Logo sketchbookinkAt the introduction for the third generation iPad this past March, Apple invited a number of developers to showcase their apps designed for the Retina display-equipped new iPad. One of these was Autodesk, a major developer that has been prolific at writing apps for iOS. Their new app, Sketchbook Ink, has finally arrived on the App Store.

Powered by a brand new engine, Autodesk SketchBook Ink introduces unique technology for artists to create stunning, high-resolution ink-style artwork. The SketchBook Ink addition to the SketchBook family increases the number of choices available to artists to express their creative visions in a digital environment.

The app offers 7 different strokes to users with virtual ink that doesn't simply appear on the page -- instead, it leaves "interesting little imperfections as if it were seeping into the paper", says Harry McCracken writing for Technologizer:

And Ink has one noteworthy feature which SketchBook Pro doesn’t — the drawings you create aren’t bitmaps. Instead, they’re resolution-independent, so you can zoom in as much as you like and can save them to the iPad’s Photo Library, Dropbox, iTunes or email at resolutions that go beyond even the new iPad’s 2048-by-1536 pixels without introducing any jaggies. You can opt for up to 11,336-by-8727 resolution; that’s especially useful if you plan to eventually print your creation.

Mccrackensketchbookink

Untitled Crocodile Drawing by Harry McCracken

SketchBook Ink is available for iPad for the introductory price of $1.99, going up to $4.99 eventually. [Direct Link]

Top Rated Comments

appahappa Avatar
168 months ago
I bought it but it is by far not as good as Procreate. And it's pretty slow.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
kevinfulton.ca Avatar
168 months ago
Can these be exported in some vector format that Illustrator can open, like .pdf, .eps, or .ai? That would be awesome.

Nope! PNG..............but at least you get to pick a resolution on export.......still a little lame. Even Adobe's Ideas app has a PDF export. This does have better brush options though. I was hoping for more. :(
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
charlituna Avatar
168 months ago
Steve Jobs ;)

Nope. Steve never blocked the use of a stylus in any of the iOS devices. Hell they were selling Pogos and such in the stores for a while. Probably dropped them because they were getting 5 finger discounted too much.

Folks just like to scream that Apple is anti stylus because of Steve's early comments which were about requiring a stylus. And they say that until Apple puts in support for use with a stylus that has a tip the size of a pen and 1000 levels of pressure sensitivity like it's a freaking Cintiq (and costs $2 to buy of course) then it doesn't 'support' a real stylus.

Meanwhile you have folks like Jim Lee from DC comics doing rather dang good drawings on the iPad as it was when it came out 2 years ago and still doing them. Often with his fingers. If a pro artist isn't complaining about the iPad being defective it makes you wonder
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
HiRez Avatar
168 months ago
Can these be exported in some vector format that Illustrator can open, like .pdf, .eps, or .ai? That would be awesome.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MrXiro Avatar
168 months ago
I'd buy THAT for a dollar. :P
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
zarusoba Avatar
168 months ago
Hehehe. Personally I'd love to see Wacom tech make it into iPad one way or another, but I can't see that happening.

Maybe a Wacom-designed Android tablet is more likely?


Well, at Apple's iPad volumes, it may be cheaper to buy the company. :)
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

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