Adobe Ideas 2.9.2

When freeform drawing came to the iPad, the device finally got some much deserved context. Although most people use it as an Internet machine, creatives have learned to harness the power of the iPad through dedicated software for drawing.

Adobe was among the first to release an app that gives you the ability to draw freeform vector illustrations, complete with support for pressure sensitive styluses.

It's made by pros but it doesn't show

For an app made by imaging experts, Ideas is poorly designed. Much of the interface makes no sense until you really try to grasp it. Such as the menubar, which forces you to select an option, then a file to apply that action to it. The black & white theme seems cold, uninspiring and uninviting. And the name of the picture is placed too close to the back button. Whichever action you want, you’re likely to achieve the other if your hand is trembling.

Freeform drawing at its finest

Looks aside, Ideas really shines when you’re face to face with your canvas. A huge, zoomable paper allows you to draw freely with your finger or a supported stylus, and the built-in drawing tools are neatly packed in a retractable panel which, unlike the rest of the app, is very cleverly designed.

You get different kinds of pens and brushes, more color options than you’ll ever need, the ability to load up an existing image (from your library, flickr, google, etc.) and draw on top of it (or pick colors from it), Creative Cloud integration, instant sharing features, and a lot more.

Ideas is best used on iPad, as space is indeed a crucial factor here. On iPhone and iPod touch, it’s a scribbling tool more than anything else.

Tightening up security

For an added layer of security, the automatic sync feature to Creative Cloud has been permanently disabled, which means you’ll have to dig through the settings to power it up, which is a good things since it ensures you explicitly allow the tool to back up your data.

What’s more, you can manually save your Ideas files to the Creative Cloud and then import them into the Adobe Illustrator Draw to keep working on them.

Powerful in the right hands

Ideas is very powerful in the hands of artistic people. Best used on iPad, it enables a level of freeform drawing unmatched by other solutions in the App Store. Its toolset is neatly packed in a retractable pane, and the ability to draw with a pressure sensitive stylus is an invaluable asset. Many of the UI controls could use some work, but overall it’s a pretty rad tool.

Add to watchlist:

Drawing

• Autodesk SketchBook 3.1.2
• Pic2Comic 1.2.2
• MagicPlan 4.4