I’m not one for loading my iPhone/Pad with apps but I did purchase Zen Brush 3
” a drawing app focused on the strong yet beautiful feel of the East Asian ink brush which can be used to perform calligraphy, ink painting and more“.
As can be seen in this my very first try-out, the zen brush3 app offers brush style strokes in various thicknesses, from very wet to very dry, in black and colours with an opaque slider to create lighter or darker versions.
A wet applicator creates the shadowing so often seen in Japanese paintings. There’s also a blotter and eraser tool.
The drawings can be rotated and saved either as an image or just as ink outlines.
The option to create layers and import other images makes this app even more versatile. Opacity, brightness, contrast and saturation can be modified by sliders.
If you have an iPen there are some very lovely creations possible – I only have my finger, so find it difficult to draw with any refinement!
The one downside for me is that I dislike the pink-grey or brown backgrounds to the saved images but transparent pngs are one of the save options. Also, I can always edit these in Photoshop. And Lightroom gives me the chance to zap and alter the image even further, should I wish.
My verdict: I love it! But as for creating fine ink drawings, it’s just not me. Rather I use Zen Brush3 to create finger painted abstracts!
It’s Photoshop Friday when we have fun with edits and apps!
PoetryPix 
I like the results. (K)
thank you K – are you tempted to give it a go?
I’ve tried it a bit. I feel like I spend too much time on screens already. They narrow your world–when I’m drawing on paper I’m still attached to everything around me, but I don’t feel that with screens. That’s true of reading too. I still prefer a book or newspaper to a screen.
I can understand that though I like its convenience (even on a train for example). I don’t have TV for the reasons you mentioned but will draw with Zenbrush3 listening to something on audible
Seems to me that you have quickly mastered this Laura. These are beautiful sketches – playful, colourful, joyful.
many thanks for your encouraging comment, John
These are so beautiful and you are certainly tempting me to get that app! No iPen either! 😉 xoxo
thank you, Marina – naturally I think of when using this app!! – and you might enjoy expanding from brush and paper to this – I have it on both iPhone and iPad so size of canvas varies too
p.s. also I did wonder if you would be interested in this BBC Art series on the rules of abstraction that I am watching in YT
I am going to check it out!
Video unavailable to me. This thing with different regions is quite annoying!🙄 Video sounds very interesting.
oh – I forget the wordlwideweb is not all that it seems!
🤣🤔
Seems to invite spontaneity. Also if one does not use an iPen is there a freedom similar to finger painting?
it feels like that Brenda though with clean hands!