Who was Matisse and why did he paint on paper cut-outs? What was Picasso’s Blue Period and what made him blue? Can anything be DaDa? If you’ve found yourself musing over such questions or curious to see the arts scene in the city, I’ve compiled a brief, eclectic list of apps perfect for honing your inner art fanatic. Explore and have fun!
TAYUSUI SKETCHES (+)
Tayusui, meaning EASY and SIMPLE in Japanese, is evidently reflected in this beautifully designed drawing app. Sketches is a digital sketchbook that features drawing tools between pencil, rotring, watercolour brush, and felt pen. Personally, I like to use this to quickly plan out drawings or brainstorm new ideas. Through further purchases, you can illustrate with multiple layers, utilize more tools (acrylic/oil paintbrush, airbrush), and explore with various paper types.
GRID
Grid is a lifesaver for mapping out your drawings. With 12 varying grid options, you’ll be able to easily plan and set your paper to the right dimensions. Of course, it’s good to know how to illustrate without the comfort of a grid, but I like to think that I am learning in the process as it guides me along…
SEEK FINE ARTS
If you’re curious about the local art scene in your city, this app quickly helps you find local galleries and exhibit openings in your area. You can also explore works of artists as you build and personalize your feed. This one can be helpful for networking and exploring what opportunities your community has to offer.
DESIGN MILK
Like Tumblr/Pinterest, I browse around on Design Milk for inspirational purposes. The network showcases current trending and noteworthy design pieces, as well as helpful insight that explores design concepts. Design Milk offers a wide range of subjects, including posts on architecture, product design, graphic design, fashion, and new technology.
MOMA
Many art galleries create their own app to help guide visitors along in their museums, but I’ve liked the Moma App a little more than some others (the Met, the Louvre) because it gives you tours where you can hear from the artists and curators talk about the exhibits. It’s the closest you’ll get to visiting the museum yourself, besides actually taking a trip to New York. You can also favourite pieces that you like to create a personalized gallery. Another art reference app that I recommend is Daily Art by Moiseum; it features over 1000 works of art in which you can browse and learn about it’s history.
