Creating Art on the Go

Mobile devices have given us the ability to connect with the world in unimaginable ways. We have the internet at our fingertips, and that also means we have access to applications that can help us stay creative. It’s not always easy to carry around a laptop or drawing pad, but our tablets and smart phones can function as a portable studio with the right set of apps. In this list, we are going to take a look at a variety of apps that can give you a well rounded set of features for whatever style or method best suits you.

Moment

While your mobile phone most likely has an outstanding camera app, there are some perfectly good reasons why you would want to use an alternative. There are many out there, however Moment is shaping up to be a great mobile camera system. Not only do you get a free app that allows you to take TIFF images, but you also have easy touch control over exposure, focus, and temperature. If you want a little more, you can get a case with or without battery inside, as well as a selection of high quality lenses that can attach to it and give you even more control.

Also check out: ProCamera, VSCO (iOS, Android), Open Camera (Android)

Procreate

There are many capable painting and drawing apps out there, but Procreate is considerd the most advanced mobile painting application available. This award winning app works perfectly with the Apple Pencil, features a 64-bit painting engine, and even allows you to record and livestream what you’re working on.

Also check out: LayerPaint HD (Android), Adobe Sketch (iOS, Android), Medibang, Tasayui Sketches

Enlight

No mobile studio is complete without a powerful image editor and there are many to choose from. Enlight gets some top marks for being easy to use, and it’s absolutely loaded with features. Color correction, masking, artistic effect, frames, filters, drawing, typography, and much more.

Also check out: Afterlight (iOS, Android, Win), Snapseed, Lightroom Mobile (iOS, Android)

Adobe Illustrator Draw

When it comes to vector editing apps, Adobe Illustrator Draw is highly recommended. It’s a very capable vector editor and you can also connect it with your Creative Cloud account for further editing in either Photoshop or Illustrator CC.

Also check out: Assembly, Bez, Graphic

Adobe Spark

Now that you have a few methods for creating artwork while out and about, here is an app that will help you promote and share your work on social media. Create stunning graphics, videos, and more, right from your phone.

Also check out: Font Candy (iOS, Win), Font Studio (iOS, Android), Canva

Extras

Paper by FiftyThree: This is a great all-in-one app. Take photos, draw, paint, sketch, and take notes.

Adobe Capture CC: This app will help you capture color profiles, create brushes/patterns, and even vectorize drawings.

Evernote: A great app for collecting inspiration in a variety of ways. Syncs with the cloud.

Know of any other creative mobile apps? Share in the comments below.