When the Apple iPad was announced back in January, it seemed like a natural fit as a drawing tablet.  While we knew that it may not  have the fidelity of a Cintiq, we also knew that it wasn’t meant to be used the same way.  Now that the tablet is out and the flood of software has begun, we were extremely excited to take the latest native version of SketchBook for a test drive.

Autodesk’s SketchBook Pro for the iPad aims to be quintessential on-the-go sketching app.  I was a fan of the iPhone/iPod version, but couldn’t get past the size of the device to take sketching that small too seriously.  With that said, SketchBook Mobile was still one of the best doodling apps on the iPhone and provided a nice diversion during long timing meetings.  I was anxious to try out the iPad version, using it as a main purchase point for the iDevice.

The promise of what an iPad sketching app could be is important to note.  The device is more professionally-aimed than some inexpensive drawing tablets, and thus the apps may be used to produce more serious results than just doodling.  The bigger screen, better resolution, and relative portability are immensely important to designers and artists.  The cost of the iPad, at just $500, is much more affordable than paying $2000 for a laptop and sketchpad combo.

Initial Impressions

When I first fired up SketchBook, I immediately knew that the giant white canvas would be fun to work with.  It’s clean and bare, and seems to be ready to accept all kinds of sketching goodness.  The screen is gorgeous, the lines are crisp, and the color palette is expansive.

The iPad’s processor also makes the software zip.  Whether changing between tools, modifying layers, or just laying down lines and colors, the software is quick and responsive.  In fact, the only slowdown I found was designed in; it can be slightly tedious to manage the tools.  The interface requires a lot of navigation to get to the desired brushes and color palettes, and often kicks me back out to the canvas once I select the tool I want.  It’s not bad, it’s just an extra step I could do without.

Sketching

Using some of the tools, like the pencil and airbrush, reminds me of the first time I used Painter: the initial touchdown seems simple, but the amount of depth can lead to complex pieces.  The brush controls are a great feature.  From changing the spacing to adjusting the fade for the simulated pressure sensitivity, they’re are extensive enough to get the desired sketch style that I want, tight or loose.

My only complaint with the brushes is that the sensitivity tends to get “lost” if I fiddle with the controls too much.  I kept having to reset the brush palette to get it back.

Rendering is extremely easy.  Using the layers (up to 6 total) I can create one for linework, for the base color, and for shadows and highlights.  In enjoyed bringing in images from the iPad’s photo library, making it great to be able to work over existing photos for backgrounds or modifications.  Although the sensitivity isn’t perfect, It’s generally easy to lay down several low-opacity strokes of color to achieve the depth I want.

For this version, Autodesk opted to use some gestural controls to replace the undo/redo taps of the iPhone version.  This seems gimmicky and makes for several inadvertent bumps, rotations, and layer jumbling as I try to undo the last line stroke.  Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.  This also makes it a pain to work if I’m using a stylus, where I often have to switch back and forth from pen to finger swipes.

I have a tendency to rotate the iPad a lot as I sketch, which (if the iPad is unlocked) causes the marking menu button to rotate position.  That means that as I try to undo (swipe left with three fingers) I’m actually activating different commands each time.

Two Ways to Play

There are two distinct experiences with SBPro, depending on if I am using my finger or a stylus.  Before I purchased a stylus, using my finger lead me to be loose, almost like finger painting.  Yes, it can still create fine lines and detailed images, but the fun resided in using individual fingers differently. I found my pointer finger to be great for short chicken-scratch, my thumb for smudging and dropping coarse lines, and the side of my middle finger for laying down traditional color.

I badly wanted something more detailed, so I DIY’ed a stylus from tin foil, Scotch tape, and a Bic pen I had lying around.  It works fine but doesn’t always catch the beginning or end of a line.  I ended up ordering the Pogo stylus, which (although a bit short) works like a proper sketch tool.  The stylus allows for more detailed lines, thick-to-thin, and traditional ID sketching techniques.  Where sketching with my finger is fun, using a stylus is serious work.

Al(most) All the Fixins’

SketchBook Pro has a new interface when compared to the iPhone version.  Gone is the intuitive marking menu, replaced with a more traditional menu bar… which disappears once you start sketching.  The menu bar is narrow enough that I wish it could be available the entire time.  The simplified interface mimics the way a Mac/PC lists its icons and menus, which explains the amount of wasted time skipping through menus to find what I need.

I much preferred the circular marking menu from the iPhone version, if anything than for the instant access to specific brushes and erasers that I use often.

The versatility and depth is present.  As I noted earlier, the brush controls rival most PC-based systems, and the ability to transform layers (rotate, scale, opacity) is top-notch.  The variety of brushes (including a few gimmicky ones) is outstanding.  I’ve been able to render a car, alien, and forest scene using different scales of technique. Mirror mode is an absolute blast!  As a way to create forms quickly, it is excellent for idea generation.

Coming Up?

There are a few things I can hope that Autodesk includes/improves in future iterations to really make this a standout tool.

• I’d love for the ability to save the brushes I create/modify into my own palette (perhaps by bringing back the marking menu?)
• Some level of customizable menus, or at least the ability to permanently hide/unhide menus when the menubar is brought up.
• Path & selection tools are a must for creating masks and shapes.  These are sorely needed.
• WiFi file transfer (or directly via the USB adapter) would be better than trying to get images out of iTunes or email.

And Finally…

Apart from the new menu system and brush controls, the app seems like a slightly improved port rather than a real “pro” update to the software.  It definitely gets the job done, but seems like an intermediate step before the “real” version of SketchBook Pro for iPad is released.

Think of this as the perfect app for the budding artist, as I keep wanting to use it like a Wacom tablet.  And, justifiably so: with the device’s terrific form factor and the app’s intuitiveness, it should be a great replacement for a low-end Wacom, but seems to fall ever so short.  The combo may not satisfy as a full replacement for Designers, but in future iterations it may reach that point.

Either way, I’m being nitpicky.  It’s still a fantastic tool.  Coupled with a few other bits of software, this is a must for any Designer even remotely interested in the iPad or sketching digitally on a budget.  It’s simply the best portable sketching app to date.

SketchBook Pro can be purchased from the iTunes App Store from AutoDesk for $7.99.

Disclosure: This review is based on a copy of the app provided by the publisher (AutoDesk) to CDF.