn Digital Sketching

Sketching digitally uses the same principles as sketching on paper. So if you’re interested in learning digital sketching, using a tutorial from any artist will work. There are also some awesome “how-to sketch” books that will teach you the basics.  

Learn how to use lines and curves to create perspective. Learn how to shade and include detail. Remember: Practice makes perfect. (Or at least better!) One tip? Take a picture of something you want to learn to draw. Having it in a photograph will give you the practice of looking at and understanding how to convert something from 3D to 2D.

You can learn sketching skills in the analog/paper world or digital world, but many of the same principles apply. Digital sketching is awesome though, because it is less wasteful (no more trashbins full of crumpled paper!) and it allows instant undos and erasing. You can also print it if you want a digital copy.

How to Create Digital Art

Ultimately, you need to dive in and start creating! Train your eye to find details and go from there. Use the internet to find inspiration and tutorials. Above all, remember: Creating art is beautiful in and of itself. Enjoy the process!

Make something beautiful on Pigment? Tag us with #Pigment_App – we love to see your stuff!