We find ourselves amidst a digital art renaissance, a period where the tools available to artists are abundant and exquisite. Free and paid drawing programs for Windows PC and Mac are so numerous that an artist’s only limit is their own skill and creativity. However, selecting the right tool is crucial, as changing tools midway can waste countless hours of effort invested in learning a specific program. To aid you in this daunting task, we have curated a list of the top 20 drawing programs for PC and Mac in 2024.
Best Drawing Programs for PC and Mac (Updated March 2024)
For a digital artist, the choice of drawing program is pivotal. It dictates the flow of creativity and the realm of imagination. Before delving into the list, it is imperative to understand the type of drawing program that suits your needs. The table below provides an array of apps and corresponding explanations.
Note: If you are a Chromebook user, refer to our separate article on the best drawing apps for Chromebooks.
What Sort of Drawing Software Should You Choose?
In my foray into new challenges, I seek simplicity and focus on mastering core techniques. A minimal interface with easy-to-use tools becomes indispensable. For beginners venturing into the world of sketching, a lightweight app designed for seamless drawing is recommended. Embrace the artistry without distractions.
But what if you are already a seasoned artist? You may have honed your skills, knowing what tools accentuate your creativity. However, I advise against preconceived notions when testing drawing apps based on external opinions. The tools dismissed by others might become your artistic catalyst. Let artistry guide your path.
1. Adobe Photoshop
Commencing our list is the renowned Adobe Photoshop, a quintessential drawing tool embraced by designers worldwide. With an extensive selection of brushes and robust control over strokes, it offers unparalleled flexibility in creating digital masterpieces. Ideal for designing packaging, banners, logos, and more, Adobe Photoshop is a powerhouse in the art realm.
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Pros:
- Feature-packed and powerful
- Diverse range of brushes
- Extensive brush customizations
- Cons:
- Steep learning curve
- Considerable cost investment
Supported Platforms: PC/Mac
Price: Free trial, $20.99/month
Check out Adobe Photoshop
2. Affinity Designer
A gem for Mac users eschewing subscription models, Affinity Designer offers a comprehensive graphic design solution. Craft illustrations, icons, branding materials, and more with ease. Its user-centric toolset ensures accessibility and seamless creation. Affinity Designer’s non-destructive operations elevate its appeal, providing an edge over competitors.
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Pros:
- User-friendly
- Feature-rich
- Lightweight
- Affordable pricing
- Cons:
- Challenging for traditional users
Supported Platforms: Mac
Price: Free trial, $49.99
Check out Affinity Designer
3. Sketchbook
A longstanding favorite among designers, illustrators, and animators, Sketchbook continues to reign as a premier drawing program. Its minimalist UI disappears seamlessly during creation, allowing artistic expression to flow effortlessly. Boasting over 140 designer brushes, support for unlimited layers, and a plethora of features, Sketchbook captivates artists seeking innovation in their creations.
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Pros:
- Ideal for designs and illustrations
- Wide brush variety
- Blending modes and predictive stroke support
- Affordable pricing
- Cons:
- Free version discontinued
Supported Platforms: PC/Mac
Price: $19.99
Check out Sketchbook
4. Corel Painter 2024
Demarcated as a professional tool by professionals, Corel Painter 2024 emerges as a haven for designers, illustrators, and digital artists. With over 900 brushes, exclusive particles, pattern pens, and innovative features, it offers a myriad of tools for crafting masterpieces. Seamlessly blend artistry with technology using Corel Painter’s AI-powered stylized paintings, making it a top choice for artists seeking excellence.
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Pros:
- Optimal for professional use
- Extensive brush selection
- AI-powered stylized paintings
- Strong community support
- Cons:
- High price point
Supported Platforms: PC/Mac
Price: Free trial, $229 for existing users, $429 for new users, $199/year subscription
Check out Corel Painter 2024
5. Adobe Illustrator
While Photoshop excels in design, Adobe Illustrator shines in vector artistry. The preferred choice for web icons, product packaging, book illustrations, and billboards, Illustrator’s feature-rich environment is favored by designers worldwide. Transform simple shapes into intricate logos, icons, and graphics, with seamless scalability across various media. Dive into a world of typographic elegance and freehand drawing tools with Adobe Illustrator.
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Pros:
- Premier vector design app
- Freehand drawing tools
- Typography and iconography features
- Cons:
- Notable learning curve
Supported Platforms: PC/Mac
Price: Free trial, $20.99/month
Check out Adobe Illustrator
6. Krita
For the discerning artist seeking a blend of professionalism and affordability, Krita emerges as a beacon. Open-source, free, and laden with professional tools, Krita caters to artists worldwide, from concept art to comics and illustrations. Unleash your creativity with brush stabilizers, custom brush engines, and an extensive resource manager. Embark on your artistic journey with Krita, a sanctuary for comic and concept artists.
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Pros:
- Free and open-source
- Professional-grade features
- Ideal for drawing comics
- Brush stabilizer support
- Cons:
- Compatibility issues with Wacom tablets
Supported Platforms: PC/Mac
Price: Free
Check out Krita
7. Inkscape
Amidst the realm of open-source drawing programs, Inkscape stands tall as a beacon of creativity. Ideal for illustrators, designers, and web enthusiasts, Inkscape’s robust feature set ensures optimal vector imagery creation. Navigate through object manipulation, color selectors, node editing, and multi-line text support seamlessly. Robust extension support and format flexibility render Inkscape a commendable alternative to Adobe Illustrator.
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Pros:
- Free and open-source
- Ideal for illustration and vector imagery
- Robust extension support
- Cons:
- Image export limited to PNG
Supported Platforms: PC/Mac
Price: Free
Check out Inkscape
8. myPaint
Traversing the realm of open-source drawing apps, myPaint emerges as a stalwart companion to artists. Despite its last update in 2020, myPaint’s prowess in sketching remains unwavering. Boasting extensive brush collections and Wacom tablet support, myPaint caters to artists across various genres. Embrace standard features and intuitive design, crafting art without financial constraints.
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Pros:
- Free and open-source
- Perfect for Wacom tablet usage
- Standard features upheld
- Cons:
- Absence of recent updates
Supported Platforms: PC/Mac
Price: Free
Check out myPaint
9. Rebelle 5
Embark on an artistic voyage with Rebelle 5, a paint software transcending boundaries of realism. Craft watercolor, acrylic, wet, and dry media artistry with precision. Delve into real-world color blending, wet diffusion, and nanoPixel technology, breathing life into your artwork. Ideal for traditional painters and CG artists, Rebelle 5 beckons those seeking a blend of digital artistry and traditional painting.
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Pros:
- Ideal for watercolor drawing
- Natural painting tools
- Oils, acrylics, and watercolors media tools
- Cons:
- Performance issues on older hardware
Supported Platforms: PC/Mac
Price: Free trial, $89.99
Check out Rebelle 5
10. FireAlpaca
Tailored for the minimalist artist or those on older hardware, FireAlpaca beckons with its lightweight design and basic feature set. Accessible to beginners and affordable, FireAlpaca enables artistic expression without resource limitations. While lacking the sophistication of industry giants, FireAlpaca facilitates artistic exploration without monetary constraints, ideal for budding artists seeking simplicity.
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Pros:
- Lightweight drawing program
- Designed for old hardware
- Standard features available
- Cons:
- Not geared for professionals
Supported Platforms: PC/Mac
Price: Free
Check out FireAlpaca
11. Leonardo
Seamlessly blending minimalistic design and resource efficiency, Leonardo emerges as a stalwart companion to artists on older hardware. Tailored for sketching, drawing, painting, and whiteboarding, Leonardo’s intuitive UI offers a snappy canvas for artistic expression. Leverage perspective drawing tools, an infinite canvas, and a powerful brush engine with Leonardo, ideal for touch-screen Windows tablets seeking digital artistry.
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Pros:
- Light on resources
- Ideal for Windows tablet devices
- Infinite canvas support
- Cons:
- Lacks feature depth
Supported Platforms: PC
Price: Free, $39
Check out Leonardo
12. MediBang Paint
A haven for manga and comics creators, MediBang Paint beckons with its extensive toolset and cloud syncing capabilities. Ideal for beginners and budding comics creators, MediBang Paint boasts over 800 tones/backgrounds, 50+ brushes, and 20 font styles. Seamlessly transition from idea to creation, with drag-and-drop support and cross-platform compatibility. MediBang Paint heralds a new era of digital comic creation.
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Pros:
- Ideal for comic creators
- Feature-packed drawing program
- Free to use
- Cons:
- Pen support issues
Supported Platforms: PC/Mac
Price: Free
Check out MediBang Paint
13. BlackInk
For the experimental artist seeking uncharted territories, BlackInk offers a revolutionary controller system, empowering artists to create and customize brushes. Embrace GPU rendering for fast performance and access thousands of community-shared customized brushes. Ideal for creators seeking unique experiences, BlackInk’s customizable brush tools redefine the boundaries of artistic exploration.
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Pros:
- Create custom brushes
- Supports GPU rendering
- Community-shared brushes
- Cons:
- Complex layout
Supported Platforms: PC
Price: Free trial, $59.99
Check out BlackInk
14. Paint 3D
Tailored for novice digital artists, Microsoft’s Paint 3D offers a gateway to artistic expression. Armed with an array of brushes and tools, Paint 3D provides a simplistic and intuitive interface for creative exploration. Ideal for 2D and 3D modeling, Paint 3D caters to beginners venturing into the realm of digital artistry as a pastime or hobby. Discover the joy of creation with Paint 3D.
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Pros:
- Free drawing tool on Windows
- Easy to use
- Ideal for beginners
- Cons:
- Not suited for professionals
Supported Platforms: PC
Price: Free
Check out Paint 3D
15. Artweaver
Artweaver emerges as a beacon for aspiring artists seeking to master drawing techniques. Immersed in a realm of intuitive UI and a plethora of readymade brushes, Artweaver offers a canvas for creativity to flourish. Customizable brush systems and seamless collaboration capabilities empower artists to hone their craft. Record your creative journey with Artweaver, a sanctuary for artistic brilliance.
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Pros:
- Intuitive interface
- Extensive readymade brushes
- Seamless collaboration
- Cons:
- Dated design
Supported Platforms: PC
Price: Free, $47
Check out Artweaver
16. ArtRage
For aficionados of realistic painting, ArtRage beckons with an arsenal of painting tools. From pencils to oil brushes to watercolors, ArtRage offers a diverse palette to craft intricate artistry. Tailor your brushes to your artistic vision, with a minimalist UI and a wealth of tutorials fostering creativity. Venture into a world of realistic artistry with ArtRage, where imagination meets reality.
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Pros:
- Best for oil paintings
- Watercolor support
- Simple interface
- Cons:
- Not suited for beginners
Supported Platforms: PC/Mac
Price: $79
Check out ArtRage
17. PaintShop Pro/ Ultimate
Navigating the intersection of drawing and photo editing, PaintShop Pro/Ultimate emerges as a reliable companion for artists. Craft commendable designs with tools for drawing, photo editing, and graphic design. Unleash creativity with a solid collection of paints and plugins, accentuating your artistic flair. PaintShop Pro/Ultimate adapts to your creative vision, a versatile tool for creative expression.
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Pros:
- Blend of photo editing and drawing
- Solid paint tools
- Rich feature set
- Cons:
- High price point
Supported Platforms: PC
Price: Free trial, Pro: $63.99, Ultimate: $79.99
Check out PaintShop
18. SketchUp
Crafting awe-inspiring 3D designs is a breeze with SketchUp, a premier tool for 3D artists. With a library of professionally designed extensions and customizable tools, SketchUp breathes life into your creative visions. Collaborate seamlessly and share your creativity with friends, ensuring an enriching artistic experience. Harness the power of SketchUp, a testament to 3D design innovation.
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Pros:
- Best for 3D designs
- Collaboration features
- Free version available
- Cons:
- Expensive pricing
Supported Platforms: PC/Mac
Price: Free, $119/$299
Check out SketchUp
19. Clip Studio Paint Pro
Embrace the natural brush feel with Clip Studio Paint Pro, a haven for artists seeking precision and control. With a robust brush engine and an extensive library of brushes, Clip Studio Paint Pro empowers artists to craft immersive artistry with finesse. Customize tools to align with your artistic style with Clip Studio Paint Pro, available for PC and Mac users.
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Pros:
- Natural brush feel, large brush library
- Robust brush engine
- Intuitive and powerful drawing app
- Cons:
- Not for beginners
Supported Platforms: PC/Mac
Price: Free trial, $49.99 and $219
Check out Clip Studio Paint Pro
20. CorelDRAW Suite
In the realm of drawing software, CorelDRAW Suite rises as a titan of artistry, boasting a myriad of professional tools for digital art and design. Master vector design, AI-powered LiveSketch, and precision photo editing with the Suite’s diverse range of features. While the learning curve may be steep, the Suite’s comprehensive toolset offers unmatched creativity for aspiring artists. Embark on a journey of pro-grade drawing with CorelDRAW Suite, a sanctuary for artistic brilliance.
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Pros:
- Best for professionals
- Wide range of tools
- AI-powered LiveSketch
- Cons:
- Esteemed price point
Supported Platforms: PC/Mac
Price: Free trial, $198/year or $499 for the full version
Check out CorelDRAW Suite
Best Drawing Programs for Windows and Mac
This concludes our journey through the best drawing programs for PC and Mac in 2024. Spanning a gamut of free and paid programs, each offering a unique perspective on digital artistry, we hope you’ve discovered the perfect tool for your creative endeavors. Venture into the realm of sketching, drawing, and illustration with zeal, and share your favorite drawing app in the comments below.
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