While there doesn't seem to be a dedicated app for creating specifically pixel art on an iPad, Procreate was developed with the intention of making the most of the iPad's artistic possibilities.

You can also have a canvas size of up to two megapixels, and export to more advanced file types, including Photoshop's PSD.ĭownload: Pixaki 4 Intro for iOS (Free trial) | Pixaki 4 Pro for iOS ($26.99) Meanwhile, the full version of the app (Pixaki 4 Pro), lets you have unlimited layers, references, and animation frames. The lite version of the app (Pixaki 4 Intro) is free, but its functions are limited. You can only have three normal layers and one reference layer, as well as up to eight frames of animation and a maximum canvas size of 160×160. Pixaki allows you to import any image (or multiple images at once) from your photo library at full resolution, resize it, and reposition it on the canvas.

Oftentimes, when resizing your own sketches to create pixel art on top of them, you lose much of the details you originally had. Game developers will love the ability to export sprite sheets, otherwise known as images that show the sequence of every frame of an animated sprite.Ĭonverting a sketch to pixel art in Pixaki is easy with Reference Layers. There is support for up to 50 layers, animation, and the most popular file types.

It features a multi-touch interface and customizable palettes. There is also an in-browser editor for those that want to use Pixilart on a computer or laptop.ĭownload: Pixilart for iOS | Android (Free)Īvailable for iPad only, Pixaki is one powerhouse of an app with glowing reviews. All messages are public, and filters for swearing and spam are enabled by default. Pixilart is a community for all ages, so you are not allowed to upload adult content. You'll need to create an account to share your artwork with other users on the platform. This spin on the basic drawing function quickly drew users in, slowly building what's now one of today's biggest online communities specifically for pixel artists. It isn't until you hit the Draw button that a pixel is placed at the cursor's location on-screen (so you're likely going to have to use both of your hands at once). Tapping and dragging in Pixilart, however, will only move your cursor around. This can be difficult to control unless you're zoomed in really far.

Before Pixilart, apps made specifically for creating pixel art would draw pixels on the canvas as soon as your finger hit the screen. Pixilart is the app that brought what's possibly the best approach to creating pixel art on mobile.

Art studio app for mac