An Apple Pencil can work as an amazing tool to help you with a lot of things such as taking down notes by hand or drawing and designing on your iPad. There are tons of Apple Pencil apps that can elevate your creativity as well as boost your overall productivity. These apps allow you to reap all the benefits that you can get from having an Apple Pencil and an iPad.
There are two main things you can do with your Apple Pencil. The first thing is to draw or design using this incredible tool. Digital art is the trend these days and some Apple Pencil apps can help you sketch, draw, edit, paint, and even animate using your Apple Pencil on your iPad. Truly, using your Apple Pencil to create art is something else altogether.
The other thing you can do with your Apple Pencil is to make note-taking easier. This is especially true for people who work best when they write things by hand. Instead of having to write on paper and risk getting it lost, you can simply use your Apple Pencil to take down notes on your iPad. Typing on an iPad can also be a bit challenging when you’re in a fast-paced lecture, so having an Apple Pencil can really come in handy.
Having said all that, there are multiple Apple Pencil apps in the App Store today. Here are some of the best Apple Pencil apps you can download right now.
Procreate
One of the most popular apps for the Apple Pencil is Procreate. This app is widely used by artists worldwide. Procreate features a wide variety of tools that can help users with sketching, drawings, inking, and painting. In fact, you can even try airbrushing, charcoal drawings, calligraphy, and spray painting with this app. It offers 150 different brushes so you can explore different strokes to your heart’s content. You can even apply layers to your art through this app to elevate your workpiece.
Notepad+
Are you looking for an Apple Pencil app for note-taking? If so, one of the best apps specifically designed for that is Notepad+. Despite its simple design, it is considered one of the best note-taking apps for Apple Pencil. Notepad+ is designed to let users feel like they’re just using a regular pen writing on paper. You can even adjust the palm rest at the bottom of your screen to ensure comfort while you take notes. In addition, you can also make markups on typed documents using this app.
Brushes
Another great Apple Pencil app for artists is this one called Brushes. As the name suggests, this app is made especially for people who are quite particular with their brushes when they make art. You can customize the type of brush you need and adjust it when necessary. Plus, you can control and lock the layers you use with this app. You can choose to adjust the color balance, blend, and transform your whole work if you want. What’s great about this is you can also use it on your iPhone as well.
GoodNotes 5
One challenge with manual note-taking is that you can’t just easily search for it compared to typing it on your iPad. Thankfully, this Apple Pencil app called GoodNotes 5 solves this problem for you. It utilizes its Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology so you can search for all your handwritten notes in this app. You can also organize your notes into folders so they won’t be in disarray. This app is also compatible with iCloud so you won’t have a problem syncing all your notes on all your Apple devices.
Artstudio Pro
Are you looking for an app that allows both drawing and editing? Artstudio Pro might be the one to suit your needs. In fact, it is sometimes compared to Adobe Photoshop but obviously comes at a more affordable price. Artists usually utilize this app for natural painting and it offers basic drawing tools that are great for beginners as well. This app essentially allows your iPad to turn into a digital canvas for your artwork.
Notability
Is manual note-taking not enough for you? If you want an app that allows you to take down notes manually and feature audio recording too, then look no further than the app called Notability. This app allows you to not just maximize your Apple Pencil for note-taking but also elevate your productivity by incorporating audio recording features as well. Notability is like an all-around app perfect for students and professionals alike.
Drawing Desk: Draw & Paint Art
Not all Apple Pencil apps for drawing come at a cost. If you’re looking for a free Apple Pencil app that still does the job, check out Drawing Desk: Draw & Paint Art. Even though it’s a free app, it still features a great selection of tools for your drawing needs. You can color match, rotate, resize, and highlight using this app. It’s also quite easy to use so it’s great for beginners. Plus, this app also offers a good selection of brushes so it’s a great starter app if you’re not yet willing to spend money on Apple Pencil apps.
