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Sketchbook

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Company health

Employee growth
3% increase in the last year
Web traffic
2% increase in the last quarter

Ratings

G2
4.4/5
(172)
Capterra
4.6/5
(36)
Glassdoor
4.3/5
(4861)

Sketchbook description

Sketchbook by Autodesk is a digital drawing and painting app. It's designed for both casual doodlers and professional artists and illustrators. It stands out with its intuitive interface and professional-grade tools, including perspective guides, customizable brushes, and predictive stroke smoothing. Sketchbook is available on various platforms, making it accessible on your computer, tablet, or phone.


Who is Sketchbook best for

Sketchbook is a versatile digital drawing and painting app suitable for both casual doodlers and professional artists. Its intuitive interface and professional-grade tools, like customizable brushes and perspective guides, make it a popular choice. Users love its ease of use and cross-platform availability, while some find the text input cumbersome and miss the Copic color palettes from older versions.

  • Best for small to medium-sized companies.

  • Suitable for various industries, including creative design, marketing, and education.


Sketchbook features

Type in the name of the feature or in your own words tell us what you need
Supported

Sketchbook simulates pens with its brush library and stylus support.

Supported

Sketchbook supports pencil tools that simulate various pencil leads through adjustable brush settings and pressure sensitivity.

Supported

Sketchbook has an airbrush tool for gradients and soft shadows.

Supported

Sketchbook allows controlling line weights and other details.

Supported

Sketchbook supports perspective tools with customizable grids and guides for 1-, 2-, and 3-point perspectives.

Supported

Sketchbook allows customization of brush size, opacity, shape, and blending modes.

Qualities

We evaluate the sentiment that users express about non-functional aspects of the software

Ease of Use

Rather positive
+0.5

Sketchbook reviews

We've summarised 207 Sketchbook reviews (Sketchbook Software Advice reviews, Sketchbook Capterra reviews and Sketchbook G2 reviews) and summarised the main points below.

Pros of Sketchbook
  • Intuitive and user-friendly interface for sketching.
  • Wide variety of brushes, pencils, and other tools.
  • Professional-grade tools, including perspective guides and customizable brushes.
  • Predictive stroke smoothing for enhanced drawing accuracy.
  • Copic color palettes (in older versions).
  • Multiple layer support for complex drawings.
  • Available on various platforms (desktop, tablet, mobile).
  • Easy import and export options.
  • Time-lapse recording feature.
  • Symmetry tools for creating balanced designs.
  • Rulers and guides for precise drawing.
  • Customizable workspace and toolbars.
  • Pressure sensitivity for realistic drawing experience.
  • Ability to add text and images to drawings.
  • Affordable pricing.
  • Free version offers a good range of features.
  • Easy to switch between tools.
  • Clean and minimalist interface.
  • Good customer support.
  • Helpful online tutorials and resources.
  • Fast and efficient performance.
  • Realistic pencil and brush simulation.
  • Good color mixing and blending options.
  • Convenient for quick sketches and note-taking.
  • Helpful for creating presentations and visualizations.
  • Suitable for both beginners and professionals.
  • Great for concept art and design ideation.
  • Supports various drawing styles and techniques.
  • Easy to use on the go.
  • Good for architectural drawings and fashion design.
  • Helpful for creating digital art and illustrations.
  • Integrates well with drawing tablets and styluses.
  • Enables creativity and artistic expression.
  • Good for editing and enhancing images.
  • Excellent for character design and comic book art.
  • Helps improve drawing skills.
  • Fun and enjoyable to use.
Cons of Sketchbook
  • Fill tool struggles to fully fill solid shapes, requiring multiple attempts.
  • Text input is cumbersome, with difficulties in formatting paragraphs and maintaining consistent font sizes.
  • Latest version removed the Copic Marker color palette and brush sets.
  • Limited blending features and lack of watercolor effects.
  • No clipping mask layer feature.
  • Limited vector support, hindering scalability and large-scale printing.
  • UI can be confusing and difficult to navigate, especially for beginners.
  • Limited advanced features compared to other software.
  • No layer support in the free version.
  • Performance issues and lag, especially with large files or high-resolution images.
  • Lacks advanced features like rotational symmetry for mandalas or timeline frames for animation.
  • Requires an Autodesk account, even for offline use.
  • No information available for 3D modeling.
  • Mobile app has limited functionality compared to the desktop version.
  • Paid features limit access to some tools and functionalities.
  • Difficult to add external images or integrate with other software.
  • Limited canvas size and customization options in the free version.
  • Lack of tutorials or guidance within the app.
  • Occasional freezing and crashing issues.
  • Automatic drawing tool lacks accuracy.
  • Limited color mixing and blending options for the palettes.
  • Canvas rotation can be slow and cumbersome.
  • Limited file management tools.
  • Limited support for other file format exports.
  • Paid version lacks value for the cost of upgrades or subscription.
  • Some useful features, like perspective grids, are hard to find or understand without tutorials.
  • The free version is not easily accessible in some app stores.
  • Brush settings and canvas manipulation are difficult to customize.
  • Some essential features are locked behind the paid version.
  • Color tool can be unintuitive.
  • Frequent updates can be disruptive to workflow.
  • Text tool features are sometimes limited.
  • Touch input can be overly sensitive causing unintentional zooming or rotation.
  • Zoom function can cause image rotation.
  • Eraser tool is difficult to use.
  • Navigating the tools and features can be confusing.
  • Brushes and tools sometimes have unexpected behavior.
  • Limited options for scaling objects and grids.
  • Some basic tools are missing.
  • The interface is outdated.
  • Difficult to manage layers effectively.
  • Mobile and desktop features are not synced effectively.
  • Not supported on every OS platform.
  • Switching between pens and tools is not seamless.
  • Difficult to use on smaller screens.
  • Some features are hard to find without consulting external resources.
  • Features like blending modes and gradients are limited

Sketchbook pricing

The commentary is based on 19 reviews from Sketchbook Capterra reviews and Sketchbook G2 reviews.

Sketchbook is praised for its generous free version offering a robust set of tools. While some advanced features require a pro subscription, many users find the free tier sufficient. The pro version is generally viewed as affordable and worthwhile for frequent users.

Users sentiment

Neutral
+0

See the Sketchbook pricing page.


Sketchbook alternatives

  • Logo of Krita
    sketchbook vs Krita
    Free and open-source. Offers animation tools.
    Read more
  • Logo of Clip Studio Paint
    Clip Studio Paint
    Better suited for professional comic and manga artists. Website traffic is growing faster. Offers a one-time purchase option.
    Read more
  • Logo of Painter
    Painter
    More focused on realistic natural media emulation. Caters to professional digital artists.
    Read more
  • Logo of Onshape
    Onshape
    Better for 3D modeling and collaborative design. Cloud-based, unlike Sketchbook's varied platform availability. More suitable for product design and manufacturing.
    Read more
  • Logo of Adobe Fresco
    Adobe Fresco
    More intuitive to use. Has more momentum in its employee growth. A strong Sketchbook alternative for those invested in the Adobe ecosystem.
    Read more
  • Logo of Rebelle
    Rebelle
    Better at realistically simulating traditional media like watercolor and oil paint. Has stronger customer service and is growing faster. A better Sketchbook alternative for professional artists.
    Read more

Sketchbook FAQ

  • What is Sketchbook and what does Sketchbook do?

    Sketchbook is a versatile digital drawing and painting app suitable for both casual and professional artists. It offers an intuitive interface, professional-grade tools like customizable brushes and perspective guides, and predictive stroke smoothing for enhanced accuracy. It's available on multiple platforms, allowing for creation on any device.

  • How does Sketchbook integrate with other tools?

    Sketchbook's integration capabilities are limited. While it supports importing and exporting various file formats, it lacks direct integration with other software for collaborative workflows or advanced features like 3D modeling.

  • What the main competitors of Sketchbook?

    Top Sketchbook alternatives include Clip Studio Paint, Adobe Fresco, and Painter. These competitors offer similar digital art and illustration tools, catering to various skill levels from beginners to professionals. If you're seeking realistic traditional media emulation, Rebelle is another strong contender.

  • Is Sketchbook legit?

    Yes, Sketchbook is a legitimate and safe digital drawing and painting app developed by Autodesk. It's known for its intuitive interface, professional-grade tools, and availability across multiple platforms. Many users appreciate its brush variety and predictive stroke smoothing.

  • How much does Sketchbook cost?

    I cannot find pricing details for Sketchbook. Contact the vendor directly to determine if Sketchbook's product pricing and features meet your needs. Is Sketchbook worth it? Consider requesting a demo or free trial to assess its value.

  • Is Sketchbook customer service good?

    Users generally praise Sketchbook's customer support, describing it as "awesome" and readily available within the app. They appreciate the helpful resources and detailed guidance on using the software's tools and features. Several reviews mention the support being "great" and "effective."


Reviewed by

MK
Michal Kaczor
CEO at Gralio

Michal has worked at startups for many years and writes about topics relating to software selection and IT management. As a former consultant for Bain, a business advisory company, he also knows how to understand needs of any business and find solutions to its problems.

TT
Tymon Terlikiewicz
CTO at Gralio

Tymon is a seasoned CTO who loves finding the perfect tools for any task. He recently headed up the tech department at Batmaid, a well-known Swiss company, where he managed about 60 software purchases, including CX, HR, Payroll, Marketing automation and various developer tools.