iPad Apps For Designers

For quick 2D-based vector graphics, iDesign provides a clean interface for sketching. The most recent update includes significant performance improvements as well as the ability to share your designs with the iPhone app. The number of tools and the price of this universal app make it a great solution for sketching.

Adobe Ideas doesn't pretend to be an Adobe Illustrator replacement. It is a simple app that excels at allowing designers to quickly visualize their "ideas." The built-in line smoothing helps to add some polish to quick sketches. Adobe Ideas includes a unique and wonderful way to find complimentary colors for photos. Any photo can be analyzed from your photo library and then you can save these color themes for use with other sketches. Adobe Ideas is free but also includes a $4.99 in-app purchase for adding support for layers.

If you need to design wireframe models for new websites or iOS apps, then iMockups will fill that need. With templates for popular web objects and interface elements for the iPhone and iPad, iMockups provides a fast way to visualize ideas. The results are low resolution so this isn't geared for producing fully-rendered mockups. iMockups is perfect for the initial design stage in your web or software-based project.

For casual artists SketchBook Pro will turn your iPad into a digital canvas. With many brush types and layer support, SketchBook Pro is perfect for artists on the go. With built-in VGA support you can also share your work and gallery of projects on a TV or projector. If you want to move your project to PhotoShop you can export as a .PSD file and maintain your layers and blend modes as well.

ArtStudio for IPad is not only a great drawing and painting app, but also allows you to enhance your photos with painting, filters, and layers. For the inexpensive price, this app provides a lot of tools and effects for the artistic designer. ArtStudio can also help the young designer to improve their drawing abilities with built-in drawing lessons.

OmniGraffle on the iPad is one of the more expensive apps available but it is a professionally-designed application with a lot of polish. If you are an Omnigraffle user on the Mac then you will love being able to round-trip your projects between your Mac and your iPad. From flow charts and diagrams to wireframe models and charts, OmniGraffle makes great use of the iPad interface and is a very flexible canvas for designing.

LivingRoom for iPad is for the interior designer or the home user who wants to redecorate. Templates for many furniture items can be easily placed on the screen to help visualize room layouts throughout your house. If you want, you can even import custom textures and fabrics to give even more realism to your designs. It would be great if the app would also render 3D views of the rooms, but for now LivingRoom provides a good start for the interior designer.