Tayasui Sketches, Digital Drawing App
I've been calling the app I use to draw all of my digital art "the free Sketches app on Android" because I use it on an Android phone, and the homepage icon looks like this.
All it says under the simple pen against a white background is "Sketches" without any other names or identifiers.
However, when I opened it the other day I paid enough attention to see that it actually says its full name the first time you run it after having it closed for awhile.
I didn't want to keep being vague about the name, because I know there are other people like me who (for whatever reasons, we all have different situations) can't justify buying and/or subscribing to a digital drawing program or app and are always looking for a free one to allow them to draw. I know I always pay close attention to the exact name and features when another artist or writer mentions a free program they use and get frustrated when they just say "that one, I'm sure you all know it" or "the thing with the icon," so I'd like to share the same details I seek out with anyone who wants them.
If you're one of those people, Tayasui Sketches is available on at least Android and may or may not be available on other mobile platforms. Here's my relevant knowledge and thoughts about Tayasui Sketches.
This program is largely free of fees, subscriptions, and/or ads. It has the one-time cost for its pro upgrade, still image ads you have to scroll past in your sketch library, and the occasional prompt to buy its pro version if you try to use pro features. It may have other ads that play here and there, but they're so rare that they're not memorable to be and I can't be sure what -- if anything -- triggers them to happen.
It's also fairly easy to intuit what goes where and which buttons do what in areas where the initial tutorial/help menu falls short. Developing my own tricks for it and ways of using it has felt natural, for the most part, and it's a big part of why I stick with this app even when I can't use the pro version.
Another reason is the array of tools it gives free users. Not being able to use layers has been frustrating sometimes, and I sometimes look longingly at the small "more tools available in pro" banner in the tool table, but what I can and do use is great for my style of art. Being able to use painterly brushes has helped me refine my art style a lot, the pen brush makes my handwriting and lineart look much more legible than when I draw or write notes on paper, and the text, smudge, and lasso tools have seen more use than I'd expected when I started.
I especially love the options to change the texture and color of the canvas itself, and how the size and opacity sliders for almost all the brushes/tools are so easy to adjust. Being able to save and export my sketches has made sharing my art a lot easier, too.
It's not a perfect program, those most likely don't exist and I'm sure this one has flaws I haven't even noticed, but overall it's great for beginners and good for people who can't get/use a paid app. I like Tayasui Sketches a lot.
