Artists, from amateurs to pros, are starting to see the value in using tablets and phones to sketch, draw, and paint. What mobile devices sacrifice in tactility they make up for in flexibility: zoom for nailing fine details, huge color palettes, and tons of different options for pens and brushes. And of course, students can stuff them in their backpack just like a sketchpad. These awesome painting and drawing apps -- our current favorites -- are curated for both younger and older students. For young students, there are more stripped-down but highly engaging options that make art accessible via the freedom of gesture and touch-based interaction. For older students, there are pro-grade apps with deep customizability and functionality that will let them produce artwork perfect for their portfolio.
Bottom Line: With appropriate teacher guidance, this can be an engaging if limited creative experience for pre-K-grade 2 students that cleverly mixes drawing and music creation.
Musically accompanied drawing is zen, but grid can limit freedom
Bottom Line: The music is a nice touch, even though the drawing tool isn't particularly sophisticated; however, the free content makes it worth a look.
