We are living in the golden age for digital artists. There are so many good tools, both free and paid, available in the market that any digital artist is only limited by their skill or imagination. That being said, there are so many drawing programs available for Windows PC and Mac that it has become paramount to start with the right tool. As a digital artist, it can be hard to switch to a new tool in the long run. You could do it, but then, you would have wasted countless hours of work that you invested in learning how to use a tool. To help you choose the best digital art tool for you, we have compiled a list of the 20 best drawing programs for PC and Mac you should check out in 2022.
Best Drawing Programs for PC and Mac (Updated March 2022)
For a digital artist, a drawing program is a huge asset. And thus, choosing the right tool becomes indispensable for both the flow and the imagination. So before unpacking the list, let’s first learn what kind of drawing program you need. You can expand the table below to find various apps and our explainer below.
Note: If you are a Chromebook user, you should check out our separate article on the best drawing apps for Chromebooks.
What Sort of Drawing Software Should You Choose?
When I’m still getting into the groove of something, I want to encounter minimal complexities and concentrate more on getting a good hang of the core techniques. Therefore, minimal interface coupled with the easy-to-master tools become a must. So, if you have just started to sketch your imagination, I would recommend you go for an app that’s pretty lightweight and designed to make drawing a smooth-sailing affair.
What if you are already a pro? Then, you probably already know what sort of tools work best for you and what can add the missing wings to your creative fancy. However, the one little tip that I would like to offer is to never go with the testing of the drawing apps with pre-occupied thoughts based on what others have said/ written about. Maybe the tools that others have written off might turn out to be the much-needed shot in the arm for your pro-grade drawing needs. Now that the talk is over, let’s find the best tool for your sketching needs!
1. Adobe Photoshop
We will start our list with the de facto drawing tool that most designers have heard of and use on a daily basis. Adobe Photoshop is one of the best drawing programs, and it gives you access to hundreds of different brushes. The program offers you a high degree of control over your strokes, smoothness of the brushes, and an excellent preset panel that makes it easy to organize all your favorite brushes in one place. Adobe Photoshop is one of the best digital drawing tools for creating packaging, banners, websites, logos, icons, and more.
The app not only allows you to start with a completely blank canvas but also import your own images and use them as a starting point to create your digital masterpiece. If you are looking for something mainstream and powerful, look no further than Adobe Photoshop. Also, if you are looking for free software that can replace Adobe Photoshop, click on the link to check the top alternatives.
Supported Platforms: PC/ Mac
Price: Free trial, $20.99/ month
Check out Adobe Photoshop
2. Affinity Designer
Affinity Designer is also one of the best drawing programs for Mac users who don’t want to enroll in a subscription-based pricing model and still be able to perform at their highest. The app brings a complete graphic design solution for all of your needs. My favorite thing about Affinity Designer is that all its tools and features are built keeping end-users in mind. That means they are easy to access and easy to learn and use.
With Affinity Designer, you can create illustrations, icons, branding materials, printing projects, mockups, and more. The app also supports non-destructive operations, which gives it an edge over its competitors. You will get all these features and more for just a one-time payment fee.
Supported Platforms: Mac
Price: Free trial, $49.99
Check out Affinity Designer
3. Sketchbook
For the longest time, Sketchbook has been one of the best drawing programs on Mac or PC, and it still is. Whether you are a designer, an illustrator, or an animator, Sketchbook will help you improve your skills as well as create beautiful art once you spend some time learning it. My favorite feature of the Sketchbook is its minimalistic UI which dissolves out of your way when you are actually creating your piece.
You get a blank piece of a digital canvas where your creativity can flow easily. Features are one of the many things that make Sketchbook one of the best drawing programs. There are more than 140 designer brushes, support for unlimited layers, blending modes, grouping of layers, and more. There’s also robust support for rulers and guides, custom perspective guides, predictive stroke, and more to help you in your creation.
Supported Platforms: PC/ Mac
Price: $19.99
Check out Sketchbook
4. Corel Painter 2022
Another great tool for designers, illustrators, and digital artists is the Corel Painter 2022, which brings a plethora of tools to help you get the job done. Corel Painter markets itself as a tool for pros created by the pros. Fortunately, that description is not far from the truth. You get a huge selection of brushes (more than 900), exclusive particles, pattern pens, thick paintbrushes, and much more. Corel Painter is supported by its huge library of video tutorials which is great for any artist to get started.
That being said, if you are a beginner, you will find it harder to use. But, if you intend to make this your career, it is not a bad move to start with a tool that you can use for the next 20 years. With the latest update, the company has brought along some much-needed performance improvements, enhanced thick paintbrushes, clone tinting, AI styles for creating a stylized painting from images, and more. If you are looking for the best drawing programs, I suggest trying out Corel Painter.
Supported Platforms: PC/ Mac
Price: Free trial, $229 for users who had purchased a license for any previous version and $429 for new users, $199/ year subscription
Check out Corel Painter 2022
5. Adobe Illustrator
While Photoshop is a competent tool for designers if you are looking for the best drawing programs for vector design, Adobe Illustrator is what you should be using. Hundreds of thousands of designers and artists use Illustrator CC to create everything from web icons and product packaging to book illustrations and billboards. That alone is a testament to Illustrator’s features.
With Adobe Illustrator, you will get all the tools you need to turn simple shapes and colors into sophisticated logos, icons, and graphics. Since you are working with vector graphics here, your artwork can scale anywhere from a smartphone to a billboard. You also get access to gorgeous typography and freehand drawing tools. Illustrator is definitely a drawing program you should check out.
Supported Platforms: PC/ Mac
Price: Free trial, $20.99/ month
Check out Adobe Illustrator
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(Continue the article with the remaining 15 drawing programs)
Conclusion
That ends our article on the best drawing programs that you can get for your PC and Mac. I have included programs both free and paid programs and serve different use-case scenarios. So we hope you found programs for sketching, drawing, illustrating, and more to meet your required needs. Do check out the list closely and let us know your favorite drawing app in the comments below.